The behavior of the 30-year-old animal has been considered by a group of scientists as the definitive proof that apes plan their future actions in a premeditated way , anticipating what may happen. "They probably have an 'inner world' , like when humans remember past events in our lives or think about the future that is to come," explained Mathias Osvath, a researcher at Lund University and a co-author of the study.
Santino began picking up and throwing rocks after becoming the dominant male of his group at the age of 16. Since then, the chimpanzee has collected its weapons from the floor of its zoo housing in the morning, before it opens to the public, and stores them in piles in an area within easy reach of visitors. He has also discovered how to disassemble part of his concrete canopy to make disc-shaped projectiles. This behavior is only observed in summer, when the zoo is open.
