Watch the GLTs on the web camIssue 12, August 20
Travel Paths
The family is still using the low black walnut to cross over to Holly Hill in the mornings. When they cross back, Laranja, Moe, and Mara almost always take the low black walnut to the fence and along it into the hemlocks. The babies are starting to follow this route on their own most of the time, though Baby 2 sometimes still rides on Eduardo’s back as he climbs down the tupelo and across the path. Now and then the monkeys cross from side to side using the tree five to the high black walnut crossing high over the path.
The other crossing the family made this week was into the Red Light District from the hemlock to the far right of tree four, closest to the path. They crossed back in the same place. Another new travel path is along the fence all the way along Tamarin Run to the corner of Olmsted Walk and into tree 19. They did this twice this week and returned along the fence until they hit the hemlock to the left of tree four.
New Hangouts
The monkeys discovered a new holly tree this week, tree 19 on the corner of Tamarin Run and Olmsted Walk. They spent time foraging in this as well as on the empty bobcat enclosure. They also spent a good deal of time on the trash can that sits close to the fence there. The other new hangout this week was the Red Light District, or the area of trees between the bathrooms and the main exhibit. Sunday was the first time that the entire family spent a large chunk of time there foraging together.
August 13: Garbage
The family started their day in the hemlocks as usual. At about 7:20 the monkeys took the ropes to the low black walnut. They lingered on the fence for a few minutes, watching the garbage truck approach apprehensively. The truck stopped a few feet from the crossing tree and after a minute Eduardo went over with Baby 1 followed by Moe. Mara, Laranja, and the other baby crossed soon after calling anxiously at the big yellow truck. They moved into the bench holly and climbed about the thick branches. At 8:50 they all moved down to the shed holly. They didn’t stay long though as they made their way back to the bench holly at 9:30. They foraged and rested in a monkey ball among the thick branches. At 10:33, Laranja crossed back to the main exhibit to eat briefly, returning over the low black walnut after a few minutes.
The whole family crossed back at one. Laranja, Moe, Mara, and Baby 1 used the low black walnut down to the fence and along it to the hemlocks in the corner of their exhibit. Eduardo carried Baby 2 down the tupelo and across the path into the hemlocks. All the monkeys went about eating from the food trays. They foraged, played, and groomed in the hemlocks. At 2:45, they moved up tree three and into the white ash behind it to forage. They started to move back toward tree zero when a deer entered the exhibit at 4:20. Eduardo picked up the babies and climbed up high while the others moved toward the intruder and alarm called, watching it for a good half an hour. Once it was gone, they all moved around tree zero and the small trees by Tree 2A. At seven, they were all in the box and Eduardo was the only one visible, watching out the door from the top level.
August 14
The GLTs were again in the hemlocks at seven and after 20 minutes crossed to Holly Hill. They moved into the bench holly where they were mostly out of sight high among the branches. Moe and Mara were seen playing quite a bit. Laranja crossed back to the main exhibit at 10:20 to eat for a few minutes before crossing back.
At 11:05, there was a loud bang from the Elephant Trails construction area as the workers took down a tree and Laranja ran out of the bench holly. She alarm called and ran to the shed holly. The family followed behind, all arriving in the shed holly around 11:15. They foraged and played in the holly tree for a few hours, moving back toward the bench holly at 1. They all crossed back to the main exhibit before they could settle into the other holly. Laranja, Mara, Moe, and Baby 1 crossed over the low black walnut while Eduardo and carried Baby 2 down the tupelo shortly after.
They all foraged around the hemlocks and tree zero for a while before settling into rest and play. Mara and the babies played in the box at about two. Both babies spent some time on the water cup by tree four dipping their hands in to drink. They all played in the forage tray enrichment, showering wood shavings onto the ground below as they searched for mealworms. Mara chased a squirrel up tree three. Eduardo watched as a little boy spilled french fries all over the path by the hemlocks and inched out on the branches toward it as it was frantically cleaned up. They moved back to tree zero at 6:30 and were all below the platform in the box at seven, except for Moe who slept on the upper level.
