Friendship Over Family: How Female Chimp Bonds Keep Babies Alive in the Wild
In the dense forests of Gombe, female chimpanzees that build strong friendships—not with family, but with unrelated females—dramatically improve the odds their babies will survive. A decades-long study revealed that social bonding before birth, especially through grooming and companionship, offers powerful protection against the harsh realities of infant mortality in the wild. Surprisingly, the presence [...]
In the dense forests of Gombe, female chimpanzees that build strong friendships—not with family, but with unrelated females—dramatically improve the odds their babies will survive. A decades-long study revealed that social bonding before birth, especially through grooming and companionship, offers powerful protection against the harsh realities of infant mortality in the wild. Surprisingly, the presence [...] What's Your Reaction?
