Chimps With Spears
Chimps with spears! Oh my! What’s next; chimps on horseback using guns? Those damn dirty apes!
For those of you who missed the news reports last week, chimpanzees in Fongoli, Senegal have been observed making and using spears to hunt other primates.
Researchers observed female and adolescent chimpanzees actually select certain sticks, strip them of heir leaves, break them to a certain length, and then chew the ends to make them sharp. They then used these primitive spears to hunt by stabbing the ends into holes where they believe prey was hiding.
(A photo of an actual chimpanzee spear (Journal Current Biology))
To clarify, these chimps were observed using these spears to “actually forcibly stab into holes.” This is a very different behavior than poking or probing for food, which chimps had already been known to do.
In fact, one chimp was actually observed killing a bush-baby (a type of lemur, see below photo) by stabbing it with its spear.
The importance of this discovery, which was funded by the National Geographic Soceity and reported by Iowa State Assistant Professor of Anthropolgy Jill Prutez and graduate student Paco Bertolani of the University of Cambridge in England, is that this is the first time a non-himan species was observed habitually using tools for the specific act of hunting.
More importantly, this discovery has anthropologists such as Ms. Prutez believing that this behavior, which is believed to be a direct result of the unusual harsh living conditions these particular chimpanzees face, may exhibit similarities to early hominids and the way they used tools six million years ago.
Interestingly, this behavior of making and using spears seems limited to female and adolescent chimpanzees. So far, only one adult male has been observed hunting in this particular manner. Per Ms. Prutez:
Naturally, a discovery like this, and it’s apparent link to females of the species, has led some researchers, such as Dr. William McGrew of Cambridge University to make an even more extreme assertion about gender roles in evolution. Based on the fact that female chimps primarily use tools for collecting plants and invertebrate foods, and now have been observed using spear like weapons to hunt, it may be likely that the origins of human technology started with females.
While I have absolutely no problem agreeing with the assertion that a female chimp wielding a spear could actually compete with her male counter-part, I’m not ready to jump on the bandwagon with those researchers that say we may need to reexamine our evolutionary history based on this discovery. That’s not because I disagree with the notion that there could have, or ever were spear wielding female hunters in our prehistoric past either. My opinion is simply based on the numerous anthropologic studies, which have shown that in most primitive cultures work related to obtaining food is clearly divided; women for the most part gather food and tend crops, while men hunt.
However, how specific gender roles were in prehistoric times is unknown, and it is very possible females took a more active role in hunting and tool development. I mean why not. Female predators hunt for themselves, and man is a predatory species.
[Comment: Some research indicates that the hunting vs. gathering male/female division of labor only occured in our "modern" human species and might have been one of the reasons we out-competed Neanderthals. So perhaps in such earlier human species (and the "missing links" between us and earlier apes) such a thesis would make more sense. --Spencer]
As Pruetz states:
Wouldn’t that be something, and what would it lead to next?
If chimpanzees do start wielding spears, does that mean they will start hunting bigger and bigger game, and that over time their brains will evolve making them even more human than they appear to be now?
Maybe researchers are right, and it's true that we humans our watching our evolution repeat itself.
Clearly, evidence exists that we are genetically similar to chimpanzees, and one study has gone so far as to state that it may have been possible that chimps and early humans even mated and gave birth to hybrid species.
In other reports such as “Chimps Learned Tool Use Long Ago Without Human Help” by Heather Whipps (Special to LiveScience posted: 12 February 2007 http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070212_chimp_tools.html) clearly asserts that chimpanzees learned to make tools on their own volition some 4,300 years ago. An assertion that shows a parallel intelligence to humans, and contradicts the belief that chimpanzees are just imitating behaviors they witnessed humans doing.
(Close-up of a so-called 'chimpanzee stone hammer' under excavation. Credit: University of Calgary)
Of course, more research needs to be done, and one must keep in mind that reports linking primate behavior to those of are early hominid ancestors is nothing new. More importantly, one must remember that these reports are not limited to chimpanzees either.
Back in September of 2005, a report titled “Gorillas Photographed Using Tools” by Bjorn Carey (LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 29 September 2005 http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/050929_gorilla_tools.html) also made comparisons between gorillas using tools to measure water depth and as a support device/bridge to that of our human ancestors.
