Chimpanzees 'hunt using spears'

[Lina]

Chimpanzees in Senegal have been observed making and using wooden spears to hunt other primates, according to a study in the journal Current Biology.
Researchers documented 22 cases of chimps fashioning tools to jab at smaller primates sheltering in cavities of hollow branches or tree trunks.

The report's authors, Jill Pruetz and Paco Bertolani, said the finding could have implications for human evolution.

Chimps had not been previously observed hunting other animals with tools.

Pruetz and Bertolani made the discovery at their research site in Fongoli, Senegal, between March 2005 and July 2006.

"There were hints that this behaviour might occur, but it was one time at a different site," said Jill Pruetz, assistant professor of anthropology at Iowa State University, US.

"While in Senegal for the spring semester, I saw about 13 different hunting bouts. So it really is habitual."

Jabbing weapon

Chimpanzees were observed jabbing the spears into hollow trunks or branches, over and over again. After the chimp removed the tool, it would frequently smell or lick it.

In the vast majority of cases, the chimps used the tools in the manner of a spear, not as probes. The researchers say they were using enough force to injure an animal that may have been hiding inside.

However, they did not photograph the behaviour, or capture it on film.

['Abd al-Baari]

Interesting article
pity theres no proof (pictures/videos)
Jazakallah for sharing

[Woodrow]

There are quite a few animals that have developed the use of weapons. There is a variety of crab that carries a sea urchin where ever it goes and use the urchin to kill fish, There are many cases of various animals throwing objects from trees at intruders.

Why should it come as a surprise that Allah(swt) would give animals the ability to protect themselves and gather food?

[iqbal_soofi]

There are quite a few animals that have developed the use of weapons. There is a variety of crab that carries a sea urchin where ever it goes and use the urchin to kill fish, There are many cases of various animals throwing objects from trees at intruders.

Why should it come as a surprise that Allah(swt) would give animals the ability to protect themselves and gather food?

This is about the evolution. Chimps are close to humans. The way they've started using tools/weapons, it could be assumed that they may also make an atomic bomb in a couple of million centuries. They may also find some chimp prophets in them if their evolution followed the human track.

[Woodrow]

This is about the evolution. Chimps are close to humans. The way they've started using tools/weapons, it could be assumed that they may also make an atomic bomb in a couple of million centuries. They may also find some chimp prophets in them if their evolution followed the human track.

There is a very big if in there. Most of us as Muslims have no problem with the concept that chimps may or may not evolve beyond where they are today. But, we believe there is only one Human species and as soon as we are gone there will be no replacesments.

[Keltoi]

Yeah, this news wasn't really surprising to me. I know that some monkeys use stones to crack open nuts and stuff.

[iqbal_soofi]

There is a very big if in there. Most of us as Muslims have no problem with the concept that chimps may or may not evolve beyond where they are today. But, we believe there is only one Human species and as soon as we are gone there will be no replacesments.

The big ifs make you explore more. That's the basic difference in belief and science. In the belief system there's no ifs, we just believe just as it is told to us. For example we were told that nobody (including the prophets) could tell about the gender of a fetus before the birth. But scientists proved that if we use ultrasound, then we can find it out.