Latest news with #Juma
Calgary Herald
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Experts puzzled as chimps reportedly getting extra cheeky with grass fad
Chimpanzees are cheeky trendsetters and a new study of their behaviour proves they're more human than we realize. Article content The apes at a Zambian wildlife sanctuary have been going viral, but it's not for the typical shenanigans like escaping or throwing feces. Rather, it's their bizarre behaviour that has left experts puzzled. Article content Article content A new study published July 4 in the journal Behavior reveals the last primate pastime, which involves wedging grass into their rectums and letting it hang out like a tail. Nobody is sure why the animals have started doing this. Article content Article content More than a decade ago, a female chimp named Julie started the grassy ear craze. She died in 2013 and her son and a few others kept the tradition alive. However, it wasn't until 2023 that the butt-branch group started up. Article content Juma – a male chimp – debuted the rear-end version of the fad and within a week his entire group of following him with the grass manoeuvre. Article content Researchers, who watched the apes closely for more than a year, said the trend isn't about hygiene or comfort. It's about clout. Article content 'In captivity, they have more free time than in the wild,' said study lead author Ed van Leeuwen, an assistant professor of behavioural biology at Utrecht University in Netherlands. 'They don't have to stay as alert or spend as much time searching for food.' Article content 'It could also serve a social purpose,' van Leeuwen added. 'By copying someone else's behaviour, you show that you notice and maybe even like that individual. So, it might help strengthen social bonds and create a sense of belonging within the group, just like it does in humans.'
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fashion-loving chimps are hanging grass ‘jewellery' from their ears and BUMS – and the fad is catching on
CHIMPANZEES have been strutting their stuff with homemade grass jewellery dangling from their ears and bums. The fashion movement has swept through groups of chimps living at a sanctuary in Zambia, with the animals copying the trend from one another. 2 2 The chimps, living in captivity, have been sticking blades of long grass into their various orifices. They deliberately leave it hanging there for a while whilst they go about their business, according to a new study. There aren't any physical or medical benefits to the behaviour - so it is purely a social phenomenon, researchers said, which they learn from each other. Plant accessories of this kind were first noticed in chimps in 2010. The pioneer was a trend-setting chimp called Julie, who would often position blade of grass in her ear. Julie died in 2013, but researchers noticed at least seven members of her group living at the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia continuing her legacy with grass in their own ears. This suggested it had developed into a cultural movement. Then, in 2023, another group living in the same sanctuary picked up the fad - with a daring new twist. To investigate the apparent fashion movement properly, researchers monitored all the sanctuary's chimps for a year. They found that just two chimps in Julie's group were still adorning themselves - one of whom was Julie's son. Incredible photo shows wild chimps sharing boozy fruit for first time Meanwhile, in the other group, a male called Juma was picked out as the possible innovator of a new variation in the bottom. Impressed with his bold style choice, most of his mates had picked it up as well within a week. Researches described how the trend spread between groups in their new study, published in the journal Behaviour. Fascinatingly, the two groups don't have any contact with each other - but they do share the same keepers. The scientists think that the ear decoration was originally inspired by human behaviour. Lead author Edwin van Leeuwen, assistant professor of animal behaviour at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, said: "These caretakers reported that they sometimes put a blade of grass or a matchstick in their own ears to clean them. "Caretakers in the other groups said they did not do this. " The chimps in the one group then figured out to stick the blade of grass in another place as well." This kind of behaviour has never been observed in wild chimps, who spend their time days food and dealing with other natural challenges. Captive chimps, however, have much more free time on their hands to experiment with thing like jewellery. Van Leeuwen said: "In captivity, they have more free time than in the wild. "They don't have to stay as alert or spend as much time searching for food." The author also speculated that the behaviour could help the chimps develop strong community tiess He said: "It could also serve a social purpose. "By copying someone else's behaviour, you show that you notice and maybe even like that individual. "So, it might help strengthen social bonds and create a sense of belonging within the group, just like it does in humans."
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Chimpanzees launch the wildest fashion trend of 2025: Grass accessories!
