The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Carrie McLaren <stay.free AT verizon.net>]

14 October 2005
CHIMPS CHAT AS THEY EAT
By Tom Parry
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_objectid=16246764&method=full&siteid=94762&headline=chimps-chat-as-they-eat--name_page.html

CHIMPANZEES talk to each other when they feed, a study has found.

Scientists discovered their grunts change for different types of food 
- with a higher pitch for highly-valued treats like bread and low 
calls for less esteemed fare like apples.

It is the first time researchers have established that speech exists 
between apes. Previously it was thought they only used gestures to 
communicate.

The ground-breaking study was conducted on Edinburgh Zoo chimps by 
primate experts from the University of St Andrews.

Grunts at different meals were recorded. When calls of one chimp were 
played to another, it recognised the sounds for separate food types.

That chimp then looked in the appropriate place for the food itself.