Africa is improving so well! (Do you know how many chimps I can fall in love with? mmmmm). Africa is now vocalizing when she eats an apple!; she is happy when she goes outside; she is happy when she goes in at dinner time and she has started to interact and react to our enrichments activities. But we can see that she is starting to get a little bored ….So observing that we will think about the next step: meeting a chimp.

 We have started her introductions to the chimps. Nico, our “social boy” was the first to meet Africa. Not as successful as he hoped but not surprising either. It was obvious what was on Africa’s mind: “Get this black hairy thing out off my sight, NOWWW!”, because she was screaming and throwing things at him. On the other hand, Nico was calling her attention, maybe telling her: “I just want to play with you….”.  Yesterday we introduced Romie who was very happy to see the “New girl”, but there were no affiliate behaviours or physical contact. Africa screamed only for the first 2 minutes, and then everything was very indirect and quiet.

I do have to apologize for using anthropomorphic human language to describe chimp’s behaviours, but believe me it is very difficult to control and with any keeper at Mona because we have very close bonds with the chimps and they are a huge part of our lives.

 Enrichment of the week: “Tamara’s ball”. Our volunteer Tamara made a very complex ball of plastic. Local firemen have also donated plastic hoses .and we use them for everything: hammocks, climbing ropes…. 

Alba Gomara (primate caregiver at Mona Sanctuary)