Photo courtesy of Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue

We are finding out more and more about animals who use ‘tools’ in their daily lives. Animals in a group may also learn from each other and pass this information on to each other. Scientists call this ‘cultural transmission’.

The first documented case of wild orangutans making and using tools was reported from a population of orangutans in Indonesia in 1996. They used tools which they had crafted either for extracting insects or seeds to eat.

Researchers then went on to look at how tool-use varied between orangutans living in different regions. They compared the tool-use of orangutans at six different areas. It was found that the different orangutan populations behaved differently and these differences were greatest between groups living furthest apart. Orangutans who lived in larger groups and who were socially tolerant used tools more than those who were isolated.

Photo courtesy of Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue

The evidence suggested that the differences in behavior were cultural: firstly, because the extent of the differences increased with distance, and secondly, because the extent of the orangutans’ tool-use increased according the amount of social contact in their group. Social contact increases the amount of cultural transmission.

This video clip shows orangutans at a sanctuary copying behaviours they learned through observing their human counterparts. They learned how to manoeuvre a canoe, paint, wash with soap and even use a saw!

Orangutans are fascinating animals but their future is under threat. Their rainforest habitat is being cut down at an alarming rate for logging and agriculture, including plantations of palm oil, a vegetable oil widely used in food and everyday products. You may wish to choose products which do not contain palm oil. Some companies claim to use sustainably-produced palm oil.

Sources:

van Schaik C.P., Fox,E.A., Sitompul AF. (1996). Manufacture and use of tools in wild Sumatran orangutans – implications or human evolution. Naturwissenschaften 83: 186-188.

van Schaik C.P., Knott C.D., (2001) Geographic variation in tool use on Neesia fruits in orangutans. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 114:331-342

van Schaik C.P., van Noordwijk M.A., Wich, S.A. (2006) Innovation in wild Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). Behaviour 143: 839-876

van Schaik C.P., Ancrenaz M., Borgen G., Galdikas B., Knott C.D., Singleton I., Suzuki A., Utami S.S., Merrill M. (2003). Orangutan cultures and the evolution of material culture. Science 299: 102-105

Credit: Roger Steene

The veined octopus is a truly amazing underwater character. Researchers in Melbourne have discovered that they get up to some surprising antics – using coconut shells.

These octopi collect coconut shells discarded by their human neighbours, gather them under their body and then carry them and walk, rather awkwardly, for up to 20m at a time. The scientists dubbed this as ‘stilt-walking’ due to the unusual way the octopus has to use its legs whilst carrying the shells.

The octopus goes to this considerable effort so he or she has portable ‘armour’. If suddenly under threat the octopus could create instant camouflage and protection by climbing in between two coconut halves.

This is really significant, as use of tools by animals is said to be a sign of higher mental functioning, as is planning for the future. Some people used to believe that only humans had such advanced abilities, but we increasingly find that other animals have so many unsuspected abilities – including a mind of their own. (see Rooks, Pigs).

Here is another shining example of amazing animals and a valuable reminder that animals can have many hidden abilities that we are yet to notice and appreciate.

Watch original video footage here.

ITN coverage:

Source: Finn, J. K., Treganza, T. and Norman, M. D. (2009) Defensive tool use in a coconut – carrying octopus, Current Biology, 19 (23): R1069-R1070.

Julian K. Finn^{1, 2,} , Tom Tregenza^3, and Mark D. Norman¹

This helping is not just reserved for other chimps too – in a previous study by Warneken, chimps were also witnessed helping humans in a similar task and handing a stick to them on request. Videos of both of these experiments can be found below.

Chimp helps human- scroll down the page, and play the first video in the list.

Sources:
Yamamoto, S., Humle, T.,Tanaka, M. (2009)
Chimpanzees Help Each Other upon Request
PLoS ONE, 4(10): e7416

Warneken, F., Hare, B., Melis, A. P., Hanus, D., Tomasello, M.
Spontaneous Altruism by Chimpanzees and Young Children
PLoS Biol 5(7): e184

The farmer of course needs to replace the collars of the sows who discarded theirs, otherwise those sows will not get any food.

A TV series called ‘Clever Critters’ filmed some of these sows and you can see them here:

The clip says the sows are only fed one meal per day. The farmer does provide straw, a really important basic enrichment for pigs. But these clever animals may be hungry and they also will look for interesting activities to fill their days of pregnancy. It is admirable how they use their wits to beat the system!

