Okay, it’s not really Sunday, but I couldn’t help myself with the title.
We’ve talked about how important grooming is within chimpanzee society before (see this blog post from 2010 and this one from last year and you might as well check out this one about conflict and reassurance).
My favorite grooming to watch between chimps is when it’s a lazy afternoon and everything is calm and quiet. One chimpanzee will approach another chimp who is lying down or just sitting and chilling and start casually grooming them. The chimps often do their lazy grooming on the top of the climbing structure in the greenhouse. Often there are multiple partners grooming separately and sometimes they’ll move to a new partner or create a group of three or more chimps all grooming each other.
Below are some pics of Foxie grooming Burrito.
Foxie separates the hair on Burrito’s back with her fingers:
Foxie using her prehensile lips to groom Burrito (see this video with some other prehensile lip action):
Foxie becoming distracted from her grooming by the troll doll in her hand:
That Furry Close Intimacy… is scrunchy beyond words…
Oh Foxie, you are so funny! ” I think I’ll be nice and groom my buddy… ooh wait what’s my dolly doing? Bye Burrito, Gotta run?. It’s been real.”
What a wonderful afternoon. Thanks Diana.
Is it too late for me have prehensile lips. 🙂
How sweet of Foxie—bet Burrito loves it. Of course, you must check on your troll doll now and then 🙂
Thank you, Diana.
Oh, Foxie, she is such a good mom..