An adult male chimpanzee throws rocks in Guinea-Bissau - Photo: CHIMBO FOUNDATION
Occasionally, cameras capture chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) howling and throwing rocks at a sturdy tree trunk in the forest – an act that some believe is a form of ritual, according to ScienceAlert on June 9.
Footage taken over five years at a nature reserve in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, by a research team from Wageningen University (Netherlands) and the German Primate Research Centre reveals a series of performances by chimpanzees using musical instruments made from rocks and trees.
Footage taken at various times shows adult male chimpanzees approaching a large tree before beginning to howl and throw rocks at its trunk. They appear to be enjoying and excited by this display.
This is similar to another type of "drumming" also performed by chimpanzees: they remain silent and use their hands or feet to strike hollow tree roots. However, when using stone instruments, the structure of the performance can also be reversed, with some chimpanzees howling before and after throwing stones at the tree trunk, or some howling after throwing stones.
In some instances, the howling and the sound of rocks hitting tree trunks seemed to trigger a response from other chimpanzees nearby. The research team suggests this may be a form of communication when the chimpanzees are far apart.
Video capturing chimpanzee performances at a reserve in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa - Source: SEM VAN LOON/YOUTUBE
"It's possible that these loud, low-frequency sounds travel further than typical group communication," said behavioral biologist Sem van Loon, one of the study's authors.
Videos showing chimpanzees "playing musical instruments with stones" may help us better understand this tree-tapping behavior, but the purpose of this remains a mystery to humans.
The study was published in the journal Biology Letters .
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/xem-tinh-tinh-dung-da-lam-nhac-cu-2025061010420145.htm
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