Myth: Chimpanzees only eat fruit and leaves.Ĭhimpanzees might seem to be herbivores but they are technically omnivores! While they do eat mostly plants and fruit, a very small portion of a wild chimpanzee’s diet is meat. Not every chimp laughs every time they play, which makes it all the more special to hear. The laugh of a chimpanzee is breathy and can be subtle or loud depending on the individual. No matter what mood I’m in, hearing our retirees laugh will instantly brighten my day. This is one of my personal favorite facts about chimps. Onyx makes a play face as she and Riley have a play session. It may even be accompanied by laughter (one of the best sounds on earth in my opinion). A chimpanzee enjoying a good tickle session with another chimp may show their bottom row of teeth with their mouth open and relaxed. The closest expression chimps have to a smile is a play face. Chimps make this expression when they are afraid, unsure, stressed, or wanting to appear submissive to a more dominant troop member. The expression commonly believed to be a smile – where the lips are pulled back completely to show both the top and bottom teeth – is actually what we call a fear grimace. Stoic and firm Slim is the alpha of her group of 11 and this is apparent when her groupmates rush to greet her each morning when she makes her appearance at breakfast.Įllie is serious and diplomatic in handling disputes amongst her group of seven and is quick to reassure the upset parties and try to restore peace.Ĭhimpanzees have a wide variety of facial expressions but a true smile is not one of them. Some of our notable “girl bosses” are Slim and Ellie. However, there are some cases when a female will rise through the ranks to become the alpha. In most chimpanzee troops the leader of this hierarchy, or “alpha” of the group, is male. Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons all do not have tails – making them apes! Monkeys not only have tails, but are usually smaller in size compared to apes.Ĭhimpanzee family groups are organized into hierarchies for both males and females. There are many differences between the two, but the easiest way to tell if a primate is a monkey or a great ape is by noting whether or not they have a tail. Chimpanzees are not monkeys! Most primates fall into two categories: great apes and monkeys. This is a very common misconception about chimpanzees. At Chimp Haven, Emma is infamous for pointing at nearby blueberry bushes or our food storage building any time staff is near in an attempt to acquire some additional snacks. They are capable of pointing to an object they want to let someone know that they want it. If you’ve ever pointed a finger to identify something you want, you are a purposeful pointer! Chimpanzees also fall into this category. This myth probably stems from the many gestures and facial expressions chimps already use to communicate with each other and the deep interest in knowing if our closest living relative could master and use a language familiar to us.įun Fact: Chimpanzees are purposeful pointers. Very few chimpanzees actually know sign language! There have been a small handful of great apes who have been taught some form of sign language or symbols to communicate, but certainly not the majority of the population. Myth: Many chimpanzees know sign language and can be taught to communicate this way. I surveyed some of our caregivers for their favorite fun facts about chimpanzees are, as well as some myths they’d like busted about the species. It’s safe to say that caring for chimpanzees – let alone more than 270 of them – is a unique profession! Caregivers are often asked what it is like to work with chimps from friends, family, and sanctuary guests. By Jordan Green, Chimp Haven Animal Caregiver
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