Chimpanzee Use of Tools

Chimpanzee Use of Tools for Surviving

One of the ways in which the Chimpanzee is able to survive comes from the use of various tools. They make them in their environment to be able to remove barriers. They are often found using rocks to open up sources of food. They will also use those rocks to throw at anything they view as a risk to their own survival.

Rocks of various sizes can easily be found in most of the environments that these animals live in. The larger the Chimpanzee is the larger sized of rocks they can use for tools. Most of the time though they use those that fit into the palm of the hand.

It is believed that these animals have been using a variety of tools for over four million years. The most detailed accounts of this though are much more recent. In 1960 Jane Goodall documented the Chimpanzees using various tools to dig for food including in termite mounds. Using large sticks they have a method for getting the termites out.

They set up the sticks so that the termites are on them and then crawl from there right into the waiting mouth of the Chimpanzee. It is quite entertaining to see it happen so you may want to go online and watch a video. With infrared cameras there are recordings of this actually occurring in the wild.

Recent studies indicate that spears have been used by Chimpanzees in areas. They make the ends of them sharp by gnawing on them with their teeth. Once they have a sharp end they will use that tool for hunting as well as for protection. They are the only type of animal in the world that is believed to use such tools for their ultimate level of survival.

Chimpanzees have been seen being very aggressive towards each other with various tools. The males are more likely to have sticks to use as clubs against each other. The females may throw rocks or sticks at males that they don’t want to mate with. They will also do so if they fear a male is going to try to kill their young offspring.

As a Chimpanzee gets older, it is more likely that tools will be used. This is due to the fact that they may not be as strong as they used to be. Using various tools as weapons for protection as well as to find food is a good way to make sure they can continue to survive. What has been found is that they may even create tool kits that they take around with them.

This is a proven method that shows these animals are able to problem solve. It also shows that they are successful at being able to plan ahead for future events. That is a benefit you won’t find from too many types of animals out there. It is part of what separates them from other forms of animals.

Due to their high level of intelligence the Chimpanzee has been taught to use various tools in captivity. These are items that they wouldn’t be able to use in the wild as they aren’t readily accessible. This further proves that these animals are able to adapt to a variety of changes all around them in any given environmental setting.

The fact that the Chimpanzee is able to use such tools is really fascinating. It definitely gives us a clue about how highly intelligent they are. The ability to take what is in their environment and use it for survival is a key reason why they have been able to thrive for millions of years.