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The Truth About Chimps

Virtually innocent of human contact, the chimps of Congo’s Goualougo Triangle display a sharp curiosity about us—and a sophisticated culture of toolmaking observed nowhere else.

/2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/01-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-01.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281953 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/02-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-02.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281951 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/03-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-03.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281952 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/04-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-04.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols Tool Craft To fish for a high-protein snack, a male chimp has arrived at a termite mound carrying a fishing probe and puncturing stick. Though termite fishing has been observed in chimp populations throughout Africa, the chimps of the Goualougo have their own set of tricks passed from generation to generation. The chimp has ripped a hard, straight stick from a tree (for the puncturing stick, above).]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281957 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/05-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-05.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols Tool Craft In his mouth he holds a softer stem he has prepared by pulling its end through his teeth to split the last six inches into a fringe.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281954 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/06-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-06.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols Tool Craft He uses the bigger stick to puncture the termite mound.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281955 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/07-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-07.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols Tool Craft Finally he threads the second tool into the hole and, if he has executed the strategy properly, bugs will be clinging to the bristles when he pulls the probe out of the mound.]]> http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281956 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/08-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-08.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/09-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-09.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281959 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/10-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-10.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1281958 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/11-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-11.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1282013 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/12-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-12.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1282014 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/13-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-13.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1282015 /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/14-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-14.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/15-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-15.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/16-714.jpg /2010/02/goualougo-chimps/img/chimps-60-16.jpg Photograph by Ian Nichols http://pictopia.com/perl/ptp/natgeo?photo_name=1282012