A great little peice for the zoologically-minded about how chimps actually have a whole “tool-set” they use to find food. I think this stuff is fascinating. I suppose if I could go back, I would have majored in primatology. But anyway, read this:
Using infrared, motion-triggered video cameras, researchers have documented how chimpanzees in the Goualougo Triangle-a region within the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo-use a variety of tools to extract termites from their nests. The “tool kits” are among the most complex ever observed in wild chimp populations.
For subterranean nests the chimps use their feet to force a larger “puncturing stick” into the earth, drilling holes into termite chambers, and then a separate fishing probe to harvest the insects. Often the chimps modified the fishing probe, pulling it through their teeth to fray the end like a paintbrush. The frayed edge was better for collecting the insects.
How is this in any way travel-related? Well, wouldn’t it be cool to travel to Africa some day to watch chimps in the wild? Huh, wouldn’t it?