Winterizing a Villa

By Amber Camacho

Winter is officially here and the staff have winterized the chimps’ villas to be ready for Old Man Winter to come knocking.

It Takes a Villa

I had the opportunity to be a small help with creating our new winterization material, as we test the chimp-durability of a high-grade marine plastic in one of our villas. It has better visibility for the chimps and staff than the panels we have traditionally used and is easier to install and remove.

Because, naturally, I had questions, I spoke with Tawnya Williams, our North Yard Supervisor who humors my daily queries. I wanted to know about the process involved in winterizing the villas for the chimps, what the chimps think about it, and how chimpanzee ingenuity plays a part in the design.

How Chimps Stay Warm In Georgia Winters

To allow the chimps year-round access to their porches, we cover them with clear plastic panels which both trap heat and provide a windbreak. We make sure they are clear to ensure they still have a view of the habitat and get the most sunlight they can during the shorter, winter days. The bedrooms inside are kept warm and cozy on cold days, with doors kept open to the porch to allow them the choice of where they want to spend their time.

The process begins with the gathering of the clear plastic panels at each villa in late October to early November, depending on current and predicted temperatures. It takes at least two people to install each panel, one holding it in place and one securing it with zip ties. Winterizing each villa requires dozens of panels and innumerable zip ties, a good amount of time, and a lot of patience. In addition to the panels, we make sure each villa’s propane gas tanks are filled so the chimps have a reliable heat source all winter long.

Chimp-proofing the Design

On the chimp side of things, I learned the zip ties’ ends are always cut to discourage the chimps from playing with them. Due to the placement of the mesh with the panels, they are protected from breakage by the chimps and are easily cleaned each day with the rest of the villa. While the chimps are uncertain and curious about “the new thing” when the panels go up at first, they quickly lose interest, so other than checking the integrity of the panels daily, no extra work for care staff is created by this winterizing process.

Spring Cleaning

When it comes time to remove of the panels, it’s much like opening your windows on the first nice day after a long winter: a promise of the spring to come and the growing days to follow. Like us, the chimps enjoy it a great deal and celebrate the new light and fresh, warming air.

Consider donating an item from our wishlist today…such as maybe a few thousand zip ties.