A Brief History of the Gombe Chimpanzee War

How the brutal splintering of a primate community echoed human conflict. 

By Matthew Bian
Sep 18, 2021 3:38 AMSep 20, 2021 2:55 PM
chimpanzee
(Credit: Steffen Foerster/Shutterstock)

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For centuries, it was long accepted that humans were the only creatures complex enough to wage war. Sure, other animals might occasionally scuffle over food, territory and other resources, but true war in the anthropomorphic sense, intact with all its violence, brutality and tribalism, was thought to be a unique component of human nature. Perhaps then, it shouldn’t be surprising that this notion was challenged by our closest living relatives.  

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