All mothers love their little ones. And when we say all mothers, we mean it. Well, maybe the praying mantis is an exception, but you get the idea. This is especially true when we examine the relationships that animal moms have with their little ones.
Just like humans, animal parents like to play with their kids. It’s fun for everybody and generates a sense of joy and happiness for all involved. And they even play the same games we play – this chimpanzee plays airplane!
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We’re sure you’ve played the game of airplane before. One person lies on the ground, with feet in the air. The little one lays their belly over the feet, and up they go! Before you know it, you have tired legs and a laughing child who likely says, “Again!”
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The reason we jogged your memory is because of this adorable footage that has emerged showing a baby chimpanzee playing with his parent. It is a beautiful thing to see because it shows how close humans and chimpanzees really are.
And away we go!
The baby chimp sits up on his parent’s foot, jiggling around and letting himself go weightless. He lets his arms and legs flap around, playing freely as if nothing matters. The parent even moves his foot around, simulating turbulence. It’s not hard to imagine what is going through the baby’s mind – he is probably imagining that he is a bird flying high with his mom or dad safely watching him.
But the best is yet to come. As the game draws to a close, the baby reaches down to touch his parent’s face. The parent then reaches up and draws the chimp in for a big hug. It’s truly a moment that any parent or child can relate to.
Chimpanzees are pretty amazing animals, and not just to watch. As a group, they take care of each other. Mothers may enjoy a life-long bond with their children.
Chimpanzee young do not become adults until about thirteen years of age, so that’s a long time to be with your parents when you consider that the full lifespan of a common chimpanzee is approximately 50 years.
That’s a little over a quarter of their lives spent with their parents, which is a lot of time in the animal kingdom. For example, baby sea turtles never even meet their moms and have to survive predators, crawl across the beach to the water, and then swim several days to get to a location with fewer dangers. In comparison, life as a chimpanzee baby seems just about perfect.
The footage is thanks to the great work of the staff at Tai Chimpanzee Project, according to LadBible. They have a skilled team consisting of Ph.D. students, international research assistants, and researchers. They observe the primates in their habitats and sometimes catch wonderful moments like these.
The project follows 100 animals divided into three neighboring habitats. That’s a lot of activity to watch over! Hopefully, they will share many more wonderful games of airplane, snuggles, and games with their chimpanzee moms, dads, babies, and friends.
Watch the full video below.
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