Question

What distinguishes apes as highly intelligent creatures?

a) Their ability to use tools and recognize themselves in mirrors.
b) Their communication, play, and gender-specific behavior.
c) Their cultural recognition.
d) All animals have culture; humans just can't recognize it as easily.

Answer 1

Apes are highly intelligent creatures due to their ability to use tools, recognize themselves in mirrors, exhibit complex communication and play, and display cultural recognition.

Step-by-step explanation:

Apes are highly intelligent creatures due to several distinguishing factors:

1. They have the ability to use tools and recognize themselves in mirrors. For example, chimpanzees have been observed using sticks to extract termites from mounds and gorillas have exhibited self-awareness by recognizing themselves in mirrors.
2. Apes exhibit complex communication, play, and gender-specific behavior. They can use gestures or tokens to refer to things and combine signs to make comments and requests. This indicates their capacity for protolanguage.
3. Apes display cultural recognition and have the ability to create simple cultures beyond their family or group. This involves passing on knowledge and behaviors from generation to generation.