August 15: Bordering Construction
The family was foraging in the hemlocks at seven when the watchers arrived. Soon after the kids jumped onto the fence and played briefly before moving toward the low black walnut. Eduardo and Moe had a little squabble, possibly over a tasty insect and Moe ran up tree seven followed by Baby 1. The whole family shortly followed, foraging up tree seven before crossing into tree eight.
A few minutes before eight, everyone but Laranja climbed into the tree directly in front of Tree ten and then into the top of the low black walnut. They then made a quick crossing over the low black walnut onto Holly Hill. Laranja climbed down the trunk of Tree ten and took the ropes to the low black walnut and over. They all moved straight into the high black walnut, the white ash, and the tupelo to forage. A large red-shouldered hawk flew over, calling, and landed in the alder behind the tupelo where the monkeys were located. It watched them intently for about 15 minutes, calling now and then. Other then an initial short predator call, the GLTs didn’t seem to pay it much notice, going about their foraging for a few minutes before jumping back into the bench holly. A few minutes after the family was all safe inside the thick branches of the holly tree, the hawk flew away toward the Bird House.
At 10:20 Laranja crossed back to the main exhibit to eat briefly before rejoining her family. Shortly after noon, the monkeys all moved into the trees to the left of the bench holly, foraging through the black walnut, white ash, and tupelo. By 12:30, they had moved further, venturing into the Alder and the tupelos behind the picnic area. Laranja and Baby 2 stayed in the crook of a branch on one of the closer tupelos while Eduardo and the older kids moved closer and closer to the construction area, stopping in a beech tree almost directly behind the soda machines. They foraged for a few more minutes before turning around and making their way back to the bench holly around 1:30.
Laranja, Mara, and Moe crossed back to the main exhibit over the low black walnut shortly after. They ate from the food tray and checked out the foraging tray before Laranja and Moe climbed up tree five and crossed into the high black walnut. Mara jumped from the hemlocks onto the fence and crossed over the low black walnut. They were all very quiet in the bench holly for about an hour. A few minutes after three, the whole family crossed back to the main exhibit. Laranja, Mara, Moe, and both babies climbed over the low black walnut while Eduardo persisted with his general tupelo to the ground routine. They foraged in and around the hemlocks, stopping to have a large grooming session at 4:30.
From 5:15 to 5:30 and 5:40 to 6, everyone but Laranja played and foraged on the ground under the hemlocks. They all moved back to tree zero at 6:15, moving in and out of the box. They were still very active at seven, with Laranja, Eduardo, and Mara out of the box and surveying the surroundings. Moe had disappeared below the platform and both babies were quietly playing in the box. They all moved into the box by 7:30.
August 16: Hawk!
The morning started off calmly in the hemlocks in the corner of GLTs' exhibit. They all crossed over to Holly Hill at 7:07 over the low black walnut. They all moved around in the bench holly until around 8:10, when they family started to move toward the shed holly. Mara was toward the top of the rubber tree directly to the right of the bench holly when a hawk swooped out of nowhere, coming about two feet from her when she defensively dropped straight down off the branch. She did just what a wild tamarin would have done! The hawk banked up and out of sight and Mara caught herself on a branch and ran into the bench holly. The rest of the family immediately ran back as well, Eduardo picking up both babies on his back. The hawk was heard calling throughout the day from the direction of the Bird House, but thankfully did not make any more appearances.
