Baiting The Habitats...I Can Explain!

I was given the opportunity to help bait the habitats at Chimp Haven on Saturday.

Chimp Haven is the place where Chimpanzees used in Medical and Scientific research come to retire.

It is in rural, south, Caddo parish and it just a great place.

http://www.chimphaven.org/

What fun I had. Upon my arrival at 7:30 in the morning, there was plenty of work waiting for me. We (as in invited media) had to get breakfast and snacks ready for the chimps. If you are wondering what they eat...The menu was quite interesting. Lettuce, Bell Pepper, Tomatoes, Peanuts, Apples, Pomegranates, Banana pudding, Honey and Bananas bound with tape (these are frozen and were thrown in the trees).
So, we gathered our buckets to head to the open air habitats. On the way a warning from our leader...when we cross under the caged bridges linking the Chimps play area to the habitats, DON'T LOOK UP! If you are unaware, Chimps like to throw POOP! So, I didn't look up and when I crossed under, the chimps watched...probably wondering why I was invading their space and when the feeding frenzy would begin.
Before we could go bait the habitats, they had to be secured. That means every chimp accounted for, locked away behind double doors. After getting rid of our Forage, we headed down by the water to watch the fruits of our labor.
The chimps were released in to the habitats and it was exicting. They enjoyed the feast we had laid out.
I learned that chimps are very cool creatures. They laugh and cry. They are afraid. They get excited. The get sad. They are agressive and loud. (A lot, we have in common there). And they love each other. I made it out of my Chimp Haven Discovery Day (POOP FREE). The lesson here is this...We all get hit with POOP every now and again...it's all about how you handle the messy situation. Do you rinse off and keep going, while realizing how not to get yourself in stinky situations or Do you wallow in the Filth with no reason to clean up? The Chimps say Rinse off and keep going...you know they groom each other. That is a way they show their chimp buddies they care. A Clean Chimp is a Good Friend, Indeed.