The other day I was trying to impress upon someone just how strong chimpanzees are, when Jamie decided to make my case for me. She swung across the ceiling of the outdoor enclosure (this arm to arm swinging is called brachiating), and proceeded to hang upside down for a while, just because she could. While this is totally normal chimp behavior, it is quite amazing considering that Jamie has been locked in small cages for decades, with no way to practice this behavior or exercise in any way. Imagine the inherent strength she must possess to swing so effortlessly after so many years of confinement…
