Chimps @ Taronga » Taronga Zoo

Chimps @ Taronga
21-04-2008

A work colleague recently visited Taronga and was quite distressed that the chimps were eating their own poo.

Any ideas?

21-04-2008

hmmm. how about don't copy them.

Coprophagy in Apes.
21-04-2008

Fascinating subject!!(along with R& R- Regurgitation and Reingestion)

Some people maintain they do these things in the wild. Others are equally adamant they never do.

With gorillas I know Coprophagy and R& R, once established as habits are very hard to prevent. Not all animals do it. Exhibit quality, diet, social groupings etc may or may not have relevance too. I'm sure some studies must have been done on these subjects. I have never seen captive Orangutans do either.

21-04-2008

I am in the chimps eat their own poo in the wild camp. I have observed R and R and coprophagy in orangs.

22-04-2008

I also witnessed this behavior when I visited in 2003, a chimp laid down and grabbed the poo from it's anus and shoved it into his mouth, it happened in the indoor viewing area in plain view of visitors, it was amusing but more than a little disturbing..

22-04-2008

Thanks for all of that - I just assumed it is prob some kind of 'normal" behaviour but not being a chimp expert in the slightest, I had no idea ...

I wonder if they do it just to shock the public ... their little minds thinking, "What can I do next that will chock these hairless apes watching me from across the fence?"
Of course, I do over-think things at time!

22-04-2008

@aw101: quite a graphic description, but chimps eating **** shouldn't be amusing.

P.S. I see that if you type in ****, then it automatically gets converted to four little stars....hmmmm.

22-04-2008

but interestingly you can write ****** or *********!

22-04-2008

Saw a chimp at Bullen's Animal World throw a lump of you-know-what at a mate of mine once many years ago. The chimp's aim was not good, and the **** would have missed; but my mate was a keen cricketer, and automatically took the catch........

22-04-2008

Patrick, they are on to you!!
Ara, that's just TOO funny! I've never seen them eat their own poo but my work colleague is still going on about it ...

18-08-2008

Back on the chimpanzees, apparently a male will be moving from Taronga to Monarto Zoo? Does anyone have any info on this chimp?