Orangutan cultures and the evolution of material culture.
Geographic variation in some aspects of chimpanzee behavior has been interpreted as evidence for culture. Here we document similar geographic variation in orangutan behaviors. Moreover, as expected under a cultural interpretation, we find a correlation between geographic distance and cultural difference, a correlation between the abundance of opportunities for social learning and the size of the local cultural repertoire, and no effect of habitat on the content of culture. Hence, great-ape cultures exist, and may have done so for at least 14 million years.
van Schaik
Carel P
CP
Department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Duke University, Post Office Box 90383, Durham, NC 27708, USA. vschaik@duke.edu
Ancrenaz
Marc
M
Borgen
Gwendolyn
G
Galdikas
Birute
B
Knott
Cheryl D
CD
Singleton
Ian
I
Suzuki
Akira
A
Utami
Sri Suci
SS
Merrill
Michelle
M
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001893:Borneo; D003468:Cultural Evolution; D003469:Culture; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D007214:Indonesia; D008297:Male; D011148:Pongo pygmaeus; D012919:Social Behavior