Chimpanzees continued – Wednesday 8th May 2024

Chimpanzees continued – Wednesday 8th May 2024

A short note regarding my comments regarding the walking ability of a theoretical Chimpanzee who had no arms.

A few examples of why I believe this to be so.

As some may recall there was a moon bear in China that people believed to be a human in a bear suit. This was because he had stretched his body/legs vertically, regularly. People saw legs and a stance, like that of a person. Legs are like that, when I watch a baby elephant getting up and his knees unbend, it’s very much like our legs unbending.

So for arguments sake, let’s presume we have a pair of young chimpanzees who have had the misfortune of being born without arms. Their legs will have to do the work. To lift from sitting their legs alone will have to perform this task and their upper leg muscles will develope accordingly. They can use feet to grasp things. If they wanted to get an apple growing on a tree they would need to stretch and use their mouth. They can still roll etc. If they have access to a field and each day there is a bunch of grapes and an orange at the other end of the field. First chimp to reach there gets the grapes. They will compete and by trying to get to the grapes first, their legs and balance will develope to suit this effort and they will get better and better at it. They may be a little bow-legged, but I am extremely confident they would achieve it.

The man with carbon fiber prosthetic legs can run, achieved by significant effort and the want/need to do so.

Fiona MacLeod (C)