Archives for July 27, 2009

Here are a few photos that I took at the end of Saturday’s conflict (I first made sure that no one was upset that I was there with a camera – on the other side of the caging, of course!). Fighting is a normal part of chimpanzee life. They are capable of inflicting a lot of damage on each other, but most fights are a lot of vocalizing and a lot of posturing. This is really the end of the fight with screaming, fear grimaces, and seeking reassurance. Sometimes those only peripherally involved in the conflict display towards the end. Missing from this photo is Negra (not surprisingly, she was inside away from the action), Burrito (not a main participant, so he let the girls finish it off) and Jamie (who was nearby). Things happen really quickly, so the descriptions below are my interpretation of what was happening, but I might not have fully understood each person’s role and interactions. After everything had pretty much ended, Jamie did get the last word in – a pant hoot and display that ended in swinging from the boat bumper and hitting the plexiglass covering the window.

Missy sitting down, Jody displaying (bipedal), Annie screaming while looking at Foxie. Annie is the lowest ranking and therefore seeks reassurance more than the other chimps. I think she is seeking reassurance from Foxie. Jody is showing her higher rank by displaying (this is probably a side of Jody you haven’t seen before!)

Both Annie and Foxie looking at Jody, seeking reassurance from her. Seeking reassurance can mean “I’m sorry” or just “I get that you’re higher ranking and I will submit to you.” It can be a way of de-escalating a conflict or a way of trying to get someone on your side in the middle of a conflict.

Foxie fear grimacing while looking at Jody

Annie (fear face) seeking reassurance from Missy after Foxie left