Anthropology

Judi Lynn

(160,557 posts) Mon Apr 25, 2016, 02:39 AM Apr 2016

Chimps 'shop' for fruit in the same way we do! Watch primates squeezing and smelling figs before pic

Chimps 'shop' for fruit in the same way we do! Watch primates squeezing and smelling figs before picking the best one for lunch

To determine if green figs are edible, chimpanzees use their hands

They smell the fruit and feel, squeeze or bite the fig to tell how firm it is

Feeling the figs is about four times faster than detaching then biting them

Researchers believe this sheds light on how we first started to use tools

By Abigail Beall For Mailonline
Published: 07:14 EST, 22 April 2016 | Updated: 08:23 EST, 22 April 2016

You might not admit it, but you probably have a little squeeze of a few avocados or tomatoes before you settle on buying one.

The last thing you want is to cut into a rock-hard unripe fruit that can't be eaten for days when you had planned to make your own guacamole or salad.

And it turns out chimpanzees do exactly the same.

A new study found when looking for fruit to eat, chimpanzees use their hands to inspect the specimens - and researchers think this can help us to understand why we first started to use tools.

Scroll down for video

More:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3553772/Chimps-shop-fruit-way-Watch-primates-squeezing-smelling-figs-picking-best-one-lunch.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

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