Index


Animal Culture Indigenous cultures of the animal kingodom.

“what biology enables, culture forbids”-Yuval Harari, Author, Sapiens

Animal culture can be defined as the ability of non-human animals to learn and transmit behaviors through processes of social or cultural learning. Culture is increasingly seen as a process, involving the social transmittance of behavior among peers and between generations. It can involve the transmission of novel behaviors or regional variations that are independent of genetic or ecological factors.

The existence of culture in non-humans has been a contentious subject, sometimes forcing researchers to rethink "what it is to be human". The notion of culture in other animals dates back to Aristotle in classical antiquity, and more recently to Charles Darwin, but the association of other animals' actions with the actual word 'culture' originated with Japanese primatologists' discoveries of socially-transmitted food behaviours in the 1940s.[7] Evidence for animal culture is often based on studies of feeding behaviors, vocalizations, predator avoidance, mate selection, and migratory routes.

An important area of study for animal culture is vocal learning, the ability to make new sounds through imitation. Most species cannot learn to imitate sounds. Some can learn how to use innate vocalizations in new ways. Only a few species can learn new calls. The transmission of vocal repertoires, including some types of bird vocalization, can be viewed as social processes involving cultural transmission. Some evidence suggests that the ability to engage in vocal learning depends on the development of specialized brain circuitry, detected in humans, dolphins, bats and some birds. The lack of common ancestors suggests that the basis for vocal learning has evolved independently through evolutionary convergence.

Animal culture can be an important consideration in conservation management. As of 2020, culture and sociality were included in the aspects of the management framework of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

  • Biology Enables:Biology, in its broadest sense, refers to the natural processes and characteristics of living organisms. From a biological perspective, many actions and behaviors are possible, and there's a wide spectrum of potential outcomes. 

  • Culture Forbids:Culture, on the other hand, consists of the shared values, beliefs, norms, and practices of a particular group of people. Cultures often establish rules and expectations that limit what individuals can do, and what they must do, even if those actions are biologically possible. 

  • Social Learning:The underlying process is social learning, where animals learn from others, and this can lead to the development of cultural traditions that persist across generations or even within a single generation like a "fad". 
  • Examples:
    • Chimpanzees: Chimpanzee communities have been observed to have unique tool-use behaviors, food preferences, and social rituals that are passed down through generations. 
    • Dolphins: Dolphin populations have been shown to have distinct hunting techniques and communication patterns that are learned and passed down within their pods. 
    • Birds: Some bird species have been found to have different song dialects and foraging strategies that are learned and maintained within their populations. 
    • Fish: Even fish have been observed to exhibit cultural behaviors, such as unique foraging methods or social structures. 
  • Significance:Understanding animal culture is important for conservation efforts, as it can help inform strategies for protecting populations and their unique behaviors. 
  • Cultural Transmission:Animals acquire their behavioral repertoire by watching others instead of through their own exploration or from the genetic code they inherit from their parents. 
  • Evolutionary Implications:Social learning provides a second inheritance system, built on the foundations of genetic inheritance, creating the potential for a second form of evolution: cultural evolution. 
  • Conservation:Recognizing the importance of animal culture can lead to more effective conservation strategies, as it highlights the need to protect not only genetic diversity but also the cultural diversity of animal populations.