A group of scientists that have conducted field research in the savannahs of the Republic of Guinea and studied wild chimpanzees that live in small forest areas between farms and villages, found something unexpected in the behavior of these previously unexplored animals.
As the group of scientists moved through the forest, the leader of the nearest village and legendary guide Mamadou Alioh Ba pointed out unusual markings on the tree trunk. Some thought it was wild boars that rubbed against wood. However, Aliokh had a different opinion when he found a clump of chimpanzee hair lying on the grass next to a tree. Scientists set up a trap camera next to the tree, in the hope that the animals will return to the tree and repeat their actions.
For the first time in the world
Trap cameras start recording automatically when movement occurs in front of them. Therefore, they are an ideal tool for recording wildlife objects. After a two-week expedition, the group returned to this place. Despite the fact that the video often featured farm cows licking the lens enthusiastically, the camera managed to capture interesting footage.
“What we saw was impressive,” said one of the researchers. - A large male chimpanzee approached our mysterious tree and stopped for a few seconds. Then he quickly looked around, grabbed a huge stone and threw it with all his might into the tree trunk. Nobody has seen this before. Goosebumps."
British anthropologist Jane Goodall first discovered in 1960 that wild chimpanzees use tools such as leaves, sticks and even spears to obtain food. With the help of stones, they open nuts or cut large fruits. Sometimes, chimpanzees throw stones to demonstrate their strength and strengthen their position in the pack.
“What we found during our research was not a random or one-off event,” the researcher said. "It was repeated several times, and it wasn't about getting food or confirming one's status - it could be a ritual."
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In this area, scientists have found many places with similar markings on trees. In many places, heaps of stones have accumulated inside the hollow tree trunks.
Other research groups working on this project have gone looking for such trees. Similar mysterious chimpanzee behavior has been reported in small areas of Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire. But in the eastern regions, from the west coast of Guinea all the way to Tanzania, nothing like this has been found.
Sacred trees
After months of research, two main theories emerged. Such behavior can be a demonstration of the male's strength. The louder the sound of a stone hitting an empty tree, the more impressive it sounds. This is typical in areas where there are few trees with large roots, which are usually drummed by chimpanzees with their strong arms and legs. If trees with particularly good acoustics make such impressive sounds that can replace drumming, then they become quite popular places for animals.