Traveling chimpanzees use tools more frequently according to findings coming from the University of Geneva, Switzerland and the University of Neuchâtel. According to the University of Geneva’s Dr. Thibaud Gruber, wild chimpanzees that travel use tools more and this may have also played an important part in the early evolution of technology by humans.

The team of researchers examined a chimpanzee community in Uganda’s Budongo Forest. One wild chimp named Hawa travels a lot and replenishes his energy with honey. Squibs, another chimp, doesn’t tend to roam as much so he hasn’t been able to get the skills necessary to enjoy the honey treat. During 7 years of research and observation, this type of pattern could be seen repeatedly in other chimps that were a part of this study group. Small amounts of ripe fruit also encourage the chimps to acquire new skills and foraging but not as much as travel does.

There were nine other communities observed to make sure that this pattern was consistent amongst all of them. Dr. Gruber examined 70 chimpanzees belonging to the Sonso community, which are known for a limited use of tools. These chimps only use folded leaves for collecting water and use moss for soaking up clay pit mineral deposits, making them ideal candidates for the study. Of the 70 chimps studied, 52 actively took part in the experiment.

According to Gruber, who worked in this field for 7 years, he was left with a large volume of information to work with and the chimps engaged in the experiment in a variety of different ways. He needed to find out why.

Gruber used an experiment with a honey trap to learn more. The chimpanzees from the Sonso community were used to taking honey from a bee’s nest with their fingers. This experiment involved drilling a hole into a log and then putting some honey into it. This way, the chimp would only be able to get the honey with a tool. There were 21 tool usages observed amongst 11 chimps. Two of them used a stick to pull the honey out while the rest used a leaf sponge that was folded up.

After reviewing the information and taking a number of variables into account, Gruber says that it was a surprise to see how important travel is when it comes to the use of tools in chimpanzees. It was more of an influence than a limited diet of ripe fruits, which is their preferred food choice. The team was able to conclude that chimpanzees become more innovative when they travel due to the need for foods with a lot of energy in them.

Local ecology also has its place when it comes to tool use. In the Budongo Forest, for example, there is a rich environment for chimps versus the environment found in the Sonso community. Gruber says that behavior adapts to changing times and that the research shows that chimpanzees in demanding situations pay more attention to opportunities in their environment.

Back in 2011 Gruber worked with a colleague from the University of St. Andrews, Catherine Hobaiter, and together they discovered that one chimpanzee named Nick introduced using moss to sponge up liquids and solids. Another dominant female in the community copied his behavior and then other individuals quickly followed suit.

The closest relative to the chimpanzee is the bonobo and members of this group travel about the same amount as other chimpanzees in Uganda and use similar tools. Most orangutans and gorillas don’t travel a lot and rarely use feeding tools. On the other hand, modern day food hunters and gatherers use the most tools while walking an average of 11.4 to 14.1 km daily.

The full study was published in eLife journal.