By Christian OBAME -

 

Des outils complexes servent à l’extraction du miel chez les chimpanzés du parc national de Loango, au Gabon.

Complex tool sets for honey extraction among chimpanzees in Loango National Park, Gabon

Résumé / Abstract

FR –

Pendant longtemps, on a pensé que seul l’être humain était capable d’utiliser des outils. Cependant, l’observation de chimpanzés dans le parc national de Loango, au Gabon, montre que ces animaux utilisent aussi des outils complexes. Cette découverte change notre façon de voir leurs capacités et prouve qu’ils sont plus intelligents qu’on ne le croyait.

Pour récolter le miel, les chimpanzés de Loango utilisent successivement entre trois et cinq outils différents selon le type de nid d’abeilles. Certains outils peuvent servir à plusieurs tâches. Ils utilisent notamment des bâtons pour repérer et atteindre les nids cachés sous la terre. Ces observations montrent que la recherche du miel demande beaucoup d’intelligence. Les chimpanzés savent combiner plusieurs outils et les utiliser de différentes manières. Le fait qu’ils recherchent des nids qu’ils ne voient pas directement montre aussi leur capacité à imaginer ce qui est caché.

L’étude révèle que l’obtention du miel est une activité plus complexe pour les chimpanzés que casser des noix ou chasser. Cette manière d’utiliser plusieurs outils ressemble à certaines techniques employées par les premiers humains de la préhistoire. En comparant les chimpanzés et les humains, les chercheurs comprennent mieux ce qui caractérise l’intelligence humaine.

EN –

For a long time, it was thought that only humans were capable of using tools. However, observations of chimpanzees in Loango National Park, Gabon, show that these animals also use complex tools. This discovery changes how we view their abilities and proves they are more intelligent than previously believed.

To harvest honey, Loango chimpanzees sequentially use between three and five different tools, depending on the type of beehive. Some tools can serve multiple tasks. Notably, they use sticks to locate and reach nests hidden underground. These observations show that searching for honey requires significant intelligence. Chimpanzees know how to combine multiple tools and use them in different ways. The fact that they search for nests they cannot see directly also shows their ability to imagine what is hidden.

The study reveals that obtaining honey is a more complex activity for chimpanzees than cracking nuts or hunting. This way of using multiple tools resembles certain techniques employed by early prehistoric humans. By comparing chimpanzees and humans, researchers better understand what characterizes human intelligence.

Figures :





Figures :

Fig 1 : FR- Illustrations de quelques-uns des différents types d’outils utilisés par les chimpanzés du parc national de Loango, au Gabon, pour extraire le miel de trois types de nids d’abeilles : a) Groupe d’outils comprenant des pilons (diamètre du pilon droit = 4,8 cm) et des agrandisseurs ; b) Vue rapprochée de trois collecteurs (à gauche) et de deux agrandisseurs (à droite) (diamètre de l’agrandisseur de gauche = 2,0 cm) ; c) Outils de nidification au sol montrant deux collecteurs (diamètre du collecteur droit = 1,9 cm) et certains perforateurs avec leur forme rectiligne particulière ; d) Une femelle chimpanzé utilisant un agrandisseur dans un nid d’Apis situé dans un arbre ; e) Puis prenant un morceau de rayon de miel avec sa main.

Fig 1 : EN- Illustrations of some of the different tool types used by chimpanzees in Loango National Park, Gabon, to extract honey from 3 different types of bee nests: a) Group of tools including pounders (right pounder diameter = 4.8 cm) and enlargers; b) Closer view of three collectors (left) and two enlargers (right) (left enlarger diameter = 2.0 cm); c) Ground nest tools showing two collectors (right collector diameter = 1.9 cm) and some perforators with their special straight-line shape; d) A female chimpanzee using an enlarger in an Apis tree nest; e) Then taking a piece of comb with her hand.

Mots-clés / Keywords

FR – Chimpanzé · Utilisation des outils · Complexité · Cognition · Évolution

EN – Chimpanzee · Tool Use · Complexity · Cognition · Evolution

Auteurs / Authors

Christophe Boesch, Joséphine Head, Martha M. Robbins

Source / Publication

Source : Journal of Human Evolution, 56(6) : 560–569

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hevol.2009.04.001

Date de publication : 19 mai 2009

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