Projects / Programmes
Savanna chimpanzees and human evolution.
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.03.01 |
Humanities |
Anthropology |
Physical anthropology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B460 |
Biomedical sciences |
Physical anthropology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.04 |
Social Sciences |
Sociology |
- Senegalese chimpanzees, human evolution, land-use, foraging, nesting
Researchers (1)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
32007 |
PhD Maja Gašperšič |
Humanities |
Head |
2010 - 2012 |
33 |
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives and one of the most endangered species on the planet. Hunting, deforestation and disease have pushed most of the great apes to the edge of the extinction. Western chimpanzees (P. t. verus) have been decimated during the last decade due to human impact (Boesch, 2008). Chimpanzees living in arid and open habitats have often been used as referential models for the reconstruction of the evolution of early human ancestors facing similar ecological challenges (Moore, 1996). Senegal, particularly the Kedougou region, harvests rare populations of savanna chimpanzees (Pruetz et al. 2002), and only the Fongoli community is habituated. Most of the chimpanzees live in small isolated groups alongside increased populations of humans and conserving this endangered great ape has reached a critical juncture. Chimpanzees also share the cultural heritage with our species and have recently shown remarkable cultural propensity and diversity (McGrew 2004, Whiten et al. 2001). Of special importance are their technological abilities as shown in percussive technology (Gašperšič 2008), which can provide clues for understanding the origins and evolution of human tool use in the Oldowan (Toth & Schick 2009).
Prized food items (e.g. Adansonia digitata, Saba senegalensis), dry season water sources or shelter (caves; Pruetz 2007) can stimulate creation of focal points by apes, which are often exploited by local humans as well and thus they compete for the same resources. We will identify those areas near Kedougou, investigate feeding and ranging behavior of local chimpanzee communities, and will asses possibility of sustainable co-existence with humans. Long-term aim is the creation of nature tourism with the ultimate goal of conserving the chimpanzees while providing incentive to the local human population. Evidence of material culture (e.g. termite-fishing, ant-dipping, galago-hunting, baobab smashing) will be documented at several nearby sites. The ranging behavior of living apes in relation to foraging is emphasized in the reconstruction of the land-use patterns presumed for certain early hominins (A. garhii).
We will document nesting, ranging and feeding habits of chimpanzees where significant changes in anthropogenic activity may occur. Valuable resources and shelters will be located, and ranging behavior of apes assessed via nest surveys (GPS mapping of home ranges and focal points). We propose monitoring the selected chimpanzee communities and determining their demographics in addition to density estimates (Carter & Ndiaye). Methods include analyses of fecal samples (of unhabituated apes) and nesting sites, while the community demography should contribute to determine Senegal chimpanzee genetic diversity (analyses underway at Cambridge). Further, opportunistic data on apes’ percussive technology (e.g. baobab smashing) either archaeologically (see Mercader et al. 2007) or behaviorally (Gašperšič 2008) will be collected and will provide a comparison on known or assigned behaviors of other living primates and extinct humans.
The project will identify chimpanzee home ranges and foraging habits, enabling a better understanding of land-use patterns in the Oldowan. Fongoli chimpanzees have already shown some unexpected characteristics (i.e. cave-use, soaking in natural pools, preying on bush-babies with spears; Pruetz 2007), thus a comparison with neighboring communities will add to a “cultural profile of the savanna chimpanzees”. Details of apes’ percussive technology will provide fresh data for integrating evidence on the evolution of the phenomena from Paleoanthropology and Primatology (Whiten et al. 2009). Such comparisons may provide models for other possible tool behaviors of our early ancestors that are archeologically invisible, and may highlight behavioral adaptations of early hominins which might have been significant in our species’ evolutionary success (Toth & Schick 2009).
Significance for science
In terms of species status an important finding from the project is the discovery of a chimpanzee community at Nathia, which was not detected in previous surveys in Senegal (Pruetz et al. 2002, Carter et al. 2003). In fact we found ape nests and feeding remains in all wooded areas along the periphery of the park, between Mt. Bagnomba and Bandafassi village, as well as along Gambia River close to Guinea border. The last official estimate about Senegalese chimpanzees from a decade ago was maximum 400, thus every »new« group is valuable and deserves attention. However, the new evaluation does not mean the chimpanzees became more numerous, it shows we do not know enough (yet) about them and their respective environments. Ethnoprimatological approach has proved to be essential in primate conservation efforts (Lee 2010), although sharing space with chimpanzees needs a reassessment for future nature tourism projects with African great apes (Hockings & Humle 2009; and Macfie & Williamson 2010). The most disturbing element noted during this study was the influx of immigrant sheepherders to Kédougou region and current non-enforcement of law by Senegalese Ministry for the environment as regards their illegal practices. The vanishing of forested habitat will bring devastating consequences for the local people and the primates that inhabit them. If savanna chimpanzees are extinct, no such science will be possible anymore.
