http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/apes/ Apes and chimps in the news. Read all the latest research about great apes, orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Photos too. en-us Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/apes/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180251.htm Dogs are better than chimps at interpreting pointing gestures, according to a new study. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180251.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143946.htm Infectious disease has joined poaching and habitat loss as a major threat to the survival of African great apes as they have become restricted to ever-smaller populations. Despite the work of dedicated conservationists, efforts to save our closest living relatives from ecological extinction are largely failing, and new scientific approaches are necessary to analyze major threats and find innovative solutions. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150834.htm Conservationists working in Central Africa to save the world's rarest gorilla have good news: the Cross River gorilla has more suitable habitat than previously thought, including vital corridors that, if protected, can help the great apes move between sites in search of mates. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120131150834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130130841.htm Genetic mutations that boost an individual's adaptability have greater chances of getting through to X chromosomes -- at least in chimpanzees, according to new Danish research. An analysis of the genes of 12 chimpanzees has now demonstrated that the chimpanzee X chromosome plays a very special role in the animal's evolutionary development. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:08:08 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130130841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123059.htm Using a combination of evolutionary biology and virology, scientists have traced the birth of the ability of some HIV-related viruses to defeat a newly discovered cellular-defense system in primates. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126123059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123101827.htm Bonobos are among the closest living relatives of humans. Like other great apes they live in groups made up of several males and females. Unlike other ape species however, male bonobos do not, in general, outrank female individuals and do not dominate them in mating contexts. Scientists have now found that in wild bonobos high-ranking males were more aggressive and their mating success was higher when compared to lower-ranking males. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123101827.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183044.htm Scientists have found one of the rarest and least known primates in Borneo, Miller’s Grizzled Langur, a species which was believed to be extinct or on the verge of extinction. The findings confirms the continued existence of this endangered monkey and reveals that it lives in an area where it was previously not known to exist. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113210347.htm Based on a hominid molar, scientists from Germany, Bulgaria and France have documented that great apes survived in Europe in savannah-like landscapes until seven million years ago. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:03:03 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120113210347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192938.htm A new study examines the first extinct North American primate with a toe bone showing features associated with the presence of both nails and a grooming claw, indicating our primate ancestors may have traded their flat nails for raised claws for functional purposes, much like pop icons Adele and Lady Gaga are doing today in the name of fashion. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:29:29 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120110192938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm Scientists have shed new light on how early embryonic stem cells develop and take part in formation of the primate species. The research has also resulted in the first successful birth of chimeric monkeys -- monkeys developed from stem cells taken from two separate embryos. Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120105164740.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131352.htm It's a basic rule of effective communication: consider your audience. According to a new report that rule of thumb is not lost on wild chimpanzees. Chimps are more likely to make an alarm call about the presence of a snake when others in the group are unaware of the apparent danger they face, the new evidence shows. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131234.htm Many animals produce alarm calls to predators, and do this more often when kin or mates are present than other audience members. So far, however, there has been no evidence that they take the other group members' knowledge state into account. Researchers set up a study with wild chimpanzees in Uganda and found that chimpanzees were more likely to alarm call to a snake in the presence of unaware than in the presence of aware group members, suggesting that they recognize knowledge and ignorance in others. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229131234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091636.htm Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas and bonobos make more sophisticated decisions than was previously thought. Great apes weigh their chances of success, based on what they know and the likelihood to succeed when guessing, according to a new study. The findings may provide insight into human decision-making as well. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229091636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220205212.htm Humans have evolved to become the most flexible of the primates and being able to live in lots of different social settings sets us apart from non-human primates, suggests new research. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:52:52 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111220205212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215145719.htm The following is a statement by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins on the Institute of Medicine report addressing the scientific need for the use of chimpanzees in research. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:57:57 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215145719.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135840.htm Given that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans and share similar behavioral traits, the U.S. National Institutes of Health should allow their use as subjects in biomedical research only under stringent conditions, including the absence of any other suitable model and inability to ethically perform the research on people, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111215135840.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203319.htm Studying how the orangutans cope with a harsh environment may offer a glimpse into what early human ancestors faced, new research suggests. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203317.htm New research examining how endangered Indonesian orangutans – considered a close relative to humans -- survive during times of extreme food scarcity might help scientists better understand eating disorders and obesity in humans. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 20:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111213203317.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208101251.htm A recent study shows that, over the last two decades, areas with the greatest decrease in African great ape populations are those with no active protection from poaching by forest guards. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111208101251.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201094819.htm Anthropologists report that chimpanzees in Senegal frequently share food and hunting tools with other chimps. This is thought to be the first study to document non-meat sharing behavior among chimpanzees. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111201094819.