We’re too busy singing: acoustic analysis with apes

This project focuses on novel methods for investigating auditory perception and associated environmental enrichment of great apes in managed scenarios. Research outputs can inform animal husbandry and the design of human and animal infrastructures in both managed and wild environments. This is a report from the start of the project, explaining the motivation for the research and demonstrating the utility of soundscape analysis for identifying anthropogenic noise that potentially impacts on great ape welfare, natural behaviours and communication strategies. At this early stage, technology is being used to passively monitor acoustic signals in the environment and subsequently support the analysis of recordings, using visualisation and machine learning techniques to reveal patterns and identify sound sources. Initial findings demonstrate that the fundamental frequency of gorilla low growls fall in the range of 150 to 200 Hz, with subharmonics as low as 30 Hz, just on the edge of human hearing. Ultimately, we are planning a deeper investigation of auditory perception, by developing interactive devices that offer agency to non-humans and enable us to find out more about the hearing capabilities of different species.