Schools Out! ...and its turned into a zoo here!

Well school let out last Friday! It was great to have the course under my belt, but very bitter-sweet as nearly all my new friends from all over the world have left and residence is very quiet. Me, Cath (from the UK), and Blanca (from Spain) did our class project on the ring-tailed lemurs and brown lemurs. See they house the two species together in an amazing enclosure here at the zoo called Kirindi forest. Everyone seems to be settling into the new enclosure nicely, but the keepers wanted to make sure the two species weren't being aggressive towards each other (the brown lemur is out numbered 7-1 and has a baby on her back). We spent the week watching the lemurs for interactions and recording space sharing trends. What we found was.....drum roll please......that they are interacting, though very rarely...and it was only ever Reggie, the young male Ring tail, that was physically picking it with Millie (the female brown)! We also, this project also did a wonderful job of reminded me how much I HATE STATS....but we battled through and had a great project and presentation at the end.



I have been working at the zoo over the last couple of days (hence the title of this entry....I'd like to think it was so clever I don't have to point it out but clever isn't exactly my strong point....beautiful/smart/funny yes...clever not so much...what was I saying..Oh yeah the zoo...just kiding :P ). I have been in with the bird section this past two days and am working with the Macaques and Gorillas tomorrow and Thursday! I will write again at the end of the week to tell of my zoo adventures!



Last night me and Blanca (from Spain...now I feel as though I have to type that after her name, like a subtitle..ha) went to see ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the zoo. They had this really cool travelling acting group called the ODD Socks (http://www.oddsocks.co.uk/theatre/), and they perform outside after dark, using only a little gypsy trailer for their set! They were absolutely hilarious!! And the Flamingo pond was right next to where they were performing and the poor birds had no idea what all the commotion was about and kept making the loudest most un-ignorable (word?) noises ever...the actors had no choice but to include it in the play...ha-ha though they thought they were ducks, and kept commenting on the ducks,...ha-ha. I can just imagine all the little ducks sitting around the zoo looking at each other saying, ‘Man, what are we getting all the slack for?’ and the Flamingos snickering away (Kind of like when your little brother gets blamed for something your do..) .



Anyway, I just wanted to write a little something, but I am in desperate need of a shower and it’s getting late so I better head off. I will write soon about all the happenings at the zoo this week. Lastly I just want to wish my Dad aka Giggy A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Hope Mom didn't kick your butt too much on the course this weekend ! Love you all and miss you like crazy!!