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111129112319.htm Pointing and holding up objects in order to attract attention has so far only been observed in humans and our closest living relatives, the great apes. Researchers now provide the first evidence that ravens (Corvus corax) also use so called deictic gestures in order to test the interest of a potential partner or to strengthen an already existing bond. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111129112319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121151554.htm Traditionally, fossil-hunters often could only make educated guesses as to where fossils lie. The rest lay with chance. But thanks to a new software model, fossil-hunters' reliance on luck when finding fossils may be diminishing. Using artificial neural networks, researchers developed a computer model that can pinpoint productive fossil sites. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111121151554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116174735.htm Playful behavior is widespread in mammals, and has important developmental consequences. A recent study of young chimpanzees shows that these animals play and develop much the same way as human children. The work can therefore also shed light on the role of human play behavior. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:47:47 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111116174735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109131304.htm The so-called expensive-tissue hypothesis, which suggests a trade-off between the size of the brain and the size of the digestive tract, has been challenged. Researchers have now shown that brains in mammals have grown over the course of evolution without the digestive organs having to become smaller. The researchers have further demonstrated that the potential to store fat often goes hand in hand with relatively small brains -- except in humans, who owe their increased energy intake and correspondingly large brain to communal child care, better diet and their ability to walk upright. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:13:13 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109131304.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025122615.htm DNA sequences for human and chimpanzees are nearly identical, despite vast phenotypical differences between the two species. Researchers have determined that the insertion and deletion of large pieces of DNA near genes are highly variable between humans and chimpanzees and may account for these major differences. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111025122615.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122313.htm Culture is not a trait that is unique to humans. By studying orangutan populations, researchers have demonstrated that great apes also have the ability to learn socially and pass them down through a great many generations. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122313.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013141849.htm New assessments by researchers using the latest high-tech tools to study the diets of early hominids are challenging long-held assumptions about what our ancestors ate. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013141849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121519.htm Recent studies have shown that chimpanzees possess many of the cognitive prerequisites necessary for humanlike collaboration. Cognitive abilities, however, might not be all that differs between chimpanzees and humans when it comes to cooperation. Children, but not chimpanzees, prefer to collaborate. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121519.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121503.htm When all else is equal, human children prefer to work together in solving a problem rather than on their own. Chimpanzees, on the other hand, show no such preference. That's according to a study of 3-year-old German kindergarteners and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012185621.htm Television ads featuring cute chimpanzees wearing human clothes are likely to distort the public's perception of the endangered animals and hinder conservation efforts, according to researchers. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111012185621.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111010173015.htm Researchers say that losing the ability to make a particular kind of sugar molecule boosted disease protection in early hominids, and may have directed the evolutionary emergence of our ancestors, the genus Homo. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111010173015.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004132712.htm Although humans and chimpanzees move quite differently, muscle attachment sites at their thighbones are similar. This result has major consequences for the interpretation of fossil hominin finds. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004132712.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125412.htm The first video of tool use by a fish has now been published. In the video, an orange-dotted tuskfish digs a clam out of the sand, carries it over to a rock, and repeatedly throws the clam against the rock to crush it. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110928125412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923102210.htm A research team has identified many different genetic lineages in the softshell turtle genus Pelodiscus, representing different species. Traditionally it has been assumed that only the species Pelodiscus sinensis belonged to the genus examined. As a foodstuff, Chinese softshell turtles are the most economically important turtles in the world, with an annual trade volume of many hundreds of millions of specimens. Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110923102210.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915131654.htm Scientists published the first quantitative evidence supporting the notion that genome-wide "bookmarking" of DNA with methyl molecules -- a process called methylation -- and underlying DNA sequences have co-evolved in a kind of molecular slow-dance over the 6 million years since humans and chimps diverged from a common ancestor. Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110915131654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908161446.htm The Australopithecus sediba discovered in 2008 could be the direct ancestor of the Homo genus. That is the conclusion of an international team of scientists. The researchers describe in five papers why their finding is more likely to come into consideration than earlier discoveries, like Homo habilis. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908161446.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908124509.htm An analysis of a skull from the most complete early hominid fossils ever found suggests the large, complex human brain may have evolved more rapidly and at a later time than some other human characteristics. If Australopithecus sediba is a human ancestor, as some suggest, then its fossils could help resolve long-standing debates about human brain evolution, say researchers. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 12:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908124509.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104203.htm Skeletal remains found in a South African cave may yield new clues to human development and answer key questions of the evolution of the human lineage, according to a new series of papers. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104203.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104157.htm A new paper preveals an accurate, high-resolution X-ray scan of the brain case of Australopithecus sediba, an early human ancestor. The overall shape of the endocast resembles humans more than chimpanzees which, combined with the brain's small volume, is consistent with a model of gradual neural (brain) reorganization in the front part of the brain. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104157.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104016.htm A series of papers based on new evidence pertaining to various aspects of the anatomy of the species Australopithecus sediba reveals new, important elements attributed to Au. Sediba, the two type skeletons -- an analysis of the most complete hand ever described in an early hominin, the most complete undistorted pelvis ever discovered, the most accurate scan of an early human ancestors brain, new pieces of the foot and ankle, and one of the most accurate dates ever achieved for an early hominin site in Africa. Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110908104016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831081703.htm Male great tits of this species try to sound sexy to females by singing complex or high performance songs, but may find their attempts hindered by human-generated noise. Birds have been found to adjust their songs when confronted with urban noise, which seems an effective strategy to deal with masking interference. However, such change may come at a cost of reduced attractiveness. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:17:17 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831081703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825154334.htm Researchers have developed single vaccines to protest against both rabies and the Ebola virus. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825154334.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822131809.htm Being able to count helps spotted hyenas decide to fight or flee, according to new research. When animals fight, the larger group tends to win. Researchers have now shown that hyenas listen to the sound of intruders' voices to determine who has the advantage. Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110822131809.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815162427.htm From hot pink to traditional French and Lady Gaga's sophisticated designs, manicured nails have become the grammar of fashion. Scientists have now recovered and analyzed the oldest fossil evidence of fingernails in modern primates, confirming the idea nails developed with small body size and disproving previous theories nails evolved with an increase in primate body size. Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110815162427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110811121326.htm In both chimpanzees and humans, portions of the brain that are critical for complex cognitive functions, including decision-making, self-awareness and creativity, are immature at birth. But there are important differences, too. Baby chimpanzees don't show the same dramatic increase in the volume of prefrontal white matter in the brain that human infants do. Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110811121326.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808152220.htm Researchers have shown chimpanzees have a significant bias for prosocial behavior. This, the study authors report, is in contrast to previous studies that positioned chimpanzees as reluctant altruists and led to the widely held belief that human altruism evolved in the last six million years only after humans split from apes. Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110808152220.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110803133505.htm Scientists have used chemical isotopes in ancient soil to measure prehistoric tree cover -- in effect, shade -- and found that grassy, tree-dotted savannas prevailed at most East African sites where human ancestors and their ape relatives evolved during the past 6 million years. Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110803133505.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802085828.htm With the aim of better protecting endangered species, game wardens are studying the behavior of surviving great apes in the wild. This is often painstaking work because it is difficult to distinguish between different individuals. A new software system will make things easier by analyzing the animals' faces for individual identification. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 08:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802085828.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727171510.htm Brains shrink in humans, potentially causing a number of health problems and mental illnesses as people age, but do they shrink to the same extent in the closest living relatives to humans -- the chimpanzees? Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727171510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727141316.htm A pearl-flowered legume collected in 2005 in the Sneeuberg, South Africa, was determined by taxonomists to be a distinct new species. The discovery highlights the importance of the poorly explored Great Escarpment in South Africa. Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110727141316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110722130301.htm The agent of malaria has been found in the greater spot-nosed monkey, also known as putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), a small African primate derived from a line different to that of humans, gorillas and chimpanzees. This discovery challenges current thinking on the origin of the parasite and introduces a key element in the fight against malaria: knowing how it has adapted to the human species will make it possible to target its weaknesses. Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110722130301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721172332.htm Researchers in Ireland have uncovered the evolutionary mechanisms that have caused increases or decreases in the numbers of chromosomes in a group of yeast species during the last 100-150 million years. The study offers an unprecedented view of chromosome complement (chromosome number) changes in a large group of related species. Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110721172332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110719194356.htm Scientists have found that ancient footprints in Laetoli, Tanzania, show that human-like features of the feet and gait existed almost two million years earlier than previously thought. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110719194356.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713182221.htm How influential are mass media portrayals of chimpanzees in television, movies, advertisements and greeting cards on public perceptions of this endangered species? That is what researchers sought to uncover in a new U.S. nationwide study. Their findings reveal the significant role that media plays in creating widespread misunderstandings about the conservation status and nature of this great ape. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110713182221.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628191343.htm New research has shown that happier orangutans live longer which may provide insight into the evolution of happiness in humans. Researchers asked keepers who work with orangutans to answer questions about happiness on the animals' behalf. Orangutans which were scored as happier by their keepers were more likely to live longer. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628191343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622102327.htm A new study finds that serious behavioral abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees. While most behavior of zoo-living chimpanzees is 'normal' in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behavior is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts such as social housing, say researchers. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 10:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622102327.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161302.htm A surprising finding in a study comparing hepatitis C virus (HCV) with hepatitis A virus (HAV) infections in chimpanzees sheds new light on the nature of the body's immune response to these viruses. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620161302.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110518171343.htm A new study shows that men hit harder when they stand on two legs than when they are on all fours, and when hitting downward rather than upward, giving tall, upright males a fighting advantage. This may help explain why our ape-like human ancestors began walking upright and why women tend to prefer tall men. Wed, 18 May 2011 17:13:13 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110518171343.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121537.htm A physical anthropologist has announced the discovery of a previously unknown species of fossil primate, Mescalerolemur horneri, in the Devil's Graveyard badlands of West Texas. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110414141406.htm A census team has announced some encouraging news from a region plagued by warfare and insecurity: a small population of Grauer's gorillas has not only survived, but also increased since the last census. Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110414141406.htm