• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

  • Our Family
    • The Chimpanzees
    • The Cattle
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Visiting the Sanctuary
    • Philosophy
      • FAQs
      • Mission, Vision & Goals
      • Privacy Policy
    • The Humans
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Founder
    • Annual Reports
    • The Future of CSNW
    • CSNW In The News
  • You can help
    • Donate
      • Become a Chimpanzee Pal
      • Sponsor A Day
      • Transfer Stock
      • Be A Produce Patron
      • Be a Bovine Buddy
      • Give from your IRA
      • Personalized Stones
      • Bring Them Home Campaign
    • Leave A Legacy
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Volunteer
    • See Our Wish List
    • Events
  • Resources
    • About Chimpanzees
    • Enrichment Database
    • Advocacy
      • Apes in Entertainment
        • Trainers
        • Role of the AHA
        • Greeting Cards
      • Chimpanzees as Pets
      • Roadside Zoos
      • Chimpanzees in Biomedical Research
      • Conservation
        • African Apes
        • Orangutans
  • Shop
    • Merchandise Store
  • Contact
  • DONATE NOW

Smiling?

October 29, 2009 by Jackie

For me, going to Blockbuster or Hollywood Video to look for a movie is always an interesting experience. It never fails- I will see a movie with a chimp on the cover “smiling”. This facial expression that we, as humans, understand as a happy face is not a happy face for a chimpanzee. A “human smile” displayed by a chimpanzee is actually a “fear grimace” and is displayed when a chimp is afraid or excited. When a chimpanzee is used for entertainment purposes, they are trained to fear grimace for the camera. I thought, in this regard, I would post some pictures to demonstrate the difference between a fear grimace and a chimpanzee smile.

mvp-chimp-pic2

Below is an older picture of Jody displaying a fear grimace. If I had to guess, I would say she was afraid someone might steal her watermelon…
jody-fear-grimace1

Here is a picture of Jody with a playface or a chimpanzee smile. THIS is a happy chimpanzee:
jody-playface

and a happy Foxie:
foxie-playface

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin
FoxieJody

Share

Share
Tweet
Share
Pin

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Margaret and Karen says

    October 29, 2009 at 4:57 pm

    I am so glad you posted this, Jackie. This is one of the most important facts to get out about chimpanzees IMO.

  2. Theresa says

    October 29, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    It doesn’t take long to differentiate between a fear grimace and true chimp smile when watching them but many people don’t know the difference. This is a good example and way of showing people that difference. Good education value!

  3. Candy (Tyler, TX) says

    October 29, 2009 at 7:16 pm

    Thank you Jackie, this information is so important. Chimpanzees in print should have their smiles photoshopped, gosh, why not make a computerized chimpanzee.

    Sarah, what a very brave thing you did when you went undercover to expose training practices of entertainment chimpanzees. I can’t even imagine what is done to the chimps to get them to show this face, the face that is suppose to be a smile.

  4. Rachel J says

    October 29, 2009 at 8:58 pm

    Yay, thanks Jackie! Seeing such movies always realllly bugs me too.. as well as greeting cards. I always hide the ‘smiling’ chimp cards with other cards when I see them, although I’m sure it doesn’t help that much! It just makes me feel al little better. Of course, such cards, movies or books are also entitled something like “MONKEY business” or “just MONKEYing around.” Arrrggghhhh.

  5. Amy M. says

    October 30, 2009 at 5:21 am

    Yes — excellent educational post!!

  6. Jackie says

    October 30, 2009 at 8:20 am

    Rachel- re: greeting cards- I do the same thing…

  7. Meredith Buist says

    October 30, 2009 at 9:24 am

    I’m so glad I know the difference now. Good to know so we do not feed into the misuse of animals in entertainment.

  8. Sarah says

    October 30, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Thanks Candy! Getting a happy ending for most of the chimps I worked with and spreading the word on behalf of the rest makes it all worthwhile. We can make a difference for them!

  9. Linda (Portland, OR) says

    October 30, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Thank you so much Jackie, these pics are excellent examples. Once you’ve learned the difference, it’s easy to spot and the Happy Face is so much better!!

    Chimps hugs!!

  10. Gayle says

    October 31, 2009 at 12:32 pm

    I just received a bday card from my sister with a chimp showing a fear face. I know she meant well and thought I would love it but I cringed when I opened it. I thanked her very much and, in conversation later on, I “gently” explained to her that this chimp was not happy. She understood and even promised me she would not buy anything being marketed using chimps. She’ll pass this on to the people in her office and they’ll pass it on from there. As insignificant as this was it made me feel good.

  11. Jackie says

    October 31, 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Good for you, Gayle. Every bit counts!

  12. Margaret and Karen says

    October 31, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    From Karen: Very important post regarding chimps on cards etc. It may help if hose of us concerned contact directly the card companies who use chimps in their merchandise and tell them we will boycott their cards and publicize for others to do so as long as they continue to use chimps. Also, contacting Safeway, Kroger, Hallmark and other stores displaying such cards for sale may be helpful. It can be very effective to say you will boycott their stores until this stops. Also, I send the names of companies who are selling them to PeTA as they are working on this too. We CAN stop this. Great posts.

Previous Post
Blankets needed at WAO
Next Post
Happy Halloween-Birthday, Jamie!

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe To the Blog and Get Notified of New Posts First!

Archives

Calendar of Blog Posts

October 2009
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Sep   Nov »

Categories

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Footer

PO Box 952
Cle Elum, WA 98922
[email protected]
509-699-0728
501c3 registered charity
EIN: 68-0552915

Official DDAF Grantee

Menu

  • The Chimpanzees
  • Blog
  • About Us
  • You can help
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Donate

Proud Member of

Connect With Us

Search

Copyright © 2024 Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest. All Rights Reserved. Site by Vegan Web Design