While they probably won’t be taking selfies to post to dating profiles any time soon, apes have begun using tablets in a Tinder-like experiment scientists designed to help them find potential mates.
At the Apenhuel Primate Park in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, scientists are beginning to use tablets to show orangutans pictures of prospective partners in an international breeding program. Emotions the apes demonstrate in the photos have been said to be a measure of attractiveness. Apparently orangutans also find appearances to be important when picking a mate; cheeks are particularly appealing to females.
Samboja, the zoo’s 11-year-old female, is the first lucky orangutan at the zoo to test out the program.
Dubbed “Tinder for orangutans,” the four-year study aims to gain insight into how primates decide on their mating choices, according to Thomas Bionda, a behavioral biologist at the zoo.
There are also hopes to increase the chance that orangutans will find a suitable mate, as getting apes together can be a costly encounter as the animals may have to travel from different continents, and sometimes the passion just isn’t there when they meet.
Breeding in captivity is vital. Orangutans first became threatened in the 1970s and 1980s due to illegal logging in Indonesia, where 80 percent of wild orangutans are found, and their numbers are still rapidly on the decline.
When it comes to the innovative new program, the orangutans won’t swipe left or right on the tablets, but instead, their reactions to the photos they are shown of prospective mates will be observed. For example, if Samboja ogles one male prospect more than another and seems to take a special liking to him, there’s a good chance she may have the opportunity to meet the lucky fella in real life.
One little issue that needs to be fixed — the tablets must be strong enough to withstand a beating. Apparently, Samboja smashed the screen of the tablet between her fingers when she first tested it out!
Wilhelma Zoo, in Stuttgart, Germany, conducted a similar video dating experiment last year. An female orangutan named Sinta expressed interest in a male orangutan named Gempa, who also showed interest in her. The two had a “date” in Belgium, but unfortunately, the meeting did not produce offspring.
Let’s hope Samboja meets the fellow of her dreams and is lucky enough to become a mom!
