Chimpanzees and Bonobos

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Chimpanzees and Bonobos

• Evolutions Role in These Sibling Species
• Tiffany M. Brittian
• April 28, 2004

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Chimpanzees

• Social animals
• Arboreal living
• Male dominance
• High aggression

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Bonobos

• Social animals
• Arboreal living
• Female Dominance
• Make Love Not War

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Chimpanzee vs. Gronobo?
Male Chimpanzee
Male Bonobo
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Known Areas of Habitation
http//www.unep-wcmc.org/index.html?http//www.une
p-wcmc.org/species/GRASP/main
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Diets
Bonobos
Chimpanzees

• Fruits (57 of diet)
• Nuts, Seeds, Leaves
• Small mammals (1)

• Fruit (34 of diet)
• Nuts, Seeds, Leaves
• Small mammals (4)

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Social Order

• Fission-Fusion Society
• Females and Males cohabitate (8-60 indiv.)
• Females leave troop
• Male vs. Female Dominance
• Chimpanzee alpha male
• Bonobo alpha female
• Aggression vs. Pacification
• Biggest Chimp Wins
• Making up the Bonobo way

Chimpanzee
Bonobos
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Evolutionary Divergence

• Chimpanzees from Humans
• Around 6 million years ago
• Chimpanzees and Bonobos
• 1.5 mya

Bonobo
Chimpanzee
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Sexual Behavior

• Male-female encounters
• During estrus for chimps
• Mostly during estrus for bonobos
• Female-female encounters
• Rare occurrences in chimps
• Majority of sexual contact in bonobos
• Male-male encounters
• Never noted in chimps (only grooming)
• Some in bonobos (mostly juveniles)

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Behavioral Differences

• Bonobos are more peaceful
• Bonobos share more food
• The overall Bonobo group is closer
• Hunting parties consist of both bonobo males and
  females
  

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Environment

• Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
• tropical hot and humid in equatorial river
  basin cooler and drier in southern highlands
  cooler and wetter in eastern highlands
  
• north of Equator - wet season April to October,
  dry season December to February
  
• south of Equator - wet season November to March,
  dry season April to October
  
• Uganda
• tropical generally rainy with two dry seasons
  (December to February, June to August)
  
• semiarid in northeast

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Distinguishing Characteristics

• Black
• A white patch on tail region for juvenilles as
  well as adults.
  
• Hair on head often parts down the middle.
• A more slender form with longer arms and legs and
  a narrow chest.
  

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Development

• Infant 4 years
• Juvenile 4-7 years
• Subadult 7-11 years
• Gestation 240 days (8 months)
• Birth Interval 5 years
• Life Span 40 years

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Bonobos Separation

• 1.5 mya
• Zaire (Congo) River
• Prosperous food supply (mainly fruit)
• Possibly similar to the separation of the
  Chimpanzee subspecies

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Bonobo