Chimp-orilla playtime in the forest
Sunday, February 26, 2012
What do you do when you have three baby chimps and two baby gorillas, but only one area of forest to put them in? Introduce them of course! Chimps and gorillas occasionally meet in the wild when their ranges overlap and display similar behaviour as infants. Our orphaned gorillas Luci and Chickaboo and resident chimps Mac, Ayisha and Mbia have outgrown their separate, infant play areas so have been coming together each day to play in the trees. The babies love their new arrangement and their carers are seing the benefits too.
When she arrived last October, Chickaboo was thin and depressed and bore a deep, snare injury on her right wrist that meant she couldn’t move her hand or walk properly. Our vet team feared she would need surgery but we are pleased to report that her wound has healed and she is able to use her hand again. Having four friends has inspired a burst of confidence in Chickaboo and she now runs, chases, wrestles and climbs with her once injured hand. She is the largest of the babies and has a big laugh and a cheeky personality. Lately she has been discovering her inner gorilla and loves to beat her chest whenever she’s feeling excited or assertive.
Little Luci is younger than Chickaboo, so has a greater dependence on her human carers, but she is starting to come out of her shell. Now, instead of watching the others play, she joins in around the fringes of their games and loves climbing trees with Chickaboo. Luci is still waking 3 times a night for bottles and is only just becoming interested in food, but her interest in chewing (especially on her carer’s bedroom door) signals that the rest of her teeth are on the way.
Mac arrived at the sanctuary last August, wounded by bullets and very depressed. Six months later he has grown into a healthy, happy two year old who loves a game. Mac is very sweet natured and will do anything for a tickle. He was thrilled to meet the boisterous Chickaboo whose size and energy levels are a great match for his own.
After suffering a serious bout of meningitis late last year, Ayisha has been slowly recovering and finding her feet again. She has gained weight and developed more body hair and instead of waking five times a night for milk, is now sleeping well and eating solid food. Ayisha is a sensitive chimp and usually doesn’t allow anyone except her carer to touch her. Now, buoyed by the games going on around her, she is joining in the chase and approaching others for a tickle and some attention. Her eyesight has never fully recovered so she is a little less steady on her feet than the others, but this doesn’t stop her from being very stubborn and just a little bit naughty – always trying to get away with doing what she isn’t supposed to.
Mbia has been going from strength to strength since her long journey to Cameroon last year. She has made firm friends with Mac and although she is a bit frightened of Chickaboo’s strength, she plays happily with her new friends in the forest. A great climber, Mbia is often found up a tree but will go wherever the action is. Inventive and energetic, Mbia will create a game out of whatever is on hand, particularly if the item is forbidden and belongs to someone else!
As the babies get older, they will separate in order to join larger groups of their own kind, but for now, they are just happy to have extra playmates.
