Standing and climbing a pole by members of a captive group of Japanese monkeys

Abstract

ABSTRACT. In a captive group of Japanese monkeys, a juvenile female spontaneously began standing poles against a concrete wall and climbing up them in 1983. By 1987, 3 juvenile females out of 39 monkeys had acquired the behavior. They stood rather heavy poles, weighing 2.6 kg, against the wall and climbed up them without training. At the top of the poles, they often explored the smooth wall by licking or touching it.

Culture in Nonhuman Primates?

“…At Koshima, the dominant male began to masturbate regularly during the breeding season; within three years all the leader and subleader males were doing it (Stephenson 1973). In captive groups, other nonsubsistence patterns have emerged spontaneously and become established: making snowballs big enough to sit on (Eaton 1972), propping up heavy branches against barriers as ladders (Machida 1990), using stones in social grooming (Weinberg & Candland 1981).…”

Carrying and Washing of Grass Roots by Free-Ranging Japanese Macaques at Katsuyama

“…On the other hand, there have been few reports on tool use by wild monkeys [13]. Japanese macaques in an open enclosure have been observed to spontaneously stand poles against a smooth concrete wall and climb up them to explore it by licking or touching [14]. In addition, some female Japanese macaques in a provisioned group were successfully trained to use sticks to remove an apple from a transparent pipe [15].…”

Peer Review #2 of "Exploring the role of individual learning in animal tool-use (v0.1)"

“…Leca et al 2010Observational study in the wild The individual stretched one or a few pieces of its own hair or another individual's hair and inserted the hair between the upper or lower front teeth by performing repeated teeth-chattering to remove food remains stuck between the teeth. So far, this behaviour has only been observed in one individual, and has not spread to the rest of the group "Because chance may account for a good number of behavioural innovations (Reader and Laland 2003), and DF was always associated with grooming activity, we suggest that the DF innovation is an accidental by-product of grooming" (p.19) Japanese Macaques (Macaca Fuscata) Machida, 1989 Observational study in captivity Tokida et al (1994) Experimental study in captivity The macaques used the hook tool, and one individual spontaneously threw stones into the tube to push the apple out of the other side of the tube. The same individual then coaxed her infants to go into the tube and retrieve the food Manuscript to be reviewed…”