Tinder for apes? Dutch zoo gives orangutans screen time

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – How does a primate find a date when they’re confined to an urban jungle?

Orangutans in a Dutch zoo may get a high-tech helping hand thanks to a research project that is being likened to a Tinder dating app for apes.

The research at the Apenheul primate park, on the outskirts of the Dutch city of Apeldoorn, is investigating the emotional responses of orangutans and bonobos to images of the same species they are shown on a touch screen.

Biologist Thomas Bionda said Wednesday the screen could help determine an ape’s preference between prospective mates as part of a breeding program.

He says “there has to be a click” between the animals and checking out images on a computer could help determine the compatibility of a prospective pair.