For the Love of Chimps

When I young, I LOVED monkeys, especially Chimpanzees. It was on the verge of an obsession. And I was a huge fan of Jane Goodall, who I got to meet my junior year of college. I read her book For the Love of Chimps a million times as a kid so meeting her was truly amazing.

Science Reporter and BBC News report that new research described in the journal PLoS One say that Chimpanzees enter into "deals" where the male chimps exchange the meat they hunted for sex with the female. Male chimps who are willing to share mate twice as often as those who don't. And the females who get their share increase their calorie intake.

Previous hypothesis had suggested this occurred, but they thought it was a give and then immediately take situation which is not true. The new research found that this is a long-term exchange, so males continue to share their catch with females when they are not fertile, copulating with them when they are.

I just think they are so fascinating and human. Even if they can be a bit scary tearing off some ladies arm and stuff. I wish we could have them as a pet without them going insane. Or maybe I could just get a baby one and then donate him/her to a wildlife reserve when it gets too big? I'm sure T would veto that right away anyway.