To drum or not to drum: Selectivity in tree buttress drumming by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea

Chimpanzees at Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve exhibit selective behavior when drumming on tree buttresses, favoring larger trees with thinner and broader buttresses. This suggests that buttress drumming is a goal-oriented communication strategy rather than a random act, likely used for long-distance signaling. The study analyzed drumming patterns at the Seringbara site in Guinea, revealing that chimpanzees prioritize buttress characteristics that enhance sound propagation, supporting its role in nonvocal communication within their dynamic social structure.

Fitzgerald, M., Willems, E. P., Gaspard Soumah, A., Matsuzawa, T., & Koops, K. (2022). To drum or not to drum: Selectivity in tree buttress drumming by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea. American Journal of Primatology, 84(7). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23382