Borneo Apes Communicate Through Mime

[MineralMan]

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/61991/title/Orangutans_can_mime_their_desires

For example, orangutans being rehabilitated into free-living forest life at a facility on Borneo sometimes get dirt scrubbed off their faces by a person with a leaf, says study coauthor and cognitive ecologist Anne Russon of York University in Toronto. So, she says, she did know what was going on when a young male called Cecep plopped down in front of her and handed her a leaf.

“I played dumb,” she remembers. “He waited a respectable few seconds, then — all the while looking me in the eye — he took back the leaf, rubbed it on his own forehead….” Again he handed it to her. “Then I did as I was told,” she says, and wiped away the dirt.

There's also an interesting video of this behavior at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10926301

The more we learn about apes, the more we understand about ourselves.

[davidinalameda]

1. but can they do the walking against the wind

or the stuck in the box one

[Yo_Mama]

2. I've seen dogs do that too

A very interesting story, but not that surprising, really.

I think it is only western culture's disconnect with the natural world that makes this "news".

[Stevenmarc]

3. Don't apes have it hard enough without comparing them to mimes

[MineralMan]

4. What do you have against mimes?

Or Borneo, for that matter? :evilgrin:

[Johonny]

5. Can't wait for the Monster Quest episode looking for the invisible box

[treestar]

6. And the more we learn about Republicans.

:rofl:

[Scurrilous]

7. Indeed!

K & R :thumbsup: