Research published in PLOS Biology reveals that chimpanzees primarily learn their unique vocal and visual communication styles from their mothers and maternal relatives, not their fathers. A study of the Kanyawara chimpanzee community in Uganda showed that mother-offspring pairs exhibited similar communication patterns, suggesting social learning plays a crucial role. This mirrors human communication development, implying this learned social communication may date back millions of years to our last common ancestor with chimpanzees.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.