EH.R: Re: Is Trade Unique to Humans?

[Greg Ransom]

It's well established that female Bonobo chimps exchange sex for food.  I've seen both pictures and film of this transaction, and you couldn't convince me that this is not exactly what is going on.  Chimps trade other things as well,
and have been documented to do so with humans.  Chimps taught from infancy can also acquire a language which includes grammar.  Chimps with this acquired skill can engage in both both "verbal" and non-verbal negotiation.

I'm not aware how what the research on long-term and short-term chimp "planning" looks like, but I have little doubt that chimps could acquire the ability to function with something like money in their transactions and exchanges with a human owner/researcher.


Greg Ransom