accidental enrichment
May 15, 2010 by Diana -
Today was “fill the tub with water” day. We thought it would be fun to throw some of the forage in the tub. Apparently we do not know much about the buoyancy of fruit, because we figured grape tomatoes would float. They sank right to the bottom, and this turned into “accidental” enrichment for Missy and Jamie.
P.S. Thank you to Tamela for the sturdy tubs!
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that one is great: the fishing, the pant-hoot explosion accompaniment, ending with a nice clean up and dry off … PERFECT!
Oh no! Please tell me I have not missed seeing this video?
I have a question is the pant hooting in excitement or anger?
Oh great! That was worth waiting for! Thank you.
LOL – love the drying-off action. 🙂
If the chimps don’t like to get wet, what do they normally do with a tub full of water?
I love how they dry off with a blanket after getting their arms wet.
I was also kind of amazed that they both knew how to dry off with the towels. They always amaze me.
Anna – there are apes who like getting in tubs of water. Check out the photos from the Center for Great Apes: http://www.centerforgreatapes.org/photo-gallery.aspx#id=27&num=5
Many of the Cle Elum Seven chimpanzees like to perch on the edge and drink out of the tubs. They also get A LOT of use when not filled with water – a favorite displaying tool for Jamie and fun when filled with straw with raisins sprinkled in like this video. Also fun for bubble “forages” (with coconut-based liquid dishwashing soap) https://staging.chimpsnw.org/2009/09/bubblicious/
Jamie….always using tools to figure things out. The drying off thing was facinating to me too. And we daily blogger LOVE your commentary! Thank you, Diana!
every morning I start my day off, on a high note, watching my chimps enjoy life. Actually some of the enrichments we try on our cats.
I, too, love the drying off after foraging. If anyone asks in the future what a pant hoot is this video would be a great educational too. Was Jody trying to get someone’s attention or just expressing herself? I just love that sound, along with chimp laughter!
Pant-hooting is used in a variety of situations. It’s not uncommon when we let the chimpanzees into the playroom after cleaning (we usually spread out some sort of forage at this point). Jody’s pant-hooting could have been in response to Burrito’s or general excitement or both.
This was great!! What a pair, going after the food no matter what! And yes, I too liked the drying off with the towel. Thank you Diana for the other sites to look at and your information. It always helps. I love the sounds in the back ground, no matter what they are, and usually have my sound turned way up!
Well, I suppose if all I’d eaten for years was chimp kibble, I’d reach into a bucket of water for some tomatoes any day!
Aside from grooming each other, how do chimps “bathe?”
Thanks for the link, Diana! Surprising, fabulous and funny pictures of chimps (and orangutans) enjoying baths. 🙂
I always assumed chimps REALLY don’t like to get wet, which is why the moats at the Florida compound of Save the Chimps work as barriers. Or – is there a difference between chimps liking to get wet and liking to swim?
Anna – according to the Jane Goodall Institute: “In general chimpanzees do not like to swim. Chimpanzees have stocky bodies that prevent them from being strong swimmers. Many chimpanzees, however, enjoy splashing around and playing in water.” Other sources state it differently, saying that chimpanzees cannot swim do to their muscle mass and body structure, and that they tend to avoid large bodies of water. The San Diego Zoo says, “Chimpanzees don’t like to be in water and usually can’t swim.”
The Cle Elum Seven, thus far, have shown that they do not like to get wet much at all. Luckily we always have blankets and other drying off tools available 😉