Community | September 03, 2010 | 8 comments

Wild chimps outwit human hunters

source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8962000/8962747.stm

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Mcellie
In the wild Chimpanzee's face dangers from hunters and poachers who set traps which kill many of the animals every year. However, Primatologist's discovered a low rate of Chimpanzee injuries and deaths in Bossou.

After studying the area they found the small groups of male Chimpanzees successfully deactivating traps set to catch wildlife.

"Mostly, the chimps grasped the snare stick with their hands, shaking it violently until the trap broke. Sometimes a chimp lightly knocked the sapling that holds the snare, before grasping it to break the trap.
But in all cases, they avoided touching the dangerous part, the wire loop.
In the video above, chimp can be seen seeking out and inspecting snares, without breaking them. "-BBC

Primatologists say this has changed the way they understand Chimpanzee can learn, since before they thought the animals only used trail and error. Stating the Chimpanzee's might have learnt from observation and passed down information through generations. However, they also report Chimpanzees in other regions have not done the same in Bossou.
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Green,   Earth and Science,   6 more
  2. tags:
    Green,  World News,  Wildlife,  Chimpanzees,  2 more
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