Scientists prove that apes can recognize their friends even after decades of separation

In the savannas and rainforests of Africa, apes form strong social bonds that can last for years or even decades.

A study published in the journal Nature shows that these bonds are supported by long-term memory of faces, Science Alert writes.

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The researchers, led by Laura S. Lewis, studied 26 chimpanzees and bonobos in captivity. They showed the apes photos of faces, some of which were their old friends, relatives or enemies, and others were strangers.

The monkeys who saw the photos of their friends looked at them longer than the strangers. This indicates that they recognized them and memorized their faces.

The most striking result was that a 46-year-old Bonobo named Louise recognized two relatives she had not seen since 1995. This is the longest social memory ever recorded in any non-human animal.

Great apes are our closest living relatives, so it's no surprise that they are capable of such long-term face memory. The researchers suggest that this ability is important for establishing and maintaining social connections.

"What this study shows us is not how different we are from other great apes, but how similar we are to them and how similar they are to us," Lewis says.

The study also showed that the monkeys pay more attention to the familiar faces of old friends with whom they had a closer relationship. This may indicate that long-term face recognition evolved more as a tool for cooperation than competition.

The results of the study have important implications for our understanding of animal social behavior. They show that monkeys are capable of complex social interactions that require long-term memory and understanding of others.

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