Pan troglodytes have been caught gettingboozy on wineand initiatingcrop foray on nearby farms . More recently , a particularly nefarious grouping of chimps was observedharassing a leopardso that they could pounce in and steal its putting to death .
If we need even more evidence of the ingenuity of chimps , recent research published inPLOS ONEshows that a mathematical group of captive individuals were able to figure out how to employ tools to “ excavate ” food for thought buried in the ground . This is an interesting ontogenesis because up until quite recently , it was believe to be a skill reserved for mankind and our ( now - out ) hominin relatives . Thus , it was believed that this practice separated us ( hominins ) from them ( other hierarch ) .
We now know this is n’t true .
Recent research has exhibit that chimps are able to usespears to huntandrods to fish . We also roll in the hay that wild chimps ( and whiskered capuchins ) have learned to use tools to unearth tasty treat like industrial plant roots and tubers . So , to seek to understand how these behaviors developed , researchers execute two experiments examining tool use in jailed chimp .
Not one of the 10 chimps call for in the bailiwick had been look using puppet to dig up food for thought beforehand . Eight of the 10 had been deliver in enslavement .
In the first experiment , the research worker put fruit in five small yap toil in the chimp inclosure at Kristiansand Zoo , Norway . ab initio , the holes were left open so that the chimp could see the yield . afterwards , they were closed . The research worker also left " ready - made " tool ( aka tree control stick and barque shards ) in the enclosure for the chimps to use if they felt like it .
The 2d experiment was near on selfsame but without the improver of quick - made tools .
The team observed six " instrument habit behaviors " over the course of the experiment , digging being the most frequent followed by probe , pounding , perforating , shoveling , and enlarging . What ’s more , nine of the 10 Pan troglodytes managed to turn up the sink fruit at least once , eight of whom used tools to do so . ( apprehend by hand , however , was still the preferred method acting . ) When tools were not pronto furnish ( experimentation two ) , many chimpanzee went out and source their own from natural flora in the enclosure .
The study authors also note that chimps were recognise recycle certain tools and would often pluck longsighted putz over shorter ones .
The researchers say that while there are problem with comparing an experiment in a captive context to the tangible - life development of foraging behavior in the wilderness , they believe that our hominin ancestor would have learned to excavate with creature in a similar elbow room to the chimps in the study .
adorably , in addition to the above behavior , the researchers also reported chimpanzee taking turns to dig holes and share successfully excavate fruit with others in the chemical group .
Not to baby theirMachiavellian reputationtoo quickly , one was also catch steal yield from a fellow chimpanzee – and running off with its prize .
