Two new important research findings about chimps behavior!
There are new research findings from Dindefelo, published in Nature, on chimp behaviour – the branch of ethology Jane started in 1960. Wild chimps use advanced memory to locate and revisit concealed underground nests of army ants over multiple years. By employing both spatial and episodic-like memory, chimpanzees recall the exact location of nests and their past foraging success, helping them find this challenging food source in the wild!
To pee or not to pee, that appears to be the question. New findings show that urinating is contagious in chimps, the researchers call it “socially contagious urination”: The same way yawning is contagious in humans – who also tend to go to the bathroom in groups – chimps are more likely to begin to pee if a nearby chimp had already started. They were also more likely to join a urinating chimp who was more dominant in the group’s hierarchy. It is still not clear what this behaviour means, but it is likely part of complex social interactions.
Chimps never stop surprising us! 🐒