Scientists Crickette Sanz and David Morgan have been studying wild chimpanzees for several years in an area known as the Goualougo Triangle in the Republic of the Congo. They have evidence that the Goualougo chimpanzees use tools in ways that have been observed in other chimpanzee habitats and some variants that are unique to the Goualougo chimpanzees.  This supports the idea of regional tool traditions or unique tool “cultures” among chimpanzee populations, a concept that is closely related to the cognitive research conducted at Great Ape Trust.

Now, Sanz and Morgan are proposing to observe chimpanzees and their tool use in disturbed and undisturbed forests, and will make comparisons of chimpanzee density, group size, and behavior in both types of habitat. This is similar to the work being conducted by Dr. Serge Wich and his associates on Sumatran orangutans in the Ketambe area (see above article), and will yield powerful, comparative conservation-useful data.

Sanz and Morgan write: “this research proceeds in a climate of concern for the long term survival of great apes in this region as they are threatened by emerging diseases, poaching, and human disturbance. It is important in this conservation context that we consider not only the preservation of the apes themselves, but also their cultures which may be degraded or entirely extinguished under conditions of disturbance."

Great Ape Trust provided financial support for this important work.