The article discusses a unique gesture between Beryl, a chimpanzee, and her daughter Lindsay, observed in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Lindsay's gesture of placing a hand over Beryl's eye to signal a desire to climb on her back is a private sign not known among other chimpanzees. This discovery underscores the depth of chimpanzee communication, likening it to human interactions where unique expressions foster intimate connections. The research conducted by Dr. Bas van Boekholt highlights the complex social behaviors of chimpanzees and their ability to develop individual signs that carry special meaning for them.
"There are so many words or gestures or things that are almost like inside jokes, that only have a meaning with just one other person," said Bas van Boekholt.
"No other chimpanzees are known to use the hand-eye gesture like Lindsay and Beryl do. It's their own private sign."
"Chimpanzees have a rich repertoire of gestures, which they use in ways that might not technically qualify as language but are certainly language-like."
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