Pigs are intelligent and curious and need an interesting environment. Image (c) Compassion in World Farming/Martin Usborne

“A cat looks down on man, a dog looks up to man,
but a pig will look man right in the eye and see his equal.” 
Winston Churchill

Rooks have not been seen to use tools in the wild. But not only can they use tools, they can use two in succession and they can make new ones. This BBC article reports research in which the rooks worked out how to get a food treat from a apparatus consisting of a tube and a small trap door. They needed to choose a suitable stone and drop it into a tube to release the trap door and get their treat. They chose the heaviest stone as the most likely to be weighty enough to make the trap door open. They also  had to choose from different-shaped stones, not all of which would fit into the tube. They chose the best-shaped stone! Here’s the film of the clever rooks with rocks.

Rooks are even more clever than we thought. Photo: foxypar4

The birds also quickly learnt how to bend a straight piece of wire to make a hook, so they could pull up a small container with food in it from the bottom of a test tube. It is amazing to see! Watch the film clip.

Betty, a captive New Caledonian crow, was the only captive bird who had previously been seen to do this. Crows in the wild do use tools, such as twigs and leaves. They use their beaks to make these tools into a satisfactory shape and then pick up ants and other insects. They also use grass stems. The rooks showed they can use and make tools too; three out of four made a hook in their first trial. One of the researchers pointed out: “The study shows the creativity and insight that rooks have when they solve problems.”

Jane Goodall and friend. Image (c) Michael Neugebauer

Dr Jane Goodall’s pioneering studies of wild chimpanzees revolutionised our knowledge about the sentience of these amazing animals.

This event is an exciting chance to meet Dr Goodall, hear more about her fascinating life and work, and take part in an informative question and answer session. Tickets are £20 for members of the Jane Goodall Institute and £40 for non members.

For more information and to book tickets, please contact Claire Quarendon at The Jane Goodall Institute, UK . 
Tel: 023 8033 5660 or email claire@janegoodall.org.uk

According to Sky News, clever Karta then “piled up debris to help her climb over a concrete and glass wall.”

Karta took herself back to the enclosure after an hour. The zoo curator says that Karta is ”ingenious”, and that she watches the day to day activities of zoo staff with interest – probably to see what she can learn!

Many animals, including great apes, pigs and elephants, have developed intelligence to obtain a living from their complex environments. Orang-utans in nature live in the Indonesian rainforest, one of the most biodiverse environments in the world.

Lives of Animals.org has some concerns with the comment in this clip that Karta’s enclosure will be “pruned.” While increased security may be wanted, restricting Karta’s environment is unlikely to be the best outcome for her. While the zoo has clearly attempted to provide an interesting enclosure for Karta, perhaps her escape attempt tells us that all is not well with her world. We have to ask to what extent is it possible to provide for the needs of complex, wide-ranging animals in captivity?

Never underestimate an orang-utan
There’s a anecdote often told about great apes and if you know its origins, please let us know.

Don't underestimate us

If you give a screwdriver to a gorilla, he will look at it briefly and then discard it.
If you give the screwdriver to a chimp, he’ll think of a hundred uses for it.
If you give the screwdriver to an orang-utan, he’ll pretend to ignore it until you’ve gone, when he will let himself of the cage with it…

More information
You can read more about amazing orang-utans here.

Santino, a chimp who is in a zoo in Sweden, has attracted huge media interest by his planning  for the future. Chimps in zoos are known for throwing stones at visitors. But Santino has been searching his enclosure for stones and loose concrete. He has been both storing these up, and making discs out of concrete, to later throw at visitors to the zoo during what are called “dominance displays” (perhaps when he is stressed or fed up at being stared at).

Santino - a very clever chimp

The signs are, then, that chimps can plan for the future. Previously scientists had thought only humans were capable of planning ahead in this way, but based on these kinds of observations, it is likely that other animals can too. Dr Osvath, Santino’s researcher, is reported as saying: “I bet there must be a lot of these kinds of behaviours out there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we find them in dolphins or other species.”

What’s more, planning is not the end of Santino’s abilities, as the article tells us:

“Most interestingly, Santino seems to have learned how to spot weak parts of the concrete “boulders” in the centre of the enclosure. When water seeps into cracks in the concrete and freezes, portions become detached that make a hollow sound when tapped. Santino was observed gently knocking on the “boulders”, hitting harder to detach bits that were loosened and adding those to his stashes of ammunition.”

You can see Santino on the film clip below. Lives of Animals.org has some concerns with this clip. Firstly, it is entitled “Naughty chimp’s human ways”, when Santino is not “naughty”. The report says that if he carries on his “naughty ways”, staff will keep him indoors. Santino already has a far from natural life and it’s important to seek a better answer such as enriching his environment, rather than restricting it further.

Zoo staff are said to be calling Santino "The Thinker."

Animals are capable of experiencing a rich quality of life and Santino’s story shows us how clever they can be. In our treatment of animals, we need to pay attention to their quality of life.

Source of story: BBC News