What sciences did an ape have to understand to invent a bow and arrow?

Question

Apes get hungry too. Is it popssible that a primate invented a bow and arrow in time to keep from starving to death?

Answer 1

The bow and arrow is primarily a distance weapon, used to kill things before they get anywhere near you.  Early humans had knives and axes for close quarters killing and butchery - spears with flint tips would have been used initially for close quarters stabbing, whilst keeping the enemy at bay, and then later a throwing version would have evolved.  The bow and arrow is a natural extension of the spear, albeit lighter with a greater distance.

The basic science one would need to understand is the science of survival. Kill or be killed.  Once the basic system of propulsion was invented, observation would show that:

The arrow could be made to fly straighter, with guides (flights)

The string could be made taughter - the arrow flies faster & further

The bow could be given more tension - as above.

So, observation and a keen sense of modification.

Answer 2

The only member of the primate family (besides humans) that will hunt down other animals for meat is the chimpanzee and it only does that after it is well fed. The meat is used mainly as a way for the Alpha male to keep other members loyal to him. Also, Chimpanzees do not track their prey. They do not go looking for signs in the jungle for it. If a pack of chimps sees a collobus monkey or another of the small monkeys they hunt they will start to chase it down as a pack but if they lose sight they will give up the chase. So chimps are not in a position where they are forced to evolve better hunting methods. Rather they occupy their niche in life too comfortably and do not need to evolve necessarily. Maybe the cutting down of forests and the loss of their fruit trees will force them to hunt more and they might evolve.

Answer 3

Mercy...Open your mind.  When homosapiens evolved as a separate species, we did not lose  all if our ape-like characteristics. Evolution is an ongoing process. The success for the continuation of every species is their ability for adaptive specialization.   Invention is the product of necessity; or vice verse The development of  abstract imaging preceded language.  So, no, it is not possible that a primate could have invented the bow and arrow.  But...primates are getting smarter.

Answer 4

There is a long gap between picking ants on a stick and the complexities of archery. Ask Jane Goodall. Apes may not even have the bone structure to use a bow and arrow, even if you gave them one.

Answer 5

A bow doesn't do you much good if you haven't invented a spear yet.  A chipped rock is even easier to fashion into a hand ax to smash with or throw.  Modern nonhuman apes are at about the point where they can smash things with rocks, shape sticks for digging, and throwing things.  

Apes did likely invent bows but they were probably all in the genus Homo.

Answer 6

No, they are primarily vegetarians anyway and don't have to hunt bananas with a weapon, they just sneaks up on em'!