Are chimpanzees very violent?

Jane Goodall’s ground-breaking work helped change the way we thought of chimpanzees, and ourselves, when she documented evidence of tool-use, hunting, and inter-group warfare among the chimps of Gombe. Her findings showed the world that chimpanzees can be just as aggressive and violent towards each other as humans.

Do chimpanzees engage in warfare?

Most days the male chimps behave a lot like frat boys, making a lot of noise or beating each other up. But once every 10 to 14 days, they do something more adult and cooperative: they wage war. A band of males, up to 20 or so, will assemble in single file and move to the edge of their territory.

Do chimpanzee wars prove that violence is innate?

Clearly, humans have been fighting wars for thousands of years, and we may not be the only ones. There is growing evidence that several other species also engage in warfare, including our closest relatives the chimpanzees. That suggests we have inherited our predilection for warfare from our ape-like ancestors.

Why do chimps become violent?

Chimpanzees typically direct their aggressive and sometimes predatory behavior toward children because the animals are more fearful of larger human adults, especially men, according to National Geographic.

What is the most aggressive ape?

The team’s reports and video, published in the International Journal of Primatology, build upon a 2014 study on lethal aggression. The younger adult male chimps were the most aggressive. Researchers noted that two of Foudouko’s former allies were the only ones that didn’t show any aggression.

Why do chimps go to war?

However, unlike their peace-loving primate relative, aggression and violence is inherent among chimpanzees. In fact, male chimpanzees are often known to attack one another over territorial disputes. Research has shown chimp-on-chimp violence to be fairly common, suggesting that chimpanzees are predisposed to murder.

Are primates violent?

Still, primates stand out for their violence compared with other animals. The team found that primates — the group that contains humans, apes, monkeys, and lemurs — were particularly violent as a group, with the number of deaths being caused by a member of the same species at 2.3%.