I have a question about the feasibility of some evolutionary speculation

[Potoooooooo]

at 15:29 and 36:54 this documentary about a post-human future speculates that escaped zoo chimps might start farming birds for their eggs
first in abandoned skyscrapers and eventually building nesting platforms for them in forested areas. Fond as I am of chimps,I am rather skeptical. I know that they are not too big on delayed gratification and willpower

 

[bilby]

at 15:29 and 36:54 this documentary about a post-human future speculates that escaped zoo chimps might start farming birds for their eggs
first in abandoned skyscrapers and eventually building nesting platforms for them in forested areas. Fond as I am of chimps,I am rather skeptical. I know that they are not too big on delayed gratification and willpower

Well, humans started farming birds for their eggs, and we are basically a subspecies of chimp, so why not?

Given time and an evolutionary pressure to do something, a lot is possible. Whether it is plausible that the evolutionary pressures would exist that gave chimps who farm birds for eggs an advantage over those who don't, is another matter - Hypotheticals are entertaining, but not really helpful in predicting what actually happens in a given novel situation. In a hugely disrupted ecosystem (such as one in which a major shaper of the landscape and biosphere suddenly disappeared), almost anything is possible - and equally, almost anything is very implausible. There are lots of options - so the reality is likely to be just as strange as that depicted, but equally is very UNlikely to be just the same as that depicted.

 

[Speakpigeon]

we are basically a subspecies of chimp

I thought rather that chimps and humans were subspecies of some unknown common ancestor species.

I think chimps just might overtime learn how to restart our abandoned nuclear plants and watch old movies on TV while laughing out loud making salacious jokes about a guy called Donald Trump.

I can see that happening clear as vodka.
EB

 

[untermensche]

These "futurists" are full of shit.

The Chimp has evolved a long way since it shared a common ancestor with humans.

It had taken a specific direction.

Which will not by any magic replicate the direction the human took in the future.

 

[barbos]

The

These chimps will most certainly die before they "evolve" into farming, I give them few months.

 

[Potoooooooo]

These chimps will most certainly die before they "evolve" into farming, I give them few months.

I would think they would not have trouble finding suitable food in South Florida

 

[steve_bank]

Chimps and humans share a possible common ancestor, not a subspecies.

Evolution requires mutation and an advantage in the environment over predecessors.

Primates are smart. I saw a video of an orangutan that learned to spear fish watching humans.

Chimps carefully fashion stones into tools to crack nuts. Could a chimp learn to farm birds? Sounds implausible.

Environmental niches have been filled.

 

[Speakpigeon]

Primates are smart. I saw a video of an orangutan that learned to spear fish watching humans.

I saw primates learning to speak English fluently just watching humans do it.

I think primates can learn to restart a nuclear power plant watching humans do it.

Could a chimp learn to farm birds? Sounds implausible.

Maybe more plausible is birds tricking chimps into farming them and do all the hard work.

Wolves did something similar with us.

And birds are really smart, too.
EB