This photo was taken at the National Zoo in May 1906. (It is not subject to copyright.) I do not know the name of this Chimpanzee.
Here is the question: Suppose you were to sit down next to the Chimp and drop something close to him, but too far for you to reach it. What would the Chimp do?
According to a new study, he would likely – and happily -- help you retrieve it!
True altruism – unselfish acts for another's benefit – was until recently considered uniquely human. Usually when animals cooperate, they either help relatives – thereby increasing chances of passing shared genes to the next generation – or they count on having favours returned in the future.
Now Felix Warneken and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have found that 12 out of 18 semi-wild chimpanzees went out of their way to help an unfamiliar human who was struggling to reach a stick. The primates did this even when they were inconvenienced – such as when they first had to climb into a 2.5-metre-high ropeway – and for no reward.
Watch the video here.
"This is the first evidence of chimpanzees helping somebody they don't know," Warneken says, though he accepts that the chimps may have helped because they generally associate humans with rewards. "But we also found they helped other chimps."
In the latter experiment, the team taught the apes to remotely unchain a door. When the chimps then saw another, unrelated, chimp trying to open the door, they released the chain more often than when their peer was not actively trying to get in. They chose to help the other chimp achieve its goal(.)
(snip)
"Natural selection has produced psychological mechanisms designed to produce spontaneous helping that – on average and in the long run – works to the advantage of both actors and recipients."
The details of such mechanisms need teasing out, but empathy may lie behind such altruism. Warneken says the unimportance of rewards in his study suggests the chimps acted out of genuine concern for others.
Source
Genuine concern for others! Chimpanzees are Democrats!
Chimpanzees need our help.
These compassionate animals are endangered:
Chimpanzees used to live throughout equatorial Africa from southern Senegal through Central Africa to western Tanzania. This is an area almost the size of the United States and includes 25 countries.
Today, chimpanzees are extinct in 4 of them, and are down to such low numbers (100-200) in 5 more that their disappearance is inevitable. Another 5 countries have small, scattered populations of a few hundred. Only 10 countries have chimpanzee populations that exceed 1000. There are estimated to be about 200,000 chimpanzees left in Africa. Only 50 years ago there were probably several million.
Source ~ Save the Chimps
Many of those in captivity have been cruelly treated. There are about 2,400 chimpanzees in the United States. Of these, 1,700 are used for biomedical testing, roughly 500 live in zoos and 200 are used in entertainment.
The remaining (lucky) 500 live in sanctuaries, including one run by Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida.
The vision of Save the Chimps was -- and remains -- to create a Sanctuary where rescued chimpanzees can live out their lives without the threat of ever returning to a laboratory. A generous donation by the Arcus Foundation enabled Save the Chimps to purchase 200 acres for a permanent sanctuary in Ft. Pierce, Florida. The Sanctuary environment was carefully designed to nurture and stimulate these sensitive and complex primates by creating a secure and enriching environment, including the construction of a three-acre island on which to safely express natural behaviors. These former lab chimpanzees now live as a social group.
In 2002, with generous donations from a number of foundations, Save the Chimps took over a New Mexico laboratory where 266 chimps were being used for medical research under horrific conditions. Immediately after acquiring it, Save the Chimps made improvements to transform the lab. Since then, the lab residents have received fresh food, enlarged cages, enrichment activities and compassionate care. Most importantly, they have been permitted to form social groups, which is how Chimps live in the wild.
But all these Chimps would be even happier and healthier if they were able to live in the lush and quiet Save the Chimps Sanctuary in Florida, and as a result, Save the Chimps has launched a fundraising drive to raise the money needed to move the lab Chimps:
Relocating one chimpanzee from New Mexico to permanent sanctuary in Florida costs $2,500, and includes the expense of caregiver staff on both ends of the trip, veterinary care , transport vehicle maintenance, fuel costs, and the work of bringing a new building on-line in Florida.
The custom-built Save the Chimps trailer is going to make more than 26 four-thousand mile round trips between New Mexico and Florida (that's equivalent to driving around the Earth four times), carrying 10 chimpanzees, each with their own window to watch their journey across the United States!
Please consider a donation
for our friends, the Chimps!
And now on to Tonight’s Top Comments:
From pioneer111:
This touching comment from mdgarcia, who faces many personal challenges.
From Wee Mama:
Bob Love offers some snarkilicious advice for regaining TU status.
sheddhead had a great tip tip jar for butterfly porn
From kovie:
I really liked this comment from Robert Drake about Bill Buckley and the rise of the Coulter
element of the conservative movement.
From Mother of Zeus:
condoleaser deserves honors for Best Dr. Seuss Inspired Rhyming.
From waitingforvizzini:
Ray Radlein had this to say about a combination of scenes (and from what vessels to drink) from two of the funniest movies ever -- The Court Jester and The Princess Bride.
From Magnifico:
ohcanada found more background on Bandar Bush — the middleman
for Iran-Contra – in this comment.
From kath25:
cskendrick's diary on immigration had some interesting commentary, full of factses. In particular, I liked:
barz9, who had some interesting personal insights on the matter; and
this simple but important comment from cskendrick himself.
