Last Updated on June 9, 2026 by Staff
Savanna chimpanzees are really smart. They can use tools. They are like our cousins because they are so similar to humans. Most of the time great apes live in forests. Savanna chimpanzees can live in both forests and open spaces like the savanna. The savanna can be a place to live because it is very hot, there is not much water and sometimes there is not much food.
Scientists have been watching chimpanzees that live in forests for a time but they do not know as much about savanna chimpanzees. A new study by researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Jane Goodall Institute Spain has found out some cool things about how savanna chimpanzees in Senegal use tools to get one of their favorite foods. Aggressive army ants.
This study is helping us learn more about savanna chimpanzees and how our ancestors might have lived a time ago.
Smart Tool Makers
The study was done in a place called Dindefelo, which’s a savanna area in Senegal. The researchers watched savanna chimpanzees get army ants from nests between 2018 and 2022.
To get the ants safely the savanna chimpanzees use sticks that they make from different kinds of plants. They use sticks from eight plant species, mostly from plants that climb like lianas. Before they use the sticks the savanna chimpanzees make them special. They take the bark off and make the ends messy. Sometimes they even bite the tips to make them smaller.
This makes the sticks better for getting into the nests and getting a lot of ants. It shows that the savanna chimpanzees are really good at planning and solving problems.
The researchers found out that making and using these sticks takes a lot of practice and learning. This means that young savanna chimpanzees have to watch and try for a time before they can do it by themselves.
Dangerous Meal
Army ants are not easy to get because they are very aggressive and can bite. The savanna chimpanzees keep trying to get them because they have a lot of good things in them. Army ants have a lot of protein and minerals which makes them a good food source, especially when other foods are hard to find. For savanna chimpanzees these ants can help them when fruits and other foods are not available.
The researchers looked at 156 times when the savanna chimpanzees ate ants and found out that they change their behavior based on how aggressive the ants are. This shows that the savanna chimpanzees are very smart and can adjust to their surroundings.
It is also interesting that one of the plants the savanna chimpanzees use to make sticks has chemicals that can help them feel better. The researchers think that the savanna chimpanzees might be using this plant on purpose to make the ant bites hurt less. They need to do more research to be sure.
Reusing Resources
One of the surprising things the researchers found out is that the savanna chimpanzees go back to the same ant nests many times over several years. This is something that has not been seen before in savanna chimpanzees.
From just looking around for ants the savanna chimpanzees seem to remember where the good nests are and go back to them when it is a good time. This shows that they have good memories and know where to find food in their area.
The savanna chimpanzees are also very good at making plans for finding food, which helps them get the energy they need without having to work hard.
This behavior shows that the savanna chimpanzees are very smart and that they use their experience to survive.
Lessons for Science
This study is important not for learning about savanna chimpanzees but also for understanding humans. The researchers think that studying savanna chimpanzees can help us learn about how our ancestors lived a time ago.
A time ago our ancestors lived in places that were probably similar to the savannas where the savanna chimpanzees live now. By watching how the savanna chimpanzees adapt to the heat, lack of food and hard landscapes we can learn how our ancestors might have survived and developed behaviors.
This study also has implications for protecting the savanna chimpanzees. The African savanna chimpanzees are in danger because their homes are being destroyed, they are being hunted and other human activities are hurting them.
If we can understand how the savanna chimpanzees find food and survive in environments we can make better plans to protect them. It is very important to save both the savanna chimpanzees and their homes so that they can keep living.
As the researchers keep studying the savanna chimpanzees they are finding out more about how smart, adaptable and good at surviving they are. This is helping us learn more about our relatives and our own history.
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