Chimpanzees are intelligent primates, known for their diverse tool use in the wild. One example is their sophisticated method of extracting termites from nests, a skill acquired through learning. This foraging technique demonstrates their adaptability and cognitive abilities. Their ability to manipulate objects for food highlights their intelligence and social learning.
The Termite Extraction Process
Chimpanzees use specific tools and actions to extract termites, a valuable food source. They select slender objects like grass stems, twigs, or vine pieces, often modifying them by stripping leaves or breaking them to a suitable length. Some even prepare a brush-tipped probe by pulling herb stems through their teeth, making the tool more efficient at gathering termites. The tool is then inserted into the narrow tunnels of a termite mound.
Once inside, termites instinctively bite and cling to the object. The chimpanzee slowly withdraws the tool, bringing out a cluster of termites. The insects are then eaten directly from the probe or swept into the hand. This technique, often called “termite fishing,” allows chimpanzees to access a protein-rich food source.
Learning Through Observation
Young chimpanzees learn the skill of termite extraction by observing their mothers and other experienced adults. This observational learning transmits this complex behavior across generations. Infants begin interacting with tools and termite mounds within their first one to two years, watching their elders.
Young chimps sit close to their mothers, observing how tools are selected, modified, inserted, and withdrawn. They might even handle discarded tools or attempt rudimentary insertions into the termite mound while mimicking the actions they see. This social transmission underscores that termite fishing is a learned tradition within chimpanzee communities, rather than an innate behavior.
Developing Skill Through Practice
After observing skilled adults, young chimpanzees enter a period of practice, characterized by trial and error. They begin with clumsy attempts, struggling to select appropriate tools or insert them effectively into termite tunnels. This phase can take several years, with proficiency typically achieved by around 5.5 years of age.
During this practice, young chimps refine their technique, improving their tool selection by choosing materials with suitable flexibility for navigating the winding tunnels. They learn to adjust insertion depth and withdrawal speed to maximize their termite haul. The persistence displayed by young chimpanzees during these hundreds of attempts at puncturing subterranean nests highlights the dedication required to master this physically demanding skill. This extended practice allows them to develop the dexterity and precision necessary for effective termite extraction.
Regional Differences in Technique
Termite extraction techniques exhibit remarkable variation across different chimpanzee communities, providing strong evidence for the cultural transmission of this skill. For example, chimpanzees in Central Africa’s Congo Basin often use “tool sets,” which involve a perforating stick to open the nest followed by a fishing probe, unlike East and West African chimpanzees who may use a single tool. Some communities, like those in the Goualougo Triangle, modify their fishing probes by creating a brush-tipped end, which can be ten times more efficient at capturing termites than an unmodified tool.
These regional differences extend to posture and specific tool handling. Chimpanzees in Wonga Wongué, Gabon, might lie on their sides to fish for termites, while those in Korup, Cameroon, lean on their elbows. The Goualougo chimps, conversely, often sit while performing this task. Such variations in technique, despite similar environmental conditions, demonstrate that these behaviors are passed down through social learning within specific groups, forming distinct cultural traditions.