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Chimps “Mourn” Nine-year-old’s Death? | National Geographic


in recent years photos and videos have

in recent years photos and videos have emerged showing great apes notably

emerged showing great apes notably

emerged showing great apes notably gorillas and chimpanzees reacting to the

gorillas and chimpanzees reacting to the

gorillas and chimpanzees reacting to the deaths of members of their communities

deaths of members of their communities

deaths of members of their communities humans might interpret the reactions as

humans might interpret the reactions as

humans might interpret the reactions as morning but is it one of the most

morning but is it one of the most

morning but is it one of the most interesting things about these videos is

interesting things about these videos is

interesting things about these videos is that it initiates a conversation that

that it initiates a conversation that

that it initiates a conversation that hasn’t really been had that often among

hasn’t really been had that often among

hasn’t really been had that often among scientists a research team working in

scientists a research team working in

scientists a research team working in Zambia has released never-before-seen

Zambia has released never-before-seen

Zambia has released never-before-seen video of a community of chimpanzees

video of a community of chimpanzees

video of a community of chimpanzees reacting to death in their group a nine

reacting to death in their group a nine

reacting to death in their group a nine year old chimpanzee male has died in

year old chimpanzee male has died in

year old chimpanzee male has died in recent days on this day keepers at the

recent days on this day keepers at the

recent days on this day keepers at the chim Foong Chee Wildlife orphanage trust

chim Foong Chee Wildlife orphanage trust

chim Foong Chee Wildlife orphanage trust discovered the body for the first time

discovered the body for the first time

discovered the body for the first time near the refuges fence line this

near the refuges fence line this

near the refuges fence line this community of forty-three chimps has

community of forty-three chimps has

community of forty-three chimps has nearly 200 acres to roam a semi-wild

nearly 200 acres to roam a semi-wild

nearly 200 acres to roam a semi-wild area protected by the fence

area protected by the fence

area protected by the fence the scientists on site for regularly

the scientists on site for regularly

the scientists on site for regularly scheduled research were alerted and

scheduled research were alerted and

scheduled research were alerted and turned on video cameras at the time we

turned on video cameras at the time we

turned on video cameras at the time we start recording there are two three

start recording there are two three

start recording there are two three individuals present and in the next 17

individuals present and in the next 17

individuals present and in the next 17 18 minutes there are 36 38 individuals

18 minutes there are 36 38 individuals

18 minutes there are 36 38 individuals of the 43 individuals actually at least

of the 43 individuals actually at least

of the 43 individuals actually at least one time visiting the body or staying

one time visiting the body or staying

one time visiting the body or staying very close to the body for the full 72

very close to the body for the full 72

very close to the body for the full 72 minutes we see the chimpanzee is coming

minutes we see the chimpanzee is coming

minutes we see the chimpanzee is coming together in a very small space gathering

together in a very small space gathering

together in a very small space gathering around this body and we haven’t seen in

around this body and we haven’t seen in

around this body and we haven’t seen in any other time that we’ve been watching

any other time that we’ve been watching

any other time that we’ve been watching these chimps them all gather in such a

these chimps them all gather in such a

these chimps them all gather in such a small space and be so calm and quiet and

small space and be so calm and quiet and

small space and be so calm and quiet and motivated to stay near each other or

motivated to stay near each other or

motivated to stay near each other or near the body we can’t say for sure but

near the body we can’t say for sure but

near the body we can’t say for sure but they’re grouping together in a way that

they’re grouping together in a way that

they’re grouping together in a way that we’ve never seen before

we’ve never seen before

we’ve never seen before chimps are seen gently touching the body

chimps are seen gently touching the body

chimps are seen gently touching the body smelling and observing many members of

smelling and observing many members of

smelling and observing many members of the community at the time this video was

the community at the time this video was

the community at the time this video was recorded last fall were suffering from a

recorded last fall were suffering from a

recorded last fall were suffering from a respiratory ailment and you can actually

