Eleven chimpanzees in the Edinburgh Zoo have taken a stab at doing more than just eating bananas and delousing one another–making movies.
According to the BBC, primatologist Betsey Herrelko experimented with introducing video technology to the chimps. She started off giving them a touchscreen on which they eventually learned to select which video they wanted to watch (e.g., life outside their enclosure or the food prep area).
The next phase, however, involved giving them a chimp-proof camera to carry around with them. They brought the ‘Chimpcam’ around, figuring out that moving it around brought different images onto the screen.
The ensuing footage was edited and put together into a movie that aired on the BBC last week.
I’m sure some think this is either the height of using science for frivolous ends and/or the end of the universe, but I think it’s awesome. I mean, chimp reality TV? I’m totally sold. It’s not like there’s one with the box on his shoulder going, ‘Hey, Alphonse, a little to the left, we’re losing the light.’
It’s just them running around and being chimps, which is fun if for no other reason than you get such an up close perspective. But if they were having fun figuring out what they were looking at? Even better.
I think the shaky-cam action makes it kind of like chimp Cloverfield. Take a look.
