In most primates, eye contact is an implicit signal of threat, and often connotes social status and imminent physical aggression. However, in humans and some of the gregarious nonhuman primates, eye contact is tolerated more and may be used to communicate other emotional and mental states.
But studies have shown that direct eye contact with macaques can be taken as a sign of aggression or threatening behavior. This is not the first time the Corps has put out a warning about wildlife on or near its installations.
Think of it as riding a bus with strangers – it would be creepy to stare down someone you don't know, but making eye contact and acknowledging someone else's gaze is perfectly fine and, in fact, the polite thing to do.” Interestingly, chimpanzees vary in how much eye contact they choose to make with us.
If you encounter an aggressive lion, stare him down. But not a leopard; avoid his gaze at all costs. In both cases, back away slowly; don't run.
Like shy humans, staring directly into the eyes of gorilla make them feel uncomfortable and insecure and when disrupted by your direct eye contact, they can charge aggressively at you to defend themselves.
In most primates, eye contact is an implicit signal of threat, and often connotes social status and imminent physical aggression.
It felt pretty silly to do, but they explained that a human smile is seen as a threatening expression to chimpanzees. When they are afraid or when they are trying to be intimidating, they will show all their top teeth and do what we call a “fear grimace.”
Eye contact can also be a significant factor in interactions between non-human animals, and between humans and non-human animals. Animals of many species, including dogs, often perceive eye contact as a threat. Many programs to prevent dog bites recommend avoiding direct eye contact with an unknown dog.
Chances are you're in his territory and he wants you to leave more than he wants to eat you. Tigers prefer to hunt by ambush, so by looking a tiger in the eyes you are showing him you know he is there. Now he has lost the element of surprise, and will most likely go find something else to feast on.
Myth: Chimps can smile like humans do.
Chimps make this expression when they are afraid, unsure, stressed, or wanting to appear submissive to a more dominant troop member. The closest expression chimps have to a smile is a play face.
It's a challenge to gorillas
Direct eye contact will therefore force the silverback to charge and fight you in order to defend his family. If you want to be peaceful with gorillas, you should avoid eye contact.
Back away slowly, don't turn your back on the monkey but do avoid making eye contact. Show the monkey that you are not holding anything in your hands. Many monkeys attack because they think you are withholding food. If you have none, show them your empty palms.
This suggests that chimps may analyze faces holistically, like humans do. In subsequent experiments, the scientists also found that the chimpanzees efficiently detected the faces of human adults and babies, but were unable to identify monkey faces.
Abstract. Nonhuman primates posses a highly developed capacity for face recognition, which resembles the human capacity both cognitively and neurologically.
To redirect the gaze to a threat from behind, animals must rotate the head (and sometimes, the body as well) toward an estimated source direction using auditory or other non-visual information (McCluskey and Cullen, 2007).
For example, in African-American cultures, eye contact with authority figures may be viewed as disrespectful. Similarly, among some Asian groups, eye contact between strangers could be considered shameful. In some Latino cultures sustained eye contact may be viewed as disrespectful.
In their wolf ancestors, staring is considered threatening and rude. Some dogs still retain that attitude. That's why you should never stare down strange dogs or hold dogs still to stare into their eyes. If a dog gives you a hard stare, with unblinking eyes and a stiff posture, back away and don't make eye contact.
They love us. Just as we humans gaze into the eyes of people we adore, dogs have “borrowed” the same sign of affection to communicate with their owners. New research shows that mutual gazing between us and our pets releases the same hormonal response present during mother and infant bonding between humans.
The honey badger has been called the world's most fearless animal because it doesn't hesitate to attack animals much larger than itself- even lions and crocodiles!
1: Chimpanzee
Chimpanzees can learn sign language to communicate with humans. Topping our list of smartest animals is another great ape, the chimpanzee. The impressive intellectual abilities of this animal have long fascinated humans.
“If you smile at a rhesus monkey it may interpret your show of teeth as an aggressive gesture and respond violently.”
Bonobos are known as the "friendly" apes. Through the use of "bonobo TV," researchers found that bonobos' yawns are contagious, like humans. But while they have humanlike traits, their biggest threat comes from humans. "When the two groups meet, they will not be as aggressive as chimpanzees," Tan says.
Lip smacking is a social behavior that usually results in friendly interactions between monkeys in a social group. Often, a monkey will lip smack to a more dominant monkey as a sign of submission.