Video summary
SCP-397 is a female chimpanzee with an estimated IQ of approximately 160 who exhibits human-level sapience, including the ability to read, write in shorthand, and speak both English and the local dialect fluently. Although her intelligence metrics might be inflated due to the non-standard nature of her cognitive abilities, she demonstrates a profound interest in ancient history and classical music, particularly the works of Franz Liszt, Tacitus, Seneca, and Sergei Rachmaninoff. The Foundation's containment procedures involve housing her in a secure arboretum at Site 20 that mimics her native environment, while strictly isolating her from other primates to prevent the spread of any tactical knowledge or behaviors she may have taught them during her time leading a guerrilla force.
The subject was brought to the Foundation's attention following reports of coordinated attacks on a village in the Congo, where a band of chimpanzees under her leadership utilized simple weapons like slings and spears to defend themselves against human intruders. Witnesses described a highly organized operation involving a leader who issued commands, set fires, and distributed food rewards for successful kills, all orchestrated from a well-defended position on the village outskirts. After an agent was lost during a skirmish, SCP-397 was apprehended and tranquilized, leading to the termination of her former colony members to ensure that any advanced tactics or social structures she instilled in them were not replicated elsewhere.
Despite being classified as a Safe object, SCP-397 has made eighteen escape attempts while in custody, often fashioning tools from vegetation and enlisting D-Class personnel with low personality matrix ratings and IQs below 100 to sabotage security measures or assault staff directly. These repeated failures have led to strict restrictions on her privileges, particularly regarding access to music and literature, which are the most effective deterrents against her attempts to leave containment. The Foundation notes that she regularly tries to imitate human physical mannerisms, such as walking upright, even though she openly expresses a distaste for modern human society and customs, viewing her current confinement in the arboretum as a "fake forest" where she is unable to pursue what she considers better things to do.
In recorded interactions with Dr. Bellows, SCP-397 reveals a deep-seated resentment toward humanity, stating that having witnessed human society once, she felt compelled to destroy it by eliminating her former comrades one by one. She acknowledges that while she still hates human civilization, she is trapped in an artificial environment and cannot act on her desires, leading to emotional outbursts where she attempts to laugh or demand release from her captors. The transcript concludes with a somber tone as the subject laments her situation, highlighting the tragic conflict between her high intelligence and her inability to reconcile her hatred for humanity with her current status as a contained asset, underscored by the playing of classical music that seems to soothe yet cannot fully resolve her internal turmoil.
Read the full video transcript
Item number:
SCP-397
Object class: Safe
Special containment procedures:
SCP-397
is contained within secure arboretum
at Site 20.
The arboretum should be stocked with
vegetation native to
and the temperature adjusted to mimic
local seasonal variances.
SCP-397 is confined to the arboretum
space when not undergoing active
testing.
Transfer for testing is subject to level
three approval
and is to be facilitated by at least
three security personnel
with documented intelligence quotient
ratings above
SCP-397
may be provided with music or literature
by request.
Though all selections must be reviewed
by at least one level three researcher
to determine suitability.
SCP-397
is to be kept isolated from any primates
at all times save research staff.
Description:
SCP-397
is a female chimpanzee standing 1.27 m
4 ft 2 in in height
and
or 90 lb exhibiting human level
sapience.
SCP-397 can read and speak both English
and the local dialect of
proficiently
and is able to write in a somewhat
legible shorthand.
Standard testing measures an IQ of
approximately 160.
Though this number may be inflated due
to the distinctly non-standard nature of
the subject.
SCP-397 has demonstrated a tense desire
to utilize its abilities to read and
write,
showing particular interest in the
fields of ancient history and classical
music.
Its studies in these fields have been
supervised by Dr.
whose curriculum carefully excludes any
in-depth tactical reviews of military
history or advanced political theory.
SCP-397
has shown particular interest in the
works of Franz Liszt,
Tacitus, Seneca,
and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
SCP-397
was brought to the attention of the
Foundation after Dr.
received reports of coordinated attacks
on the village of
perpetrated by a band of primates
utilizing simple slings, spears, and
clubs.
Witnesses consistently recounted
instances of a chimpanzee leader issuing
commands, setting fires,
and distributing rewards of food for
successful human kills to its fellows
from well-defended location of the
village outskirts.
After unexpectedly difficult skirmish
resulting in the loss of Agent
SCP-397 was apprehended and
tranquilized.
The remaining chimpanzees of
were captured and terminated to ensure
that any behaviors taught to them by
SCP-397
would not spread.
While in Foundation custody,
SCP-397
has made 18 escape attempts,
occasionally fashioning simple weaponry
or tools from vegetation to do so.
All these attempts have involved D-Class
personnel acting as willing accomplices,
most often through sabotage of security
countermeasures or through direct
assault on security staff on behalf of
SCP-397,
as a result, D-class personnel with a
personality matrix rating of six or
lower
and possessing an IQ below
are not to be used in the containment of
SCP-397.
Withdrawal of reading and musical
privileges have proven most effective in
curbing escape attempts.
Addendum: Despite a self-admitted
distaste for modern human society and
customs,
SCP-397
regularly attempts to imitate human
physical mannerisms, such as upright
bipedal walking.
A log between SCP-397 and Dr.
Bellows.
Dr.
Could you describe, for the records, the
colony of chimpanzees that you were
discovered with in
SCP-397.
Oh, them.
What happened to them after you took me?
Please just answer the question.
SCP-397.
The sound of chirping. Speculated to be
SCP-397 attempting to laugh.
I see. I see.
I suppose I would have done the same
thing.
I suppose I was doing the same thing.
Please explain your comment.
You saw my society, and so you destroyed
it.
Back in the forest of
I saw your society,
and so I was destroying your comrades
one by one.
One by one.
I hate your society still, Dr.
But there is nothing I can do while I'm
stuck in this fake forest.
Let me out, Dr.
I have better things to be doing.
>> [music]
[music]
>> Mhm.