Tool Use
January 20, 2017 by J.B. -
Tool use was once thought to be a defining characteristic of the human species.
8 Comments
Subscribe to the Blog and
Get Notified of New Posts First!
If you like what see, be sure to subscribe. Personally written by the caregivers themselves, 365 days a year, you’ll get an insiders glimpse of all the goings on at the sanctuary. Follow us!
What a DELIGHTFUL vid!! Tx so much!! I’ve even observed crows using tools, so chimps ~ no question!! They are so inquisitive and smart ~ so much like us!! Hugs to you all!
Thank you J.B. for this video compilation proving the intelligence, curiosity, skill, and wit of chimpanzees . This might be My new favorite video posted, leaves no doubt that chimpanzees (especially CSNW chimps????) are brilliant. Especially liked the sheer genius of “using a tool for the fun it”. Very clever concept from start to finish. And I also liked “using a tool to attack scary toy object while protecting oneself”. Had to chuckle at the fact that the majority of these clips show Jamie in action. ????
In the hierarchy of the natural world, I hope someday humankind stops placing themselves on a pedestal and realizes that we are animals too. Every species with unique capabilities and all of us connected.
I concur with Kathleen! We are all connected. We evolved from a common ancestor so it is not surprising that they are tool users too! I was especially pleased to see the playing of the ukulele 🙂 I just started playing it myself! LOL!!
Fabulous video, thank you. Have to love “taking apart the building…”
What a remarkable video. These are remarkable Chimps. Thank you so much J.B.
“Self-grooming” – I see tool modification there as well!
Do the chimps display a dominant hand the way humans? Whoever was drawing appeared to be left handed. Love them so much.
Yes, they do. Handedness seems to be passed down through familial lines, though I’m not sure offhand how much of this is due to genetic inheritance and how much is due to social learning. My understanding is that right-handedness is more prevalent than left-handedness in chimpanzees but to a lesser degree than what is observed in humans. The dominance of a particular hand also seems to vary by task, pointing toward the influence of hemispheric dominance in certain cognitive and motor tasks. Jamie is the one drawing in the video and she is most certainly a lefty.