Priorities, amirite? I'm filled with a lot of different and conflicting emotions this week as priorites are shifting in my life all on their own, without my consent! LIKE WTF, self?
This week I was lucky enough to spend Sunday and Monday at the chimp house, as opposed to the regular just Monday chimp day. It doesn't sound like that big of a deal, but to someone like me who would sell just about anything to wake up and spend everyday working in the chimp house, it's pretty fricken cool. Even if it's just doing laundry and washing produce, just being in the chimp house is my absolute favorite time of the week.Its a time to shut off the self-serving part of my brain and operate for the chimps.
*If you are here just for the CSNW chimp adventure, I would advise you to scroll down.*
People find out that I volunteer with chimpanzees and almost immediately want to discuss animal welfare, zoos vs sanctuaries, bushmeat law, animals as pets, etc. All of which I love to discuss as I have an opinion on almost all of those topics. (Specifically bushmeat, as I spent 3 years of my undergrad deeply involved in research with the bushmeat trade surrounding Tanzania. Seriously, ask me anything.) The problem is, there is not just one answer to solve all of the problems facing animals today. I can only speak as to what I think solutions are, and my priorities are different than yours. Which is not a good or bad thing, it's just a fact. I'm coming to this place in my life where things I used to think were the worst, are becoming a valid idea or attempt. Ideas are changing, opinions are becoming a little more grey and less black and white.
The example for which this is relevant: The Woodland Park Zoo Elephants. A year(ish) ago WPZ announced that the elephant exhibit was being phased out, as "adding more elephants for greater genetic diversity for the group was not possible in the foreseeable future." Elephants are social beings, much like primates and Bamboo and Chai needed more than just each other to be truly happy and enriched. (I mean, could you imagine only seeing 1 other human for the rest of your life? Living in a world of elephants, you and one other human? I would need more people to talk to for sure.)
Props to WPZ, they understood a fundamental aspect that not many of us get, that elephants need friends and family to be happy, and WPZ had their hearts in the right place. We then hear that the options for Bamboo and Chai are sanctuary or a different zoo, and most of us are on the sanctuary side. Letting those two live out their lives in a large enclosure where they can do what they choose seems like the obvious choice right? After time to think and weigh the options, WPZ decides to send them to the Oklahoma City Zoo and you can almost hear a collective groan from the sanctuary side of the vote. I myself said, "Well now I'm boycotting the zoo for sure."
Of course, there are two sides to everything. Something I try to remind myself of whenever I am really opinionated or passionate about something. Stepping back and looking at things from both sides, and being able to weigh the facts. I confess, I'm not an expert at this yet. (but who the fuck is.) And in this weird moment I have a complete turn around of opinion. The deciding factors come out from the WPZ's decision and I learn that the Oklahoma City zoo has a family that Bamboo and Chai would fit right into. (http://www.zoo.org/elephantnews) And I'm standing here with my metaphorical pants down like "well maybe this is good news?"
So now, I'm in this weird place of being excited for Bamboo and Chai to have a bigger family to interact with, but with some residual feelings of anger that they are going to another zoo. I like zoos. AND I hate zoos. Putting any living creature in a glass box and shoving your face up against it, banging on it is annoying and sad. If you were that gorilla you would probably be pretty annoyed that people are in your face all day being loud and eating delicious looking food that you aren't allowed to have! I mean come on! GIVE ME SOME OF THAT FUCKING COTTON CANDY TINY HUMAN.
" Zoos aren't a good place. "
But the inverse of that is that zoos are one of the best educational learning spaces for young kids to obtain knowledge about animals they would only see in books. If there were no animals at the zoo, who would go just to hear people talk about them? Adults maybe, sure. But we want the brain when it is thirsty for new knowledge. When we can teach them about the lion and what is happening to his habitat. (I'm thinking we need some sort of 3d designed zoo, anyone know anyone who could do that? lets chat.)
AND THEN there are sanctuaries. Amazing places where visitors are rarely seen and animals come first. Still not as good as the wild, but better than a tiny enclosure with kids in your face all day. But why give your money to a sanctuary when you could pay to see a gorilla 1" from your face?!!? (counter argument. not my thoughts. ugh, please give your money to sanctuaries though.)
BUT THE WILD ISN'T SAFE EITHER. Bushmeat trade, habitat destruction, deforestation, overpopulation of humans taking animal space, you name it and the humans are taking more and more from the animal habitats. Now a zoo is sounding pretty good isn't it? Daily food, some cool toys, safe from predators (sort of) and a family around you?
(lets just not get me started on animal testing. it's disgusting, any way you look at it. that's all i'm going to say about that.)
So now my brain is saying WELL WHAT THE HELL DO WE THINK IS BEST BECCA. You can't work in the animal field without opinions about these things! (sentiments I've heard) Honestly, I can see the good in all of them; which is vastly different if you would have asked me this a few years ago. I would have probably said something like "ZOOS ARE DEATH" or "IF YOU LIKE THE ZOO THEN GO LIVE IN IT AND SEE HOW MUCH FUN IT IS." Someone had good intentions with the idea of a zoo. People who own primates as pets (sometimes) think it's whats best for them. The grey area is where I'm at these days. If zoos were bigger, gave animals more space to run and live, and people weren't eating in front of them or banging on their house and if the educational value was pumped way up, I'd probably work at one. (sounds like a sanctuary huh?)
