In a shocking discovery, scientists from the University of Osnabrück and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology have observed large groups of chimpanzees deliberately attacking and killing gorillas in Gabon’s Loango National Park. Chimpanzees are known for their aggressive behavior during fights for hierarchy within their group and hunting small mammals and other primates. However, this is the first time that such behavior has been observed towards gorillas.
The scientists were on an expedition to observe the social behavior of around 45 chimpanzees in the park, focusing on their relationships, interactions with neighboring groups, tool use, communication, and hunting behavior. The chimpanzees had previously had a good relationship with the gorillas living in the park, and both species were regularly observed peacefully in feeding trees. However, the sudden attacks on the gorillas were unexpected.
The researchers witnessed two fights in which 27 chimpanzees attacked a group of five gorillas and a group of seven gorillas, respectively. The gorilla males and females initially tried to defend their young, but the chimpanzees managed to kill two of the young gorillas. The cause of the attacks is still unclear, but it is possible that increased competition for food due to the coexistence of chimpanzees, gorillas, and forest elephants in the park may have led to deadly conflicts between the two primate species.
This discovery highlights the need for further research into the behavior of our closest living relatives and the impact of competition for resources on their behavior. As Simone Pika, one of the researchers, notes, “Our study shows that there is still much to discover and explore about our closest living relatives.”
