Chimpanzee kerfuffle

The chimp group was very noisy. The female standing in the centre (Alice perhaps?) was screaming frequently, it seemed that her receptive season had just finished, but the males were still interested. I think the male on the left is Dylan (the alpha male) who was trying to control the situation. Chimp Island, Chester, 12th May 2016.

Fascinating! How long did this take place for?

savethelephant said:

Fascinating! How long did this take place for?

Click to expand...

I guess 10 minutes at least. I heard the screaming as I came out from the aye-ayes and I had to walk around to the far end of the chimp enclosure before I could really see what was going on (as the photo shows, the enclosure is heavily planted). There were quieter periods, but the female was screaming every few seconds and there were several crescendos too, during which I could hear blows being struck.
The senior chimp keeper, Niall Ormerod, was watching through his window and I could almost hear him muttering his catchphrase, from the recent Channel 4 TV shows, 'Silly buggers!'

Alan