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Chimpanzees drum distinct rhythms, study finds
"Our ability to drum rhythmically may have existed long before we were human." - Catherine Hobaiter
Human musicality may have come from our ancestry.

A team of researchers has discovered that chimpanzees drum rhythmically, adding regular spacing between their drum hits.

The study saw cognitive scientists and evolutionary biologists examine the behaviours that eastern and western chimpanzees use to communicate with their group.

Drumming has been proven to be a common method of communication among chimpanzees. The primates produce low-frequency sounds by drumming on buttress roots, which grow above the soil.

A previous project revealed that chimpanzees each had their own unique drumming style, which they use to communicate where they are and what they are doing. The chimpanzees used percussive patterns to send information over long and short distances.

This latest project sought to discover how drumming styles changed between different chimpanzee communities, and whether they had a humanlike rhythm.

To explore this, the team worked with chimpanzees researchers to study 371 drumming bouts across 11 chimpanzee communities – including six populations and two subspecies.

The researchers analysed the drumming patterns of the chimpanzees, which revealed a distinct rhythm to the way they drummed. The timing of their hits also proved to be non-random and often evenly spaced.

The two subspecies, eastern chimpanzees and westerns chimpanzees, were also discovered to be exhibiting different drumming patterns.

While eastern chimpanzees alternated between shorter and longer time intervals between beats, western chimpanzees kept evenly spaced hits. Western chimpanzees also drummed with a faster tempo, integrating their drumming earlier in their pant-hoot vocalisations.

Catherine Hobaiter, a senior author of the study from University of St Andrews, said: “Making music is a fundamental part of what it means to be human — but we don’t know for how long we have been making music,

“Showing that chimpanzees share some of the fundamental properties of human musical rhythm in their drumming is a really exciting step in understanding when and how we evolved this skill.

“Our findings suggest that our ability to drum rhythmically may have existed long before we were human."

The full study can be found in the journal Current Biology.

Image © Shutterstock

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Webinar to explore history of KC breed registers

News Story 1
 A free webinar exploring the development of the Kennel Club's registration system and the evolution of closed breed registers has been announced.

Hosted by Dr Alison Skipper, veterinary and research advisor at the Kennel Club, the webinar will delve into the development of the registry and how the changing landscape of scientific knowledge has shaped breeding practices. It will also look at what this means for the future of pedigree dogs.

The session will culminate with a look at The Kennel Club's ongoing and future engagement in this area, with a chance for attendees to put forward their thoughts and questions for discussion.

This event takes place on Microsoft Teams on Tuesday, 10 June at 7pm. To learn more, visit events.teams.microsoft.com  

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.