Human watch for chimpanzees "pushed them to change their fishing habits"

A scientific study has found that controlling direct scientists of chimpanzees in Uganda may have prompted them to change their hunting strategies.

During the study, which was published in the journal Blues One, researchers documented very different fishing habits between two adjacent chimpanzees.

Members of the Sunso family practice hunting in small groups to search for white colobus monkeys, while members of the Vibera family hunt individuals and "take whatever they can lay their hands on."

The results of the study showed the sensitivity of the chimpanzee community to human presence in the neighborhood.

Biologists who have monitored and studied the animals for years believe that their observation may have caused some disruption in mass fishing, which appears to be a key element in chasing and hunting monkeys of colobus.

The behavior of the Vibera faction may have changed to a more "opportunistic" strategy because it was the least studied in human existence, says Catherine Hpeter of the University of St. Andrews.

Speaking to the BBC from the Pudongu forest in Uganda, where the two factions are studying, Hpeter said the Sanso and Vibera factions share territorial boundaries, so Hpeter expects their food source to be one and their prey.

"The main difference between them now is how to respond to human monitoring."

"For the Sonso family, most of the present generation of adult animals was born in our presence there, and thus they feel unspeakably comfortable in our presence," she said.

"But for the Vibera family, some young people are starting to grow up and feel more comfortable with us, but some members of the adult family are supposed to be between 30 and 40 years old when we started," he said. "Five years of surveillance are only part of their lives."

Elsewhere, researchers have begun monitoring wild chimpanzees closely, pointing out a similar "pattern" of behavior.

"The chimpanzees hunted many species, and then they seemed to have changed and turned to hunt the columbus monkeys," she said.

The study suggests that the main reason for this may be the natural tendency of chimpanzees to be wary of intruders and newcomers.

Observe our cousins
"I think it complicates the question of accepting our existence as part of their lives," said Hpeter.

"Long-term studies with wild chimpanzees lead to real benefits to sustain, but we have to remember that our presence can affect their behavior," she said.

In addition to preserving the primates of endangered monkeys and the forests in which they live, observing chimpanzees' actions and recording them directly is the best way to understand the origins and social structure of the human language, she said.

"But we need to ask ourselves: do we have to deal with it (to follow the chimpanzees)?"

"We can do amazing things like hidden cameras, remote microphones and drones, and they're very easy to get accurate data," she said.

"Part of our work is to understand the effects of our presence (next to animals) and try to reduce them," she said.

Source:
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-40348890