Chimpanzees in Gabon have been filmed eating tortoises:
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It is believed to be the first time the act has been caught on camera.
The footage shows a group of the apes bashing open the reptiles’ shells, then taking the meat into the trees, where it is shared around or stored.
In a paper published on Thursday by the journal Scientific Reports, researchers from Germany said a distinct smashing technique was used, providing further support for chimpanzees’ large and flexible cognitive tool kits.
The study was carried out over two years in Loango National Park.
Tortoises are widespread in Africa but chimps in other groups do not appear to eat them.Article share tools