If bushmeat laws were more efficiently enforced and national parks were taken care of, the wild would be a better (safer) place.
If having a wild animal as a pet was accurately reported instead of making "cute youtube videos" making everyone want a chimp or slow loris in their home, then we could better educate the world.
If sanctuaries were given more funds to create larger spaces, we could get more animals out of testing labs and into retirement.
But which do we solve first? How do you prioritize? Do more problems arise in other areas by solving one problem?
PRIORITIES AMIRITE?
*steps off soapbox* Phew. Okay. Chimping:
Being at the sanctuary two days in a row throws everyone for a loop I think. The chimps seem to look at me like " wait, didn't we just see you yesterday?" In being there more times, the chimps get more used to you and slowly become okay with you being around. Jody for example, offered me 2 greetings on Monday morning! Normally Jody gives me a butt bounce (exactly how it sounds) from a ways away. Monday she offered me her butt and her back for a little knuckle rub greeting. I verbally said good morning the first time, as her butt was two squares in the caging away from Jamie's fingers and I didn't not want to start the day off by upsetting Jamie with a greeting that was not directed towards her. A few minutes later Jamie was in another area and Jody offered me her back, so we did a little knuckle rub goodmorning! I said thank you to Miss Jo and we went our separate ways.
*I always say "thank you" or "that was very nice" to whoever I'm interacting with when we are done because it's just good manners. It's their house, and none of them have to interact with me if they don't want to, and I always want them to know I appreciate it."
Monday was also wonderful because I got to play with Burrito for nearly 20 minutes which was wonderful. Here is a little snippet of what that looks like:
B is a big sweetheart and loves to play chase, tug-o-war and really likes when humans mimic his behavior. (some chimps HATE that, but B chimp laughs along as you do what he does.) In the video you can hear me making "raspberries" which is a typical Burrito sound, and also some chimp laughing near the end when we are playing "follow the finger" (a name I literally just made up for when he puts his finger through the caging and I have to hit it with my hand.) B started to initiate play with me when I noticed the toothbrush behind him, so I said "B hand me that toothbrush!" and he picked it up and brought it over to the caging so we could play some tug-o-war and do some brushing. B likes to put it in his mouth or under his arm so when I lift up and down on the brush, it lifts his arms/legs/etc. We just chimp laugh forever. It's wonderful.
Out of frame Jamie is sitting in the window with a boot, and every few minutes I just give her a head nod and say "I'll stop if you want James" and she just gives me a little nod and continues sitting, as if to say "fine but keep it down." Once we get loud or out of control, Jamie usually lets us know we are done.
Foxie is also warming up to me more and more each time I'm there, almost immediately offering me a troll doll. Monday almost got me in big trouble with the big boss Jamie. I was interacting with Jamie, looking at our boots, and all of the sudden Foxie is above me getting ready to throw her doll down to me (hazardous as I did almost get pegged with a Dora) and Jamie was NOT okay with me attempting to interact with Miss Fox. I caught the doll and immediately Jamie let out a threat bark, telling me playing with Fox was not okay. So I held on to the doll to wait for a better time to play with Fox, after Jamie was in another area or went for a walk. Foxie starts blowing raspberries and waving her fingers through the caging, letting me know she would like her doll back. I step into the chimp area and say "Fox are you ready?" attemping to throw the Dora back to her, and Jamie comes flying up to the caging with a hand full of (thankfully) alfalfa to throw on me. "Sorry James!" I say quickly and hold onto the doll for a later attempt at return. Hazards of the job, I'm telling you.
Here is Jamie giving me a little pedicure:
Monday was Rainforest day, so I brought some big green paper in and made a canopy (kinda)
Lettuce Tree!
All in all, a very successful two days in a row with the chimps. I adore spending time with those 7 beautiful creatures.
My partner in crime, for 9 years. <3 (We had to take a selfie after his first shift!)
March 22nd brought the anniversary of being with my main squeeze for 9 years. aka most of my little sister's life. Since I was 14 I knew I wanted to marry this man, and I am so excited to get to do that this summer! I can't express in words just how much this man has done for me the past 9 years, but I am in awe of how lucky I am to have him in my life. Truly the only constant in my world, there are many times I thought "gosh I wouldn't have made it through x without Lars in my life." Sure, he's pretty messy. And never puts his socks in the washer, but hey. After all the times he's taken care of me, in and out of the hospital, mentally and physically, I would pick up his socks for the rest of my life.
Lars did his first volunteer chimp shift that day, initiating him into the CSNW family. One day he'll be serving meals and playing chase with B. I am so excited for him to get to know the chimps and fall in love with them the way I have. What else would we do on our anniversary besides work at the chimp house? NOTHING.
my fingers hurt.
kbye,
b
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