Conflict on the Bray: the Day Everyone Went Outside
September 17, 2023 by Diana -
We’ve been talking about it for a few days now – the conflict that led Mave, Dora, and Honey B to go onto the Bray habitat.
So, here’s your birds-eye view of most of the excitement! This is a video best suited for a bigger screen like your computer monitor or television.
I saw the middle to the end of the conflict in person. It was quite loud. It’s quite nice to be able to watch it without sound.
Even while I was watching in person, I had this thought that both groups seemed more similar to free-living chimpanzees than I had ever witnessed before. It was scary, to be honest, because we didn’t know what was going to happen, but the maneuvering was also fascinating.
Maybe, just maybe, it will help some of the chimps explore more, like it seems to have with Lucky!
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I love the dramatic movie titles and font, Diana!
And seeing the neighbors egging them on “Fight! Fight!” 🙂
Was Honey B just protecting Willy B?
I am not sure Honey B thinks in terms of “protecting” others, but she may have been standing up for her original team.
Thanks, I guess that’s what I meant. That tracks, right? Does the 3/6 division supercede the love that is Mora?
The more I observe chimpanzees, the less I know :). With that in mind, I would say for the most part, the 3/6 alliance is still stronger than any other, but Mave does bridge to the others and Willy B seems to really just want Cy’s support more than anything, which he does receive in the form of Cy keeping Terry and Gordo at bay at times during conflicts.
Thank you! Good ol’ Cy! He’s proving to have the same social IQ as Mave, only he’s more chill about it.
Diana – What affect does space have on chimps’ conflicts; i.e., does more space lessen the frequency and intensity of conflicts, since individuals can get away from each other more easily?
Good question! I don’t have a good answer. There are studies that have shown chimpanzees (and other primates) adjust their behavior when their space is temporarily restricted, but that might be to the detriment of positive interactions as well – they just avoid each other more. As this incident shows, chimpanzees are powerfully drawn to conflict rather than avoidant of conflict. From my perspective, space can help dissipate conflicts some, but only to a limited degree.
On the neighbor side, it looks like even Neggie got out to see the drama. I guess the show was simply too good for even Neggie to resist.
Glad nobody is hurt. Seems like Dora was the most neervous, but she made it out in the end.
I noticed that Neggie got up to observe, too. And 5 immediately started to patrol. And it looks like Foxie went out again later (watching on my phone, though)
I see human heads in the lower part of the screen, was a catwalk purposefully built to observe the chimpanzees? I can see that having a vantage point helps know how serious the action really is.
Good eye! Kelsi, Jenna, and I were at times standing on the scaffolding that holds the greenhouse panels, which currently sits in front of the fencing to the Bray. You can also see me just standing on the ground in the lower right at one point. Because the Bray is on a hill, we can see pretty easily from a ground view. Jenna at one point went all the way around the fence to the right to watch the drama on Ryan’s lookout.
The high emotion is most clear to me as I watch those in the chute.
Sorry for the reason, but I’m glad they’ve all gone out now. Does this mean they’ve
all walked on grass, too?
They have all walked on grass, yes! It’s funny they even those who will venture out further in the habitat will still stick to the boardwalk when returning to the chute instead of just walking on the ground.
Wow! So much going on and when they want to, chimpanzees are incredibly fast. I confess, I viewed this on my phone and need to watch again on my computer. Can’t imagine this action with noise! Both sides causing a ruckus! Thank goodness this ended rather quickly with no injuries. Could this be the new normal for a while?
I hate to think Honey B, Mave, and Dora only make it to the outside because there is a conflict that “forces” them out. It would be nice if they could venture outside because they want to go out to explore, forage, play, or quench their curiosity.
Only time will tell!
Im super behind on the Blogs… Glad no one was hurt and its too bad that it took a conflict to get everyone out on the Bray… at the same time I am very excited everyone went out!!!