‘Tinder for orangutans’ experiment lets apes ‘swipe’ their potential mate on computer – and they prefer suitors who check for lice
Orangutans and bonobos at Apenheul Primate Park flick through pics of red hot single apes
ORANGUTANS and bonobos are using Tinder style dating apps to fix-up some rumpy-pumpy.
A Dutch zoo is banking on boosting the bonking chances of a female orangutan by letting her choose a preferred fella on a touchscreen.
A four-year experiment called “Tinder for orangutans” is now underway in the Apenheul primate park in Apeldoorn.
Samboja, an 11-year-old female, browses through pictures of possible partners from an international great ape breeding programme.
The aim is to learn about female orangutans hook-up, Thomas Bionda, a behavioural biologist at the zoo, told Dutch broadcaster NOS.
He said: “Often, animals have to be taken back to the zoo they came from without mating."
“Things don’t always go well when a male and a female first meet.”
The team is keen find out what primates may be looking for in a partner.
DATING GAME How the experiment works
LIKE humans orangutans are visual when on the pull.
So it was decided to invent a Tinder style app to encourage lonely apes to hook-up.
Boffins first brought a tablet to Samboja for her to swipe through the talent.
But there was just one hitch.
The tablet screens were not strong enough to withstand a swipe from an orangutan.
Even those reinforced with a steel frame met an untimely end.
But when an even stronger device was invented it was all systems go.
After seeing the photos, the monkeys then have to push a button on the screen.
By doing so scientists can try to understand the apes capacity to choose.
And more importantly what they want in a male ape.
Early indications suggest those with good grooming habits top the list.
But rather startlingly males carrying out sexual activities in images is also a favoured image.
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