Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Nonhuman primates are known to use objects as tools. Amongst the great apes, gorillas seem to be the least proficient tool users. Previous research has shown that the western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the Buffalo Zoo use buckets, given for enrichment, to collect water (Margulis,...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Animal Behavior and Cognition
2015-02-01
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| Series: | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/5/08.LeFauve_Margulis_FINAL.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819240191401918464 |
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| author | Matthew K. LeFauve Susan W. Margulis |
| author_facet | Matthew K. LeFauve Susan W. Margulis |
| author_sort | Matthew K. LeFauve |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nonhuman primates are known to use objects as tools. Amongst the great apes, gorillas seem to be the least proficient tool users. Previous research has shown that the western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the Buffalo Zoo use buckets, given for enrichment, to collect water (Margulis, Steele, & Kleinfelder, 2012). To further explore the cognitive ability of these gorillas, a study was designed that tested whether the gorillas could distinguish between a functional and a non-functional manipulable object. The gorillas were given four buckets, two of which had holes drilled in the bottom (the “non-functional” bucket). Seventy-eight hours of videotaped data were collected to test the hypothesis that the gorillas could distinguish between the functional and the non-functional buckets for transport of liquids. Overall, gorillas interacted with functional buckets significantly more than with non-functional buckets. This pattern was driven largely by the behavior of the oldest adult female. The findings suggest that gorillas have the ability to recognize tool functionality. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:04:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb1d705cbe71476e9ba75aa9f8503a59 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2372-5052 2372-4323 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-23T14:04:05Z |
| publishDate | 2015-02-01 |
| publisher | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Behavior and Cognition |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb1d705cbe71476e9ba75aa9f8503a592022-12-21T17:44:14ZengAnimal Behavior and CognitionAnimal Behavior and Cognition2372-50522372-43232015-02-01219610410.12966/abc.02.08.2015Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)Matthew K. LeFauveSusan W. MargulisNonhuman primates are known to use objects as tools. Amongst the great apes, gorillas seem to be the least proficient tool users. Previous research has shown that the western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) at the Buffalo Zoo use buckets, given for enrichment, to collect water (Margulis, Steele, & Kleinfelder, 2012). To further explore the cognitive ability of these gorillas, a study was designed that tested whether the gorillas could distinguish between a functional and a non-functional manipulable object. The gorillas were given four buckets, two of which had holes drilled in the bottom (the “non-functional” bucket). Seventy-eight hours of videotaped data were collected to test the hypothesis that the gorillas could distinguish between the functional and the non-functional buckets for transport of liquids. Overall, gorillas interacted with functional buckets significantly more than with non-functional buckets. This pattern was driven largely by the behavior of the oldest adult female. The findings suggest that gorillas have the ability to recognize tool functionality.http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/5/08.LeFauve_Margulis_FINAL.pdfGorillaTool-useTool functionalityObject manipulation |
| spellingShingle | Matthew K. LeFauve Susan W. Margulis Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) Animal Behavior and Cognition Gorilla Tool-use Tool functionality Object manipulation |
| title | Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
| title_full | Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
| title_fullStr | Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
| title_short | Functionality in Tool Use in Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) |
| title_sort | functionality in tool use in western lowland gorillas gorilla gorilla gorilla |
| topic | Gorilla Tool-use Tool functionality Object manipulation |
| url | http://www.animalbehaviorandcognition.org/uploads/journals/5/08.LeFauve_Margulis_FINAL.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewklefauve functionalityintooluseinwesternlowlandgorillasgorillagorillagorilla AT susanwmargulis functionalityintooluseinwesternlowlandgorillasgorillagorillagorilla |