Termites on a Stick: A Chimpanzee Learns to Use a Tool

The ability to make and use tools is one trait that distinguishes chimps and humans from other primates. Young chimpanzees play and learn under the watchful eyes of their mothers. They learn all the skills they need to survive in the wild. During one lesson, a young chimp watches its mother tear off a branch, remove the leaves, put it in a termite hole, and pull it out covered with deliciously juicy termites. The chimp takes up the challenge to find its own just right stick to use as a tool for hunting these tasty treats. After trial and error, the young chimp savors the sweet taste of success when it licks the delectable snacks off its very own stick. Exquisitely detailed and scientifically-accurate illustrations by author-illustrator, Michele Coxon, extend the information in the print. At the end of the book, she includes facts about chimpanzees, as well as illustrations of chimp anatomy and of the interior of a termite nest.