Brief report: Chimpanzees, tools, and termites: New record from Gabon.

Area of Science:

• Primatology
• Ethology
• Anthropology

Background:

• Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are known tool users, with specific behaviors documented across different geographic populations.
• Termite fishing using vegetation probes is a well-documented foraging strategy in eastern and far western African chimpanzee populations.
• The central west African chimpanzee population's tool-use repertoire, particularly regarding foraging, remains less explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document and report the first instance of termite fishing by wild chimpanzees in northeastern Gabon.
• To investigate the types of tools used by this specific chimpanzee population for termite acquisition.
• To contribute to the understanding of the diversity and distribution of material culture in chimpanzees.

Main Methods:

• Direct observation of wild chimpanzee behavior in northeastern Gabon.
• Documentation of tool manufacture and use during foraging activities, specifically targeting termites (Macrotermes? nobilis).
• Analysis of tool morphology and application in relation to termite mound access and food extraction.

Main Results:

• Wild chimpanzees in northeastern Gabon were observed using vegetation probes for termite fishing, consistent with behaviors seen elsewhere in Africa.
• This represents the first documented record of termite fishing by the central west African chimpanzee race.
• Evidence suggests the use of stouter tools, potentially for perforating termite mounds, in addition to probes.

Conclusions:

• The findings confirm termite fishing as a foraging strategy within the central west African chimpanzee population.
• The observed tool use, including potential mound perforation, expands the known diversity of chimpanzee material culture.
• These results highlight regional variations in chimpanzee tool use and necessitate a more complex view of ape material culture in natural settings.