Issue link: https://owlkids.uberflip.com/i/1516659
S cientists studying chimpanzees in the Republic of the Congo found that chimp moms teach their kids by showing them how to use a twig to capture a meal of termites. This is called termite fishing. To do it, a chimp sticks twigs into a termite mound. When the stick's pulled out, it's covered in bugs that can be gobbled up! Experts have observed a chimpanzee mom bringing two twigs to a termite nest and giving one to her young chimp. The youngster follows its mom's lead and uses the stick to go "fishing." Give that chimp an A+! STICK TO IT T he golden lion tamarin is a small monkey that lives in the rainforests of Brazil. Adult tamarins teach their young where to find food in the treetops! To start, adults provide their babies with food. Grown-ups use a call that tells young tamarins to come and get a meal, which can include small creatures like lizards or frogs. Once the youngsters are a bit older, adults let out the same call, but this time when the young ones scurry over for a meal, the grown-ups have no food in hand. Not a problem! The young monkeys now understand that the adults' call means food is near, so they begin searching tree crevices to find prey. Lesson learned! LISTEN UP! PHOTOS: DREAMSTIME (DOLPHIN, SOUTHERN PIED BABBLER); GETTYISTOCK (ALL OTHERS) ILLUSTRATION: PAULA BECKER F or a group of bottlenose dolphins living off the coast of western Australia, mom knows best. Researchers have observed the dolphin moms teaching their offspring how to protect their snouts as they dig for fish on the ocean floor. To do this, Mom tears a cone-shaped sponge from the seabed and places it over the end of her own snout. Experts think this helps protect dolphin snouts from sharp rocks, coral, or stinging creatures found along the bottom. The young dolphins spend about four years foraging with their moms and observing their behaviour. Over time, they learn to use sponges in the same way. ON THE NOSE owlconnected.com 23