Grooming is a bonding experience for chimpanzees, and one reason is that it requires a lot of trust in one’s grooming partner. Chimps aren’t afraid to get quite personal with each other. The other day I caught Jamie very gently grooming Negra’s eyes and ears.
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Oh so delicate! Especially around Negra’s sweet, soft eyes. That video was just yummy to watch, thanks!
Well, when one doesn’t have a mirror to get to those hard to reach places, one needs a good friend.
I love how gentle Jamie can be! Do all chimps (captive and wild) smack their lips when they groom?
As far as I know, grooming behaviors like lip smacking and tooth clacking are pretty universal in chimpanzees. There does tend to be some individual difference, though. Jamie’s a lip smacker, while Burrito’s a tooth clacker and raspberry blower. 🙂
Two lovely ladies!