CHIMPANZEES USE BRANCHES TO GET HONEY (with video)

Images taped by scientists in Congo Republic revealed how chimpanzees "armed" with trees\’ branches attack beehives to obtain honey.

The primates prepare different tools, manufactured with trees\’ branches, to be able to break the beehives, as it is shown by a study published at International Journal of Primatology.

Crickette Sanz, from Leipzig Evolutionary Anthropology Institute, said that "nutritional gains are not that big, but the excitement experienced when they managed to do what they want is incredible". "You can see their satisfaction when they eat the honey", affirms Sanz.

Scientists also noticed that the observed chimpanzees avoid the beehives of the bees that sting, and prefer those of bees that do not have stingers.

Watch the vídeo: http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/multimedia/2009/03/090318_chimpanze_video.shtml

photo: The chimps can spend hours trying to access the honey