Chimpanzees are Using Human-like War Strategy

Stunning New Study Shows that Reconnaissance is an Important Aspect of Chimp Militaristic Operations

Photo by satya deep on Unsplash

A study published in early November 2023 altered the way we perceive the intelligence of chimpanzees. Though it was previously known that the species engaged in some war-like activities between groups, scientists working in Côte d’Ivoire reported behavior much more sophisticated: chimpanzees are engaging in reconnaissance and surveillance.

What Specific Observations Have Been Found About The Chimps?

The study in question that highlights this newly discovered behavior was published by a group of evolutionary anthropologists working with the Taï Chimpanzee Project. Since its publishing date of November 2nd, 2023, it has brought much attention to the most recent study of the world of chimpanzee warfare, which is both shockingly complex and, at times, cinematic.

To determine whether the chimpanzees were employing surveillance tactics, the group gathered three years of behavioral and locational data, focusing on two neighboring groups of chimps who had a slight overlap in their territories in Côte d’Ivoire. Each of the 58 total chimps was meticulously tracked over this period. They recorded the frequency of observation events and…