Zoo’s Visitor Sees Monkey Sharpening A Rock, Later It Uses It To Shatter Its Glass Enclosure
They said that Planet of the Apes was fiction. They were wrong! Some of us have always had an inkling that monkeys are far smarter than they let on. And now they’ve figured out what they have to do to escape zoos! Well, at least one monkey has that information. But I’m pretty sure others will soon follow suit.
Visitors at Zhengzhou Zoo in Central China were witnesses to an amazing sight: a cute monkey used a stone to break the glass wall of its enclosure. However, zoo visitors weren’t the only ones surprised — the Columbian white-faced Capuchin scarpered once it realized what it had done. Read on to indulge in Bored Panda’s exclusive in-depth interview with Professor Ian C. Colquhoun from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Western Ontario.
The Daily Mail writes that one tourist, Mr. Wang, said that “the monkey was sharpening the stone, then it started hitting it on the glass. The monkey scared itself away, but it came back to take another look and even touched it.” Was what the monkey did simply an accident? Or was the Capuchin only pretending to be scared at first, so we wouldn’t suspect it had other nefarious plans?
Meanwhile, one of the zoo’s staff Tian Shuliao told the media that “this monkey is unlike other monkeys. This one knows how to use tools to break walnuts. When we feed walnuts to other monkeys, they only know to bite it. But it had never hit the glass before though. This is the first time. It’s toughened glass, so it would never have got out. After it happened, we picked up all the rocks and took away all its ‘weapons’.”
As surprising as it sounds, quite a few members of the animal kingdom know how to use tools, and not all of them are monkeys. According to Live Science, chimpanzees use stone tools and even make spears for hunting other primates. While crows use a wide range of tools, from twigs to their own feathers.
Sea animals are crafty as well. Everyone’s beloved sea otters (the incredibly fuzzy ones) use rocks to hit abalone shells off of stones and crack them open. Octopuses, on the other hand, go for a more defensive application of tools: they use coconut shells as portable armor.
Check out the video of the Capuchin breaking the glass right here
Image credits: newsflare
Just in case there’s a monkey uprising in the near future, I’m going to rewatch all the Planet of the Apes films. There might be some good tips on what to do there. What do you think of animals who can use tools proficiently? Do you think tool-wielding monkeys will build their own empire and take over the planet? Let us know in the comments below.
Bored Panda spoke to Professor Ian C. Colquhoun from the Department of Anthropology at the University of Western Ontario about Capuchins and other primates.
“From the image of the capuchin using a stone tool to strike and shatter the glass panel of its enclosure that I saw, the thing that struck me was that it appeared to be a white-faced Capuchin (Cebus capuchinus) — for fans of Friends, we’re talking about the same species as “Marcel” the monkey. To my knowledge, white-faced Capuchins have only just recently been observed using tools in the wild.”
“However, stone tool use by the related bearded Capuchin (Sapajus libidinosis), native to northeastern Brazil, has been well-documented since first reports of its use of stone tools to crack open palm nuts appeared back in 2004,” the professor highlighted.
Professor Colquhoun explained that tool use and tool manufacturing are very rare among primate species. “Chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos, and gorillas have all now been reported to use tools in the wild. While gibbons are also apes, they have not thus far been observed to use tools. Besides Capuchins (a group of New World monkeys), some Old World monkeys, such as crab-eater macaques (Macaca fascicularis) have also been observed to use tools, e.g. to open shell-fish in tidal zone habitats.”
When asked by Bored Panda what he considers to be the most impressive examples of primates using tools, the professor replied: “I think the stone tool use of bearded Capuchins is quite impressive, when you consider that some males are using stones that are about one quarter of their body weight to crack the palm nuts. I also find the first report of gorillas using tools in the wild to be intriguing as it occurred in contexts not directly related to “extractive foraging” and food acquisition (e.g. cracking open palm nuts).”
People had this to say about the crafty Capuchin monkey
Indeed,it makes me very angry when I go to the zoo and see trapped animals
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People always under estimate animals, most monkeys / apes know how to make and use tools. Animals are not meant to be locked in cages and stone enclosures, they will eventually go crazy from boredom and kill their keepers or they'll give up and die!
Little soul knew exactly what he was doing. I wouldn't like to be hemmed in either ❤
This is so sad and disappointing. We are stealing things that where once happy and free and taking them to an enclosure for our own enjoyment. Humans are truly disgusting
I agree...but a larger problem is humans are destroying their natural habitat and tbh zoo's are safer than where monkeys live in the wild. All of it is sad.
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Amazing! This monkey realized this before me. . . If only I could find a proper sharp object to replicate this behavior at work and save myself from this glass and steel prison. . .
Monkeys have been using tools for centuries, I'm not sure why everyone thinks this is such an amazing sight. The genetic difference between chimps and humans is 0.1% think about that.
And how are you going to free all of us office workers?
Load More Replies...
Oh yea, "we" are special!! We abuse, torture, and kill every species on the planet Earth, and we are plundering and destroying it. So much for "special". P.S. Would you want to live your life in captivity, behind the glass wall? Obviously not, so please do not support places where animals are abused. Thank you for your compassion.
I think no animals want to be locked up and freedom taken. Given the opportunity they all are looking fir a way out.
It’s almost as if the monkey doesn’t want to be enclosed. Almost. As. If.
