8/14/2019 POS - Chimpanzees

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Nathaniel Kan

Perspectives on Science

Lecture Questions, Oct. 26

1.What are the common motivators for social structure among primates?

For most primates, social groups provide protection from predators, because more

eyes and ears have a better chance of detecting an attack. For some primates, females will

attach themselves to males because a male who is sure that the female has his child willbe more likely to protect her against aggression and infanticide.

Chimpanzees form communities, where there will be a number of groups all

linked together; rarely will the entire community be all in the same space, but they will

often be dispersed among a certain territory. Females will generally be alone, except forthe times when they have estrous swellings. Males cooperate with one another so that

they can range over a greater area of females and have more mating opportunities.

2.Why are chimpanzees the preferred subjects for many primate studies?

Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives, and they share 99% of our DNA.Chimpanzees are one of two primates that are considered to have evolved from the same

branch as humans. Many scientists believe chimpanzee communities provide a model for

early hominid social groups. Scientists who study chimpanzees believe that some

behaviors, seen in chimpanzees that provide them with certain evolutionary benefits, arealso displayed in humans for similar reasons. By studying chimpanzees, many

researchers hope to gain a greater understanding of the evolution of human nature.

3.What goals do primates seek to achieve by sharing food?

Chimpanzees share food in order to increase and affirm their social bonds. Malechimpanzees will often give meat taken in hunts to their allies, other males who they

groom with and who back them up in fights. This action is reciprocal, and it demonstrates

the loyalty of one male to another, which will increase the chances that the malereceiving food will assist the giver at a later time. This sharing is beneficial to the giving

chimpanzee, because his sharing now may lead to assistance in winning a fight later,

which would increase his chances of mating.

4.What are the reasons for territorial aggression?

Chimpanzee males will form patrol groups within their community and go ontrips to patrol their borders. When encountering male or female chimpanzees from

another community, they will attack, especially in cases where their group outnumbers

the other. It is believed that males are defending a feeding territory for their community.Because chimpanzees rely on food sources mostly composed of fruit, which is not so

abundant, territorial protection becomes important. By increasing the food supply for the

community, females have shorter interbirth intervals. Reproduction occurs much more

quickly, an evolutionary benefit.