Enrichment Themes for June

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Editor's Note: Every day at CHCI we put out a wide variety of enrichment items for the chimpanzees, usually based around some theme. Here are the themes from the 30 days of June 2009.

  1. General Enrichment
  2. General Enrichment
  3. Shopping Day
  4. Drag Queen Day
  5. Art Day
  6. General Enrichment
  7. General Enrichment
  8. Brown Day
  9. Water/Blue Day
  10. British Day
  11. Gold Day
  12. Rainbow Day
  13. General Enrichment
  14. General Enrichment
  15. T-Shirt Day
  16. Bag Day
  17. Red Day
  18. Green Day
  19. Purple Day
  20. General Enrichment
  21. General Enrichment
  22. Summer Day
  23. Container Day
  24. Sheet/Fort Day
  25. Hawaiian Day
  26. Ball Day
  27. General Enrichment
  28. General Enrichment
  29. Farm Day
  30. Spider Web Day

Determination is the Key to Success

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One of the most enriching things we have at CHCI is the berm garden, where caregivers plant certain fruits and vegetables and the chimpanzees can watch them grow. Once the plants are ripe, the chimpanzees can request items from the berm garden and caregivers can serve these treats to them through the fencing. Sometimes they will request things before they are ready, and caregivers respond with something like, "SORRY CAN'T THAT PLANT NOT READY," "THAT PLANT BABY," or "NEED GROW MORE." Tatu can be pretty persistent however, and if she is told that a plant isn't ready - but she has her mind set on getting that plant, she will invent ways to get it on her own. Just the other day she came outside carrying two hoses in her mouth. She climbed up to the highest ledge in zone 7, behind the cargo net, and squatted down to the point where she was barely hanging on to the edge of the corner ledge. She looked down at the two hoses, which were in her hands now, and dropped one. It was insufficient. She took the other one, which was longer, and started feeding it through the fencing to hook the apple tree that grows just outside the fencing in that corner of the berm. The apples are only about one inch in diameter right now and very, very green. I stood there watching and signed "THAT BABY APPLE, NOT READY!" but Tatu was determined. It didn't take her long to hook the branch in just the right way in order to snag one of the apples. I laughed a little and congratulated Tatu as she happily crunched away on the very unripe and tiny apple. 

The Mask Game

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It was in the morning and I was cleaning one of the drains next the east indoor enclosure. I saw Tatu walk up to a new chimpanzee mask that had been put out as enrichment, she pointed at it and signed "THAT BLACK". We think that black is Tatu's favorite color; she also seems to use it to describe things she likes, much like we would use the word "cool". She picked up the mask, rolled it up, and shoved it though the door that I was next to. When I took the mask from her she looked at me and signed "CHASE". I put on the mask and stomped through the rooms. I ended up in the human cage. Tatu signed "NUT?" I told her "CAN'T NOW MAYBE LATER". Tatu got a piece of garden hose (we put hoses in their room every day- they use them as tools, straws, etc...) and shoved it through the caging toward me. I lifted the mask and put my end of the hose up to my mouth, blew into it as hard as I could and signed "SMELL". Tatu smelled my hose breath and signed "THAT" pointing to the chimpanzee mask. I pulled the mask back over my face (it gets hot in there!) and started a game of tug-o-war. She had a huge play face and was not going easy on me. Loulis walked up and Tatu gave him a play bite on his shoulder. Loulis joined in on tug-o-war so it was me against two chimpanzees! I didn't stand a chance. Loulis had both of his hands and one foot on the hose. Tatu peeled back his toes so she could get a better grip. They beat me. Tatu signed "NUT?". I went and got everyone a walnut. 

May Enrichment Themes

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Editor's Note: Every day at CHCI we put out a wide variety of enrichment items for the chimpanzees, usually based around some theme. Here are the themes from the 31 days of May 2009.

  1. Tea Party Day
  2. General Enrichment 
  3. General Enrichment 
  4. Pink Day
  5. Cinco de Mayo 
  6. Garden Day
  7. Loud Noisy Toy Day
  8. Purple Day
  9. General Enrichment 
  10. General Enrichment 
  11. Loulis' Birthday/ Mother's Day
  12. Hair Day
  13. Treat-fishing Day
  14. Paper chain link Day
  15. Frozen Treats Hanging Day
  16. General Enrichment 
  17. General Enrichment 
  18. Pillow Case Day
  19. Hug/Love Day
  20. Box Day
  21. Tool Day
  22. Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day
  23. General Enrichment 
  24. General Enrichment 
  25. Northwest Day
  26. Musical instrument Day
  27. Footprint day
  28. Hurt Day
  29. Random Holiday Day
  30. General Enrichment 
  31. General Enrichment 

Temporary Blog Difficulties

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Friends of Washoe & CHCI blog readers:

We are transitioning the FriendsOfWashoe.org website to a new internet provider this week. There are a few glitches in the process, including a few with this blog. The photos that accompany some of the blog entries are not showing up. We will repair them soon.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Thank you!

