Chimpanzees - 10 Ways They Are Like Humans
- 12 years ago
Chimpanzees - 10 Ways They Are Like Humans - as part of the news and politics series by GeoBeats.
Here are 10 remarkable ways chimpanzees are similar to humans.
Number 10 - Chimpanzees are known to use tools such as stones, sticks, and leaves for food and water. Interestingly, even for sex, as noted in New York Times by Dr. William C. McGrew of University of Cambridge:
“The male will pluck a leaf, or a set of leaves, and sit so the female can see him. He spreads his legs so the female sees the erection, and he tears the leaf bit by bit down the midvein of the leaf, dropping the pieces as he detaches them. Sometimes he’ll do half a dozen leaves until she notices.”
Number 9 - The alpha male in a group is not always physical strongest. Political shrewdness and the ability to form strong alliances are critical skills.
Number 8 - They have been observed to enjoy natural beauty like watching a sunset over water.
Number 7 - Chimpanzees can learn sign language and some have been able to learn hundreds of signs and communicate with humans.
Number 6 - They also have the capacity to recognize themselves in a mirror.
Number 5 - Chimpanzees seem to have a similar grieving process as humans and recognize when someone's not alive.
Los Angeles Times highlights one such scenario "In the 10 minutes before she died, the three animals – an elderly female named Blossom, Blossom's adult son Chippy and Pansy's adult daughter Rosie – frequently groomed and caressed Pansy. They crouched in close, and Chippy shook her arm, apparently testing for signs of life."
Number 4 - A chimpanzee's thumb is separated from other fingers for a better grip similar to that for humans.
Number 3 - Just like humans, they are known to laugh at jokes for social bonding.
Number 2 - They have also been observed to exhibit selfless behavior. Victoria Horner, a comparative psychologist from Emory University remarked in an interview with LiveScience ""For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others"
Number 1 - About 5 million years ago, Chimpanzees and humans were part of the same Hominidae family.
Here are 10 remarkable ways chimpanzees are similar to humans.
Number 10 - Chimpanzees are known to use tools such as stones, sticks, and leaves for food and water. Interestingly, even for sex, as noted in New York Times by Dr. William C. McGrew of University of Cambridge:
“The male will pluck a leaf, or a set of leaves, and sit so the female can see him. He spreads his legs so the female sees the erection, and he tears the leaf bit by bit down the midvein of the leaf, dropping the pieces as he detaches them. Sometimes he’ll do half a dozen leaves until she notices.”
Number 9 - The alpha male in a group is not always physical strongest. Political shrewdness and the ability to form strong alliances are critical skills.
Number 8 - They have been observed to enjoy natural beauty like watching a sunset over water.
Number 7 - Chimpanzees can learn sign language and some have been able to learn hundreds of signs and communicate with humans.
Number 6 - They also have the capacity to recognize themselves in a mirror.
Number 5 - Chimpanzees seem to have a similar grieving process as humans and recognize when someone's not alive.
Los Angeles Times highlights one such scenario "In the 10 minutes before she died, the three animals – an elderly female named Blossom, Blossom's adult son Chippy and Pansy's adult daughter Rosie – frequently groomed and caressed Pansy. They crouched in close, and Chippy shook her arm, apparently testing for signs of life."
Number 4 - A chimpanzee's thumb is separated from other fingers for a better grip similar to that for humans.
Number 3 - Just like humans, they are known to laugh at jokes for social bonding.
Number 2 - They have also been observed to exhibit selfless behavior. Victoria Horner, a comparative psychologist from Emory University remarked in an interview with LiveScience ""For me, the most important finding is that like us, chimpanzees take into account the needs and wishes of others"
Number 1 - About 5 million years ago, Chimpanzees and humans were part of the same Hominidae family.