March 9, 2009 -- If non-human primates could be arrested, Santino the chimp might be behind jail bars for throwing stones and handcrafted weapons at zoo visitors, since a new study found his cleverly orchestrated attacks were premeditated. The discovery, published in the latest issue of Current Biology, provides evidence that chimpanzees can plan for a future, rather than a current, mental state. This, in turn, implies "advanced consciousness and cognition traditionally not associated with animals," according to Mathias Osvath, who conducted the study. Staff at the Furuvik Zoo in Sweden first became suspicious in 1997 when they spotted multiple stone piles at the park's "chimpanzee island" where Santino lives, explained Osvath, a Lund University researcher in the field of cognitive science. A caretaker performed surveillance by hiding herself behind a blind to investigate what was going on. Related Content:
She observed that "on five consecutive days, before the zoo opened, the chimpanzee gathered stones from the water and placed them in caches." Later on each of these days, Santino was seen throwing the rocks at unsuspecting zoo visitors. "Stone throwing toward a crowd of people has an instant and dramatic effect," Osvath wrote, "and was a way to evoke reactions across the water moat that enclosed the chimpanzee." In 1998, Santino tweaked his method by adding pieces of concrete to his ammunition. In order to do this, he had to detect invisible weak areas in concrete rock structures located at the center of the island. "The chimpanzee was observed to gently knock on the concrete rocks, from time to time delivering harder blows to break off the detached surface in section in discoidal pieces, and sometimes breaking these into further smaller fragments," Osvath explained, adding that "these manufactured missiles were often transported to the caches at the shoreline." Since Santino's behavior was first noticed, Osvath and various zoo staff have observed him gathering stones on at least 50 distinct occasions, and manufacturing concrete "missile" discs around 18 times. Santino is the lone male on the island, which he has shared with multiple females over the years. The females "seem to show little interest in the stone caches and concrete disc manufacturing." Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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