Andrew – It looks like we’re both wrong. This reader has made a monkey out of both of us (note: I did look for the audio of The Simpsons Dr. Zaius song but couldn’t find it). From a leading primatologist reader:
Jonah –
I read your piece (and Stuttaford’s response) with interest, because I
remember everything there is to know about chimpanzees, based on my viewing
of all the Planet of the Apes movies. And not to brag, but I did watch the
live-action TV series, and the animated series as well. I think it’s safe
to say that I know about chimps.
I hate to break it to everybody, but the chimps are pacifists! They are not
tough and warlike like Gorillas (best demonstrated by General Urko, but I
bet there were also some warlike gorillas in ‘Gorillas in the Mist,’ too).
Nor are they calculating and hypocritical like the orangutans. I think that
this story must be mistaken. I hope that when Cornelius and Zira come back
in time to Los Angeles, they’ll act to clear the chimps implicated in the
attack.
Unless the attacking chimp was their child Caesar, in which case I hope that
authorities look carefully into whether he was really killed, or whether he
might be in a circus with Ricardo Montalban.
Update: Found the Dr. Zaius song. Scroll down to Dr. Zaius.