CHCI Staff

I'm Sorry Tatu, Loulis is Busy

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Today as we invited the chimpanzees in for lunch I could see that Tatu was torn between committing to lunch on her own or waiting for Loulis to join her. She sat, indecisively, in Room 4 alternating between looking longingly towards the crackers that Rosie was already serving to Dar and looking out into the West playroom in search of Loulis. Unfortunately for and unbeknownst to Tatu the marching band was practicing in the library parking lot across the street and Loulis was much more interested in this sight than in any bean soup I might have to offer. I sat down on the floor next to room 4 and clapped for her attention. When she looked in my direction I vocally said, "Tatu, I promise you that Loulis is not interested in lunch. He's probably not coming in." Tatu looked at me, got up and walked out of room 4 towards the door connecting the West playroom and the Outdoor enclosure. I turned to Missie and said, "I guess she didn't believe me." As I said this Tatu paused and looked back in my direction.  I said, "I'm sorry Tatu, he's busy," and with that she turned around, picked up her sheets and joined Dar in the night enclosure area for lunch. 

THAT CHEESE

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I was volunteering as a presenter/observer guide during a recent chimposium. When it became time, I took a group of guests down to the observation area to view the chimpanzees in their home. When we came in, Tatu was sitting on the big tire in the West Room looking at a magazine. I noticed that she was signing CHEESE and so I told the group what she was signing. I began talking about something else in the room and soon after a guest asked me "Is this a sign?" referring to something Tatu was doing. When I looked at Tatu she had put her hands together in an approximation of CHEESE. I asked CHEESE with a raised brow to clarify. Tatu paused to look at me then flipped back through the magazine she was looking at and signed THAT CHEESE, pointing to an advertisement for a cheesy macaroni dish.

Chimpanzees have lost a good friend

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Dr. Carole Noon passed away on Saturday. Carole founded Save the Chimps in 1997 and continued as president of the organization until her death. Save the Chimps provides island sanctuaries in Florida for more than 150 chimpanzees, and is working to transition the many dozens of remaining Coulston lab chimpanzees to Florida as well. You can read more about the history of Save the Chimps on their website.

"Carole gave so much to our fellow apes and our chimpanzee kin. Chimpanzees have lost a great friend." ~ Deborah and Roger Fouts

"Carole was spirited, determined, and practical, the ingredients to her success in realizing a dream that changed the lives of hundreds of chimpanzees. Founding Save the Chimpanzees was an undertaking of incredible magnitude and I admire her dedication, courage, and realism.  Yes, the chimpanzee community has lost a great friend." ~ Mary Lee Jensvold

April Enrichment Themes

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 Editor's Note: Everyday at CHCI we put out a wide variety of enrichment items for the chimpanzees, usually based around some theme. Here are the themes from the 30 days of April, 2009.

   1. Pajama Party
   2. Gina Day
   3. Fish Day
   4. General Enrichment
   5. General Enrichment
   6. Envelope Day
   7. Box Day
   8. Chimpanzee Baby Day
   9. Super Normal Stimuli Day (really cute stuff)
  10. Orange Day
  11. General Enrichment
  12. General Enrichment
  13. Easter
  14. Model Day
  15. Smell Day
  16. Ball Day
  17. Kite Day
  18. General Enrichment
  19. General Enrichment
  20. Pasty-White People Day
  21. Africa Day
  22. Clothes Day
  23. April Showers Day
  24. Backwards Day
  25. General Enrichment
  26. General Enrichment
  27. Spider Web Day
  28. Bank Robber Day
  29. Sunglasses/ Beach Day
  30. Up-High Day  

Green Day

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The "luck o' the Irish" was with Tatu, Loulis, and Dar on St. Patrick's Day, also known as GREEN DAY, accompanied by green decorations, treats, and an exciting dinner! The day began with the usual breakfast smoothie, and while the chimpanzees enjoyed an after-smoothie apple, the interns at CHCI went to work putting out an extravagant forage!  Thanks to a generous donation from Ginna Keulen, the East room was decorated from floor to ceiling with green streamers, plastic tablecloths, garland, and a large inflatable leprechaun (GREEN PERSON).

GREEN PERSON and Missie

For some special treats, the chimpanzees foraged for apple juice with soda water (dyed green of course), spread out throughout their enclosure in paper cups.

Dar drinking apple juice

 Also included in the donation from Ms. Keulen was a package of mint chocolate kisses (CHCOCOLATE SWEETS), and from the treat drawer at CHCI came walnuts, dried apricots, dried pineapple, and grape licorice!  The chimpanzees were very excited at the prospect of all of these treats! Dar especially enjoyed the green apple juice, while Tatu and Loulis seemed to prefer the nuts and chocolate kisses. The treats were hidden around their East room enclosure, in hats and clothing, under tires and even on top of their climbing structure.

Tatu and Loulis on St. Patrick's Day

Dar was so excited about the party, when asked what a picture of a leprechaun was, he replied, ICE CREAM (which the chimpanzees sometimes use to refer to parties). Tatu, Dar, and Loulis all enjoyed their special Irish celebration!

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