In respect to feeding ecology of savanna chimpanzees, known from the only habituated community at Fongoli (Pruetz 2006) our results added exotic fruits, nuts (particularly from palms) and tubers to their diet. No stunning discovery comparative to female “spear hunters” (Pruetz & Bertolani 2007) occurred yet, which is not surprising as such data emerged after years of habituation effort. However, Bandafassi apes use rock caves for feeding on baobab and resting, perhaps for thermoregulation during the maximum heat (Pruetz 2007). Further, percussive technology or anvil use in foraging for baobab fruits (Gašperšič 2008) occurs in all study groups. During the project I analyzed 7 tool-sets for termite-fishing Macrotermes sp., in total 45 flexible plant probes with an average length 36.3 cm. Smaller mushroom-shaped mounds were though smashed on the ground of a cave, and beside chimp-dug wells at Nathia we found 4 wooden sticks that were likely used as digging tools. In February 2012 we also observed ant-dipping for Dorylus sp. and I analysed 15 wands left behind by chimps (average length 78.7 cm). Interestingly, we found signs of previously unknown type of tool use in West Africa (and only recently discovered in the Eastern savanna site of Ugalla; Hernandez-Aguilar et al. 2007): digging sticks to obtain tubers (USO). Stout sticks (app. 50 cm long) were found three times and digging behavior seen by our assistant SF Kanté. Similarly to Fongoli apes at Angafou supposedly like to soak in the stream, which is perhaps characteristic for savanna groups. As it is, all those examples count only as anecdotes thus far (Sarringhaus et al. 2005) and not as cultural variants, since much more time is needed in proximity of study subjects to collect needed evidence. However, preliminary findings from Bandafassi chimpanzees are somewhat intriguing, due to the rarity of detected behaviors such as hunting bats (seen only in bonobos; Bermejo et al. 1994) that surely demands significant skills and intelligence. It does seem that savanna milieu triggers innovative strategies in our closest relatives and their adaptations show foraging versatility, needed for the evolution of complex behaviors. Additionally, ape use of harsh arid habitat has implications for the reconstruction of early hominin diffusion with comparable ecological challenges. Nest-site reuse and repeated visits to water sources and prized food plants create focal points in the landscape and have clues for ranging behavior and the origin of home bases in early human evolution.
Significance for the country
Still ongoing collaboration with important scientists such as Jill Pruetz (an emerging explorer at National Geographic Society), Janis Carter (who established the first chimpanzee sanctuary in West Africa at Baboon Islands of the Gambia and works with us on chimpanzee-human relations and educational workshops) and Jack Harris (as one of the best landscape archaeologists and the director of Koobi Fora field school) is also of significant importance for the scientific development of Slovenia. For example, Pruetz and her students (including me) enriched the knowledge about chimpanzees in unexpected ways: chimpanzees in general are hydrophobic, but Fongoli chimps enjoy soaking in natural pools when the rains begin; during the moon-lit nights they forage and travel (which would be unknown if researchers would not often spend the night with them); they exhibit a unique form of tool-assisted hunting for prosimians and use caves as our ancestors. All of these and new findings from this project were presented to Slovenian students of sociology, biology, archaeology and pedagogy. However, none of these discoveries would be possible without the dedicated work of local assistants, guides, drivers, and “translators”, which is essential for field primatology. The scientific field of primatology, based on my »pioneer« experience from Cameroon and Senegal was already introduced to the course of Human evolution at the Biology department of Biotechnical faculty. Unfortunately the situation changed after my contract was finished and I was not included as a lecturer at BF. Instead I was invited to present my work at the Faculty for social sciences (FDV) and in december 2012 discussed the project »Savanna chimpanzees and human evolution« at the course Cultural studies (K. Šabec). I still hope that in the future Slovenian students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with various scientists and these savanna guardians on a promissing international research.
Additionally, current discoveries about savanna chimpanzees were presented at two biannual congresses of the International Primatological Society: in Kyoto, Japan (September 2010) with focus on implications for human evolution and Cancun, Mexico (August 2012) with results from this project. As a post-doc researcher at Biotechnical Faculty of Ljubljana I was the only Slovenian presenter at both meetings, and supposedly these results radically changed our perceptions of hominin habitat use in the Oldowan (Harris, personal communication). The material culture of Pan troglodytes verus was presented in an invited lecture at the international conference Biosciences and society (Ljubljana, October 2010) and is accessible on line (www.videolectures.net/MajaGaspersic). The initial results from this project were presented at the meeting “Škerljevi dnevi” and at the same time I introduced the interdisciplinary research of ethnoprimatology to Slovenian anthropological society. At the IV. European primatological congress (EFP) in Lisbon (fall 2011) I discussed the actual conflict situations between chimpanzees and humans at Bandafassi arrondissement and the prospects for future coexistence of these »cousins« in a savanna landscape.
Perhaps even more relevant for the development of our country is the first translation of a primatological book into Slovenian language: The cultured chimpanzee; reflections on cultural primatology by William McGrew. The book tackles the new and exciting field of chimpanzee cultures and relates it to other disciplines of anthropology. McGrew presents many unexpected discoveries of non-human culture and the prospects for cultural primatology as a valuable field of inquiry as regards a better understanding of the evolution of human culture. The cultured chimpanzee was first published in 2004, while during the last decade new stunning findings emerged (particularly from Fongoli) and they are presented in my introduction to the Slovenian edition (Studia humanitatis 2011).
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2010,
2011,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
