It's amazing where knowledge comes from! Last week, while watching Channel 5, I came across a programme from Dorset's 'Monkey World' - an organisation that helps apes and monkeys from around the world.I learnt one thing and I had another thing confirmed.
What was confirmed was just how 'human' monkeys and apes are. Seeing them interact socially and viewing their different personalities told me that in real terms we humans are not THAT different. They, the monkeys, seem to have the same difficulties as we do 'getting on' with others and monkey society falls prey to the same petty jealousies and conflicts that "sophisticated" human cultures and societies do. It's amazing to observe.
But the thing I really learnt revolved around a woman who was looking after a baby monkey (can't remember exactly what type). She was fretting because the little bleeder wasn't taking on liquids, or something like that. Then she commented that the wee thing was teething and probably didn't feel much like eating because he was uncomfortable in the gob region.
Having a little 17 month old 'monkey' myself, and seeing the effects of teething I was shocked. This is, of course, me being completely naive, and I suppose arrogant. I had presumed that all other animals were born with a complete set of gnashers and that it was only humans who had to grow their own.
Again, it got me to thinking just how close we really are to our primate cousins, and to appreciate all that separates us from them.
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