To continue our Comfort and Joy celebrations, today we gave the chimpanzees 2 different pieces of artwork that have been reformatted into enrichment items! First off, we gave Negra’s group a new cozy blanket with the famous Negra in the Sun painting printed on it.
I carefully hung it on the railings next to Negra’s nest in anticipation of her snuggling up in it:
Even the best laid plans go awry. After the chimpanzees entered the playroom, Burrito playfully poked the blanket until it fell down over a firehose below. Here’s Jamie foraging for cabbage next to it. You can still see the magnificent artwork that Margaret Parkinson originally painted!
During lunch, Negra did end up pulling her blanket over and using it as a seat cushion:
On the other side of the building we handed out this fantastic silky Lucky scarf (original artwork by Thyra Rutter from Arte for Elephants):
Cy commandeered the scarf for a game of tug-o-war!
Thanks go to our amazing artists Margaret and Thyra, as well as Heather S and Heather H, who purchased the items so the chimpanzees could enjoy them!
