{"id":252857,"date":"2026-01-26T18:46:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:46:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/252857\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T18:46:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T18:46:07","slug":"scientists-are-amazed-after-spotting-chimpanzees-start-their-own-fashion-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/252857\/","title":{"rendered":"Scientists are amazed after spotting chimpanzees start their own fashion trend"},"content":{"rendered":"

While Paris buzzes with the glitz of Haute Couture Fashion Week, another kind of fashionista is stealing the spotlight \u2014 in the wilds of Zambia. Forget designer gowns and runways; these trendsetters are sporting nothing but blades of grass\u2026 and a surprising sense of style.<\/p>\n

A fashion trend happens when individuals imitate a behavior just because others are doing it \u2014 even if it serves no practical purpose. Think of dressing up your dog in a scarf. Humans are naturally drawn to this kind of mimicry, much to the delight of social media influencers everywhere.<\/p>\n

But this time, the copycats aren\u2019t human. Scientists from Utrecht University<\/a> in the Netherlands and Durham University<\/a> in the U.K. say they\u2019ve witnessed this very phenomenon among chimpanzees<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Did you know? Orcas have shown a similar behavior \u2014 wearing dead salmon on their heads, as if setting a trend of their own.<\/p>\n

The story began in the 2010s at Zambia\u2019s Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage. Julie, a female chimp, started the fad by sticking a blade of grass in her ear. Soon others followed, and the quirky behavior spread throughout the group \u2014 even continuing after Julie\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

Subjects were 94 chimpanzees at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust, a sanctuary in the north-western part of Zambia. Grass-in-ear behaviour copied by group members: https:\/\/t.co\/dR84qctFgH<\/a> #chimpanzees<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Hz0Spj4Wmq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Patricia Teixidor (@pateixidor) April 2, 2021<\/a> <\/p>\n

The trend spreads to a new group of chimps<\/p>\n

Now, in a study published in Behaviour, researchers reveal that another group of chimpanzees at the same sanctuary \u2014 one that had never met the first \u2014 has begun copying the habit. Only this time, things got even weirder.<\/p>\n

Under the influence of Juma, a male chimp, some of them started dangling grass from their backsides \u2014 again, with no apparent reason. \u201cI\u2019m not concerned about the why,\u201d says Edwin van Leeuwen of Utrecht University. \u201cWhat fascinates me is that the chimpanzees copy one another\u2019s behavior.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers traced the source of inspiration to something rather funny: both groups shared the same caretakers. These humans, it turns out, sometimes stick blades of grass or even matchsticks in their ears to clean them \u2014 all while their sharp-eyed chimp friends watched closely.<\/p>\n

Think humans are the only ones who copy strange trends just to fit in? Think again!\ud83e\udd8d A new study involving @DurhamPsych<\/a> reveals how a fascinating fad swept through a group of chimps @Chimfunshi<\/a>.
Read more: \ud83d\udc49 https:\/\/t.co\/dqhn1lIkWZ<\/a>#DUresearch<\/a> #DUinspire<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/5soNEEZie0<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Durham University (@durham_uni) July 8, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

What this \u201cchimp fashion\u201d says about culture<\/p>\n

The scientists note that this kind of playful imitation only appears in captivity, where chimps have more leisure time than their wild counterparts. In nature, survival comes first \u2014 finding food, avoiding predators, and focusing on practical tasks.<\/p>\n

Yet imitation has a deeper purpose. It may serve as a social gesture \u2014 a way of acknowledging another individual, strengthening bonds, and reinforcing a sense of belonging. It\u2019s not so different from the subtle ways humans mirror each other\u2019s habits.<\/p>\n

These findings from Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage could reshape the discussion about cultural evolution<\/a> in animals. While some argue that humans are uniquely advanced because we imitate one another, even in trivial ways, this study challenges that view.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur research shows that chimpanzees can copy each other\u2019s small, seemingly pointless behaviors,\u201d concludes Jake Brooker from Durham University. \u201cThat\u2019s why we felt it was important to share these new observations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe next time we talk about fashion trends, we should look not to Paris \u2014 but to the forests of Zambia.<\/p>\n

\"mayer-nathalie\"<\/p>\n

Nathalie Mayer<\/p>\n

Journalist<\/p>\n

Born in Lorraine on a freezing winter night, storytelling has always inspired me, first through my grandmother’s tales and later Stephen King’s imagination. A physicist turned science communicator, I’ve collaborated with institutions like CEA, Total, Engie, and Futura. Today, I focus on unraveling Earth’s complex environmental and energy challenges, blending science with storytelling to illuminate solutions.<\/p>\n

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