Jezebel: chimpanzees

The Great EscApes

Anna — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:10:00 EDT

[Sylmar, California; September 1. Image via Getty]

SYLMAR, CA - SEPTEMBER 01: Wildlife Waystation founder Martine Colette looks into a cage at chimpanzees that are being evacuated from the 160 acre animal sanctuary and rehabilitation facility for wild and exotic wildlife as the Station Fire approaches September 1, 2009 in Sylmar, California. The out of control Station Fire has burned more than 120,000 acres, over 50 homes and has forced thousands of evacuations as nearly 10,000 homes are threatened. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

If I Could Talk To The Animals

Sadie — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:30:00 EDT

"There's a huge resistance in thinking about animals as having emotions, feelings, by anyone involved in invasive research...whether it's putting animals in cages and experimenting on them, or the meat industry. It's much easier to be nasty."-Jane Goodall [LAT]

The Lady Was A Champ

Anna — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:20:00 EDT

"I can tell you exactly when we knew," says Carole Noon's sister of her love of animals. "When the Tramp got carried to jail... we had to carry her out of the theater." [NY Times]

Christmas Primate Loves His Primary Colors

Anna — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:10:00 EST

[Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands. Image via Getty]

A chimpanzee eats a special Christmas brochette at the zoo in Hilvarenbeek on December 26, 2008. Every Christmas the zoo organizers offer a special diner for the animals. AFP PHOTO RUUD VERHALLE Netherlands out - Belgium out (Photo credit should read RUUD VERHALLE/AFP/Getty Images)

Martha Stewart & Jane Goodall's Goofy Gorilla Greetings Sound Like Crazy Sex

Dodai — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:30:00 EDT

Dr. Jane Goodall was on Martha Stewart's show this morning, and she greeted Martha with traditional ape sounds, which Martha emulated. While these noises come naturally to gorillas and chimpanzees, the ladies sounded like they were having intense orgasms. Afterward, Dr. Goodall showed Martha another ape greeting, which was slightly more intimate, and involved Dr. Goodall embracing Martha and breathing on her neck. It's all about animal magnetism! Clip above.

The Secret Sex Lives of Female Chimpanzees

Megan — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:45:00 EDT

Leaving aside the strangeness of a research project that involves watching monkeys fucking all day, scientists studying chimpanzees in Uganda have made the interesting discovery that our closest animal relatives know when to be discreet about their sex lives. Although female chimps will advertise that they're in estrus (i.e., fertile) with a specific call, they only occasionally make noise during sex. In fact, if there are higher-status female chimps around or if they are mating with lower status-males (which was about two-thirds of the time in the study), female chimps are silent while mating. It's only when they're having sex with high-status males that they advertise that fact vocally. Perhaps the Budongo Forest of Uganda is more like Hollywood or New York than anyone realized? [NY Times]