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Title: Five-Year Study Suggests Chimpanzees Strike Stones Against Trees As
Form of Communication

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/05/31/0...

A five-year study by Wageningen University and the German Primate Research
Center found that wild chimpanzees in Guinea-Bissau repeatedly strike stones
against trees, presumably as a form of communication. Phys.Org reports: Over
the course of a five-year field study, the research team collected video
footage at five distinct locations within a nature reserve in Guinea-Bissau.
This was made possible through the use of camera traps and with essential
support from local field guides. In specific areas, a striking behavioral
pattern was observed: adult male chimpanzees repeatedly struck stones against
tree trunks, resulting in characteristic piles of stones at the base of these
trees. [...] The observations point to cultural transmission. Young
chimpanzees adopt the behavior from older group members, indicating that it
is learned socially rather than genetically inherited. Marc Naguib, Professor
of Behavioral Ecology, underscores the broader significance of the discovery:
"It illustrates that culture is not unique to humans and that such behaviors
need to be considered also in nature conservation." The study is published in
the journal Biology Letters.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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