According to a study led by Michelle Klailova of the British University of Stirling, silverback gorillas use scent as a tool for communication with other gorillas.
Mammals communicate with each other through visual, auditory, and chemical signals . In fact, the sense of smell, which is based on chemical reactions, is the oldest of the senses, and is shared by all organisms, including bacteria.
There is increasing evidence that humans also participate in social networks for the exchange of chemical signals . However, not much is known about this code of signs among close relatives of hominids, such as primates living in the wild.
To better understand this form of communication, the scientists involved in the research have analyzed the strength of the smell in relation to the arousal levels of a group of gorillas from the western lowlands of the Central African Republic, particularly the male on the back. silver, the adult leading the group.
By studying the factors that anticipated the emission of extreme levels of odor by the silverback male, they determined that if it used the scent as a social sign and not only as an indicator of arousal or stress, said emission of the odor should depend on the context. social and would vary depending on the individual’s relationship with the other gorillas.
According to the results, the male gave off odoriferous signals to modify the relationships in the group and the behavior of the other individuals.
When the intense scent was the only element that could be sniffed in the surrounding air, it was an indication of intense interactions of anger and stress and calls for authority from the silverback male, as well as a lack of proximity between the male and the female. mother of the youngest gorillas. According to the researchers, the scent is very useful in the jungle environment , where visibility is limited.
