A team of researchers from Scotland have announced that they have created the world’s first dictionary of chimpanzee communication gestures that contains 36 different types of gestures used for communication and interaction for this species which are most closely related to humans in evolution.

The chimpanzee research was conducted in the forest region of Budongo in the African nation of Uganda over a period of 18 months in which 80 chimpanzees were observed in a natural environment and their gestures were observed and recorded in an extensive study of their communication behavior. The Scottish research team identified 36 individual gestures and their respective meanings.

The following photos highlight 3 of the gestures that the chimps used to communicate with each other.

 
 

Reference Gestures.

Tapping the other individuals
→ “Stop it or No more!”

Shaking a hand, or hit the target
→”Get out of the way!”
 
 

Raise your arms above
→ “I want this or give me more.”

This study provides an important step towards a better understanding of how these remarkable animals communicate with each other. More extensive research is needed in order for humans to fully communicate clearly with this species. I hope that one day people will be able to communicate with many other animals all over the world!