Wild Uganda Chimpanzees Using Clay as Food

ScrAPES#3: Wild Uganda Chimpanzees Using Clay as Food

by Sindya N. Bhanoo

August 3, 2015

                Wild Uganda Chimpanzees that live among the Budongo Forest in the Western Region of Uganda, closest to the city Masindi; these Chimpanzees has been studied by fellow researchers of Dr. Vernon Reynolds for half-a-century and they have discovered that Uganda Chimpanzees has begun eating clay instead of decayed pith of Raffia Palm Trees. Chimpanzees turn to clay for food supply because of the widespread destruction of local Raffia Palm Trees. Local tobacco farmers strip the trees of their leaves for use of curing and drying tobacco which results to Raffia Palm Trees dying and most likely being extinct. 

                This article is very interesting to me because I may not know several Chemistry but I do know that if a body take high concentrations of iron Hemochromatosis occurs in the body. Taking in too much iron produce damage to the liver, heart and leads to diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. Studies say deluding bountiful amount of aluminum may lead to Alzheimer's Disease (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/153326/). In my opinion it is both animal abuse and illegal to cut certain trees for local tobacco use which emanates the fact that animals would have to rely on other unhealthy sources for food. Tobacco is generally being used carelessly by humans through their satisfying needs of cigarettes. It is selfish and unfair and I think humans need to understand that it is also not their needs that always have to be satisfied but other divisions of nature, for example animals and plants. But this world will never fully understand. Nothing will change or drastically improve, we just need to respect each other, animals and plants by respecting their personal space. 


               This issue is important to the environment because Uganda Chimpanzees CANNOT depend on clays for food! It is very unhealthy and not normal. It is like a baby eating play-doh; when people see that they automatically care and show their heart out for the baby but it is different if it is an animal. I feel very pity for us, people, because we are the cause for most of the environment's complication. Uganda Chimpanzees will become extinct or have a physical deformation in the near future if no one provides proper food for them. Our environment and the living things that consist of it need to change. We need to be father open to change.


Resources:

• Wild Uganda Chimpanzees Using Clay as Food