A New Study Shows Orangutan Cultural Tradition May Be Similar to Humans

A new study proves: When the gorilla was very young when they began to form their own view of the outside world - in particular, in what circumstances, how to use a particular tool. The study pointed out that the cultural traditions of the orangutan perhaps not much different with humans.

And human, orangutan behavior and transform diverse as the geographical differences. For example, an area of ​​orangutans use tools, another area of ​​orangutan without the use of tools. In the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, from the western Sumatra Ailas River Marshes 60-year-old orangutan will use wooden sticks to find honey. However, researchers have never found the coastal areas of the eastern shore of orangutans use this way to collect nectar.

Many experts said, the orangutan learned by observing human collecting nectar This method of collecting nectar. Yale University anthropologist David Watts said, it is difficult to prove that even observe the most careful researchers. He also said that wild orangutans can always adapt to their surrounding environment. The environmental impact of their behavior is far greater than the impact of social learning.

Scientists are allowed to test the orangutan social ability to learn the extent to which the impact of their behavior. Deforestation makes many Ailas River gorilla orphaned, they are locked up in northern Sumatra the Batu Mbelin shelters. Initially, they are quarantine and isolation for a period of time, and then exiled to the large population.

Anthropological Institute and Museum of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, psychologists Thibaud Gruber and his colleagues began to study the orangutans of the Batu Mbelin isolated. The research team challenges based on two wooden sticks to the orangutan set: rake the food into their cage and feed with a wooden honey.

The orangutan from both sides will soon rake food into the cage. Gruber said: "This shows that all orangutans can understand wooden sticks as tools."...