# Women has face transplant after Chimpanzee attack **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049 "2011-06-11T01:11:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/21 "2011-06-14T15:55:18Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Thank you…I’ve now sunk to a new low in inappropriate posts. Yep, no looking back or saving face on this one…but I got a hand it to you anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/22 "2011-06-14T16:24:51Z")
Look, I’ve been volunteering at the zoo, largely with the gorillas. (They are, of course, behind nice solid protective enclosures at all times. We do not play pattycake with 500 pound primates.) The keepers of these MUCH larger animals say chimpanzees scare the crap out of them. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/23 "2011-06-14T16:36:10Z")
_Note to self_: if a friend ever calls and asks for help with misbehaving pet chimpanzee, the correct answer is “I’m busy.” ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/24 "2011-06-14T18:30:46Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > _Note to self_: if a friend ever calls and asks for help with misbehaving pet chimpanzee, the correct answer is “I’m busy.” “Forever”. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/25 "2011-06-14T18:39:22Z")
There were several articles and accounts of chimp attack dynamics back when this first happened. Apparently it’s quite common for them to focus on destroying the face and genitals of their victims. While horrifying to read about or see clips of chimps doing this to other chimps in the forest, the thought of such carnage being inflicted on a human, who is practically completely defenseless in comparison, is unimaginable. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/26 "2011-06-14T18:49:08Z")
Waitaminute. The chimp used keys? Was this a single large key or was some trial and error involved? A whole host of horrors can be birthed from this scenario. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/27 "2011-06-14T18:50:22Z")
I blame _Buddy_. > [@G0sp3l](#): > > Waitaminute. The chimp used keys? Was this a single large key or was some trial and error involved? A whole host of horrors can be birthed from this scenario. [Like this?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWeCri3eMEk) Jump to 0:58. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/28 "2011-06-14T19:25:16Z")
Never mind. Someone already mentioned it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/29 "2011-06-14T19:50:44Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Apparently it’s quite common for them to focus on destroying the face and genitals of their victims. They leave the victims incapacitated in trees to eat at their leisure. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/30 "2011-06-14T19:51:36Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Apparently it’s quite common for them to focus on destroying the face and genitals of their victims. Hands and feet, too. They are absolutely vicious animals and smart enough to know what parts of the body are most vulnerable. I would rather face down an enraged rhinoceros than a chimp. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/31 "2011-06-15T13:32:04Z")
Okay, I have a totally gruesome and uncalled-for question. The [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_%28chimpanzee%29) says that “paramedics noted she lost her hands, nose, eyes, lips, mid-face bone structure, and received significant brain tissue injuries”. The chimp didn’t crack into the brain, did he? Or would you get that from the force of the attack (swelling, concussion, etc.)? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/32 "2011-06-15T14:04:26Z")
Either one is possible - the chimp might have cracked her skull, or might have attacked her with such force as to cause closed-skull injury, or both. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/33 "2011-06-15T14:49:13Z")
OK, let’s nip this _Planet of the Apes_ thing in the bud. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/34 "2011-06-15T20:34:00Z")
the hand transplants have failed. i remember seeing ms nash on oprah. a really horrific attack. zsofia, it is possible that travis did reach parts of the brain. she suffered many breaks to the bones of the face and jaw. he also had crunched into the forehead area with his jaws/teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/35 "2011-06-16T00:27:59Z")
Well, the forehead area is pretty damned thick, as skull parts go. The mid-face, which he evidently completely destroyed, on the other hand, may be much easier to penetrate. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/36 "2011-06-16T13:23:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Either one is possible - the chimp might have cracked her skull, or might have attacked her with such force as to cause closed-skull injury, or both. I’m guessing through the eyes to the brain. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/37 "2011-06-16T14:02:25Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I’m guessing through the eyes to the brain. We share, what, 98% of our DNA with these bastards? I makes one wonder what prehistoric human behavior was like. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/38 "2011-06-16T16:47:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > We share, what, 98% of our DNA with these bastards? > I makes one wonder what prehistoric human behavior was like. Prehistoric, my ass. Read about some of the war crimes in Africa, or during WWII. Or that lady who smashed a kitten with a bat. Or the mother who drugged up her toddler and left her in a car trunk to die. Or lynchings, which were frequently begun with genital mutilation. We’re a vicious species as well. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/39 "2011-06-16T16:58:18Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > The chimp didn’t crack into the brain, did he? There’s this [theory](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.alaska.net/~thndrths/images/logo.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.alaska.net/~thndrths/&usg=__HcZw9aVZIomIon6A8UG3QlmeJFM=&h=300&w=235&sz=45&hl=en&start=14&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yEy8O3OtMv00JM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=91&prev=/search%3Fq%3Danchorage%2Bdarwin%2527s%2Btheory%2Bchimp%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1159%26bih%3D739%26tbm%3Disch&ei=TTX6TZq0CMbr0gHVjP2dAw)… ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049/40 "2011-06-16T17:02:05Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Prehistoric, my ass… > We’re a vicious species as well. It’s ripping the face off and eating it that I find particularly disturbing. Of course if modern humans had teeth like a chimp, that would be added to the other atrocities we commit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/women-has-face-transplant-after-chimpanzee-attack/585049.md?page=3)