Gorillas have perfect table manners
They
are known for aggressive (rough) displays of chest-beating, loud roaring
and the occasional headlong charge. But despite their macho (manly)
reputation, gorillas are surprisingly delicate, especially when it comes
to meal times.
Researchers have found that they use giant leaves as napkins to clean
their fingers and faces after eating messy food.
The trackers, who were working for the Zoological Society of London
in West Africa, witnessed several gorillas
performing the same routine.
The finding is further evidence that gorillas and other great apes
behave similarly to humans.
Dr. Noelle Kumpel, the society's forests conservation programme
manager, said: "We were amazed to discover that gorillas use these
leaves like napkins.
"The team saw that the gorillas were wiping their mouths and hands
after eating messy fruits. It's a surprisingly human activity. It
clearly demonstrates that we still have plenty to learn about these
incredible animals."
The apes tore giant leaves off a flowering plant to wipe themselves
before throwing them to the ground.
The society's staff made the discovery while following a family of
western lowland gorillas through the trees of a conservation park in
Gabon. The trackers were trying to get the gorillas used to humans in
the hope that it will draw eco-tourism to the area. Gorillas are
actually far more gentle than their chimpanzee cousins and follow a
vegetarian diet of leaves and fruit.
They also take some pride in their appearance.
Grooming, where fleas, bugs and mud are picked from each other's
hair, is an essential part of family life for gorillas. Unlike
chimpanzees, which routinely use tools such as twigs and stones to hunt
and gather food, gorillas are less technologically minded.
They have, however, been seen using sticks to find their way across
swamps and pools.
According to the most recent estimates, there are around 100,000
western lowland gorillas left in Africa. But logging, the spread of
diseases such as ebola and the illegal trade in ape meat has seen
numbers plummet(fall). Some campaigners suspect there could be only
50,000 left. Western lowland gorillas, one of the four sub-species of
gorilla, usually live in family groups of between six and ten, led by a
silverback, the fiercest and strongest male.
Once adolescent males are big enough, they either challenge the
silverback for leadership or leave home in search of a new family to
lead. Normally nomadic, gorillas use twigs and leaves to make overnight
nests in trees or on the ground.
Daily Mail
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