New cases of inter-community infanticide by male chimpanzees at Ngogo,Kibale National Park,Uganda |
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Authors: | Watts David P Mitani John C Sherrow Hogan M |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Anthropology, Yale University, P. O. Box 208277, 06520-8277 New Haven, Connecticut, USA;(2) Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, 48109-1382 Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA |
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Abstract: | Infanticide by males has been recorded in four chimpanzee populations, including that in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Some
infanticidal attacks occur during inter-community aggression. The sexual selection hypothesis does not easily explain these
attacks because they may not directly increase male mating opportunities. However, females in the attackers’ community may
benefit by expanding their foraging ranges and thereby improving their reproductive success; thus infanticide may increase
male reproductive success indirectly. We report two new cases of infanticide by male chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National
Park. Like two previous cases, these occurred during a boundary patrol and were almost certainly between-community infanticides.
The patrolling males attacked despite the proximity of males from the victims’ presumed community. This probably explains
why, unlike the earlier cases, they did not completely cannibalize their victims. Such attacks seem to be relatively common
at Ngogo and infanticide may be an important source of infant mortality in neighboring communities. Our observations cannot
resolve questions about the sexual selection hypothesis. However, they are consistent with the range expansion hypothesis:
the infanticides occurred during a period of frequent encounters between communities associated with a mast fruiting event,
and Ngogo community members greatly increased their use of areas near the attack site during another mast fruiting event one
year later. Our observations contribute to growing evidence that lethal intergroup aggression is a common characteristic of
wild chimpanzee populations. |
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Keywords: | Chimpanzees Infanticide Boundary patrols Cannibalism Intergroup aggression |
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