Chimps Like A Firm Bed

Primates are really interesting creatures that are amazing to study. I can remember being a little kid and begging my mom to take me to the zoo to see the apes, monkeys and chimps in their habitats. Maybe its the eerie similarity I find between us and them that is so fascinating and endearing. Regardless, anytime studies show that primates are like us, it gets my attention. Researchers observed chimpanzees at Uganda's Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve and learned that they are just as picky as humans, even down to their nighttime routines.

According to NBC News , a recent study shows that chimpanzees prefer firm beds rather than soft ones. Chimps build their nests out of branches and are attracted to sturdy, leafy ones rather than ones that are less durable. Apparently they are just as selective as we are about what we like under our heads at nighttime. Chimpanzees make their nests I high trees, rather on the ground. So what their nests are composed of is especially important to their safety. A fall from a weak bed could spell death or serious injury, especially for young chimps.

David Samson, of the University of Nevada, and his colleague Kevin Hunt, from Indiana University, studied the wood used in 1,844 different chimp built nests in a portion of the wildlife reserve. A species of tree called the Ugandan ironwood was definitely the favorite of the chimpanzees . They used the plant in about 73% of their beds, which is surprising because only 9.6% of the trees in the selected habitat were ironwood. This means they were definitely being choosy and deliberate when attempting to make the best place to get some shut eye.

After figuring out what kind of trees the chimps were targeting for material, they measured the strength and stiffness of 326 tree branches from the seven most commonly used varieties. Of the selected branches, the ironwood had the highest rating in both categories. Even the leaves had special properties, having the least distance between leaves and the smallest surface area. The scientists think they choose these branches because they offer ample cover from threats, won't break very easily and are pretty darn comfortable too.

So next time you lay down on your king sized, memory foam, body heat sensing bed, think about our tree dwelling cousins climbing into their lofty beds. Maybe we aren't so different when it comes down to it. That being said, I don't think I'll be trading in my mattress for branches any time soon.