Recent research indicates that male chimpanzees sometimes engage in sexual behaviors, such as genital rubbing, to alleviate stress, revealing surprising similarities between them and the hypersexual bonobos, our other closest living ape relatives.
Researchers at Durham University conducted an in-depth study of sexual behaviors in non-human primates at two sanctuaries: the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage Trust in Zambia. These facilities house a mix of wild and captive-born apes that can roam freely.
During the study, the team observed 53 bonobos and 75 chimpanzees during feeding events where a swing dispersed a limited supply of peanuts across designated areas. “Bonobos and chimpanzees inhabit complex social structures, requiring intricate navigation of social interactions daily,” stated a team member. The anticipation of such competitive feeding opportunities often led to increased stress among the primates.
In total, researchers documented 107 instances of genital contact among bonobos and 201 among chimpanzees during the five minutes leading up to 45 distinct feeding events. This behavior ranged from physical contact with a hand or foot onto another’s anogenital region to more direct genital interactions, reminiscent of the genital rubbing behavior often associated with bonobos.
The study also highlighted species-specific differences: genital contact was predominantly observed among female bonobos interacting with other females, while male chimpanzees more frequently engaged in such behaviors. This divergence may stem from their respective social structures, with bonobos living in matriarchal societies and chimpanzees in patriarchal ones.
Researchers noted that using sexual behavior as a social strategy to address various social challenges has contributed to bonobos’ unique persona as approachable, friendly apes. This research suggests the behavioral differences between bonobos and chimpanzees may not be as pronounced as once believed. Despite their reputation for aggression, chimpanzees possess a complex range of interactions that facilitate social management.
Experts note that while chimpanzees might not enjoy the same positive public perception, they also utilize sexual behavior beyond mere reproduction. Similar motivations apply to humans, who may engage in sexual activities for stress relief.
Questions remain regarding whether such behaviors would appear in wild settings as opposed to controlled sanctuaries. Understanding these dynamics could shed light on the social behaviors of our last common ancestor, which lived approximately 5 to 7 million years ago, prior to the human lineage’s divergence from that of chimps and bonobos.
This study emphasizes that shared sexual behaviors among these species suggest that our common ancestor likely employed similar strategies to navigate social relationships.
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