From monkeybiz:
As you may know, Blue Jersey Mom just lost her beloved Mr. Nicky. SomeStones stopped by to offer condolences and this wonderful poem in honor of our fur people.
(Editor’s note: Mr. Nicky was featured in this diary. Here is a photo. I am very sorry to learn this news.)
From N in Seattle:
In theRoaringGirl's Why we need an Eleanor Roosevelt in the White
House diary , arodb combined praise of Ms. Roosevelt, a history lesson for fans of the
Reagan presidency, and a healthy dose of snark in his comment When I
visited the Reagan Library...
From sardonyx:
G2geek explains why Al Gore would cancel six month's of speaking
engagements if he was running
in
guinn's diary Did Gore's agent just tip his hand?
Some good comments in joe at rockridgeinstitute's diary The Coming
Biofuels Disaster:
Phoenix Rising saying that Any single solution is not the
answer,
opendna on how Biodiesel will save
lives,
and G2geek's comment on the food price,
contradiction
just to name three.
From Elise:
Greasy Grant has thoughts on Romney's run for the White House.
kitsapdem is thinking along similar lines with regard to animal cruelty and Republicans.
exiledfromTN talks about the family dog.
Tonight’s diarist was too upset by this diary to think clearly.
Tonight’s Top Mojo from sardonyx! Thank you, sardonyx.
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and C&J comments:
1) I still don't get it... by annefrank — 142
2) Deceny matter. So does courage. by chumley — 140
3) I don't take anything for granted by elizabethedwards — 102
4) I want him to wait by TeresaInPa — 94
5) No, Today Show is another awful . . . by nyceve — 91
6) She would make one by cwaltz — 84
7) why he would cancel if he was running by G2geek — 83
8) I understand why... by Fletch17C — 79
9) Everytime I convince myself by Spathiphyllum — 77
10) A President who thinks US jobs is part of his job by elizabethedwards — 74
11) There's a bit more meat by Lisa Lockwood — 68
12) Because Bill Frist declined to run in '08, by Greasy Grant — 68
13) That's getting to me too. by Plutonium Page — 67
14) Rusty, Rusty, Rusty, how well we know this! by tahoebasha2 — 66
15) Damn... by Kyle the Mainer — 64
16) As you know by Jerome a Paris — 59
17) he could be arrested for that by TeresaInPa — 58
18) She already knows that. (N/T) by elizabethedwards — 58
19) he SHOULD have been arrested for that. by noweasels — 58
20) I've been a free rider by Dallasdoc — 57
21) It helps to be Southern by elizabethedwards — 57
22) Most Democratic candidates will promise this by elizabethedwards — 54
23) Terrorist Warning by TexDem — 51
24) The part of the segment by talex — 51
25) Why can't we have a president who is by blue jersey mom — 51
26) I'm concerned about abuse of executive power by Dump Terry McAuliffe — 51
27) Coulter complained she would be used... by BruinKid — 50
28) I guess you didn't see him on the Today Show by Chrispy67 — 50
29) I want him to wait too,,,,, by quinn — 49
30) Yes indeed, welcome home dear Elizabeth . . . by nyceve — 49
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1) Tips for Elizabeth Edwards because by TomP — 351
2) I feel like I should apologize for this . . . by nyceve — 285
3) There's no way we don't win by Mike Stark — 237
4) Tips n/a by Irfo — 224
5) tips. flames or comments appreciated by testvet6778 — 201
6) Here he is! by buhdydharma — 168
7) Tip Jar - 27 June by Jerome a Paris — 153
8) Another weakness in S. 1634 by dengre — 152
9) I don't normally do breaking... by mayan — 150
10) I still don't get it... by annefrank — 142
11) Deceny matter. So does courage. by chumley — 140
12) You really want your heart broken? by Adam B — 118
13) Wow I have never been first... by Cliff Schecter — 112
14) I don't take anything for granted by elizabethedwards — 110
15) I want him to wait by TeresaInPa — 94
16) No, Today Show is another awful . . . by nyceve — 91
17) More Fodder for the Cannons by drational — 88
18) She would make one by cwaltz — 84
19) why he would cancel if he was running by G2geek — 83
20) I understand why... by Fletch17C — 79
21) A President who thinks US jobs is part of his job by elizabethedwards — 79
22) Tip jar by Red State Rebel — 78
23) Everytime I convince myself by Spathiphyllum — 77
24) Don't forget to check out GoreHub.com by NYPopulist — 73
25) Hot & Humid Hump Day by Debbie in ME — 70
26) Urinal/ Spittoon by The Baculum King — 69
27) There's a bit more meat by Lisa Lockwood — 68
28) Because Bill Frist declined to run in '08, by Greasy Grant — 68
29) That's getting to me too. by Plutonium Page — 67
30) Rusty, Rusty, Rusty, how well we know this! by tahoebasha2 — 66
31) Hey folks... by Tracy Joan — 66
Remember to send your Top Comments to topcomments at gmail dot com by 9:30 pm EST ~ and be sure to include your screen name so we can give you a proper hat tip!