Wild monkeys learn from dominant individuals in the group, regardless of gender, age or family ties, a Swiss study has found.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/jc
The studyExternal link by researchers at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) also found that group learning promotes further learning by individual monkeys on their own. Its findings are published in Nature CommunicationsExternal link.
“In human societies, opinion leaders and decision makers play a crucial role in our culture,” says project leader Erica van de Waal. “Our findings among the Vervet monkeys suggest that these rules have their roots in evolution.”
She has been leading the “Inkawu Vervet Project” since 2010, studying wild monkeys in South Africa.
For this experiment, two groups of wild Vervet monkeys were given boxes which could open in two ways, either by lifting the lid up or by pulling a drawer out. The boxes, containing a slice of apple as a reward, were placed at dawn by the monkeys’ resting place, and the animals were free to investigate at will. A research team member observed which monkey got the fruit first, by which method, and which other monkeys were watching.
In both groups it was a dominant monkey that succeeded first, a male in one group and a female in the other.
“The method for opening the boxes was passed from the higher ranking individuals to the lower ranking ones,” reports Charlotte Canteloup from the research team.
The researchers found that after learning one of the box-opening methods in the group, the monkeys had a much higher chance of discovering the other method by themselves.
More
More
Basel monkey house welcomes new residents
This content was published on
Newborns of three Latin-American monkey species – coppery titis, spider monkeys and cotton-top tamarins – have come into the world at Basel Zoo.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
This content was published on
Published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, the researchers’ observations of chimpanzees and bonobos in Uganda and the Congo showed that young male chimps are more likely to use objects for play as youngsters. While using rocks or sticks, they would laugh or smile in a playful way without using the objects for specific tasks. …
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.