Chimpanzee

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Term Paper Title	Chimpanzee
# of Words	2265
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	9.06

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee

     The acts of cannibalism and infanticide are very apparent in the behavior
of the chimpanzee.  Many African studies show that wild chimpanzees kill and eat
infants of their own species. (Goodall, 1986:151)  Although there is not a clear
answer why chimps engage in this very violent and sometimes gruesome behavior
there are many ideas and suggestions.  This essay will deal with chimpanzee
aggression, cannibalism and infanticide. This paper will present information on
major research studies performed in Africa and analyze how and why this strange
behavior occurs in a commonly thought peaceful primate.
     Wild chimpanzees(Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) are known to kill and eat
mammals in various parts of Africa.  Monkeys were recorded to be consumed in the
Gombe National Park, the Kasakati Basin, and the Budongo Forest.  Moreover,
there is new evidence that chimpanzees near the Ugalla River of western Tanzania
also consume mammals.(Riss, 1990:167)  Cannibalism has also been recorded both
in the Budongo Forest, Mahale Mountains and the Gombe National Park.
     In Jane Goodall's, May 1979 article in the National Geographic called "Life
and Death at Gombe" it reveals the first time that chimpanzees who were always
perceived to be playful, gentle monkeys, could suddenly become dangerous killers.
"I knew that some of our chimpanzees, so gentle for the most part, could on
occasion become savage killers, ruthless cannibals, and that they had their own
form of primitive warfare."(Goodall, 1979:594)  To try and explain this ruthless
behavior it is necessary to first analyze their social upbringing and unique
lifestyle.
     The Chimpanzee society is clearly a male dominated aggressive social unit.
Males are larger than females, they are more openly aggressive, and they fight
more often. (Holloway, 1974:261)
     These fights can look extremely fierce and
     the victim screams loudly.  But it is rare
     for a fight between community members to last
     longer than quarter of a minute, and it is
     even more unusual for such a fight to result
     in serious injury.(Goodall, 1992:7)

  Many fights break out suddenly.  Afterwards the loser of the fight, even
though clearly fearful of the aggressor, will almost always approach him and
adopt a submissive posture.(Goodall, 1992:8)  The loser is giving in and
admitting that he has lost and only feels relaxed when the aggressor reaches out
and gives what is called a "reassurance gesture-he will touch, pat, k...

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