I recently saw a very moving video of chimpanzees, which attracted widespread attention. While the video shows only a fraction of the story, it actually has a more profound background, and I am here today to review it with you.
The video was filmed in 2016 by the Royal Burger Zoo in Anam, the Netherlands, and tells the story of a chimpanzee named “mama”. Mama is 59 years old, and for chimpanzees it is quite old. In the video, the mama shrouded on a haystack with a towel on her head and her own hand, it was very weak and her face very bleak. The mama was no longer able to feed or drink, and life seemed to have reached the end.
Although the breeders tried to feed, the mama at most only smelled food and then ignored it. The breeder lamented that the mama seemed peaceful and lonely, and that although its physical condition clearly showed that it might not be far away, it was still hoped that it would be able to feed itself.
After a few days, the situation of the mama was getting worse, but it remained reluctant to eat. The zoo then decided to contact Mama's old friend, the famous biologist Jane Van Hoof. Van Hoof still remembers his deep friendship with Mama in his 80s. Indeed, he and Mama met in 1972 and have been friends for decades now. Upon learning of the situation of Mama, Jan van Hoof arrived at the zoo and witnessed a moving reunion.
When Van Hoof softly called for Mama's name, it did not respond immediately. However, when Fanhuf's hand touched his head, Mama suddenly opened her eyes and saw Van Hoof, his face suddenly became vivid and his face was full of smiles. Mama held Van Hoof's arm tight, and Van Hoof touched his head softly and softly comforted him. Shortly after, mama grabbed Van Hoof's neck and hit him in the back with her hand as if she were comforting a friend who had never met again. With the comfort of Van Hoof, mama finally started eating.
This scene undoubtedly demonstrates the existence of complex emotions between animals, especially “love”, as part of the long-standing neglect of animal emotions by the scientific community. Mama's actions prove that animals not only have the ability to think, but also have a profound emotional world. The video is believed to be both a fine tribute to the mama's life and a powerful piece of evidence for animal emotional research. Unfortunately, Mama died a week after he met Van Hoof.
Although many people recognize mama by video, it is in the minds of primate and animal researchers. Mama is not just the elder of the chimpanzee group; she also plays a significant role in the social behaviour of chimpanzees. The famous primate zoologist François de Val, in his groundbreaking book " chimpanzee politics " , mentioned that mama is the oldest female in the group and has a unique capacity for mediation.
Dewar described the situation in which two male chimpanzees were in violent conflict and eventually turned to mama for help. The male chimpanzees were violent and out of control, but when they found the mama, she was able to calm the conflict and help them reach reconciliation. On one occasion, a male chimpanzee, Niki, tried to suppress other members by violent means, resulting in resentment, even when the chimpanzee began to surround it. Niki was once forced to hide in a tree and seemed very frightened. At that point, the mama slowly climbed up the tree, touched Niki gently and kissed him, eventually leading him down to the tree and successfully quelling the commotion.
Mama, born in 1957, spent her childhood in the wild, was arrested and taken to the German zoo and then transferred to the Royal Burger Zoo in Anam, the Netherlands. Her life is full of social interaction and has always been at the heart of the chimpanzee community.
Mama's life tells us that the emotional world of animals is much more complex than we thought, and that they have their own thoughts and emotions. Through the story of mama, we see not only the wisdom and emotion of chimpanzees, but also the profound love between humans and animals. Let us continue to pay attention to and cherish every life in the natural world, with that heart and respect, and may our world be better with understanding and love.