Tool Use and Tool Making in Wild Chimpanzees

TLDR

The study investigates how various factors influence the acquisition, benefits, frequency, and complexity of tool use and tool making in chimpanzees. The authors analyze observations from three wild chimpanzee populations—Mahale, Gombe, and Taï—to examine these factors. Tool use and making are most frequent at Taï, where chimpanzees perform more material modifications, pound objects, and combine tools, whereas tool making is common for abundant materials but less so for scarce hard materials.

Abstract

Reported incidences of tool use and tool making for three wild chimpanzee populations increase from Mahale (12 and 3 types of use and making, respectively), Gombe (16 and 3) to Taï (19 and 6). Sticks are commonly used and prepared at all three sites. However, Taï chimpanzees seem to perform more modifications on the material before using it. They are also the only chimpanzees seen to pound objects with tools and to combine two different tool uses to get access to one food item. Tool making is the rule for abundant material (grass, twigs), but appears to be rarer for scarce, hard material (clubs, stones). Factors involved in the acquisition and the benefit of tool use are discussed along with factors affecting the frequency and complexity of tool making in chimpanzees.