The Chimps are Already Happier

Stephany and Klaree have been spending all of their daylight hours with the chimps and are also trying to do what they can to brighten things up for the hundreds of other primates at PPI.

They have been carrying around book bags filled with nuts and sunflower seeds to give to the animals they see as they move from Sheba, Keeli, and Ivy’s enclosure to Sarah’s enclosure, or to Darrell’s isolation cage, or to Harper and Emma’s small indoor enclosure.

Sarah was probably the happiest getting a blanket and immediately built a nest, but all the chimps are thrilled to have blankets and nesting materials. Stephany and Klaree have been going to a laundry mat every night to wash the blankets as there is no laundry facility on the PPI property. They spread straw in the bottom of Harper and Emma’s enclosure and hid little toys all around for them to find. Darrell has been so happy to see them that the twinkle in his eye is coming back after just a few days. Ivy and Keeli, who had been behaving inappropriately since they don’t have any alphas around to remind them how to behave, immediately responded to Stephany and Klaree and are letting Sheba eat. And Sheba is eating and eating and eating. She had been so distressed and wasn’t able to compete for food that she was starving. She was so happy to have a coloring book and crayons, one of her favorite activities. Once the group is reunited she may possibly recover from her trauma.

Rain and Ulysses are doing much better too. Though it took a day or so, they seem to be more comfortable and took great joy in eating the onions that Steph and Klaree brought them.

It is truly remarkable how much of a difference the reunion has made and while the conditions at PPI are unspeakably awful, the animals now have hope.