respiratory ailment and you can actually

respiratory ailment and you can actually hear several chimps coughing

hear several chimps coughing

hear several chimps coughing a necropsy determined the nine-year-old

a necropsy determined the nine-year-old

a necropsy determined the nine-year-old died of pneumonia within about two

died of pneumonia within about two

died of pneumonia within about two minutes a chimpanzee mother whose infant

minutes a chimpanzee mother whose infant

minutes a chimpanzee mother whose infant daughter also died in recent days is

daughter also died in recent days is

daughter also died in recent days is seen carrying her deceased daughter and

seen carrying her deceased daughter and

seen carrying her deceased daughter and stopping within a few feet of the dead

stopping within a few feet of the dead

stopping within a few feet of the dead nine-year-old this chimp mother

nine-year-old this chimp mother

nine-year-old this chimp mother masya was the subject of a study

masya was the subject of a study

masya was the subject of a study released earlier this year in the

released earlier this year in the

released earlier this year in the American Journal of primatology

American Journal of primatology

American Journal of primatology by the same research team video from a

by the same research team video from a

by the same research team video from a previous day shows masya and another

previous day shows masya and another

previous day shows masya and another daughter Mary inspecting the dead child

daughter Mary inspecting the dead child

daughter Mary inspecting the dead child they were joined by other chimps oh

they were joined by other chimps oh

they were joined by other chimps oh these videos are important because they

these videos are important because they

these videos are important because they they do force one to stop and think

they do force one to stop and think

they do force one to stop and think people who have never really considered

people who have never really considered

people who have never really considered what chimpanzees might think about

what chimpanzees might think about

what chimpanzees might think about before I imagine when they see these

before I imagine when they see these

before I imagine when they see these videos they become interested at least

videos they become interested at least

videos they become interested at least for a moment in trying to figure out

for a moment in trying to figure out

for a moment in trying to figure out what might be possible in the minds of

what might be possible in the minds of

what might be possible in the minds of other primates one of the most

other primates one of the most

other primates one of the most interesting things about this video I

interesting things about this video I

interesting things about this video I think is that it shows the opportunity

think is that it shows the opportunity

think is that it shows the opportunity that the chimpanzees have to learn about

that the chimpanzees have to learn about

that the chimpanzees have to learn about death in their environment and so one

death in their environment and so one

death in their environment and so one striking example in the video I think is

striking example in the video I think is

striking example in the video I think is when a female comes around and she

when a female comes around and she

when a female comes around and she smacks on the body of the evidential and

smacks on the body of the evidential and

smacks on the body of the evidential and why she does that we don’t know but I

why she does that we don’t know but I

why she does that we don’t know but I think the interesting thing happens

think the interesting thing happens

think the interesting thing happens after she smacks the body which is that

after she smacks the body which is that

after she smacks the body which is that the other chimps you can see that they

the other chimps you can see that they

the other chimps you can see that they actually watch the body quite closely

actually watch the body quite closely

actually watch the body quite closely after she’s hit it so hard and in that

after she’s hit it so hard and in that

after she’s hit it so hard and in that case they could be potentially learning

case they could be potentially learning

case they could be potentially learning about how a dead body reacts differently

about how a dead body reacts differently

about how a dead body reacts differently than than a live individual who would

than than a live individual who would

than than a live individual who would have just gotten hit most of the

have just gotten hit most of the

have just gotten hit most of the individuals we see are females but there

individuals we see are females but there

individuals we see are females but there is one male who returns to the scene

is one male who returns to the scene

is one male who returns to the scene several times so it seems as if the

several times so it seems as if the

several times so it seems as if the adult male who was visiting the body for

adult male who was visiting the body for

adult male who was visiting the body for at least four times is inspecting the

at least four times is inspecting the

at least four times is inspecting the body closely in between the females and

body closely in between the females and

body closely in between the females and also from a tantrum at some point he’s

also from a tantrum at some point he’s

also from a tantrum at some point he’s screaming and walking over the body very

screaming and walking over the body very

screaming and walking over the body very rapidly

rapidly

rapidly he is the one who had a social a very

he is the one who had a social a very

he is the one who had a social a very strong social relationship with the

strong social relationship with the

strong social relationship with the response with the individual that died

response with the individual that died

response with the individual that died he has been taking care of that

he has been taking care of that

he has been taking care of that individual for more than four years the

individual for more than four years the

individual for more than four years the researchers would rather not presume

researchers would rather not presume

researchers would rather not presume that the chimps are mourning the death

that the chimps are mourning the death

that the chimps are mourning the death of another I am reluctant to use that

of another I am reluctant to use that

of another I am reluctant to use that word

word

word my colleagues might have different

my colleagues might have different

my colleagues might have different opinion but I think for the most part

opinion but I think for the most part

opinion but I think for the most part were reluctant to use the word because

were reluctant to use the word because

were reluctant to use the word because it doesn’t seem to really give us any

it doesn’t seem to really give us any

it doesn’t seem to really give us any extra explanatory information they

extra explanatory information they

extra explanatory information they behave differently as a group as in any

behave differently as a group as in any

behave differently as a group as in any other situation as we have seen before

other situation as we have seen before

other situation as we have seen before whether we can call that morning and

whether we can call that morning and

whether we can call that morning and what it entail exactly based on what we

what it entail exactly based on what we

what it entail exactly based on what we know in humans is morning is just

know in humans is morning is just

know in humans is morning is just difficult to to say for anybody I would

difficult to to say for anybody I would

difficult to to say for anybody I would say the scientists have released this

say the scientists have released this

say the scientists have released this video in the hope that other researchers

video in the hope that other researchers

video in the hope that other researchers will see it and have the chance to

will see it and have the chance to

will see it and have the chance to videotape similar scenes it’s hoped that

videotape similar scenes it’s hoped that

videotape similar scenes it’s hoped that a compilation of data and video evidence

a compilation of data and video evidence

a compilation of data and video evidence will help answer questions about our

will help answer questions about our

will help answer questions about our primate cousins and whether they might

primate cousins and whether they might

primate cousins and whether they might have similar thoughts about death to

have similar thoughts about death to

have similar thoughts about death to ours

”

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