A study published in the journal Animal Cognition describes a case in Uganda where a chimpanzee baby invented a move to ask its mother to carry it on its back. When the monkey covered its mother’s eyes with its hand, the mother reacted by starting to move.
This movement first appeared in the chimpanzee’s daughter when she was about 3.5 years old and gradually became regular. Researchers suggest that this movement occurred by chance due to the characteristics of the mother, who has one healthy eye.
The daughter probably noticed the connection between her mother’s action and reaction, which transformed the random movement into a conscious signal.
The scientific team sees this case as supporting the hypothesis that gestures in chimpanzees are not only an innate part of their behavior but can also be created through social interaction.
Source: Ferra
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