Sunbathing like a chimp – yes, they do get tan!

by Madelyn Kos

There is no activity the chimps love more than sunbathing. Laying out in the sun and napping? It’s the perfect duo. The chimps have perfected their sunbathing skill to a tee – and yes, they do get tan!

The chimps sunbathe every chance they get. From the moment they access the habitat in the morning until dinner time in the afternoon, the chimps spend most of their time relaxing in the sun. Some chimps sunbathe for hours. Kailie, a caregiver, mentioned how sometimes you can see a chimp sunbathing in one spot, then come back a few hours later and see them in the same exact spot and position.

Let’s Layout

The chimps love feeling the sun on themselves. They know all the best places in the habitat to lay out with optimal sunlight. There are also certain structures in their habitats that receive a bunch of sunlight. There are platforms and climbing structures placed in areas where we know the chimps feel most comfortable. Depending on the chimp, some sunbathe together while others prefer to layout alone. Regardless, they all prefer a spot in the sun.

three chimpanzees laying on a wood deck in the sun, sunbathing — Three chimps sunning themselves in the Peachtree Habitat

When the chimps find their perfect spot to layout, the sunbathing process begins. They sprawl out on their back, legs and arms stretched out in order to absorb as much sun as possible. When the chimps layout in groups, it looks like a funny pile of chimps laying on top of one another. Watching the chimps sunbathe together is extremely adorable, as we witness them feeling relaxed and carefree. On a scale from 1-10, Kailie rates this behavior a 1000 (but she says the chimps are pretty adorable no matter what they do!).

Too Much Sun?

One of the best parts of seeing a chimp sunbathe is watching them wake up. They are all sprawled out, sleeping, when they slowly start to come back to reality. Kailie mentioned when the chimps are waking up, it looks like they are waking up from the best nap of their life. It often takes a little while for them to realize where they are. If you have ever had an incredible nap, you know the feeling.

Because the chimps sunbathe for hours at a time, you may notice a little bit of sun burning from time to time. The chimps with lighter faces tend to be more affected by the sun. Lucky, who has vitiligo, therefore a very light face, turns a pinkish color after she lays out for a long time. Just like humans, this is completely normal and a simple side effect of laying in the sun. The chimps tan just like we do. Sometimes their skin becomes a little bit darker and if a chimp has freckles, they become darker and more prominent!

a sunbathing chimp laying on a platform in the sun while playing with leaves — Lucky getting some sun while playing with the fallen leaves of autumn

Every season is sunny

The chimps try to sunbathe all year long. They definitely love the summer season. Luckily, winter season at the sanctuary is fairly mild, so the chimps are able to layout as much as they can. The weather on a certain day affects the chimps’ ability to layout or not. During rainy seasons, the chimps obviously do not layout. However, if there are moments of sun between rain cycles, the chimps almost always take advantage of it.

Sunbathing is an everyday activity for chimps here at the sanctuary. Laying in the sun, free of any worries, happens to be something these chimps did not grow up with. In a chimp’s world, sunbathing is like second nature and loving activity.

In the sun they get to relax, sleep, socialize, dream, and yes – they do get tan!