I have so many feelings to convey. Maybe no one will understand why I am so emotional about this, and that's ok. I've been on a long journey with these Friends, helping them get this, and experiencing it with them, its one of the most important things to happen in my life. To happen in their life.
While waiting for the doors to open, I peeked in the window that is viewable from the path. You can see the girls in that window in the above photo. At the time, the Chimps weren't in there yet, and the reflections on the glass made it impossible to see the whole room, but just seeing the area, the structure, the newness, all for them, I started sobbing. I even facebooked and tweeted a photo of me in tears.
The tears didn't end there. I cried for most of the next three and a half hours I watched these babies, having the time of their life. This experience for them is decades in the making. This is the first time in fifty years that they have ever been able to interact with visitors. Until now they have only been "on display", being watched from afar. Now they can be up close, only separated by glass, equals.
I have spent alot of time visiting these Friends, so being face to face with them was incredible. After all these years, I could look them in the eyes. I used incredible, but it was something I can't really explain. Hard to believe, but even I was speechless most of the time, crying and just saying it was beautiful. I'm crying as I write this and look below to this photo of Cobby making eye contact with me.
Hi Cobs!
Another interaction with Cobby, was when the crowd thinned and he was looking at my boots. When he went to the path window, I went out there and he could see my boots better. I looked into his eyes and had a conversation with him. I asked if he liked my boots and I moved my feet as he watched. A friend all these years and we were finally on the same level, silently communicating. Amazing.
When the Chimps first came in, it was Maggie who ran up to the window. She was immediately interacting with the visitors. She especially went up to kids, in fact over the hours, I saw her make sure to greet every kid that came to the window. It was amazing. She could be away from the window getting food and see a new face and she would run over and greet them. Much of the time she carried around a branch of acacia browse, and waved it at the window playfully. She also did a fairy godmother action, as if anointing them. And you, and you, and you! Tapping the branch at their heads. It was really cute. She also sat there just laughing with people. It was amazing!
Maggie Interacting!
While Maggie worked the window, Minnie went up to one of the high platforms and took advantage of the view while she had her Thanksgiving meal. Cobby came towards the window following Maggie. He stopped half way there and started to sway. Those who know him know he does a movement when he is excited where he sways back and forth, looks like a dance, but is either one of two things, happy excited, or upset excited. When I saw this for a second I was worried, but noticed he was stomping in place happily! After a few minutes he came to the window and sat. He surprised me the most. Over the hours, he sat at the window calmly, sometimes for more than fifteen minutes at a time. He had his hands and footies on the window. People put their hands up to his. He was so comfortable, at one point he rolled over on his back, tucked his legs up in fetal position, turned his head into his shoulder and just smiled a big happy smile. I melted seeing him so at ease. It was heartwarming.
Cobby interacting!
Maggie Happy to See Visitors!
Maggie ran about the room, sometimes trying to tease Cobby into playing. They did their chase and dance, that I've only got to see part of in the past, as the topical space of the triple grotto islands doesn't allow for much room for them to run around. It was really cute.
After Minnie finished eating she went and joined Maggie at the window at the path. When Maggie came to the inside window, Minnie followed. I think she may be a bit shy. After a few minutes she started to interact with some kids. She seemed to be playing with them, with window taps and head nods. It felt good to see her having fun with the interaction. She seemed to get more comfortable and went and sat at the path window again for a longer period of time. I went out, not only to see her, but to tell a guy I could see from inside, to stop banging on the window in her face. Why do people do such things? At least he was the only one I witnessed doing such. The Zoo needs to put signs on the windows, not to bang on them. They haven't done it at any exhibit windows, but seriously, these seniors don't need this crap.
Minnie continued to sit in the window and visit with a steady stream of people who wanted to see her. They all really seem to like this window and being able to see people on their level walking around.
Minnie Interacting!
Minnie and Me!
Cobby Peacefully Looking Outside.
About a half hour before the room was set to close, all three picked up some food and headed through the doorway to the SkyTrail. They sat in the trail, enjoying the sun and some yums, before heading back to Triple Grotto. Back home. Seeing them make the choice to say, we love our new adventure, but after playing, we go home, just shows how attached they are to their home. It still breaks my heart, that at this stage of life, they were in jeopardy of losing what was familiar to them. I felt content with everything that is happening for them. I want to note, that I hope the Zoo has no plans to demolish Triple Grotto at anytime in the lifetime of these three. They need the new Playroom, they need the new Yard, but they need the security and comfort Triple Grotto provides them. It has been their home for fifty years.
As I expressed, seeing the room had me in tears. Seeing them in it had me in tears. It was absolutely beautiful. The project turned out perfect. I have no complaints. WHAT?! Can that be? While this is true, I do have a couple of things that made me sad.
It was bittersweet experiencing this with Cobby, Minnie and Maggie. I immediately thought of Tallulah, and wished that this had happened in her lifetime. I know she was there with them in spirit, but I would have loved for her to have had this experience. I love and miss you Miss T!
While seeing how much joy they are getting from a new environment and interacting with people, makes me happy, it also breaks my heart, that they were denied this for so long. They could have and should have had this so many years ago.
While I have no complaints about how wonderful the project has turned out, I can not forget the circumstances that made it happen. No one should. The Chimps are the longest Residents of the Zoo. The have sat there on display for fifty years. They arrived at the opening of the Triple Grotto days in the late 60s, and had not seen an upgrade until mid 80s, which brought topical landscaping to the grotto islands and climbing structures all done by Keepers and Volunteers at the time. In 1997 a City bond, put through by voters to build a new Chimpanzee exhibit, never got done, and no one seems to know what happened to that money. Every person associated with the Zoo, who had the authority to make this happen over the past two decades since then, should be ashamed of themselves for not doing everything in their power to make it happen. The City, The Rec and Park, The Zoological Society and Donors, and each Zoo Director since 1997, should all be ashamed. And as I have before, I point the main finger at our current Director Tanya Peterson who in 2015 targeted them for eviction from the only home they have ever known. Elderly and Senior, after fifty years, being forced out. Unconscionable. It has been under her reign that our Zoo has seen many projects take precedence over doing what's best for current residents, and foremost upgrading the living environment for the Chimps, who had nothing new in twenty years, and have lived in the same space for fifty. Anyone with compassion would have wanted to do this for them, and would not have even thought to ship them away from the only home they have known. It was only after my crusade, media attention and public outrage, which forced Peterson to let them stay, did they get this. Its just sad.
Sorry for the downer thoughts, but these are facts of the situation that brought us to this beautiful time.
This exhibit is going to fast become THE favorite place in the Zoo for every visitor. I heard every person that came through there using the words, beautiful, amazing, cool, wonderful, everyone that left, left with an experience of interacting with our wonderful Chimps.
It was a wonderful Thanksgiving Gift. I am thankful for my Chimper Friends and all the Zoo Friends who I have been lucky to have in my life.
Hope you enjoyed these photos and my experience. I took over an hour of video footage and a full SD Card of photos, so it will be a bit before I can post more. These were among the best from my cell phone. Please check back here or follow me on Twitter, so you don't miss the cuteness I captured!
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