Chimpanzee makes funny faces at her own reflection

This is Tojo from the Twycross Zoo in England and she loves her own reflection. You can always see her with a CD running around the enclosure. Now she had the opportunity to see herself in a camera and she made the most of it by pulling funny faces at it and then she applauds herself. She still didn't let go of her piece of CD in her hand.Show more

In 2016 a mirror self-recognition test if a non-human being has the capacity of visual self-recognition. Chimpanzees were one of the animals, that breezed through the MSR test as recognizing themselves.

Twycross Zoo in Atherstone has 18 Chimps. They now have their new home. A great big indoor habitat spanning three stories high with outdoor climbing frames purposely designed to be similar to a wild environment. Chimpanzees are nearing extinction in the wild, primarily as a result of poaching and habitat loss. As some of the closest relatives to humans within the animal kingdom, it is hardly surprising they can be prone to similar ailments and diseases. Twycross Zoo is the project-lead of the Ape Heart Project; a 10 year research program to explore why many of the great apes are prone to developing heart disease, particularly in captivity. Working in close collaboration the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at Nottingham University and an International team of vets and cardiologists, the hope is to be able to provide better care for the captive great ape community across Europe. The program is European-wide and endorsed by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).