How about instead of asking silly, nonsensical questions at the end of your article, you talk about how captivity is wrong? This monkey had to have come from the wild, kidnapped from its family. Let's not be naive. This is wrong.
He had enough of the imprisonment. Poor Monkey he is so bored & now trying to escape from the cage to get back with his own families.
Great example of 'from each according to his ability,' and even better example of 'to each according to his need'!
Either the story is misleading, or perhaps even more significant. Supposedly, it has never happened before, yet there is another pane in the background that is also shattered. So, has a monkey broken that one, or did this monkey see it being shattered and realised it was possible?
Don't go by what the Planet of the Apes movies say; the apes all win in the end!!
The monkey didn't scare himself away, he was startled by the kid yelling.
This is fairly simple and not that brazen. I remember when I saw a raven dropping rocks into a half empty waterbottle to raise the waterlevel so he could drink. THAT frightened me.
The monkey tried it first to the glass then next to his keeper oh my they are plotting something. I hope there are no cats mind controlling them.
How+about+instead+of+asking+silly,+nonsensical+questions+at+the+end+of+your+article,+you+talk+about+how+captivity+is+wrong?+This+monkey+had+to+have+come+from+the+wild,+kidnapped+from+its+family.+Let's+not+be+naive.+This+is+wrong.
yep -saw the movie--planet of the apes...and I think there's tool-users in my own neighbourhood, too!
Ape. '2001: A Space Odyssey' / Dawn of man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6OIlreneA
Poor monkey had enough of the Imprisonment & that is why he needs to get out of there. They are truly very intelligent animals even though the people don't give them enough credits.
It's all fun and games until a huge black monolith lands in the monkey enclosure and they start hitting each other with bones.
Yes bored. Or maybe he's "The Hundredth Monkey" and they put him in solitary, so he wouldn't teach the others. However, this won't work because they have powers of psychic telecommunication via Monkey Mind Meld. Power to the Primates!
It was just playing ... can't sharpen a stone on wood chips. Coincidence.
Indeed,it makes me very angry when I go to the zoo and see trapped animals
Load More Replies... People always under estimate animals, most monkeys / apes know how to make and use tools. Animals are not meant to be locked in cages and stone enclosures, they will eventually go crazy from boredom and kill their keepers or they'll give up and die!
Little soul knew exactly what he was doing. I wouldn't like to be hemmed in either ❤
This is so sad and disappointing. We are stealing things that where once happy and free and taking them to an enclosure for our own enjoyment. Humans are truly disgusting
I agree...but a larger problem is humans are destroying their natural habitat and tbh zoo's are safer than where monkeys live in the wild. All of it is sad.
Load More Replies... Amazing! This monkey realized this before me. . . If only I could find a proper sharp object to replicate this behavior at work and save myself from this glass and steel prison. . .
Monkeys have been using tools for centuries, I'm not sure why everyone thinks this is such an amazing sight. The genetic difference between chimps and humans is 0.1% think about that.
And how are you going to free all of us office workers?
Load More Replies... Oh yea, "we" are special!! We abuse, torture, and kill every species on the planet Earth, and we are plundering and destroying it. So much for "special". P.S. Would you want to live your life in captivity, behind the glass wall? Obviously not, so please do not support places where animals are abused. Thank you for your compassion.
I think no animals want to be locked up and freedom taken. Given the opportunity they all are looking fir a way out.
It’s almost as if the monkey doesn’t want to be enclosed. Almost. As. If.
How about instead of asking silly, nonsensical questions at the end of your article, you talk about how captivity is wrong? This monkey had to have come from the wild, kidnapped from its family. Let's not be naive. This is wrong.
He had enough of the imprisonment. Poor Monkey he is so bored & now trying to escape from the cage to get back with his own families.
Great example of 'from each according to his ability,' and even better example of 'to each according to his need'!
Either the story is misleading, or perhaps even more significant. Supposedly, it has never happened before, yet there is another pane in the background that is also shattered. So, has a monkey broken that one, or did this monkey see it being shattered and realised it was possible?
Don't go by what the Planet of the Apes movies say; the apes all win in the end!!
The monkey didn't scare himself away, he was startled by the kid yelling.
This is fairly simple and not that brazen. I remember when I saw a raven dropping rocks into a half empty waterbottle to raise the waterlevel so he could drink. THAT frightened me.
The monkey tried it first to the glass then next to his keeper oh my they are plotting something. I hope there are no cats mind controlling them.
How+about+instead+of+asking+silly,+nonsensical+questions+at+the+end+of+your+article,+you+talk+about+how+captivity+is+wrong?+This+monkey+had+to+have+come+from+the+wild,+kidnapped+from+its+family.+Let's+not+be+naive.+This+is+wrong.
yep -saw the movie--planet of the apes...and I think there's tool-users in my own neighbourhood, too!
Ape. '2001: A Space Odyssey' / Dawn of man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM6OIlreneA
Poor monkey had enough of the Imprisonment & that is why he needs to get out of there. They are truly very intelligent animals even though the people don't give them enough credits.
It's all fun and games until a huge black monolith lands in the monkey enclosure and they start hitting each other with bones.
Yes bored. Or maybe he's "The Hundredth Monkey" and they put him in solitary, so he wouldn't teach the others. However, this won't work because they have powers of psychic telecommunication via Monkey Mind Meld. Power to the Primates!
It was just playing ... can't sharpen a stone on wood chips. Coincidence.
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