| Title | Orangutan cultures and the evolution of material culture. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2003 |
| Authors | van Schaik, CP, Ancrenaz, M, Borgen, G, Galdikas, B, Knott, CD, Singleton, I, Suzuki, A, Utami, SS, Merrill, M |
| Journal | Science (New York, N.Y.) |
| Volume | 299 |
| Issue | 5603 |
| Pagination | 102-5 |
| Date Published | 2003 Jan 3 |
| ISSN | 1095-9203 |
| Keywords | behavior, culture, orangutans, primates, social learning |
| Abstract | 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. |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1078004 |
| Alternate Journal | Science |
| Citation Key | vanSchaik:orangutan:2003 |
| PubMed ID | 12511649 |
Orangutan cultures and the evolution of material culture.
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