Orangutan hunts with a spear

Ixzion · **Posted:** April 28th, 2008, 11:48 am

Click

Quote:

A male orangutan, clinging precariously to overhanging branches, flails the water with a pole, trying desperately to spear a passing fish.

It is the first time one has been seen using a tool to hunt.

The extraordinary image, a world exclusive, was taken in Borneo on the island of Kaja, where apes are rehabilitated into the wild after being rescued from zoos, private homes or even butchers' shops.

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Monkeying around: An orangutan clings precariously to overhanging branches in a desperate bid to spear a passing fish

"Orang hutan" means "forest man" in one of Indonesia's many languages and our long-armed cousins do indeed show a remarkable ability to mimic our behaviour.

This individual had seen locals fishing with spears on the Gohong River.

Although the method required too much skill for him to master, he was later able to improvise by using the pole to catch fish already trapped in the locals' fishing lines.

The image is part of a series taken for a new book, The Thinkers Of The Jungle, which also includes the first photograph of an orangutan swimming.

TheGnasher · **Posted:** April 28th, 2008, 5:20 pm

I will say this again: and people still get amazed and ask 'Why?' when I tell them I might study Zoology in college.

1ce · **Posted:** April 28th, 2008, 5:49 pm

Wait a second! I might have found a connection here!

http://www.rpgmmag.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6382

Or not. Hehe.

Duel · **Posted:** April 28th, 2008, 6:48 pm

Really cool.

Guarionex · **Posted:** April 28th, 2008, 9:14 pm

Really cool? Don't you know what that means? In a few years, they'll be using guns to hunt US. Mark my words, WE'RE DOOMED!!!!!!!

But still, that's an interesting picture.

Lantis · **Posted:** April 29th, 2008, 9:21 am

Yay, thumbs.

Judging by the splash in the water, it looks like he's slapping the stick on the water... maybe he'll eventually pick up that a stabbing motion would better suit his needs.

AnonymousBo · **Posted:** April 30th, 2008, 1:52 am

It is a disservice to say "monkeying around" when referring to apes.

The great apes: The common chimp, the bonobo, the mountain gorilla, the lowland gorilla, and the orangutan

and the lesser apes: gibbons, the siamang,

are all apes, not monkeys. They are more closely related to humans than monkeys.

It makes it easier for us to forget our natural cultural and biological relationship to them.

ShadowFox1001 · **Posted:** April 30th, 2008, 7:19 am

Did I seriously just read what you wrote, Bo?

AnonymousBo · **Posted:** April 30th, 2008, 9:35 am

ShadowFox1001 wrote:

Did I seriously just read what you wrote, Bo?

Absolutely. What surprises you?

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Orangutan hunts with a spear

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