Chimpanzees in Zambia are making headlines for an unexpected reason. In a quirky new trend that has researchers both amused and intrigued, the chimps have started wearing blades of grass in their ears and even in their rectums like fashion accessories. What began years ago as an odd habit by a single chimp has now turned into a full-blown social fad. The behavior appears to serve no medical or survival function but has spread through different groups, much like human fashion trends. Scientists believe this might be a form of social signaling or self-expression. It's an amusing but fascinating glimpse into chimpanzee culture, suggesting they may be far more creative and community-driven than we often assume. The origins of Chimpanzee grass fashion The trend first surfaced in 2010 when a female chimp named Julie began placing grass in her ear and letting it dangle. Other chimps in her group imitated her, and by 2014 the behavior had spread noticeably. Researchers noticed that the trend continued even after Julie's death in 2013, with her son among those still displaying the behavior years later. In a more recent development, a separate chimp group at the same sanctuary adopted the habit in 2023 but with a bold twist—placing the grass in their rectums. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dubai's Next Icon: Experience Binghatti Aquarise Luxury Binghatti Developers FZE Learn More Undo This group has no direct interaction with Julie's former group, leading scientists to suspect a different origin. Human caretakers may have unintentionally inspired the behavior; some admitted to occasionally placing matchsticks or blades of grass in their ears for cleaning, which chimps may have observed and mimicked. However, the rear-end variation seems to be an entirely chimp-created innovation, likely sparked by a male chimp named Juma. Within a week, others began copying him, and the unusual accessory style spread rapidly. What the trend might mean Though it may seem like simple silliness, researchers suggest the grass accessories serve a deeper social function. In chimpanzee societies, copying another's behavior can be a way of building rapport and reinforcing social bonds. Much like viral trends in human culture, these habits could be about belonging, identity, or simply playfulness. In the wild, chimps are too preoccupied with survival to indulge in such behaviors, but captivity gives them more time to experiment and innovate. The grass trend is one example of how animals in enriched environments might create and sustain cultural phenomena. While the jury is still out on exactly why they do it, one thing is clear: when it comes to style, these chimps have gone from primates to trendsetters.
Biz Bahrain
09-07-2025
- General
- Biz Bahrain
Education Minister approves scholarship plan for 2024–2025 high school graduates
Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, approved the scholarship and grant allocation plan for Bahraini high school graduates from public and private schools for the 2024–2025 academic year. The plan covers students who achieved a score of 90% or higher. Over 4,000 scholarships and grants have been designated, including 1,900 full scholarships for students scoring 95% and above, and 2,300 grants for students scoring between 90% and 94.9%. Eligible students can proceed with their scholarship application process once accepted by a university, provided they complete the process within two months of receiving admission. Dr. Juma said that this initiative reflects the continued support for education under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This year's plan includes 300 scholarships in nursing, 12 international scholarships in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 5 scholarships at Al Azhar University, in addition to hundreds of seats at universities across Bahrain and the region. Students enrolled in home-schooling, evening education, and literacy and adult education programmes are also eligible for the scholarships and grants. Applications may be submitted via the Ministry's website at or directly at starting Tuesday, July 8, 2025, until the end of Monday, July 14, 2025. The ministry has introduced improvements to the application process this year, removing the need for SMS passwords and enabling direct access through the listed links. BNA(R)
Daily Tribune
25-06-2025
- General
- Daily Tribune
60% of textbooks distributed
The first two days of textbook distribution for the upcoming academic year — which began last Sunday — saw 60% of textbooks successfully distributed to students and their parents. His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, noted that the high turnout reflects the strong awareness and commitment of parents to the educational process and their deep partnership with the Ministry and the education sector as a whole. This came as the Minister chaired the Committee for the Start of the Academic Year, with the attendance of officials from various educational and support sectors. Dr. Juma, expressed pride in the tremendous efforts made by the Ministry's multiple teams — starting with the Curriculum Sector, the Logistics Services Sector, and extending to schools and their staff who are actively engaged in the daily distribution of books to students and parents. He extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to all involved. The Ministry of Education also calls on parents to take the initiative to collect their children's textbooks. Distribution will continue at all public schools until Wednesday, June 25, 2025.
