Attenborough: Amazing DIY Orangutans | BBC Earth
Why Hacker News recommends it
Linked as a quick demonstration of orangutans copying human tool use and chores.
What it is
Short BBC Earth clip from Life of Mammals in which David Attenborough shows orangutans imitating human behaviors like washing clothes with soap and using tools.
Recommended by 0 HN commenters across 0 different months, 2020 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Cites seanhunter · 2020-02 · on “Ken Allen”
Orangutans are crazy smart. Wild orangutans in Borneo[1] have been known to observe humans and copy behaviours such as rowing canoes, using tools and even helping humans with chores such as laundry. [1] [this video]
Cites rramadass · 2024-05 · on “Wild orangutan seen healing his wound with a plant”
> Is he just repeating what he's seen humans do This is most probably the main reason. However there is some debate on whether these learned behaviours can be passed across generations. Here is David Attenborough showing Orangutans washing clothes/using soap/tools/etc. mimicking what they have seen Humans in their environment do - [this video]