Spontaneous performance of wild baboons on three novel food-access puzzles

摘要: Although the technical problem-solving expertise of nonhuman primates has been investigated extensively in captivity, few species have tested their natural habitats. Here I examine physical cognition wild savanna baboons (Papio anubis), a that occupies an omnivorous foraging niche which variety embedded food items are extracted and processed. Baboons were on three puzzles, each involving high-quality required removal from novel obstruction: (1) string-pulling puzzle was hung tree branches, (2) twig-dipping vertical tube, (3) stick-pushing contained horizontal conduit. The failed to solve second third puzzles even when tools had appropriately positioned advance. And although they solved first puzzle, actions (running while holding still attached string), suggested did not fully comprehend string’s connective property. baboons’ performance might reflect time constraints life wild, relative captivity may provide fewer opportunities for development understanding about properties objects potential uses as tools. Further experiments many other primate habitats would help test this ontogenetic hypothesis. Such field be especially fruitful if continued target extractive foragers like baboons: these could simultaneously phylogenetic hypotheses invoke key stimulus brain expansion savanna-dwelling hominids.