We do not know what leads to this preference and the reason why some individuals develop it, but the love for tennis shoes is something that some chimpanzees manifest all the time. Guga, Noel, Carlos, Tião, Claudio, Emilio and Luke, they all want to have a shoe with them, but I think Guga is the most fanatic one.

Now he walks with three shoes up and down, sometimes takes them in the mouth, so not to disturb his walk; sometimes he throws them ahead and playing reaps each insofar as he advances.

However, in recent years the situation has reached the extreme. They even ask for those visiting the sanctuary for business reasons that give them their tennis shoes.

When myy daughter Carolina goes to the sanctuary, two or three times a year, she takes old shoes (in good condition ) and put them in front of Guga, as he will immediately ask them and she will take them off of her feet to give him, who shows his happiness with the typical screams of chimpanzees .

Days ago there was a situation that is worth reporting. The day Carolina visited us and donated her  shoes, Prof . Dr. Antônio Carlos da Costa, doctor specializing in Hand Surgery and Microsurgery, visited us for a surgery that was performed on a tumor in a finger of one hand of chimpanzee Pinho (Felipinho).

Dr. Antônio Carlos had already gone to the sanctuary other times and know the like of Guga for shoes. He brought a pair of old shoes (in good condition), but as Guga had already won a couple of my daughter, I took him to the adjoining room, where other sneaker fanatica expected. Carlos received one tennis and Tião received another; and Guga saw everything.

Two days later, Guga walked with his two shoes and met Tião , who rode with him . I took a bottle of iced soda Cola flavor to him, he asked me to give it for Tião in order to get his shoes. Before that he had already asked me Tião’s tennis, but I explained him that I could not take it from him by force. So, as long as he knows Tião loves soda, he realized that with this change he could get the desired shoes. I offered the soda to Tião and told him it was in exchange for the shoes, he agreed and gave me it , and I gave to Guga.

I do not know if Tiao understood that the soda was Guga’s and that he gave it up in exchange for the shoes, but greedy as he is, he accepted. After consuming the beverage, looking Guga laughing with his sneakers, he realized he made ​​a bad deal. He filled his mouth with water and threw it at Guga in distance.

Chimps of sanctuaries – especially those we create – are accustomed to return or exchange. We’ve been in tough situations, when they were with keys, padlocks, and other mobile objects, in which the only way to get them back was offering objects they like and want. Once, to get my key ring – with which they could open all the doors of the enclosure – I had to offer three sodas. They know how to measure the importance of the exchange at hand and how to calculate the amount to be exchanged.

These little stories that happen frequently in the Sanctuary allow us to appreciate the similarities in conduct that they have with us and their degree of cleverness and intelligence.

Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian

President , GAP Project International

Images of Guga and Tião; Angry Tião and the moment of the exchange of the soda for the sneakers