Savanna Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus, Hunt with Tools

Abstract

Although tool use is known to occur in species ranging from naked mole rats [1] to owls [2], chimpanzees are the most accomplished tool users [3-5]. The modification and use of tools during hunting, however, is still considered to be a uniquely human trait among primates. Here, we report the first account of habitual tool use during vertebrate hunting by nonhumans. At the Fongoli site in Senegal, we observed ten different chimpanzees use tools to hunt prosimian prey in 22 bouts. This includes immature chimpanzees and females, members of age-sex classes not normally characterized by extensive hunting behavior. Chimpanzees made 26 different tools, and we were able to recover and analyze 12 of these. Tool construction entailed up to five steps, including trimming the tool tip to a point. Tools were used in the manner of a spear, rather than a probe or rousing tool. This new information on chimpanzee tool use has important implications for the evolution of tool use and construction for hunting in the earliest hominids, especially given our observations that females and immature chimpanzees exhibited this behavior more frequently than adult males.

Empirical approaches to the study of language evolution

“…All of these capacities constitute a basic Bcognitive toolkit^that we share with most other mammalian and avian species. More specialized capacities including tool use are also shared, not only with other primates but with a variety of avian and mammalian species (McGrew, 2004;Pruetz & Bertolani, 2007;Tebbich, Taborsky, Fessl, & Blomqvist, 2001;van Lawick-Goodall & van LawickGoodall, 1967;Weir, Chappell, & Kacelnik, 2004;Whiten, Horner, & de Waal, 2005). Finally, one of the classic supposed differences between humans and other apes was our possession of a Btheory of mind^-a capacity to represent the beliefs and desires of other individuals (Povinelli & Eddy, 1996;Premack & Woodruff, 1978).…”

Primate archaeology reveals cultural transmission in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus)

“…Only the discovery of tool use in wild chimpanzees forced them to revise the definition of tools [7]. With the emergence of multiple research sites across Africa, it became apparent that chimpanzees exhibit a diverse and regionally specific repertoire of extractive foraging tools, including specialized tool kits, tools used for termite and ant fishing, nut cracking, bone marrow probes, stick brushes for honey extraction and spears for hunting [8][9][10][11], reflecting the cultural variety of tool behaviour [9,[12][13][14]. Most tools used by non-human primates are made of organic materials and therefore cannot be used for investigations of past behaviour as preservation is irrevocably compromised.…”

Stable isotope evidence of meat eating and hunting specialization in adult male chimpanzees

“…Variation in hunting behavior and meat consumption has been observed between populations, with chimpanzee communities acquiring and consuming meat with varying levels of importance, from those who hunt rarely and largely opportunistically for slow-moving small mammals (4) to more regular, systematic hunting of medium-sized prey (2,3,5). As all chimpanzee populations rely heavily on various plants, nuts, and invertebrates for their daily energy requirements, the disparity in vertebrate meat consumption across populations has led some researchers (6,7) to suggest that meat is an occasionally consumed, nonessential dietary supplement.…”