Now before anyone gets worried that we humans are soon going to face an army of “evolved” spear wielding chimpanzees, it should be noted that similar behavior has been observed before, in areas such as Gombe, Tanzania. Per Ian Gilby, who studies chimpanzee hunting at Harvard University, chimpanzees are frequently observed sticking sticks into holes of trees to make the holes bigger so they can reach in and get honey and small birds. However, Mr. Gilby, also stated that if the chimpanzees from Senegal are actually “sharpening” the ends of their sticks that would indeed be a new, never before seen behavior.
What Mr. Gilby is basically stating is the same question many researchers have; is this behavior really new or just behavior already observed countless times? I guess the answer to that question will depend on the results of further investigation, and more first hand accounts of this behavior by different researchers.
In the meantime, while waiting for further evidence to support either conclusion, I don’t find it that hard to believe that some chimpanzees are using spears to hunt. Chimpanzees often display an intellectual capacity and complexity we humans tend to overlook. I think people really don’t want to think about how closely our two species are really related.
As someone who enjoys studying anthropology, and has spent years researching the roots of martial arts, I find the correlation of this discovery to that of early man very interesting and something I will certainly follow as more reports are published.
However, as interesting as the above report was, what intrigued me the most about this discovery was another report I read during the same week that is in direct contrast to this story of “chimp evolution” (so to speak). That story was a report recently issued indicating that the average US high school graduate can’t read or do arithmetic at even a basic level.
This “dumbing down,” or dare I say apparent signs of intellectual de-evolution among American youths, makes me really wonder if the writers of the movie, The Planet of the Apes,” were onto something.
I means if chimps are getting smarter and becoming more like us…. Well you get the idea.
For those of you who missed the news reports last week, chimpanzees in Fongoli, Senegal have been observed making and using spears to hunt other primates.
Researchers observed female and adolescent chimpanzees actually select certain sticks, strip them of heir leaves, break them to a certain length, and then chew the ends to make them sharp. They then used these primitive spears to hunt by stabbing the ends into holes where they believe prey was hiding.
(A photo of an actual chimpanzee spear (Journal Current Biology))
To clarify, these chimps were observed using these spears to “actually forcibly stab into holes.” This is a very different behavior than poking or probing for food, which chimps had already been known to do.
In fact, one chimp was actually observed killing a bush-baby (a type of lemur, see below photo) by stabbing it with its spear.
The importance of this discovery, which was funded by the National Geographic Soceity and reported by Iowa State Assistant Professor of Anthropolgy Jill Prutez and graduate student Paco Bertolani of the University of Cambridge in England, is that this is the first time a non-himan species was observed habitually using tools for the specific act of hunting.
More importantly, this discovery has anthropologists such as Ms. Prutez believing that this behavior, which is believed to be a direct result of the unusual harsh living conditions these particular chimpanzees face, may exhibit similarities to early hominids and the way they used tools six million years ago.
Interestingly, this behavior of making and using spears seems limited to female and adolescent chimpanzees. So far, only one adult male has been observed hunting in this particular manner. Per Ms. Prutez:
“The observation that individuals hunting with tools include females and immature chimpanzees suggests that we should rethink traditional explanations for the evolution of such behavior in our own lineage.”I find that assertion intriguing, albeit impossible to ever prove. However, before we start re-writing history books, it should be noted that these researchers also believe the reason female and adolescent chimps are using these spears is because of their weaker and smaller stature compared to full-grown males they have to compete with. Certainly, the use of a spear would be a great equalizer, and by using weaponry female and adolescent chimps would not have to rely on their strength alone to catch and kill prey.
Naturally, a discovery like this, and it’s apparent link to females of the species, has led some researchers, such as Dr. William McGrew of Cambridge University to make an even more extreme assertion about gender roles in evolution. Based on the fact that female chimps primarily use tools for collecting plants and invertebrate foods, and now have been observed using spear like weapons to hunt, it may be likely that the origins of human technology started with females.
While I have absolutely no problem agreeing with the assertion that a female chimp wielding a spear could actually compete with her male counter-part, I’m not ready to jump on the bandwagon with those researchers that say we may need to reexamine our evolutionary history based on this discovery. That’s not because I disagree with the notion that there could have, or ever were spear wielding female hunters in our prehistoric past either. My opinion is simply based on the numerous anthropologic studies, which have shown that in most primitive cultures work related to obtaining food is clearly divided; women for the most part gather food and tend crops, while men hunt.
