Anthropology Discussion 4
Lecture # 13 Bonobo and Chimpanzee Behavior Closest Living Relatives • Bonobos and chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. • We share over 98% of our DNA with them. • We split from our last common ancestor (LCA) with them about 6 million years ago ( mya ). • Since we are so closely related, we can learn a lot about ourselves by studying their behavior. Bonobos Pan paniscus http://www.bonoboconservation.com/images/maps/RangeMap.jpg Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes http://www.bonoboconservation.com/images/maps/RangeMap.jpg Bonobos and Chimpanzees are very similar • Both live in multimale -multifemale groups of about 50 with a fission -fusion distribution. – Fission -fusion — the entire community splits into smaller daily foraging parties. • Males are philopatric (stay in the group they are born into) and females transfer to a new group at sexual maturity. – Males have life long relationships with their mothers. • Both are primarily frugivorous (prefer ripe fruit). Bonobos and Chimpanzees are very different Pan paniscus • Less likely to fission • Less dramatic seasonality • Not sympatric with gorillas • Greater reliance on THV – Terrestrial Herbaceous Vegetation • Female coalitions • Alpha females and males • Continuous female receptivity • Less aggression Pan troglodytes • More likely to fission • Dramatic seasonality • Sympatric with gorillas – Who also like to eat Terrestrial Herbaceous Vegetation • Strong preference for ripe fruit • Male coalitions • Alpha males • Cyclical female receptivity • Frequent aggression Why are the different? • One of the questions from behavioral ecology asks, “How do ecological factors help explain differences between species?” Why are the different? • Bonobos live in an area with less dramatic seasonal variation in the availability of ripe fruit. • Bonobos are more willing to eat leaves and THV than chimpanzees when fruit is scarce. Less feeding competition between bonobos facilitates stronger relationships between females and more relaxed social interactions overall. Some Websites about Bonobos • http://www.arkive.org/bonobo/pan -paniscus/ – Take a look around, watch some of the videos • Bonobos at the San Diego Zoo – These are the bonobos I study. • The Left Bank Ape • Bonobo Conservation Initiative • Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary Some Websites about Chimpanzees • http://www.arkive.org/chimpanzee/pan - troglodytes/ – Take a look around, watch some of the videos. • Jane Goodall Institute • Ugalla Primate Project – This is my advisor’s site and currently run by one of my grad school colleagues. • Kibale Chimpanzee Project • Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University