Orangutan attempts to hunt fish with spear (Frickin' awesome!)

[Pale Blue Dot]

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.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=562236&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490




Go ahead, make your matcom jokes, but please don't forget how friggin' amazing this is.

[KamaAina]

1. Matcom jokes?

I was gonna make a Bush** joke!

[DarkTirade]

8. Hey, don't insult the orangutans!

[bicentennial_baby]

2. Orangutans are my favorite animals...

Thank you :)

[fizzgig]

3. that is so cool

i read a fantastic article about some chimps that have been seen using spears to hunt bush babies, it was just fascinating

[mike_c]

4. that just made the opening slide in my general biology lecture Wed....

Very cool pic.

[Mojambo]

5. And now he's the frontrunner for the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination. n/t

[SarahB]

6. It just goes to show,

all red-haired primates are just a little bit smarter than the rest. :D

[Pale Blue Dot]

7. But my red hair isn't really "showing" anymore.

:cry:

[SarahB]

9. Ah, but you have been known to spark comments like

"Wow, you have the BEST hair!" ("highlights" or not)

hubba hubba :loveya:

[Generic Brad]

10. Sure, you think it's cool now

But when the orangutans come hunting for you with homemade spears, you'll be singing another tune.

[petronius]

11. Stupid orangutan - trying to fish without a cooler full of beer

The line between man and beast has never been clearer... :)

[Pierre.Suave]

14. HAHAHA

GREAT comment.

LMFAO

:rofl:

[AngryAmish]

12. Rock me, Dr. Zaius.

[BreweryYardRat]

13. L. Sprague de Camp speculated that great apes would take 1,000,000 years to develop true sentience.

I think he underestimated by half, but that's a minor quibble.

We're witnessing one of the first steps on a long road. It's fascinating. I wish I had immortality and eternal youth to watch the process.