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Why Scientists Think Chimpanzees Can Predict the Weather

New research suggests chimps build warmer, sturdier nests when bad weather is on the way, because even apes know when the vibes are stormy.

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Chimpanzees may not have access to weather apps or breaking news alerts about incoming storms. Still, they have a firm grasp on changing conditions, and, according to new research, they use that instinct to plan their nests accordingly.

A study published in Current Biology followed a community of 67 chimpanzees in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park. It’s a mountainous region where cold, unpredictable weather makes day-to-day survival more complicated than lowland chimps. The researchers observed how the apes built their nests each evening, and then analyzed those structures the next morning and compared them to weather conditions.

The chimpanzees consistently chose warmer, less windy microclimates and adjusted their nests accordingly.........

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