Chimpanzees mourn at burial of elderly relative . . . .

by nicolaou 33 Replies latest social current

• 

  nicolaou

  Staff of the Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre let the chimps watch the burial of Dorothy, an elderly chimpanzee, so they could come to terms with her loss.

  Workers at the chimp rescue centre in east Cameroon were surprised to see the entire family rush to the perimeter of their enclosure to pay their final respects.
  
  The normally lively and noisy animals stood silently in line with their hands on each others shoulders for comfort. They then watched, apparently in quiet contemplation, as the elderly chimp, aged in her 30s, was buried.
  
  Staff said that the moment gave a rare insight into how chimps react when one of their family dies, showing very human-like emotions.
  
  Monica Szczupider, the photographer, said: "Perhaps the most stunning reaction was recurring, almost tangible silence."

  http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6895084.ece
• 

  penny2

  I saw this in the paper today. It was quite moving.
• 

  villabolo

  I've always been fascinated by our evolutionary past. Chimpanzees, distant cousins of ours, give us insight into human nature.

  villabolo
• 

  Deputy Dog

  This looks to me to be a staged photo op. Why would you characterize this as "mourning"?
• 

  villabolo

  Deputy Dog: "Why would you characterize this as "mourning"?"

  Chimpanzees are usually loud and chattering constantly. Their collective silence is unusual.

  villabolo
• 

  Deputy Dog

  villabolo

  Chimpanzees are usually loud and chattering constantly. Their collective silence is unusual.

  Maybe so. But what makes you think they knew she was dead? How do you know their reaction would be different if she were asleep?
• 

  hamsterbait

  As the WTBTS says in the book about evolution, animals don't care about their dead ones.

  Sounds like what dubs feel for non believing relatives.

  Lions will eat them - or the birds.

  HB
• 

  Deputy Dog

  hamsterbait

  I've never read the WT evolution book. I'm just asking. I'm also an animal trainer.
• 

  villabolo

  DD: "Maybe so. But what makes you think they knew she was dead? How do you know their reaction would be different if she were asleep?"

  When an elephant dies the others in the group become disturbed. They start prodding and pushing the deceased. They also pull branches off of trees (their food) and offer it to their fallen one. After a while they leave, abandoning the corpse, as if they know it's not going to get up.

  The elephants, and by analogy the chimpanzees which are more intelligent, intuitively realize that the deceased is not going to wake up from this type of "sleep" otherwise their attempts to arouse their fallen one would have woken him up if it was ordinary sleep.

  villabolo
• 

  Deputy Dog

  The elephants, and by analogy the chimpanzees which are more intelligent, intuitively realize that the deceased is not going to wake up from this type of "sleep" otherwise their attempts to arouse their fallen one would have woken him up if it was ordinary sleep.

  Even if all that is true. I think it's quite a leap to characterize their behavior as "mourning" as in the same a people. I think you're attributing human traits to them that they aren't able to relate to.