Chimps Plan Ahead

That chimpanzee in a Swedish Zoo is getting a lot of attention for stockpiling rocks to throw at visitors. It is THE new zoo story.

But this example of an animal planning ahead just reminds me of the time here long ago, when the NC Zoo chimp exhibit was not the fancy new BB&T Kitera Forest but was fronted in chicken-wire. I arrived at it one day with then Animal Curator Ron Morris. The dominant male chimp saw Ron, went away briefly and came back with the "perfect rock". The chimp's underhanded toss was strong but off the mark. Good thing! Because the large, flat, sharp-edged rock cut through the chicken wire like a hot spoon through soft ice cream.