A Chimp’s Guide to Stealing Food

By Madelyn Kos

Stealing food is a strategic business in the chimp world. While it may sound like a simple interaction, there are actually many reasons why chimps steal food – and no, it is not just because they are hungry. Here is a chimp’s guide to stealing food while keeping a clean slate.

Stealing food

The main reason chimps steal food from one another is to help their individual status. Within each villa, there are different rankings among the chimps. In most cases, adult males hold a higher ranking, meaning they are the leader of their troop and therefore have more privileges. The other chimps within the group have different rankings depending on their sex and the amount of time they have lived in the villa.

Often, the lower-ranking chimps will allow their food to be stolen by the higher-ranking chimps. This helps their status within the troop and shows the higher-ranking chimp respect. Sharing food with a higher-ranking also helps chimps move up within their troop’s ranking. However, if a lower-ranking chimp steals food from another chimp, it hurts their ranking. The younger chimps tend to steal food without realizing the repercussions, but they usually get put in their place by a more dominant chimp when this happens. Everyone has to learn somewhere!

Tristen using a stick to retrieve peanut butter from inside a “termite mound”.

Food sharing also occurs when the chimps eat. Haylee and Tristen are a prime example of food sharing because they do it so often! These two are best friends and often share their enrichment with each other. One time, their enrichment food was peanut butter inside a PVC tube and each girl ate from an end of the tube. Food sharing tends to be a little more loving, if I do say so.

Males vs Females

Males tend to be the food stealers at the sanctuary. When the male wants to steal food, they usually intimidate another chimp by bluffing around the food and then immediately taking it for themselves. They sometimes scare the younger females of the group by chasing them around until the food gets dropped.

However, the more dominant males often share their food with the females. In order to keep the peace within their group, the more experienced males understand that having the group’s trust is important. If the younger chimps trust and respect the dominant leader, there is usually less tension between the chimps. It is an important duty being the peacekeeper!

When food stealing happens, the chimps do not always react. If a chimp’s food is stolen by a higher-ranking chimp, they do not react. Yet, if a chimp’s food is stolen by a lower-ranking chimp or an adolescent chimp, there might be yelling involved.

Danner allowed lower ranking Jacob to take a spring roll from him. He had enough of his own anyway!

Popular foods to steal

Food stealing does not happen at every meal and, in fact, usually takes place only during lunch or chow time. Since lunch and chow time involve foraging, all the food provided is up for grabs. Apples and bananas are higher value foods; therefore, they are taken the fastest among the chimps.

Chow time consists of smaller bags of primate biscuits (similar to dog biscuits) and are handed out once every morning and afternoon. It is safe to say the chimps always look forward to lunch and chow times since they get to interact with each other (and eat yummy food).

Equal opportunities

You may be thinking, “what if a chimp constantly gets their food stolen?”. Luckily, our amazing caregivers make sure every chimp receives equal opportunities to get food. In order for lower-ranking chimps to grab some snacks, reinforcements like juice or peanuts are used for higher-ranking chimps. Other times, higher-ranking chimps are served their snacks in different spots.

Replacement foods are also offered, but only if a food item is dropped or stolen without permission. In order to encourage the chimps’ natural foraging habits, replacements are offered only when necessary. However, it is not often when a chimp might need replacement foods. Food stealing among the chimps is mitigated as much as possible in order to endure every chimp receives equal opportunity when eating!

The chimp’s guide to stealing food consists of complicated sets of rules. With the help of our marvelous caregivers and staff, every chimp is offered multiple opportunities to eat their food. Depending on the chimp and the food, stealing is always up in the air. It is just the name of the game.

You can help keep our pantry stocked of their favorite foods by visiting our wishlist.