Chimp on phone scrolling through Instagram amazes viewers while concerning experts

A video of a chimpanzee effortlessly using Instagram has captivated the internet, even five years after its initial release. Today, it remains a fascinating and controversial glimpse into animal intelligence and human interaction with wildlife.

Chimpanzees are already known for using tools like sticks and stones in the wild. However, seeing one navigate Instagram was something new. The video, shared by Kody Antle, son of Myrtle Beach Safari founder Doc Antle, shows a chimp named Sugriva scrolling through Instagram on a smartphone. Sugriva is seen selecting and watching videos, including one of herself jumping into the arms of Mike Holston, an exotic animal enthusiast known as The Real Tarzann.

“We’ve known for a long time they have higher intellectual abilities,” said Patricia Wright, a primatologist at Stony Brook University, as reported by The Guardian. “This particular chimp is choosing other chimps from photos on Instagram, showing he recognizes not just objects but his own kind.”

In the wild, chimps use a variety of tools and have even been seen playing computer games. In one study, a chimp named Panzee outperformed children and adults in a virtual reality maze. “Chimps have been shown to use computers for quite some time,” Wright added. "People use social media to connect with family and friends, so it’s not too much of a surprise that our closest relative would also use it for that. They are very much like us."

The video sparked discussions about the intelligence of chimps and the ethics of keeping them in human environments. Jane Goodall, a renowned primatologist, expressed concerns about the video encouraging the illegal wildlife trade, where people seek exotic animals like chimps as pets. This practice often ends poorly, as shown in the 1970s Project Nim, where a chimp raised as a human child had to be put into captivity after injuring handlers due to its increasing strength.

"It’s worrisome to me that the chimp seems to be in a home, which is dangerous for people and also chimps," Wright said. "Chimps are very emotional creatures and we want to protect both the chimps and the humans."

Frans de Waal, a primatologist at Emory University, echoed these concerns. "I don’t approve of the conditions under which this video was produced or the goal [which is] probably making money," de Waal said via email to The Guardian. Neither Kody Antle nor Mike Holston responded to requests for comment.

Primatologists emphasize that the human-like traits of chimps highlight the urgency of their conservation. Like other great apes—orangutans, gorillas, and bonobos—chimpanzees are endangered, threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and diseases. In Africa, their populations are dwindling, with western chimpanzees experiencing an 80% decline in the past 25 years.

"They are in dire straits," said Wright. "There’s so much we don’t understand about them, but we know they are endangered and that we should save them from the problems they are experiencing in their home communities."

Sugriva’s unexpected Instagram skills continue to fascinate and provoke important discussions about the ethical treatment and conservation of these intelligent creatures.

This article was originally published on July 12, 2024. It has since been updated.