Biology:Grass-in-ear behavior

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Short description: Behavior that chimpanzees do


Young monkey looking at a piece of grass

The grass-in-ear behavior, object-in-ear behavior[1] or grass-in-the-ear technique[2] is a fashion statement-like behavior that some chimpanzees do. The unusual behavior has been named by scientists, and it appears to be one of the first times that chimpanzees have created a tradition that has no discernible purpose.[3]

History

It was first documented in 2010 in the Zambian Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage sanctuary's grassy territory when a chimpanzee named Julie stuck a piece of grass into her ear, and left it there.[4][5] But after Julie did it, other chimpanzees in her group began to follow suit.[6] According to experts, this proves that chimpanzees have already taken the evolutionary journey towards the advanced apes like humans.

Relationship between chimpanzees and grasses

Chimpanzees use grass as a tool when they are ant fishing to extract carpenter ants from their nests in living trees or dead wood.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "Julie the inventor performing the grass-in-ear behaviour". https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Julie-the-inventor-performing-the-grass-in-ear-behaviour_fig1_263014686. 
  2. ↑ "“Grass-in-the-ear” technique sets new trend in chimp etiquette" (in en). https://www.springer.com/gp/about-springer/media/research-news/-grass-in-the-ear-technique-sets-new-trend-in-chimp-etiquette/28948. 
  3. ↑ "For The First Time, Chimpanzees Are Making A Fashion Statement – Sticking Blades Of Grass In Their Ears" (in en). https://www.thedodo.com/for-the-first-time-chimpanzees-605888880.html. 
  4. ↑ Inquiry, The New (30 June 2014). ""grass-in-ear behavior"" (in en-US). https://thenewinquiry.com/grass-in-ear-behavior/. 
  5. ↑ whyevolutionistrue (3 July 2014). "Chimps learn to stick grass in their ears—for no good reason" (in en-US). https://whyevolutionistrue.com/2014/07/03/chimps-learn-to-stick-grass-in-their-ears-for-no-good-reason/. 
  6. ↑ Magazine, Smithsonian; Main, Douglas. "Some Chimps Are Putting Grass in Their Ears For No Particular Reason" (in en). https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/animal-fashion-some-chimps-are-putting-grass-ears-and-nobody-knows-why-180951888/. 
  7. ↑ "The Great Chimp Tech Boom" (in en). https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna49533695. 



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