New research shows that young orangutans learn essential nest-building skills by watching others and practicing over many years

Primatologists from the University of Warwick, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, have discovered how young orangutans acquire one of their most vital survival skills: building secure treetop nests.

Why Nests Matter

Nest-building is critical to orangutans, who spend their lives high in the forest canopy. A well-built nest provides:

• Safety from predators
• Protection from the weather
• Warmth during the night
• Even anti-mosquito benefits

Despite its importance, nest-building has often been overlooked in ape research.

“Nest-building is critical to survival in orangutans but is surprisingly not the focus of a lot of research. We previously reported that it takes multiple years for immature orangutans to learn to nest-build, but based on 17 years of observational data, this paper shows that this learning process is highly dependent on young animals carefully watching the nest-building of others,” said Dr. Ani Permana, lead author from the University of Warwick’s Department of Psychology.

Watching, Practicing, and Learning

Researchers noted that juvenile orangutans that “peered”—intentionally observed their mothers constructing nests—were significantly more inclined to engage in construction themselves. Their failure to observe resulted in infrequent practice thereafter, highlighting the significance of active observation.

The research indicated that juvenile orangutans focused particularly on the intricate phases of nest construction, including the incorporation of comfort features (pillows, linings, or roofing) and the utilisation of numerous trees, and engaged in these practices with greater intensity.

From Mothers to New Role Models

As they grow, immature orangutans expand their learning circle beyond their mothers, observing other individuals to gain new insights. This allows them to diversify their knowledge about both how to build and what materials to use.

Dr. Caroline Schuppli, senior author from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, explained:
“Aside from learning ‘how to’ build a nest, immature orangutans also appear to learn the ‘know-what’ of which materials to use. The choice of tree species is important, and infants—who primarily peer at their mothers—are more likely to select the same species their mothers use.

Just like human teenagers finding their own path, maturing orangutans increasingly peer at the nest-building of others and begin experimenting with the tree species those individuals use.

Ultimately, adult orangutans tend to revert to the nest materials used by their mothers, perhaps recognizing that the most effective methods had already been established. This consistent variation in nest materials across generations indicates that wild orangutan populations possess cultural elements that could be lost without the conservation of the species and their habitats.”

A Window Into Ape Culture and Evolution

The findings carry broader implications for understanding social learning in apes:

• Survival role: Nest-building is essential, showing social learning is fundamental to orangutan development.
• Complex learning: Orangutans can master multi-stage, intricate behaviors through observation and practice.
• Evolutionary significance: Since nest-building is an ancient behavior in apes, the study suggests that social learning has deep evolutionary roots.
  

Although tool use in orangutans has been extensively recorded, this marks the inaugural demonstration of observational social learning in nest-building, a behaviour crucial for daily survival.

Summary of Key Findings

• Young orangutans learn nest-building by watching and practicing over many years.
• Peering at mothers during construction is crucial—without watching, youngsters rarely practice.
• Juveniles pay most attention to the complex steps, like adding comfort elements.
• As they mature, they learn from other role models, diversifying their material choices.
• Adults often return to their mothers’ methods, suggesting cultural continuity across generations.
• Findings highlight both the cultural richness of orangutan behavior and the importance of conserving their habitats.

Original Publication
Authors: Andrea L. Permana, Junaidi Jaka Permana, Lara Nellissen, Eggi Septian Prayogi, Didik Prasetyo, Serge A. Wich, Carel P. van Schaik and Caroline Schuppli.
Journal: Communications Biology
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08217-2
Method of Research: Experimental study
Subject of Research: Animals
Article Title: Observational social learning of “know-how” and “know-what” in wild orangutans: evidence from nest-building skill acquisition
Article Publication Date: 7-Jun-2025
COI Statement: The authors declare no competing interests.

Original Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08217-2

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