Talking chimpanzee: apes use screams to send out social signals

[emad]

Independent
By Paul Kelbie, Scotland Correspondent
04 April 2005


Words may not come easily to them but it appears the communication barrier between mankind and our nearest animal relatives may be narrower than we thought. Scientists have found that, when chimpanzees want to make a point, the message is loud and clear.

Chimps are mankind's closest relations in the animal kingdom, sharing 95 per cent of our DNA and many of our characteristics - including the ambition and aggression which leads to arguments and occasional violence. They may have some of our basic communication skills too.

After two years of research, psychologists from the University of St Andrews believe that subtle differences in vocalisations may have been developed to provide important clues for nearby allies. Led by a PhD student, Katie Slocombe, the research team found that chimpanzees scream differently depending on whether they are the aggressor or the victim and these calls are intended to tell nearby allies and relatives about the identity and social role of the group members involved in a fight.

Watching chimps may then use this information to decide whether or not it is necessary to intervene in an ongoing fight. "Chimpanzees who are the victim of an attack produce screams acoustically different from the attacking chimpanzee," said Ms Slocombe, who spent eight months in the Budongo forest, in Uganda, studying wild chimpanzees. "The acoustic differences were consistent across all 14 individuals observed, suggesting chimps produce reliable information about their social role during a fight.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/story.jsp?story=626141

[ClintonTyree]

1. Just like bush screaming about "Social" Security...

he's sending out a signal alright. A signal that he's an ignorant chimp with no business being in the White House.

Sorry, with a headline like that, I could resist. ;)