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Do captive mandrills invent new gestures?

Mark E Laidre¹

¹Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. MEL23@cornell.edu

Animal Cognition

|November 17, 2007

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers observed a unique mandrill gesture, "Hand extension," used by juveniles to interact with adults. This gestural tradition may have arisen from social play needs in captive environments.

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Area of Science:

Primate behavior
Animal communication
Behavioral ecology

Background:

Intraspecific behavioral variability is common, with some behaviors unique to specific populations.
Animal traditions are well-documented in acoustic communication, but less so in gestural communication.
The mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) is a species known for complex social structures.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the emergence and function of a novel gestural tradition in captive mandrills.
To determine if environmental or genetic factors explain the limited distribution of the "Hand extension" gesture.
To understand the role of social interactions and captivity in the development of gestural communication.

Main Methods:

Observation of eight captive mandrill groups.
Quantitative analysis of the contexts and responses associated with the "Hand extension" gesture.
Assessment of potential environmental, genetic, and sampling biases.

Main Results:

The "Hand extension" gesture was unique to two of the eight groups.
Only juveniles performed the gesture, directing it towards adults.
The gesture appeared to provoke adults and minimize risk for juveniles, potentially as an alternative to social play.
Groups exhibiting the gesture had fewer juveniles, suggesting a link between limited play partners and gesture creation.

Conclusions:

The novel "Hand extension" gesture in mandrills likely represents a gestural tradition.
Captivity, with its potential for increased free time and reduced play opportunities, may have facilitated its creation.
While juveniles observed the gesture, definitive evidence for social transmission was lacking, suggesting possible independent invention.