Caehopkin, Abercrave,
Swansea Valley, SA9 1UD
South Wales, UK
Tel +44 (0) 1639 730276
Email:-  info@cefn-yr-erw.co.uk

Funnier than Fiction

The intelligence of chimps is graphically illustrated by some of our experiences at Cefn-yr-Erw

A game of darts

In order to move the chimpanzees to Cefn-yr-Erw in safety and with a minimum of stress, they were " darted " by the vet in order to tranquilize them. When the vet aimed at Neusi, and missed, she retrieved the dart for him and handed it back as if to say "try again".

The first enclosure used to temporarily house the chimps at Cefn -yr-Erw was their old cage from Penscynor Wildlife Park. Immediately it was erected at Cefn-yr-Erw the chimps were introduced and they swarmed all over it, testing all the locks, bolts, panels and doors.

Throwing peach stones at one another is an hilarious and amusing game, so long as no-one throws one at Twmi who, being the "Alpha Male", sees it as an insult and deals decisively with the culprit. During one session however Graham (the boss) picked up a peach stone and threw it at Twmi, to the horror of the other chimps. Twmi swung round to find all the other chimps pointing frantically at Graham, whom he treated to a few indignant looks before dozing off.

Yogurts are a favourite treat for the chimps who get them virtually every day. They lick out the cartons and then carefully push the empty ones back under the door to Graham. One day there was a great commotion in the cage when Twmi found some empty yogurt cartons hidden under a pile of straw. He angrily pushed them back under the door of the cage, obviously believing that the empty cartons had to be refilled, or at least exchanged for full ones.

Not quite a full hand

Everyone must have seen chimps carefully scrutinising each others fur. They extend this practice to their human friends, gently touching any cuts or scars on the hands or face and showing expressions of interest or concern.

One of the builders working on their new compound came in for particular attention when he showed them that he had lost a finger at some earlier time. Every day he would have to hold out his hand for Vicki to examine it. One or more of the others would also come over to see and touch, watching his face as they were doing so and expressing signs of real sympathy.

One in the eye for fashion

Vicki is in her element dressing up in bright clothes, and wearing her trainers (sports shoes). Before putting them on however she carefully removes the laces. When she takes them off again she replaces the laces, which have endured a hard life, and what with also being chewed at the ends are frayed and not easy to re-thread.

This presents no problem to Vickie however who first wets each end, twists it carefully, and then pokes it through the eyelet as professionally as an experienced tailor threading a needle.