Rescued Chimps Go Nuts When They See Their Pool Is Full Of Water

By Sarah V Schweig

Published on 5/11/2016 at 9:16 AM

<p>Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary</p>

It can get very hot in Sierra Leone, in West Africa - but Chippie and Delilah know just what to do about it.

Delilah soaking up the sun from the pool | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

The chimps - who are between 6 and 8 years old and who live with a group of a dozen others their age at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary - take advantage of the heat to have a little fun.

Delilah, getting muddy | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

The playful chimps are at Tacugama for a grave reason, though. Chimps like Chippie and Delilah are orphans because of bushmeat hunting or human wildlife conflicts.

But they still know the importance of recreation. "It is very hot in Sierra Leone during the dry season and the chimps love to cool down in their little pool or just play with the water," Sofie Meilvang, program manager at Tacugama, told The Dodo. "The chimps in this group are generally very active and spend most of the day playing."

Chippie and Delilah having fun | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Meilvang added: "As chimpanzees cannot swim, the pool is very shallow."

Even when the rains dry up, the chimps love hanging out in the pool, waiting for the next party.

Chimps waiting for rain to fill up the pool again | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Click here to learn how you can help the chimps at Tacugama.

Check out a video about another special individual who loves being in the water below: