Wild chimpanzees recorded waging civil war' with coordinated attacks between two groups

"Sandel noted that the initial signs of conflict were marked by nervous behaviors among the chimpanzees, who displayed grimaces and sought reassurance from one another, indicating a shift in their social dynamics."

"The study highlights a troubling parallel to human civil wars, where once cooperative groups can quickly turn on each other, reflecting complex group identities and dynamics."

"The researchers documented a permanent split in the Ngogo chimpanzee group, which had been socially cohesive for over two decades, leading to the emergence of two distinct factions."

"Following the split, the western group executed 24 coordinated attacks on the central group, resulting in the deaths of at least seven adult males and 17 infants."

In 2015, primatologist Aaron Sandel observed unusual behavior among the Ngogo chimpanzees, indicating the onset of a civil war within the group. This conflict, documented in a recent study, represents the first observed instance of a unified group of chimpanzees turning against itself. Over three decades of observations revealed a permanent split into two factions, the western and central chimps. Following this division, the western group launched 24 coordinated attacks on the central group, resulting in multiple fatalities among adult males and infants.

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