The GLTs moved around the top of the Holly in the thick branches, settling down into a monkey ball around 9. At 9:47, Laranja and Moe climbed over the low black walnut and back to the main exhibit to eat. Mara started to follow but turned around and ran back into the holly. Moe crossed back after five minutes and Laranja rejoined them all after ten minutes. At about 10:30, the whole family moved into the high black walnut, white ash, and the tupelo to the left of the bench holly to forage for half an hour before moving back into the holly. At 11:46 Laranja, Moe, and Mara crossed back to the main exhibit over the low black walnut. Eduardo tried to follow with both babies on his back but could not seem to make up his mind and instead moved to the tupelo tree and crossed on the ground. In the meantime, Laranja went looking for him and crossed back over to Holly Hill, long calling the whole time. It was then her turn to be indecisive as she moved back and forth between the tupelo and the bench holly. She finally crossed back over the low black walnut to the fence and into the hemlocks at 12:06.
They all foraged, played, and rested in and around the hemlocks in the corner of their exhibit. At 1:14, Baby 2 was rolling around on his back on the food tray by tree four and fell to the ground, hitting a rock. He was fine and back up the tree a few seconds later. At 3:47, Laranja led the family down the ropes as if they were going to cross to Holly Hill over the low black walnut. Instead, she decided to head down Tamarin Run down Olmsted Walk along the fence. Laranja and Eduardo scent marked the fence profusely; also leaving no doubt that the trash can was their territory as well. Laranja, Moe, and Mara jumped onto it, investigating and perhaps trying to find an opening.
After a few minutes, something startled them and they all jumped to the fence. They continued down until they reached the last tree bordering the fence which is tree 19, another holly tree. They foraged in the holly tree until around 4:30. Laranja took off and climbed around on the empty bobcat enclosure, long calling. The rest of the family started to follow around 4:37 stopping by tree 15 to forage for a while. Laranja made her way to tree 15 and joined them before she, Eduardo, Moe, and Baby 1 jumped to the ground and then to the fence. Mara and Baby 2 moved through the trees to get to the fence. They all then moved back to the fence toward the main exhibit, stopping once more on the trash can which Eduardo again scent marked. They all reached the hemlocks in the corner of their exhibit around 4:53, with Eduardo bringing up the rear.
They foraged in the hemlocks and around tree zero before moving up tree three and into the small trees behind that are just starting to berry. They foraged for a half an hour before moving back to tree zero. They all moved in and out of the box until about seven, when Eduardo was the only one out, sitting on his branch. At 7:20, Laranja and Eduardo were still outside the box together on the branch.
August 17: On the Fence Again
The family started off the morning in the hemlocks and around tree four as usual. They crossed to Holly Hill over the low black walnut at 7:47, with Laranja and the older kids in the lead and Eduardo and the babies behind. They were mostly out of sight in the high branches of the bench holly for 10:45 when they moved into the tupelo tree to forage in the squirrel nests for about a half an hour. They were all back in the bench holly when the hawk flew over calling but they didn’t seem to notice. They foraged, groomed, rested, and played for a few more hours.
At 2:30, everyone crossed back to the main exhibit, Eduardo taking his usual tupelo route while the others used the low black walnut. They foraged in the hemlocks for about an hour. At 3:20, they all hopped on the fence and took off for yesterday’s holly. They again scent marked all along the way. When they got to the end, Laranja jumped onto a sign post past the holly tree before going into the trees further from the path. She climbed up and over the bobcat enclosure, long calling like yesterday. Shortly after four, they headed back toward the main exhibit, trailing along the fence. They were all back in the hemlocks at five. The rest of the evening was spent close to tree zero, foraging, grooming, and playing until they moved into the box at 6:15. At seven, Moe and Eduardo were out of the box keeping watch while Laranja nursed the babies in the box and Mara slept below.
August 18: Relative Calm
For the first 40 minutes of today's watch, the GLTs were foraging in the hemlocks and up tree three. Eduardo climbed straight up tree five and over the path into the high black walnut at 7:48. Mara, Laranja, and Moe followed after a few minutes. Baby 1 and Baby 2 were both left in tree four but Baby 1 shortly found his way over the high cross as well. Eduardo took the high cross backwards, jumping from the high black walnut into tree five before picking up the baby and carrying it back across the gap in the branches. They moved about the bench holly before settling into two monkey balls.
