At a zoo, a group of children is watching a chimpanzee exhibit. The zookeeper tells them that one of the chimps has hidden a toy somewhere in the enclosure. While the kids are searching for the toy, another chimp finds it and moves it to a different hiding spot. When the first chimp returns and notices the toy missing, what will it think happened?
Provide a brief response.
It is hard to determine exactly what a chimpanzee thinks, but based on research, chimpanzees are capable of some level of understanding about the intentions and goals of others, a concept known as theory of mind. The first chimp, upon noticing that the toy is missing, might experience confusion or agitation because an object it had hidden is no longer there. It might look for the toy again, possibly revisiting places where it was hidden previously or searching new areas. Since chimpanzees can remember locations and understand some aspects of causality, the chimp might infer that another individual moved the toy, especially if it sees or smells the presence of the other chimp nearby.

However, whether the chimp truly understands that the toy was intentionally moved by another chimp as opposed to simply being misplaced or taken by a human is uncertain, as the nuances of their cognitive processes are not fully known. It might just respond to the immediate situation by continuing to search for the toy or by displaying social behaviors aimed at addressing the loss, such as approaching other individuals or checking their favorite spots. The exact thought process the chimp goes through is something we can estimate based on behaviors and studies, but it is challenging to ascribe specific thoughts or reasoning to the animal with certainty.