Chimpanzees have been found to adjust the design of the new nest they build every day in anticipation of overnight weather conditions, according to a new study.

Adjunct Associate Professor Cyril Grueter, Professor Shane Maloney and PhD student Hassan Al Razi, from The University of Western Australia's School of Human Sciences, were co-authors of the paper published in Current Biology, which revealed nests were not only a place of rest but also helped regulate body temperature.

The study examined how wild chimpanzees in Rwanda’s Nyungwe National Park adjusted their nest-building behaviour in response to fine-scale environmental variation.

“We found that chimpanzees carefully choose where and how to build their nests,” Mr Al Razi said.

“They prefer warmer, less windy locations and construct thicker, deeper nests when conditions are cooler or wetter.

“They also select taller trees with denser canopy cover before rainy nights, likely to improve protection from the elements.”

The results showed chimpanzees’ nesting decisions were more closely aligned with the weather experienced later in the evening than with the conditions at the time they built their nests.

“This finding suggests the possibility that chimpanzees adjust their nest-building behaviour in anticipation of overnight conditions, rather than responding only to immediate environmental cues,” Associate Professor Grueter said.

“They may use subtle changes in temperature, humidity or other atmospheric signals to guide these decisions.”

The study does not provide proof that chimpanzees can predict the weather but suggests they may be sensitive to environmental cues that signal upcoming changes.

“This raises the possibility that even routine behaviours, such as nest-building, involve a degree of decision-making that is forward-looking,” Professor Maloney said.

The findings highlight the flexibility of chimpanzee behaviour and offer new insight into how animals cope with environmental challenges.