An ape like me can learn to take selfies too!
Their DNA is almost identical to our own. And it seems our similarity to chimpanzees extends to a shared love of selfies.
For when a group of playful chimps were handed a set of cameras by a film crew, the resulting footage resembled a group of tourists at a beauty spot. Amusing clips show the apes giving their best pouts for the camera, while others achieve shots of themselves against the stunning rainforest background that many amateur snappers would be proud of. The footage was taken in Cameroon as part of Animals With Cameras, a groundbreaking natural history series for the BBC. Starting on BBC1 next Thursday, it will offer a unique glimpse into the lives of wild animals when they think no-one is watching.
in one remarkable moment – thought to be a world first – a chimp wearing a custommade camera harness films itself washing its muddy hands. Another clip shows the chimps weaving a treetop nest and brushing their teeth with twigs, in a display of remarkably human-like behaviour
The series will also see cheetahs wearing helmet cameras, and penguins going hunting with cameras taped to their backs.