A new study says that primates naturally levy fatal attacks, and human influence has nothing to do with the behavior.
Chimps are known to exhibit lethal violence and scientists have long debated if that’s a result of their contact with humans.
A new study says that the primates are naturally like that, and people have nothing to do with it.
The research also indicates that male chimpanzees are far more likely to both instigate and be the recipients of fatal attacks.
Of the 152 killings, males were the assailants 92 percent of the time, and victims 73 percent of the time.
Furthermore, most violence occurs when a group encounters a member of their species that’s from another community and traveling alone. The typical ratio of attackers to victims is 8 to 1.
Not all experts on the topic are in agreement with the findings.
Said one anthropologist from Washington University, “The statistics don’t tell me anything. They haven’t established lack of human interference.”
