Following the video yesterday, here are some shots from this morning of Annie walking bipedally. She does this a lot on Young’s Hill. It’s obviously not the primary way of locomotion for chimpanzees, although we do see it here and there. There are a bunch of theories about why bipedal locomotion evolved – maybe based on the need to look over the tall grasses as our ancestors became less arboreal, maybe the need to carry food or babies, or, the new theory JB shared with me this morning as we were watching the chimps forage on the hill – the “this just feels icky on my hands” theory. I’ll have to look that one up, but I think it might be the one that fits Annie best?!
I love it! She is kinda dainty about how she does that. I think there is another video like this where she makes a face along with the careful stride through the wet grass.
She is so funny!
Annie looks quite elegant making her way through the grass. I love that little ruffle in her hair in the second photo—she is a charmer. Thank you, Sarah.
I asked on the previous blog post if Annie’s bi-pedal walking might not be a little assertiveness, but since she’s not in possession of anything in these photos I guess that’s not why she was doing it. I think I’m partial to the explanation that it gives the chimpanzee an advantage of being able to look farther ahead; since they might still be a little cautious outside? With that thick skin on their feet would it be discomfort? Are chimps ticklish on their feet?