Grooming habits of chimpanzees
A study has concluded that chimpanzee grooming habits are more influenced by where they live than by genetic or ecological influences.
According to Proceedings of the Royal Society B, where the findings were published, different communities of semi-wild chimps showed different social behaviours to one another.
A specific style of grooming, the grooming hand clasp (GHC), is only used in certain chimp communities according to previous studies. The more recent study, however, has highlighted the different styles of GHC, which researchers believe are learned by social convention.
The researchers recorded GHC behaviour in four social groups of chimps living in the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust (CWOT), Zambia.
Professor Frans de Waal, director of the Living Links Centre at Emory University's Yerkes Primate Centre, commented: 'The present study goes beyond [previous studies] in taking neighbouring communities where genetics and ecology are the same, and finding substantial differences from group to group. This is an extra argument for social learning.'
The conclusions have shown links with human social behaviours and will help scientists understand how human cultures began.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is inviting applications from veterinary students to attend a one-week extramural studies (EMS) placement in July 2026.
