Wild Chimpanzees in Senegal Caught on Camera Handing Tools and Food to Juveniles, Study Finds
A recent study published on September 15 in Frontiers in Psychology reveals that wild western chimpanzees in Senegal exhibit teaching behaviors by sharing tools and food with younger individuals. The research, which analyzed nearly 15 hours of footage from the Dindefelo Community Nature Reserve taken between 2017 and 2025, documented 33 instances of tool transfers and four instances of food transfers. Most of these exchanges occurred among relatives, with mothers contributing to 30 percent of the transfers. Notably, in February 2018, a mother named Soukki assisted her daughter Saïsaï in ant fishing, while in December 2021, Féré provided baobab fruits for her son Fotti, who observed a juvenile male opening one. Lead author Andreu Sánchez-Megías highlighted the study's significance for understanding chimpanzee learning.
Key facts
- The study was published September 15 in Frontiers in Psychology.
- Researchers analyzed nearly 15 hours of camera footage from 14 tool-use sites in Dindefelo Community Nature Reserve, Senegal, captured between 2017 and 2025.
- They documented 33 tool transfers: 19 for ant fishing, ten for algae fishing and four for termite fishing.
- An additional 30 minutes of footage from 11 baobab-cracking sites yielded four food transfers.
- Mothers accounted for 30 percent of transfers; adults gave up tools in 58 percent of cases and infants received them in 42 percent.
- In February 2018, mother Soukki led daughter Saïsaï to an ant-fishing stick, which Saïsaï removed and ate from.
- In December 2021, mother Féré placed baobab fruits near infant Fotti; a juvenile male cracked one open while Fotti watched and then ate a piece.
- Andrew Whiten of the University of St. Andrews, not involved in the study, said the behavior fits teaching criteria in animal behavior research.
Entities
Artists
- Andreu Sánchez-Megías
- Andrew Whiten
- Jane Goodall
- Sarah Kuta
- Chris Simms
Institutions
- University of Barcelona
- Jane Goodall Institute Spain
- Frontiers in Psychology
- University of St. Andrews
- New Scientist
- Smithsonian Magazine
- Dindefelo Community Nature Reserve
Locations
- Senegal
- Dindefelo Community Nature Reserve
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Scotland
- St. Andrews
- Longmont
- Colorado