Gesture Use in Communication between Mothers and Offspring in Wild Orang-Utans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) from the Sabangau Peat-Swamp Forest, Borneo

Bibliographic Data

ID11280372
AuthorsAndrea Knox (0000-0003-4691-3342, University of Exeter), Joey Markx (Wageningen University & Research), Emma How (University of Exeter), Abdul Azis (0000-0002-9715-0763, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation), Catherine Hobaiter (0000-0002-3893-0524, University of St Andrews, corresponding author), F J Frank van Veen (0000-0003-0708-5492, University of Exeter), Helen C Morrogh‐Bernard (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation), Helen Morrogh-Bernard
Year2019
Volume40
Issue3
Pages393-416
Publication date2019-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Primatology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0164-0291 • E-ISSN: 1573-8604
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10764-019-00095-w
OpenAlexW2955967395
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited109

Research on captive and wild great apes has established that they employ large repertoires of intentional gestural signals to achieve desired goals. However, gestural research has focused on African great apes, with orang-utan data limited to a few captive studies. We address this gap by describing gesture use in wild Southwest Bornean orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) mother and offspring pairs. We conducted focal follows on 16 individuals in the Sabangau peatswamp forest in Borneo, Indonesia. The resulting 681 h of video footage yielded 1299 communicative signals: 858 vocal signals and 441 gestural signals. Eleven vocal signal types and 21 gesture types met the criteria for inclusion in the repertoire; however, the gestural repertoire did not approach asymptote and further gesture types will likely be identified in the future. Signalers used gestures of any modality in higher frequency when the recipient was paying visual attention, and took the recipient's visual attention into account when selecting gesture modalities. Orang-utans employed hands and arms more than legs and feet in gesturing, but were more flexible in their choice of limb than chimpanzees using the same gestures. Orang-utans were highly responsive to gestural requests, using them to achieve eight goals and, where successful, responding either before gesturing ended or in <1 s in 90% of communications. Our findings on the range of gesture types and impact of visual attention support findings from captive orang-utans; and those on responsiveness and limb use highlight the importance of studying ape communication in the social and ecological context to which it is adapted

Animal ecology · Biology · Gesture · Pongo pygmaeus · Repertoire · Swamp · Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior · Communication · Computer Science · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Primate Behavior and Ecology · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence · Ecology