Image Citation: [5]
Written by Julian Dahiya ‘28
Edited by Yusef Lateef ‘28
Chimpanzees are our closest relatives, sharing 99% of our DNA. Although it may be hard to believe, once you take a look at their behavior, the similarities become strikingly apparent.
Our quest to understand the inner workings of Chimpanzee life takes us to the thick rainforests of Ngogo, Uganda. Here, a group of scientists have been closely observing a specific tribe of Chimpanzees since the 1980s, offering never before realized insights into the mysterious lives of our close cousins[1]. These Chimpanzees are remarkable due to the unusually large size of the tribe. One hundred and twenty
chimps currently live in this tribe, more than double the next largest known group of chimpanzees.
Our story begins with Jackson, age 31, the alpha male. Chimpanzee’s have complex social structures which are strictly hierarchical. Each male is ranked through a series of brawls and displays of strength, and the males must show complete respect to those further up in the hierarchy. Jackson has been in power for close to 7 years now, an impressive reign in this Chimp kingdom, but cracks in his regime are emerging.
Just like in our world, connections are everything. These connections are formed through grooming, a social and skin care behavior that involves searching and removing ticks and dirt between chimps. It is their equivalent of human conversation. They strategically groome those that they want to form connections with. As Alpha, Jackson has a group of strong high ranking males that he regularly grooms behind him as allies, and has even enlisted a number of lower ranking males as spies to keep an eye on any usurpers.
Chimpanzees and humans share an incredibly rare trait in the animal kingdom; empathy. Just like in human society, Chimpanzee tribes share everything from food to emotional support. Take for example when Gus, a young male orphan, got a parasitical infection on his skin. For days while he suffered, Peterson, a high ranking male, comforted him, offering his hand for Gus to hold (that’s right, holding hands is not just a human gesture). Chimpanzees have also been known to grieve for months after the passing of close relatives and friends. Through acts of selflessness like these, Chimpanzees are able to live to incredible ages, many times above 60![2]
However, this empathy is exclusive to only members in the same tribe. A lot of the problems we face today, such as war and racism, which seem completely nonsensical from an outside perspective, can be explained through the tribal and territorial behavior of Chimpanzees. Humans and chimps alike are one of the few known species to kill their own in large numbers. Chimpanzees are also notorious for practicing cannibalism, which they seem to commit not for any dietary purpose, but rather to showcase their supremacy.
Perhaps most striking are the abundant similarities between human and chimpanzee warfare. Just like current battlefields in the middle east and Ukraine, the Ngogo tribe has clearly marked territorial boundaries that have been fought over to the inch. This tribe’s biggest rivals are the westerner’s, a group of 30 chimps that left central Ngogo when Jackson deserted them to become the Alpha. Needless to say, Jackson’s betrayal is still fresh in their memory. Over the past couple months, they have been attempting to get a particular Chrysyphollus tree (an abundant fruit producer) within their territory.
A typical offensive starts out with a patrol, in which a high ranking male assembles a group of chimps, and directs them to the forest. Similar to an Army platoon moving through a wooded area, these chimps move quickly, unified, and in complete silence, communicating solely through head nods and eye contact. Observing it, it seems as if their minds were somehow connected. When they find a clue that the enemy is near, perhaps a half eaten fruit, or a particularly close noise, they freeze and organize themselves into different groups that each have a role. A common strategy, which is still used in modern warfare, is the surround and ambush strategy, where groups of chimps surround the unsuspecting enemy, and attack. These attacks can be ruthless, with chimps pinning down the enemy and ripping them open while alive.
How can it be possible for a species renowned for its solidarity and empathy, to commit such horrendous acts? We can ask the same question about ourselves. Similar to in Chimpanzee society, I believe the distinction happens when we start to form groups. Both of our species are incredibly good at forming groups, from family, tribes, social clicks, teams, etc. The feeling of being accepted into a group, of belonging, is engraved deeply in our DNA. Having friends is not just a nice thing to have, it is quite literally the most important aspect of a happy life, shown in an 80 year long study conducted by Harvard university[3].
Yet, problems arise when these groups attempt coexistence. Something as trivial as supporting a soccer team can cause violent fights. A study conducted by Munich found that violent crimes increased by 63% the day of a rivalry soccer game[4]. Now, take something that has a much greater effect on people's lives, for example religion or political ideologies, and the results get ugly quickly. However, unlike Chimpanzees, we now have weapons capable of ending all of life on this planet with the push of a button.
Is there any hope for our species?
Well, remember when I said that Chimpanzees are our closest relatives? I lied, … kind of. There is another species, Bonobos, which also shares nearly all of our DNA. This species of apes look, act, and sound just like chimpanzees, with one major difference; they have never been observed to kill each other. How is this possible?
 |
Figure 1: Bonobo Monkey [6] |
For one, they are much less territorial, and therefore do not fight with neighboring tribes nearly to the same degree as chimps. They are also much more loving and compassionate to one another, and do not restrict mating to only the highest ranking males.
However, the biggest, and I believe most consequential difference between the bonobos and chimpanzees, is that women lead the tribe. Maybe if we learn a thing or two from the Bonobos, and start putting women in charge, the world would be a better place.
References
Chimp Empire [television series]. Netflix; 2023. National Geographic [Internet]. Do chimpanzees mourn the dead? [cited 2024 Oct 8]. Available from: https://www.nathab.com/blog/do-chimpanzees-mourn/#:~:text=Do%20chimpanzees%20actually%20mourn%20the,have%20indicated%20that%20they%20do
Study.com [Internet]. Chimpanzee life cycle & lifespan [cited 2024 Oct 8]. Available from: https://study.com/academy/lesson/chimpanzees-life-cycle-lifespan.html#:~:text=in%20the%20wild%3F-,The%20average%20lifespan%20of%20a%20chimpanzee%20in%20the%20wild%20is,for%20more%20than%2070%20years.
Mineo L. Over nearly 80 years, Harvard study has been showing how to live a healthy and happy life. The Harvard Gazette [Internet]. 2017 Apr 11 [cited 2024 Oct 8]. Available from: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/
Andres L, Fabel M, Rainer H. How much violence does football hooliganism cause? J Public Econ. 2023;225:104970.
In: Bromance helps stressed out warring chimps keep their cool. New Scientist. Published 2016 Feb 18 [cited 2024 Dec 3]. Available from: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2078902-bromance-helps-stressed-out-warring-chimps-keep-their-cool/
In: Bonobo. San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants [Internet]. Published 2024 [cited 2024 Dec 3]. Available from: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/bonobo
Kommentare