Elemental variation in the termite fishing of wild chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes )

Abstract

Chimpanzee tool behaviours vary dramatically in their complexity and extent of geographical distribution. The use of tool sets with specific design features to gather termites extends across a large portion of central Africa. Detailed examination of the composition and uniformity of such complex tool tasks has the potential to advance our understanding of the cognitive capabilities of tool users and processes underlying the maintenance of technological skills. In this study, we examined variation in chimpanzee tool use in termite gathering from video-recorded sequences that were scored to the level of functionally distinct behavioural elements. Overall, we found a high degree of similarity in toolusing techniques exhibited by individuals in this population. The number of elements in each individual's repertoire often exceeded that necessary to accomplish the task, with consistent differences in repertoire sizes between age classes. Adults and subadults had the largest repertoires and more consistently exhibited element strings than younger individuals. Larger repertoires were typically associated with incorporation of rare variants, some of which indicate flexibility and intelligence. These tool using apes aid us in understanding the evolution of technology, including that of our human ancestors, which showed a high degree of uniformity over large spatial scales.

Extraction of honey from underground bee nests by central African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in Loango National Park, Gabon: Techniques and individual differences

“…We found evidence for the ability of chimpanzees to deliberately organize their actions to extract the underground bee nests, as showed by the fact that the sequences they performed were neither strictly determined nor random (Gadbois, Sievert, Reeve, Harrington, & Fentress, ). The ability to sequentially organize different behavioral elements has been already described for termite fishing and honey gathering (Sanz & Morgan, , ). Nevertheless, the technique that we investigated is particularly interesting given the structure of the targeted bee nests.…”

If at first you don't succeed… Studies of ontogeny shed light on the cognitive demands of habitual tool use

“…Nonetheless, compared to adults, competent weaned immatures often still show inadequate skills by persisting at unrewarding locations, using tools at successful locations less often, having shorter or longer lasting tool sessions than adults, using more tools per session, modifying tools more frequently, using tools with different features (material, size and shape) than adults oronly relevant in some contexts-lacking hand preferences [9,18,35,41,44,59,60]. Hence, although we might have mischaracterized play and exploration as 'errors', the 'error-filled' period of practice does seem to eventually result in skill improvement, whether actively goal-directed or facilitated by exposure to ecological and/or social factors.…”

“…However, errors diminish over time while tool-using skills improve, until eventually adult-like competence is reached before or around weaning age [9,42,44,59,60]. Nonetheless, compared to adults, competent weaned immatures often still show inadequate skills by persisting at unrewarding locations, using tools at successful locations less often, having shorter or longer lasting tool sessions than adults, using more tools per session, modifying tools more frequently, using tools with different features (material, size and shape) than adults oronly relevant in some contexts-lacking hand preferences [9,18,35,41,44,59,60].…”

<Note> Elementary Technology Correlates with Lifetime Reproductive Success in Wild Chimpanzees, but Why?

“…Termite fishing is one of the most widespread pattern of technical extractive foraging in chimpanzees, ranging across Africa from Senegal to Tanzania (McGrew et al 1979;Goodall 1986;Sanz & Morgan 2011). It is the bestknown and longest-studied type of elementary technology in the species, having been first observed at Gombe (Goodall 1963, Lonsdorf 2006.…”