Orangutans have a lot to say. And the way they do so may be more complicated and sophisticated than previously appreciated, according to new study in PeerJ Life & Environment.
Orangutans, the great apes of Southeast Asia, have a reputation for complex vocal communication. But understanding the nuances of their repertoire has proved challenging for researchers.
Wendy Erb, a primatologist with the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and her team sought to decipher “long calls” between orangutans. Researchers believe they use these vocalizations to communicate over long distances in the rainforests of Indonesia.
