Burrito’s Rain Display
June 29, 2013 by Diana -
As the video at the end of this post says, free-living chimpanzees in Africa sometimes perform rain displays. Jane Goodall and Bill Wallauer (two heros of mine) have witnessed these displays at Gombe National Park in Tanzania. We don’t get a lot of dramatic rainstorms here in Cle Elum, but today was an exception. The storm began with a clap of thunder. Based on what Bill Wallauer has written about the displays he’s witnessed, perhaps the initial thunder is what inspired Burrito’s display today.
It made me happy to watch Burrito’s “dance” and to think about how he is still connected in some ways to his long-lost family of the forest.
It also reminded me of the article that Joseph D’Agnese wrote for Discover Magazine more than a decade ago called An Embarrassment of Chimps. That article helped to connect many chimpanzee and human people. J.B. and I were working at the Fauna Foundation when it was written, and it inspired Keith to build Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest.
So, I guess today is about connection – to nature, to those who influence us, and to all the circumstances that bring us together.
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Omigod, Diana, this is so thrilling! Burrito’s dance looked just like one I’ve seen in a video of a chimp living in the wild.
Gorgeous post, by the way. 🙂
I notice they all chose to remain indoors to acknowledge the rain! During my trip to Uganda and Rwanda to see mountain gorillas we were hiking in a deluge of rain. I’ve never deliberately spent time in rain that was so intense. When we found the gorillas, it was amusing to watch how they responded to the rain. Some could have cared less and went about their business as usual. But a few just sat there, all hunkered over, just waiting for it to stop. That would have been me!
My man has the moves!!!!!
Like you said, it is beautiful that he is still connected with his ancestors in some ways. What an unforgivable crime, to separate these lovely chimpanzees from their families and from their land. I’m so glad and thankful that you are giving them a good life after so much suffering.
is it a “dance” or a tension discharger?
Jane Goodall is also a hero of mine and the reason I’ve had a fascination with chimpanzees. It’s fascinating how “nature” inspires certain behaviors where “nurture” had no part.
That was awesome!! Burrito has rhythm and timing! I’d never seen anything like that before and he even got in a little pole dancing with that ladder! 😀 The girls didn’t look to enthusiastic about the rain though! I often wonder if Chimps are afraid of thunder storms like my dog.
In most of the groups I’ve seen, most of the chimps either sit still or go for cover. It’s usually one that displays and does a “rain dance.”
What a beautiful rain dance! I’m so glad it was caught on tape for all of us to witness. Yay Burrito!!
This is really awesome………….thanks for sharing with us.
I watched this many times too and thought the same thing, that Burrito’s “rain dance” was more of a tension releaser and or reaction to an unknown for him, especially when I saw him “hugging” himself. Also because the noise of the rain is amplified hitting the building and his looking up with a somewhat bewildered look on his face??
Just my observation…what about you guys…what do you think? Whatever the display is, it was fascinating to see…
I think that’s one of the cool things about the rain displays – we don’t really know why chimps do it. Male chimps usually display when they feel their territory is threatened or want to show to their group how powerful they are. It’s neat that this particular display is in reaction to rain and thunder – something that often affects humans on both visceral and more philosophical / reflective levels.
Would he be allowed to go outside when it’s raining?
Yes – the door was open and the chimps could have gone outside on the hill at anytime. After the rain stopped, Jody and Burrito went out first briefly.