For January 12th

Today Daphne had me do yogurt bombs, the toilet paper tubes with yogurt smeared on the inside. I was there from 8 am to 9 am. We are running low on tubes, and I am going to start saving ours at the house. Since there are four of us, we go through toilet paper pretty regularly.

When I came in today, I greeted Mahale and she ran up to the bars and presented her back to me. She wanted to be groomed, so I kinda messed with her hair. I took this as a good sign. I greeted her every time I walked past, and groomed her two more times. Perhaps I was right and last time she was just pissed at me for ignoring her.

Today it was cold (around 30F or 0C) and no one was sent out. They probably went out later as it warmed up. Daphne said the chimps are usually the first ones to want to go out. I know that Fossey is kind of picky about his weather (he does not like anything that even looks rainy) and Chiquita barely wants to go out when its nice out (Rock usually convinces her to go out). Therefore, I didn't put out any enrichment or breakfast. Daphne was still prepping breakfast when I left, she was just going to feed inside.

I thought of something earlier today that I need to tackle on Friday, the next day I go to the zoo. I know everyone's name except for the two adult male chimps. I know Louie and Mikey, Mahale, Judy, and Chance, but I just call the other two the "big males". I am ashamed to admit that it could be due to a bit of a lack of interest, but in my defense I think that may stem from my being intimidated by them. I don't shrink away or act nervous when they are near me, but I am not near them very often. They are just so large and shaggy, which makes them look larger! Of course the gorillas are HUGE, so is Rock, but they seem less threatening somehow. As a matter of fact, I love it when Fossey is up close, and I love it when Brutus tries to intimidate me by banging against the bars when I walk past. Somehow, though, I don't pay much attention to the male chimps. I don't really pay too much attention to Chance, but he is usually palling around with the adult males and Judy. So, I have decided that Friday not only will I learn their names I will also try to watch them a bit, and ask Ann about them. They, along with Judy, are less interactive with me and the keepers, and I wonder if maybe they are more "zoo animals" that haven't been exposed to people as much, as opposed to Mahale, Louie, and Mikey who almost think that they are people...