Young Madagascan Lemurs Show Similar Singing Development to Humans, Study Reveals
A fascinating study by the University of Warwick has uncovered that young Madagascan lemurs, also known as indris, exhibit singing patterns similar to human children as they develop their vocal skills. The study found that young lemurs tend to sing out of tune before improving their ability to control their singing voice as they age, much like how human children learn to refine their vocal abilities over time.
Dr. Chiara De Gregorio, a postdoctoral researcher who led the study, explained that just as humans have unique voices, each indri also has its own vocal characteristics. The research, which analyzed the vocal patterns of 62 wild indris, revealed that nonlinear phenomena (NLPs)—such as pitch cracks, jumps, and rough, noisy sounds—were much more common in the young lemurs than in adults. These findings suggest that singing in tune is a skill that develops with age, paralleling human vocal development.
Dr. De Gregorio noted that the study aimed to determine whether the same vocal development patterns seen in humans also applied to distant relatives, like the indris. One of the most interesting aspects of the research was the gender differences in the lemurs’ singing. Male indris were found to produce more roughness and instability in their songs compared to females. This vocal difference could be linked to their social roles, with males using irregular sounds that may help them appear larger and more intimidating to rivals.
The study also observed that both male and female indris displayed off-key elements at the end of musical phrases, a sign of vocal fatigue similar to what human singers experience after a long performance.
Dr. De Gregorio’s research into animal vocalization doesn’t stop with lemurs—she has also begun studying the vocal patterns of orangutans, expanding her understanding of how different species develop their voices over time.
This exciting research opens up new avenues for understanding the similarities between humans and animals in terms of vocal development and social behavior.