Thursday, February 15, 2007

Tess: Day 2



No deaths! No injuries! All the chimps arose unscathed so obviously had a good nights’ sleep with no conflicts. Rushing out to enjoy their enclosure, the day began tiresome as usual with eight sets of sharp teeth to entertain. In the morning Balume cleans the dormitory whilst I keep watch on the door. Shege picked her moment when I was busy with another chimp and Balume went for water. Using all her strength to throw the cage against the door away, she ran for freedom through the open door! First a little wary, then got her courage and scuttled away past the enclosure. Hero Balume to the rescue of course, and she was back in no time. A few minutes before Shege’s venture one of the older chimps from another enclosure decided he needed sometime on the roof and made his way off!
I achieved a maximum of two bites throughout the day, a poor effort I must say! When Shege made her second escape attempt, stupid me automatically pushed the cage back towards the door. Of course Shege wasn’t happy that she couldn’t have her way, took a chunk out of my finger and gave me a huge bruise on my leg! She’s not satisfied with one bite, got to give another just to make sure you get the message!
After a morning of play tiring the guys out, we introduced two more chimps Bahene and Kama, around 2 years old. (We have just established Gari is more like 2, Etaito, Kanibiro and Yongesa 3 or 4 and Shege 6). Hakuna matata! No problem!
Shege didn’t even notice them come in, probably not being big enough for her to throw around! As with the rest there were no problems. Trying to take photos of ten rampant baby chimps was a bit difficult until feeding time though. Our first problem of the day came, which was more of a deafening inconvenience to the staff, when Balume went for his feeding time. HE went for lunch and I took his place, and of course the devil, Etaito (who seems to have taken a stern disliking to me at the moment) was not at all satisfied with this situation, screamed his head of for the whole 45 minutes, bit nearly every chimps in the enclosure and was downright painful to listen to! When papa returned all was well.
So now we have ten chimpanzees, all of which have similarities with our Goma chimps. Irangi bears no physical resemblance (other than to those stated above!) but has Etaito’s laugh, is as ticklish as Shege and is a boot humper like Gari. Kenya is another princess like Kanibiro and can’t go 5 minutes without running for a reassuring hug. And like Kanibiro’s downfall (her shitty bum) Kenya also has one, when she runs she pulls a goddam ugly face which makes her defiantly not the princess she is! Kamituga is the spitting image of Yongesa, slightly younger and has a penis. And whinges like Gari when the food arrives. Baheni is a baby Etaito, the spitting image and likes to play rough. Kama just looks a bit funny really, like our baby Gari and has his football belly as well. Slightly like E.T. the pair of them…..
Kenya + Kamituga and Baheni + Kama are inseparable from their pairs a lot of the time, when moving from one end of the enclosure to the other hugging they appear to be doing the waltz. Kenya and Kamituga are a little closer when taking a break from playing, participating in oral sex with each other for endless amounts of time. I have to say Kenya gets the raw end of the deal here! And he steals her food! It will be interesting when the Goma chimps work this little habit out! My guess is Casanova Gari will be first….

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