Grooming Gallery: Chimps Get Social

Wrist to Wrist

Chimps at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust (CWOT) engage in a wrist-to-wrist grasp while grooming.

Two groups of chimpanzees at CWOT engage in hand-clasping behavior, but only one does a wrist-to-wrist grasp.

Chimpanzees groom one another while grasping hands palm-to-palm.

Chimpanzees in a wrist-to-wrist grooming grasp.

Not all groups of chimpanzees engage in hand-holding, suggesting that the practice might be cultural.

A young chimp at CWOT grooms with hands held high.