In a pioneering research study, scientists have recorded acts of compassion between Niger’s chimpanzees in Uganda’s Budongo Forest. Elodie Freymann and her colleagues observed thirty years of chimp behavior, revealing that these primates frequently engage in self-care and care for one another. Their surprising findings were released on May 14 in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
Freymann’s research sheds light on some positive examples of chimpanzees caring for their health. Remarkably, she documented cases of chimps using chewed bark as bandages and licking the wounds of fellow chimps. In a breathtaking display, a young chimp named Kirabo gingerly applied chewed bark to his bruised knee. One juvenile chimp observed intently, curious about his stunt. This notable gesture is a sign of a potential evolution in the learning stage of these juvenile chimps.
Freymann noted two other male chimps, who were not related, being sensitive with each other. One male kissed the other’s wound, showcasing the extraordinary ability to display empathy by taking action, seen in this species’ compassion.
In one extraordinary case, one male chimp rescued an unrelated female from a trap, probably saving her life. These snares are an everyday danger in Budongo and across Africa, highlighting the dangerous world these creatures live in. Even though such altruism may be possible, the majority of injured chimps do not get aid from their fellow chimps.
From the 1990s until 2022, Freymann recorded thirty-four cases of self-directed care in the Budongo chimpanzees. In seven cases, chimps intervened in their injured friends’ favor. This behavior demonstrates their increasingly sophisticated social awareness and empathy for the well-being of others.
“It hints at an empathic sensitivity that we typically reserve for our own species.” – Christine Webb
This study poses important and thought-provoking questions with regard to the selective caring nature of chimpanzees. Freymann noted, “If chimps sometimes know how to help others get out of snares, for example, why aren’t they helping all chimps get out?” She further questioned the reasoning behind their selective assistance: “Why are they being selective about this care, and why do some chimps seem to warrant it, while others don’t?”
Christine Webb, a primatologist at Harvard University, emphasized the significance of these findings. They are an indispensable part of developing our understanding of the underpinnings of human medicine. She stated that they “offer evidence that some of the foundations of human medicine — recognizing suffering, applying treatments and caring for others — are not uniquely human, but part of our deep evolutionary heritage.”
In addition to the myriad benefits that she discussed, Freymann raised a flag about the possible dangers in these transactions. “I thought, wow, that’s potentially dangerous for them,” she remarked. “That’s potentially exposing him to pathogens or contagious diseases.” Nevertheless, she acknowledged the camaraderie displayed among the chimps: “He’s doing it anyway. So you’ll see this sort of, like, camaraderie … maybe one day they’ll be rivals … and they’re actually like licking each other’s wounds.
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