Page 38 - World of Animals - Issue #30

Nature’s most cunning

Chimpanzees use

amazing treetop

teamwork to ambush

colobus monkeys
colobus monkeys

Chimpanzees chase and kill red colobus monkeys using
teamwork and skill that’s comparable to a military
operation. Different members of a group are assigned
specific roles: driver, blocker or ambusher. Once the

chimps spot a group of monkeys high in the canopy,
the driver will climb up and begin the chase. As the
startled monkeys swing from tree to tree, blockers
begin to intercept and corral them towards a particular
point, where the ambusher is waiting to grab one of the
unfortunate primates for dinner.
This is a brilliant but blood-curdling example of
the chimpanzee’s considerable brainpower. As our
closest living relatives, these apes are capable of many
complex behaviours including tool use, deception and
understanding human language.

CHIMPANZEE
Pan troglodytes
Class Mammalia

Territory Equatorial Africa
Diet Fruit, leaves, insects,
medium-sized mammals
Lifespan 45-50 years
Adult weight 32-60kg (70-
130lb)
Conservation status

ENDANGERED

Packs of grey wolves plan their

hunts with precision to feast

on larger, faster animals

Grey wolves are masters of strategy, out successful hunts. Working in
using their impressive intelligence and packs, groups of wolves act as one
highly-developed social structures to in order to take down their preferred
ingenious effect while hunting. kind of prey: large ungulates. Elk,
These wily predators are closely moose and bison are among the
related to dogs, but research wolf’s targets.
shows that wolves surpass their The cunning canines patiently stalk
domesticated cousins in tests of their prey until the terrain plays to
logic. Dogs tend to follow human their advantage. Snowy ground is
commands regardless of whether ideal – no problem for the wolves’
they are rational, but trained wolves large paws, but troublesome for
will ignore instruction if it means smaller hooves. Agile female wolves

performing a task more efficiently. dart around the target to confuse
Tactical know-how helps wolves it, allowing the slower but more
make strategic decisions and carry powerful males to close in for the kill.

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