Monkeying Around
September 18, 2010 by Diana -
I was commenting the other day about how many stories in the media about chimpanzees use some sort of monkey reference, often the term “monkeying around.”
This generally irritates primatologists, partly because it’s just silly and the stories themselves often are not, but mostly because chimpanzees are NOT monkeys. Chimpanzees are great apes like gorillas, orangutans, bonobos and humans. I might as well add that gibbons are called “lesser apes” and they are not monkeys either. There are a few distinct differences between apes and monkeys, the most notable physical difference is the tail – monkeys have them, apes do not.
When I was watching Foxie, Missy and Jody in the outdoor area today, though, I had to admit that “monkeying around” is pretty much exactly how I would describe what they were doing…
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Thank Diana. It is always fun watching the chimps enjoying life. I see Foxie still has a troll with hair! 🙂
this is why the playground structure should be called APE bars not monkey bars!! monkeys don’t have the proper shoulder joints to accommodate such flexible swinging. although I imagine they are much more agile and skilled at jumping through trees!
Wonderful video and good information. Thanks, Diana.
lovely video thank you , i agree with Margaret and Karen i have learnt a new word today” brachiating ” xxx
I will never tire of videos of them enjoying life! Thanks for sharing.
Why don’t we just call it chimping around? 😉
That was so nice to see them having fun like that. Those 7 have a great life at the sanctuary. Thanks for the video.