However, how specific gender roles were in prehistoric times is unknown, and it is very possible females took a more active role in hunting and tool development. I mean why not. Female predators hunt for themselves, and man is a predatory species.
[Comment: Some research indicates that the hunting vs. gathering male/female division of labor only occured in our "modern" human species and might have been one of the reasons we out-competed Neanderthals. So perhaps in such earlier human species (and the "missing links" between us and earlier apes) such a thesis would make more sense. --Spencer]
As Pruetz states:
"It's classic in primates that when there is a new innovation, particularly in terms of tool use, the younger generations pick it up very quickly. The last ones to pick up are adults, mainly the males."Needless to say, if one believes Ms Pruetz’s statement is true, and this is just the start of a new behavior, maybe within a generation or two all Fongoli chimpanzees will be wielding spears.
Wouldn’t that be something, and what would it lead to next?
If chimpanzees do start wielding spears, does that mean they will start hunting bigger and bigger game, and that over time their brains will evolve making them even more human than they appear to be now?
Maybe researchers are right, and it's true that we humans our watching our evolution repeat itself.
Clearly, evidence exists that we are genetically similar to chimpanzees, and one study has gone so far as to state that it may have been possible that chimps and early humans even mated and gave birth to hybrid species.
In other reports such as “Chimps Learned Tool Use Long Ago Without Human Help” by Heather Whipps (Special to LiveScience posted: 12 February 2007 http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/070212_chimp_tools.html) clearly asserts that chimpanzees learned to make tools on their own volition some 4,300 years ago. An assertion that shows a parallel intelligence to humans, and contradicts the belief that chimpanzees are just imitating behaviors they witnessed humans doing.
(Close-up of a so-called 'chimpanzee stone hammer' under excavation. Credit: University of Calgary)
Of course, more research needs to be done, and one must keep in mind that reports linking primate behavior to those of are early hominid ancestors is nothing new. More importantly, one must remember that these reports are not limited to chimpanzees either.
Back in September of 2005, a report titled “Gorillas Photographed Using Tools” by Bjorn Carey (LiveScience Staff Writer posted: 29 September 2005 http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/050929_gorilla_tools.html) also made comparisons between gorillas using tools to measure water depth and as a support device/bridge to that of our human ancestors.
 |  |
| As Leah waded into the pool, she frequently used the branch in her righthand to test the pool’s depth. Credit: Thomas Breuer/WCS/PLoS Biology | Efi using a branch for support as she searches for herbs. Credit: Thomas Breuer/WCS/PLoS Biology |
Now before anyone gets worried that we humans are soon going to face an army of “evolved” spear wielding chimpanzees, it should be noted that similar behavior has been observed before, in areas such as Gombe, Tanzania. Per Ian Gilby, who studies chimpanzee hunting at Harvard University, chimpanzees are frequently observed sticking sticks into holes of trees to make the holes bigger so they can reach in and get honey and small birds. However, Mr. Gilby, also stated that if the chimpanzees from Senegal are actually “sharpening” the ends of their sticks that would indeed be a new, never before seen behavior.
 |  |
What Mr. Gilby is basically stating is the same question many researchers have; is this behavior really new or just behavior already observed countless times? I guess the answer to that question will depend on the results of further investigation, and more first hand accounts of this behavior by different researchers.
In the meantime, while waiting for further evidence to support either conclusion, I don’t find it that hard to believe that some chimpanzees are using spears to hunt. Chimpanzees often display an intellectual capacity and complexity we humans tend to overlook. I think people really don’t want to think about how closely our two species are really related.
As someone who enjoys studying anthropology, and has spent years researching the roots of martial arts, I find the correlation of this discovery to that of early man very interesting and something I will certainly follow as more reports are published.
However, as interesting as the above report was, what intrigued me the most about this discovery was another report I read during the same week that is in direct contrast to this story of “chimp evolution” (so to speak). That story was a report recently issued indicating that the average US high school graduate can’t read or do arithmetic at even a basic level.
This “dumbing down,” or dare I say apparent signs of intellectual de-evolution among American youths, makes me really wonder if the writers of the movie, The Planet of the Apes,” were onto something.
I means if chimps are getting smarter and becoming more like us…. Well you get the idea.
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