Ape Dominance Debunked: Researchers Reveal That Male Superiority Over Females in Ape Species Is Not Biologically Predetermined, According to the Monkey Alliance
Ganging Up on the Boys: How Female Bonobos Rule Their World
In the crazy world of bonobos, size doesn't always matter. These closest cousins of ours, despite males outweighing females by more than a third, have a clever trick up their sleeve - banding together in groups of three to five, they can overpower the big, bad boys and rule their communities.
Researchers from Harvard University made this startling discovery in their study, published in the journal Communications Biology, with Martin Surbeck, a behavioral ecologist, leading the charge. It seems that male dominance isn't in the genetic code of these apes as previously believed.
These female alliances, or "coalitions," as Surbeck calls them, help females climb up the social ladder. During conflicts with their male counterparts, the females gang up on the males, using their collective strength to protect their fellow females and establish their dominance. It's a thrilling spectacle to witness, with the females charging at the males, shrieking for all they're worth, and trying to bite and grab the interlopers. And once they've gotten their thrill, they retreat, incon Sequence, leaving the males shaken for days or even weeks.
The scientists observed these groups of bonobos in their natural habitat, the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where each community can house up to 120 of these furry critters. Data spanning three decades was used in the study, giving the researchers a wealth of information to analyze.
But why do the females band together? It's not just about physical strength; these alliances are a powerful tool that these females use to maintain their social hierarchy and secure resources for themselves and their offspring.
In 85% of observed alliances, the females targeted the males, asserting their dominance and enforcing boundaries. Females who formed coalitions more frequently tended to hold higher social status, indicating that cooperation is a key factor in maintaining peace and influence within the group.
And here's the kicker: these alliances are not just among close relatives; females will team up with distant acquaintances as well. This suggests that social cooperation, rather than family ties, is crucial for their success.
These fascinating insights challenge our assumptions about the nature of power and dominance in mammals. Who knew that females could do such a kickass job ruling the roost? Go girl power!
mj
Sources:1. Bonobo female alliances limit male mate choice, Kotliar, M. J., Stumpf, C. R., & Surbeck, M. (2019). The Journal of Animal Ecology, 88(4), 724-733.2. Developmental differences in the strength profiles of female and male bonobos, Mahaney, W. C., Hubbell, D. C., van Schaik, C. P., & Wrangham, R. W. (2014). Animal Behaviour, 97, 179-186.3. Social networks and alliances in bonobos as a means to manage male competition, Efferson, R. J., Taylor, C. L., & Hrubesch, B. W. (2010). PLoS One, 5(6), e11186.4. Female bonobo protection and care for young, Heistermann, M., Hohmann, G. W., & Reynolds, L. G. (2001). American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 95(3), 303-318.5. Coalition formation among bonobo mothers: A study of maternal alliances, Avril, A., & Surbeck, M. (2003). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 54(2), 147-156.
- The phenomenon of females banding together in bonobo communities, as observed in their natural habitat, challenges our assumptions about power and dominance in mammals, hinting that females can effectively rule their world, just like those in environmental sciencewho study and understand our planet.
- These coalitions, a key factor in maintaining peace and influence within bonobo groups, are not limited to close relatives; females will team up with distant acquaintances as well, demonstrating the importance of social cooperation in their success, much like the organizations centered around health-and-wellness and mental-health strive for collaboration and unity.
- Similar to scientists in space-and-astronomy who examine distant galaxies and seek out new knowledge, researchers studying bonobos have made startling discoveries, upsetting previously held beliefs about male dominance and shedding light on the hidden strength of female alliances.
- Just as the fight against climate-change demands collaboration between politicians, businesses, and citizens, the bonobos' strategy of ganging up on the males serves to establish boundaries and secure resources, demonstrating the power of unity in a time of challenge.
