February 2010 Archives

There are a lot of things that one must learn to do when training to be a caregiver at CHCI. I have been training for Chimp Care for a few months now, and the only thing I had yet to experience was an interaction on berm (the walkway and garden along the outdoor enclosure). 

Since the Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day fell on the same date this year, the chimpanzees at CHCI celebrated Chinese New Year a little early. For Valentine's day, decorations and other related party items were prepared over the three-day weekend and were ready for the chimpanzees to enjoy!



While every day at CHCI there is a theme to the enrichment that the chimpanzees receive, the themed enrichment on holidays is extra special. All of the students and volunteers at CHCI worked together to make hand-crafted decorations for the chimpanzees' RED HUG/LOVE DAY celebration. The East Play Room was decked out in red and white and pink streamers, hearts, and clothes. Cellophane bags held stuffed animals and tasty treats. Perky purses and apparel pockets hid more treats, including lollipops, chocolate-covered marshmallows, peanut butter cheese cracker packs, raisins, sunflower seeds, and 100%-fruit-juice boxes.



Dar collected several of the cellophane bags and sat on the wooden platform to enjoy the spoils: lollipops, raisins, and sunflower seeds. He opened all of the bags with his teeth and peeled the cellophane back like wrapping paper. Loulis went for the treats hidden on the upper wooden platform - marshmallows and fruit juice. Loulis also pulled down all of the streamers one by one, making a colorful mess on the floor. Tatu found all of the peanut butter cheese crackers and ate the peanut butter first, before enjoying the crackers.



After all the treats were gone, the chimpanzees settled down for mid-morning naps. Valentine's Day was a sweet success!

This year the Chinese (Lunar) New Year and Valentine's Day fell on the same day, so we celebrated the New Year a little early. In the East Room, interns hung paper dragons, dragon masks, red decorations for luck, pictures of tigers and fish, and a huge sign that said "Happy New Year" in English and Mandarin. There were also raisins, an exciting favorite.


When the doors opened, there were lots of pant-hoots, and excitement as the chimpanzees raced around, picking up raisins all over the playroom, and playing chase. After all of the raisins were gone, Loulis made another loop around the room, pulling down all of the decorations, red sheets and clothes, streamers, the paper dragon hanging over the wooden platform, and finally the red "Happy New Year" sign.



For dinner, all three of the chimpanzees attended a special order Chinese take-out party sponsored by Kathy Gee.  We ordered the following items from Panda Garden for the feast: Egg Flower Soup, Crab Cheese Won Tons; Almond Chicken; Garlic Chicken; Vegetable Fried Rice and extra Fortune Cookies (3 each).  Prior to the start of the meal the interns were drooling over the smell and we took bets on which items might be favored.


The meal offered a number of surprises.  First, the Egg Flower Soup was served as a forage in paper cups hidden in the night-time enclosures.  Although Dar tasted the soup, the forage was primarily commandeered by Tatu, who drank almost every cupful while Dar and Loulis looked on.  Crackers were a bust so Dani, the evening's server, moved onto the main courses.  In the second surprise of the evening Dar took a shining to the Crab Cheese Won Tons and managed to eat all eight!! Tatu picked through the offerings for bits and pieces while Loulis tasted everything on the plate.  Interestingly, no one was very taken with the chicken.


The fortune cookies were served for desert and enjoyed by all, once we told them they were cookies!   Prior to that explanation the chimpanzees merely looked askance at this seemingly ridiculous looking offering.  At least, that's what I imagine they were thinking considering their initial facial expressions and general lack of excitement.  Overall the meal was quite a success but maybe next time we should try some pork? 

Sunday was a holiday in American culture; Super Bowl Sunday- a day
usually filled with lots of snacks, friends, and excitement. Super
Bowl Sunday was no different for the chimpanzees this year, with a
special meal cooked up for the occasion. For an appetizer, in addition to
their protein biscuits, the chimpanzees foraged in their night enclosure
area for air-popped popcorn; Tatu excitedly pant-hooted early in the
morning signing POPCORN/ when she was told about the afternoon's forage.
In true game-day fashion, the chimpanzees enjoyed nachos (tortilla chips
covered with melted cheddar cheese)and hot dogs (ethical and organic, of
course!) with mustard as their main course, with celery and carrot sticks
on the side.


               Dar especially enjoyed the nachos, eating the cheese from
his own bowl while holding Tatu and Loulis' servings in his hands and
feet. Tatu enjoyed the hot dogs with mustard, eating extra portions that
Dar and Loulis left behind. Loulis enjoyed a little bit of everything,
including the popcorn forage. Overall, it was a delicious and enriching
meal for the chimpanzees of CHCI; nomatter who the winning team happened
to be!