How chimps became followers of fashion
Apes copy grass ‘style’ in blow to belief that only humans have culture
WHEN a chimp took to wearing a few grass stalks in its ears, it was not the most obvious of fashion statements.
But to students of great ape behaviour it was as shocking as if they had spotted Coco Chanel swinging from tree to tree.
For Julie the chimp’s new look apparently suggests it’s not just humans who have culture.
In fact, one expert now reckons that the long-held idea that culture separates human beings from animals and their reliance on instinct could be profoundly wrong.
Professor Andrew Whiten says that if culture is seen as traditions passed on by learning from others, not only is it not unique to humans, but it could extend to a wide range of mammals, birds, fish and even insects.
In one example, a group of chimpanzees being studied at a sanctuary in Zambia was seen developing a cultural tradition of wearing a grass blade fashionably in one ear.
After pioneer Julie began the trend, others copied her style until eight out of 12 in the group were following suit.
Professor Whiten, from the school of psychology and neuroscience at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said: ‘The all-pervading cultural nature of our species was long thought to define what it is to be human, separating us from the rest of the natural world and the evolutionary processes that shape it. Other species were thought to live by instinct and some ability to learn, but only humans had culture.
‘A growing body of research has revealed a different picture. Culture pervades animals’ lifetimes from infancy to adulthood.
The young of many species may learn from their parents, but increasingly learn from the skills of others – as humans do, even coming to focus on those in their group who display the greatest expertise – for example, using tools.
‘Apes dispersing as adults into new groups have been found to adopt local habits different to those back home. “When in Rome do as the Romans do” appears a useful rule of what can be learned from locals in an environment new to these animal immigrants.’
In his review of decades of research into the field, published in the journal Science, Professor Whiten also argues the scope of the discoveries has wide-ranging implications for evolutionary biology and conservation. It also throws light on a second form of evolution – cultural evolution.’
He added: ‘It must be recognised that culture is not a uniquely human capacity that emerged “out of the blue”, but has deep evolutionary roots.’
‘It didn’t emerge out of the blue’