At 10:30, they moved into the white ash to the left of the bench holly to forage. They moved back into the bench holly and napped in a monkey ball again at 11 before again coming out to forage in the white ash and the tupelo at 12:45. The hawk flew over a few times, calling out its territory, but it paid no attention to the monkeys and vice versa.
At 1:40, Laranja, Moe, and Mara crossed back to the main exhibit over the low black walnut to eat before rejoining the other three in the holly. At 2:50, everyone crossed back to the main exhibit. Everyone crossed over the low black walnut, excepting Eduardo who made a sprint down the tupelo and across the path so fast that he practically ran over the guests’ feet! They all went about foraging in the food trays and bromeliads. They moved into the hemlocks where they stayed relatively quiet for the rest of the afternoon. They moved back to tree zero at 5:45, moving in and out of the box. They were all below the platform by seven.
August 19: All Over the Place!
The family was still hanging around tree zero at 7 a.m. The foraged through the hemlocks and moved up tree five at 7:45. They then made their way over to tree eight, climbing into the high branches and running around the canopy of the surrounding trees. Shortly after eight, the hawk flew low through the main exhibit by tree zero, coming from the direction of the bench holly. It landed in tree zero and called for a minute before flying up and off toward the Bald Eagle Refuge exhibit. After a few minutes, it swooped back through, just feet above where the GLTs were in the high branches of tree seven and landing in the same tree as them. They predator called and they both watched each other closely. The hawk took off after what felt like an eternity but was really only a minute or two. It flew toward the Bird House, calling, and Eduardo climbed high into the branches to watch it go.
At nine, they moved down the trees and back to the hemlocks in the corner of their exhibit where they foraged and ate from the food trays. At about ten, Moe climbed straight up tree zero and then made his way over into the branches of tree five. Mara climbed straight up tree four as well. Laranja, Eduardo, and the babies sat in the hemlock to the right of tree four. Laranja started long calling and chattering and both Moe and Mara came down from their high perches. Laranja and Mara crossed into Red Light District from the hemlocks into the overreaching branches and foraged. Moe moved back up tree five and stayed there. Mara came back before Laranja and followed Eduardo as he crossed over onto Holly Hill from tree five into the high black walnut. Laranja then moved back into the hemlocks, where the babies were alone. Eduardo then crossed back from Holly Hill, jumping from the high black walnut into tree five. Mara foraged high in the trees around the bench holly, long calling quietly now and then. She eventually made her way back over the low black walnut and Laranja met her halfway across. They all turned and went over the low black walnut to Holly Hill where they settled down into the bench holly at 11.
They were quiet and mostly out of sight in the bench holly for about an hour. At noon, they moved into the white ash to the left of the holly to forage for about 15 minutes before moving back into the bench holly and resuming their non visible status. At 1:30, Laranja and Mara looked like they were about to cross but they moved back into the holly for another hour before really crossing over the low black walnut at 2:30. Moe hesitated but followed as well. Eduardo tried to find the crossing but gave up and sat in the holly tree instead.
At 2:45, Laranja and Moe climbed up to the top of tree five, where they crossed over into the high black walnut. Mara also went up tree five but moved over into the top of the low black walnut instead to cross over. They did not stay put long, however, as 15 minutes later, everyone crossed over to the main exhibit over the low black walnut except for Eduardo who climbed down the tupelo and across the path. They foraged in the hemlocks until 4:30 when they crossed over the path into the Red Light district from the closest hemlock. They foraged through the trees, moving to an area about even with tree one and then back toward the restroom. They stayed in the Red Light District until around 5:15 when Laranja led the cross back. Eduardo had to cross back twice to carry both babies across. They moved back to tree zero at six and were all in the box by seven. Everyone was below the platform when the volunteers left, except for Laranja who was nursing both babies on the top level.
