Pigs typically get all of the praise when it comes to sniffing out truffles. However, some birds, a pair of specially trained dogs, and primates are also proving to be quite adept at finding these savory fungi which are a staple of fine dining. Some “soil scratching” gorillas in Congo’s Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park also appear to be foraging for a specific species of truffle and not insects as scientists long believed. The findings are detailed in a study recently published in the journal Primates.
An estimated 180 western lowland gorillas have reportedly reside in Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo in Central Africa alongside Elephants and chimpanzees. The over 1,500 square mile lowland rainforest reserve was first established in 1993 and is managed by the Congolese government and Wildlife Conservation Society.
Scientists in the park initially believed that the gorillas were searching for insects to eat when they were scratching soil. With local transitional knowledge and molecular classification of the soil, the team observed four groups of gorillas every day for almost 10 years. They eventually succeeded in collecting specimens of the food that the gorillas were foraging for. Taxonomic identification of the food revealed that the gorillas were looking for a specific species of deer truffle (Elaphomyces labyrinthinus).
The team believes that this truffle foraging behavior has some important social implications for the primates. While not all of the gorilla groups engage in it, some individuals may give up and take it up again when they move from one group to another. This inter-group movement shows more about their social structure.
[ Related: Dogs sniff out two new species of truffle. ]
Other primate species have also helped researchers find entirely new species of truffles. In 2020, bonobos in Congo discovered Hysterangium bonobo, a type of fungi that allows trees to absorb key nutrients from the soil and supports the diets of other animals.
These new findings were developed by researcher Gaston Abea, of the semi-nomadic indigenous Bangombe people. Abea has been working for the park since 2000 and drew on his traditional knowledge and tracking skills to document this behavior.
“My people’s traditional knowledge of these forests is endangered by modern lifestyles but is proving invaluable in continuing to study and preserve these ecosystems,” Abea, who is the lead author of the study, said in a statement. “Our ancestors used to hunt gorillas, now we protect them, and I hope to inspire other Ba’Akas to do the same.”