Incident of intense aggression by chimpanzees against an infant from another group in Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania.
We document here an unusual case of intense aggression against an infant male from another group by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of the Mahale Mountains National Park, in Tanzania. Adult males of the study group collectively attacked an unknown male infant. Although an unknown female, probably the mother, tried to retrieve him, the infant was seriously injured and most likely died. During this incident, the unknown female attacked and injured two researchers. After the aggressive encounter, it was found that six of the nine adult males in the study group were wounded. Attacking the extragroup male infant may have the effect of weakening the future power of the neighboring group, leading to better access to resources and enhanced safety in the future for the study group.
Kutsukake
Nobuyuki
N
Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. kutsu@darwin.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Matsusaka
Takahisa
T
D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013636:Tanzania