Non Human Primates, Essay -- Chimpanzees

NON HUMAN PRIMATES Non human primates’ social organization can provide useful information how human social evolution occurs. We will go over main points of how similar and different non human primates such as chimpanzees, orangutans, and gorillas’ society are compared to ours, humans. Chimpanzee Social Organization and Communication Chimpanzees (Figure 1) are the closest living relatives to us, and they share 99 percent of our DNA (1). Chimpanzees have distinct group territoriality. Male chimpanzees â€Å"patrol† near the boundary between the two ranges, at that time they move very carefully and quietly, and they can cease to listen and observe the range of their neighbors. Patrolling individuals are likely to face cruel and violent attacks, injuries, and even deaths. Intense excitement and aggressive display can occur if the two parties of two communities encounter each other. Usually, the larger group holds its ground, and interaction between different chimpanzees communities may also lead to gang attack. Expanding the community range is necessary to their social organizations, the males cooperation can defend the territory and increase the reproductive rates of the resident females by excluding female and male competitors. Body contact is common in their social life such as grooming (1). Usually, ch impanzees groom each other as a way to show harmony and solidarity in their society (Figure 2). Grooming each other demonstrates the deep bonds and close relationship between them. In addition, they can even hug, hold hands, touch, kiss each other as a way of emotional expression (2). In order to show off how powerful one chimpanzee is, the male can swing, pull down the trees, drag them, throw sticks and stones, and stomp on t... ...higher and more complicated degree. More research done about non human primates can help us understand more our social, ecological, and cultural roots. Reference 1) B.M.de Waal, Tree of Origin: What Primate Behavior Can Tell Us about Human Social Evolution. Havard University Press: Massachusets, 2001. 2) Chimpanzees Communication. Retrieved Mar 20 from 3) Galdikas, M et al.Great Ape Odyssey. Harry N. Abrams Inc., Publishers. 2005. 4) Chimps Behavior. The Jane Goodall Institute of Cananda website. Retrieved Mar 20 from 5) Vergano, D. Scientist scratch the surface of chimp communication. USA Today. April 6. 2006. Retrieve Mar 20 from