While studying the social behavior of primates in Africa, Japanese primatologists Mr. Gaku Ohashi and Professor Tetsuro Matsuzawa discovered that wild chimpanzees living in Bossou, Guinea have learned to recognize and deactivate snare traps set by human hunters.

More surprisingly, the scientists found that the chimps actually seek out these traps to deactivate them without being injured! This behavior has kept the Bassou population relatively safe, compared to many others where chimps are sadly hurt or killed in the snare traps.

The study also mentioned that the knowledge is passed down through generations, with one case where a juvenile male observed an adult male deactivating a snare before moving closer to handle it.

Our admiring salute, brave and intelligent chimps! Many thanks Mr. Gaku Ohashi and Professor Tesuro Matsuzawa for sharing this discovery as we pray that, in realizing the intelligence of our primate cousins, humanity will soon treasure and preserve their lives and those of all co-inhabitants.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8962000/8962747.stm
http://www.springerlink.com/content/8211054t267n386g/