Chimps Open Christmas Gifts At Lion Country Safari Zoo (VIDEO)

Loxahatchee, Florida's Lion Country Safari, America's first cageless zoo, hosted its 26th annual Christmas With The Chimps on December 22.

Santa Claus traveled by boat to greet the chimpanzees and give them their Christmas presents.

The Jane Goodall Institute and chimp volunteers provide the gifts for the animals. Gifts are typically enrichment tools for the chimps, but they also receive edibles and other goodies that make the day special.

Lion Country public relations director Jennifer Berthume told AOL News that "they get very excited once they see Santa. They do remember...it's very neat to watch. They'll put their hands out like a child might ask for a gift."

This day is also special because it is the only day of the year that zoo visitors are allowed to get out of their cars during their visits. The zoo puts away the zebras and the giraffes in order for this special event to take place.

The other animals at the zoo aren't left out for Christmas, either. Lions and elephants are given Christmas trees, and other primates are given gifts as well.

WATCH:

Comments

[parags20]

04:36 AM on 02/11/2011

I love Lion Country. We go about every 3 years. I find that during the hotter times of year, the animals are most active either really early in the day or later in the day.
http://www.wildlifeworld360.com/lion-country-safari.html

[angrymanspokane]

05:53 PM on 12/28/2010

We are a lot like chimps sometimes

[SaddieMcCall]

06:55 PM on 12/26/2010

I am a little surprise to see this story on the "Green" section. I love animals, I love gifts, but somehow it seems strange to give a present wrapped in a box and wrapping present to a wild animal. I avoid using wrapping paper to cover gifts that I give to people - and try to be creative in the presenation of a gift without using additional paper which would just be throw away.

I'm sure these people know more than I do about the chimps needs - but clothing and stuffed animals (which they pull apart) seem to be a little unusual gift for wild animals. I would think balls could be a fun toy for a chimp, maybe having treats hidden in their environment or tied up high in the trees for them to climb after would give them some stimulation.

It seems weird that wild animals would cuddle with clothing. Perhaps their habitat requires more natural materials which they could create their bedding with.

[ejreed]

12:56 PM on 12/26/2010

and then there's when animals attack...
Leopard attacks villagers in India
A leopard attack on villagers in northern India has been caught on camera. http://www.newslook.com/videos/278228-leopard-attacks-villagers-in-india?autoplay=true

[turkeylurky]

10:36 AM on 12/26/2010

It's like watching politicians with their earmarks...

[Rob Halpin]

08:16 AM on 12/26/2010

I find this to be beyond heartbreaking. There's nothing cute about locking a wild up and removing it from all that is natural to him. And the final insult is to impose this ridiculous human tradition of overconsumption on a magnificent animal who should be living in the trees.

What's next: 401Ks for the captive orcas and dolphins at Seaworld?

[deluk]

10:38 AM on 12/26/2010

They're not locked up, that's the whole point of this type of park.

[Rob Halpin]

12:35 PM on 12/26/2010

It's a zoo.

It's as far away from the animal's natural habitat that could possibly exist.

[kevinbr38]

05:56 AM on 12/26/2010

Ask an inmate in penatenuary (sic), minimum, or maximum security, it's still prison. O guess this is a good zoo, as far as zoos go. It just doesn't feel right to me to use animals to entertain and amuse us, be it chimps, of dolphins, Orcas, or whatever. Maybe it's just day after Chrristmas cynicism talking.

[progressthought]

10:02 AM on 12/26/2010

I agree with you to a certain extent. I hate seeing animals in captivity. But by allowing people to get closer to the animals, to see them in person instead of just on television in some documentary, then they are much more likely to support animal rights as well as make donations to help animals in need. Plus it also allows people to see how closely our behavior mimics certain animals. It helps us to learn where we came from.

[deluk]

10:37 AM on 12/26/2010

It's a wildlife park, not a zoo, that's why usually humans have to stay in their cars.  In effect they are the ones who are caged.

[SalesmanForLife]

04:59 AM on 12/26/2010

This is so offensive. I cannot believe these people are doing this while the an audience waits to smile at the gift opening. This is wrong. Let these animals live as they would in the wild with their limited space. Caring and providing for these animals is very respectable but this is low class at best.

[ArtCarnage]

01:29 AM on 12/26/2010

"The zoo puts away the zebras and the giraffes in order for this special event to take place."

I hope they don't mean "put away", as in "they put away the dog with rabies".

[VanTroi]

01:09 AM on 12/26/2010

That is so cute

[groot]

12:47 AM on 12/26/2010

Chimps open Christmas gifts, fling poop...

[califa]

12:45 AM on 12/26/2010

By the logic of some of the geniuses here, there would be "no more cute kids" because kids have killed or hurt others before. Never mind that humans are he most violent rapacious species on the planet, merrily destroying habitats and casuing extinctions of countless species, killing for fun and in "god's" name. Never mind that we are a quirk of evolution--we are somehow more special becuase of some ancient fairytales these people take as God's word. I only hope once we finish destroying the planet there are some beings left to take over--I think elephants and, say, ravens, would do a good job.

[RageCage]

01:21 AM on 12/26/2010

How are we a "quirk" of evolution? Compared to every, single creature on the planet, human intelligence is off the chart. How did humans evolve to get so smart? We aren't even talking a little smarter here, we're talking astronomically smarter than the next nearest animal.

[ArtCarnage]

01:31 AM on 12/26/2010

So you've never seen "The Jersey Shore", eh?

[gclafontaine]

01:35 AM on 12/26/2010

You are judging other animals skills by comparing them what humans happen to be good at. There are many types of intelligence with respect to which other animals put us to shame.

[Candide33]

04:48 AM on 12/26/2010

Thumbs.... the chimps and other apes are behind us on the evolutionary scale but probably not behind neanderthals. Chimps will make simple tools, identify objects when asked, use sign language and they have great memories .... they will make it to sentience one day... if we don't kill them all.

[onwisconsin]

09:37 PM on 12/26/2010

That's the big if, isn't it? Humans can be cruel. Let's hope the most compassionate among us keep the great apes alive.

[MyAchinBack]

12:27 AM on 12/26/2010

Yeah, the chimps are cute until they tear your friend's face off. Ugh. Christmas presents?! To honor their belief in Santa Claus or to honor the animal's celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ? And giving gifts to the lions and elephants, too? They might turn on you and re-gift - think about it people!!. Spend that money giving gifts to the needy kids in the neighborhood FROM the lions and elephants and chimps. DUH!!!

[Candide33]

04:53 AM on 12/26/2010

People are giving to needy kids... some people do care about animals too and animals do get bored.... they need some diversion sometimes.

[SalesmanForLife]

05:01 AM on 12/26/2010

Throw them something other than stuffed animals and clothing or candy.

[kudzumaster]

10:32 AM on 12/26/2010

Don't speak of either Santa or Jesus, as you lack the basic charity espoused by both.

[TricksR4Kids]

12:03 AM on 12/26/2010

From Santa? Please HP. Please.

[brooklyncitizen]

09:59 PM on 12/25/2010

That was surreal....hop they didn't get socks.