Changed Chimp Social Behavior?

November 12, 2011 9:18 AM

Changed chimp social behavior -- did I imagine this? Need chimp enthusiast or someone who can google better than I.

I remember reading about a group of wild chimps (who were being observed, obviously) whose male population was decimated by a virus (?). When the troop consisted primarily of females, the aggressive behavior within the group changed, both with more cooperative behavior and different kinds of behavior to establish dominance. This changed behavior persisted even after the sexual balance was re-established by other male chimps joining the group and young male chimps growing into adulthood. It continues as a troop that displays little or no internal aggressive behavior.

Did anyone else read this? Can anyone find any link to the information? (I can't believe I didn't bookmark it when I read it....)

posted by kestralwing to Pets & Animals (5 answers total)

A story just like that (except with baboons, rather than chimps) was on the Radiolab episode 'New Normal'.
posted by Catseye at 9:21 AM on November 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

I have no information, but to verify that a friend just told me this story, so I am pretty sure it exists and that it was on NPR.
posted by Vaike at 9:24 AM on November 12, 2011

Best answer: Here is a description by Robert Saposky of his baboon observations.
posted by bq at 9:25 AM on November 12, 2011 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: That's it! Thank you, bq. Who needs google fu when we've got the hive mind.
posted by kestralwing at 9:48 AM on November 12, 2011

It continued for two decades, I mentioned it in a fairly recent mefi thread and gave a link, maybe the same one.
posted by mareli at 3:05 PM on November 12, 2011 [1 favorite]