Simple Toys - Project Chimps

By Jalil Goosby

Chimpanzees are capable of incredible things that often surprise us. Their capacity for understanding and completing complex tasks is a defining trait for our genetic relatives. Simply put, chimps love a good puzzle.

At our sanctuary, the chimps are given many different forms of enrichment, ranging from sensory, social and environmental. Another form of enrichment provided are puzzles. Solving puzzles gives the chimps opportunities to put their brains to work. These puzzles take the form of toys, filled with treats that encourage the chimps as well as provide them with a psychological reward.

Paul with cooked pasta – novel food items serve has enrichment too!

Sometimes though, complex puzzles and toys aren’t for every chimp. Caregiver India Sloan mentions that “some chimps take the time to solve more difficult puzzles and some don’t.” Offering complex puzzles is important, but it is equally important for the chimps at the sanctuary to enjoy the more simple toys too.

Simple Fun for Paul

Paul is a 22-year-old chimp at the sanctuary. Often identified by his freckled face and small size, Paul is a low ranking male in his group. He has a noticeable fondness for humans, and usually stays on ground-level to greet his caregivers. Paul also happens to really enjoy pistachios as they are his favorite snack.

When it comes to playtime, Paul loves simple toys. His favorite happens to be the KONG brand XL Wubba toy. The Wubba is a durable soft plastic ball wrapped in heavy stitched fabric to withstand the strength of large dogs. The toy was originally meant to encourage games of tug-of-war between humans and their pets thanks to the toy’s long fabric tassels.

For a chimpanzee like Paul, the Wubba is great for simplistic play. It is tough enough to hold up against a chimp bite, but portable enough that Paul can carry it wherever he goes. As an added bonus, the toy has a squeaking feature that Paul simply adores.

“Paul really enjoys squeaky toys, like Wubbas, that he can hold in his feet and walk on,” says India. “Paul just loves making his favorite toy make noise however he can I think!”

Why We Love Simple Toys Like KONG

At the sanctuary, KONG is a trusted brand as their products can often withstand the power of playful chimp. When working with chimpanzees, a toy’s durability matters a lot. Toys that aren’t built to last like the rugged KONG Wubba may not even last a day with an excitable chimpanzee.

Project Chimps have collaborated with KONG in the past, teaming up with the KONG Zoo line for an online fundraiser. Together, Project Chimps and KONG were able to hit the goal and raise $1100 dollars for new enrichment toys.

If you’d like to donate to help the many chimps at the sanctuary find their own ways to play, we invite you to visit our Amazon Wish List. Or visit the Ways to Give page on the Project Chimps website.