How to fight a chimpanzee?
The surprising thing is how few encounters between man and ape there have been, which accounts for the longevity and persuasiveness of the myths regarding their supernatural characteristics, being able to hurl cars for miles, being 100 times stronger than those (merely intelligent) humans, etc. And so there have been very few objective attempts to assess the strength of apes. Many of the few there were have been are seriously flawed. One 1920’s era study by a fellow named Bauman somehow generated data that had his chimpanzees pulling 7 times as much as his human subjects, and this found its way into the talking points of Jane Goodall and others who in most cases rarely got close enough to their ape subjects to even assess their strength. In fact only the biggest apes (the biggest gorillas are near 400 lbs) possess noticeably greater strength, mostly due to their size, (and one small genetic alteration, absence of the ACTN3 gene, which leads its recipient to be tuned for endurance, not for speed or contracting strength. Humans have been given this ACTN3 in much greater amount, and the other apes have been left with the non ACTN3 version. (Those non ACTN3 muscles have longer fibers and slightly more contracting power over a wider range of motion). This however does not lead to having 5 or 10 times the strength or anything close to it. In studies conducted by Glen Finch at Yale primate laboratory in the 1940’s and others in the 1960’s (it seems there have been few objective attempts since then) The adult male chimpanzees were found to pull the same weights as adult male humans, but since the humans were heavier, and some wanted to consider that factor, the mini apes came out somewhere in the realm of 1.5 or 2 times stronger by unit of weight.
Strange advice given here for a human encountering a raging mini-ape to get down and form a kind of fetal position seems lazily adapted from other animal situations bears, tigers etc. without regard to the. Apes are smarter than those animals and the fetal position thing likely wouldn’t work anyway. If it did it’s merely coincidence. More later.
There have been far more encounters between man and bear and even man and lion than man and ape and very often humans there fared fairly well. Near where I reside, in the NW and within this year one old fellow when confronted by a killer bear (black) was able to beat it over the head with a wooden log and fell dead. Somewhat unexpected. A similar event involved a retired marine throwing a log at another attacking bear to save his endangered kids, and that bear also slumped over lifeless. These examples are anecdotal to be sure, but these events are occurring with some degree of regularity.
When confronted by a charging chimpanzee, immediately drop to the ground, assume the fetal position with your hands and arms covering your head and DO NOT move and NEVER look the chimp in the eye. The point is that the chimp has interpreted your actions as threatening so be as non-threatening as possible. There are no guarantees but these are the best options. The worst things you can do is try to fight or run. Those responses will stimulate a counterattack or a chase. The average adult chimp, male or female, is many times stronger than any human regardless of how many powerlifting championships he’s won or how good he looks in baby oil and a Speedo. The four things that chimps are are cute, smart, powerful and dangerous.
Chimpanzees are 10 times stronger then man. No knife, bat, boxing etc – can take it down from fighting you. It will be hurt but continue to fight you. Best thing to do is to avoid coming into contact with one at all. I love chimpanzees. Chimps are not bad animals there great animals actually! There very very smart and so sweet at times. These attacks you hear about Chimps – those Chimps are just protecting there babies or there being cornered and trapped so they attack. Chimps are not evil and will just attack you for the hell of it. I helped a friend that rescues them raise orphans. Chimps rock!!
