Grass-in-ear behavior
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
[edit]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, beginning with her son.[6][7] The behavior continued to spread even after Julie died, which shows that the behaviour was established as a form of social learning in animals, an important component of animal culture.
References
[edit]- ^ "Julie the inventor performing the grass-in-ear behaviour".
- ^ ""Grass-in-the-ear" technique sets new trend in chimp etiquette". www.springer.com. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "For The First Time, Chimpanzees Are Making A Fashion Statement – Sticking Blades Of Grass In Their Ears". The Dodo. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Inquiry, The New (30 June 2014). ""grass-in-ear behavior"". The New Inquiry. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ whyevolutionistrue (3 July 2014). "Chimps learn to stick grass in their ears—for no good reason". Why Evolution Is True. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ van Leeuwen, Edwin J. C.; Cronin, Katherine A.; Haun, Daniel B. M. (November 2014). "A group-specific arbitrary tradition in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)". Animal Cognition. 17 (6): 1421–1425. doi:10.1007/s10071-014-0766-8. hdl:11858/00-001M-0000-0019-B43E-C. ISSN 1435-9448. PMID 24916739.
- ^ Magazine, Smithsonian; Main, Douglas. "Some Chimps Are Putting Grass in Their Ears For No Particular Reason". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2022.