The chimp's calculating behavior began one year after the group's dominant male died, and appears to somewhat mirror primate dominance displays in the wild. Due to weather and other restrictions, the chimps are only on public display for 25 percent of the year, so the Swedish chimps may be less accustomed to human gawkers than are chimpanzees housed at other zoos. Chimps may not even be the only animals that feel compelled to attack humans with rocks from time to time. Antonio Moura, who conducted research while in the Department of Biological Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, observed capuchin monkeys at Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil. Moura noticed that whenever he approached, the monkeys would move to higher ground and search for a loose stone, which they would then hit on a rock surface several times. This activity not only led to a disturbing noise racket, but it also dislodged other stones that could hit Moura, or any other approaching individual, from below. Scientists at the Primate Research Institute in Kyoto have additionally documented Japanese macaques making noise with stones, as well as throwing them. "The recent emergence of a unique behavior, stone throwing, may serve to augment the effect of intimidation displays," concluded primatologist Michael Huffman and his colleagues. "Research on such transformation may shed light on the evolution of stone-tool use in early hominids." Related Links: |
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