Zhang Shu accompanied the chimpanzees "October" for the Spring Festival
In the nursery room of Beijing Zoo, there is a special group of small animals, which grow up under the careful care of nursery teachers. Nursery teacher Zhang Shu has been on duty in the nursery for ten consecutive years to accompany her "children" for the New Year.
On the morning of February 6, a reporter from Beijing Youth Daily came to the nursery room of Beijing Zoo and saw the little chimpanzee "October". Seeing strangers visiting, "October" was not shy at all, and jumped up and down with great excitement. October's "mother", Zhang Shu, a nursery teacher at the Beijing Zoo, is cleaning her room.
Zhang Shu has been an animal "mother" for ten years, raising the first small animals as giraffes, and later also raised cats, chimpanzees, and spider monkeys. Every Spring Festival, Zhang Shu accompanies small animals to celebrate the New Year, and this year is no exception.
"October was born in a chimpanzee pavilion at the Beijing Zoo. Because I was born in October, I got the name. Zhang Shu said that "October's" mother was giving birth for the first time and had no parenting experience, abandoning the newly born "October". The keeper found out in time and carried it to the nursery room, where Zhang Shu and her master raised her.
Nowadays, "October" is more than two years old, and Zhang Shu and its feelings are very deep. In addition to daily feeding and cleaning, Zhang Shu will spend a long time playing with "October". "I would stand in front of 'October' and push 'October's forehead with my hand to stop it from moving forward. I will also grab towels, grab food, and play some games with it. Zhang Shu said that the little chimpanzee is particularly naughty, like the personality of a very small boy, and likes games with strong confrontation. Playing with "October" can not only enhance feelings, but also increase its exercise. "I think of myself as a big toy to play with the little chimpanzees." Zhang Shu said with a smile.
When feeding "October", it often does not drink well, holding the pacifier but not swallowing. "It wants to take this opportunity to keep me, hold me, touch my hair, be very intimate." Zhang Shu said. "Sometimes 'October' is deliberately bad. When I went to clean up, I put the broom in the corner and said to 'October' with a serious expression: Don't move! It must also be understood. But when I turned, I caught a glimpse of its eyeballs with the afterglow, and as soon as I turned around, I knew that I was going to run into bad water. Sure enough, as soon as I turned my back, it picked up the broom and waved it wildly. Sometimes, Zhang Shu threw fresh banana peels into the trash and told "October" not to turn it over, and "October" quietly flipped it. "Like a child, especially rebellious." If I don't remind it, it won't remember to turn it over. ”
This year is already the tenth Spring Festival that Zhang Shu has spent at the Beijing Zoo. Every year, she accompanies her beloved critter. In the past, during the New Year, the sound of fireworks was very loud, and the small animals felt very nervous and afraid after hearing it, and they needed the keepers to constantly calm their emotions. In recent years, the sound of firecrackers can no longer be heard in the Beijing Zoo, and small animals can finally live as regularly as usual.
However, due to the large number of tourists during the Spring Festival, some tourists will knock on the exhibition window glass, and the sound emitted will affect the small animal lunch break. "Every holiday, if I am not in the nursery, my heart is particularly unsteady and uneasy. So every year I stay in the nursery and accompany them. Feeling that the small animal was sleepy, I came to the outside of the exhibition window, walked back and forth to inspect, dissuaded tourists from tapping the exhibition window in time, and guarded it to sleep quietly for a while. Zhang Shu also hopes that all tourists can consciously resist uncivilized behavior and create a quiet and comfortable living environment for small animals.
Today (February 9th) is the "Broken Child Five", Zhang Shu plans to wrap a meal of dumplings for "October", and the filling is of course its favorite fruits and vegetables. Article/Reporter Wang Bin Photo/Reporter Cui Jun