The 4-year war to annex the chimpanzee's territory

From 1974 to 1978, renowned primatologist Jane Goodall documented a long-standing conflict between chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Tanzania.

The conflict between the chimpanzees in Gombe is called the Gombe Chimpanzee War or the Four-Year War . Some researchers disagree with the use of the word "war" but for Goodall, the conflict is very different from the violent behavior commonly seen in chimpanzees, IFL Science reported on November 21. In a state of intense violence, the conflict has a structure and characteristics very similar to human warfare with its struggle for power and competition for resources.

Although rare, fighting between chimpanzees is violent. (Photo: Konrad Wothe/Minden Pictures)

During the 1960s, the Kasakela chimpanzee population appeared relatively united, with most males having little conflict. A rift began to appear in 1971 when the population split into two groups, the Kasakela group in the north and the Kahama group in the south. The two groups gradually spent less time together and became increasingly different, eventually splitting into two separate territories.

The turning point that made things worse was the death of a high-status male. A chimpanzee named Humphrey became the alpha male of the Kasakela troop, but he faced competition from two brothers from the Kahama troop, Hugh and Charlie. The remaining chimps began to submit to Humphrey or the other two brothers, paving the way for conflict.

The first war broke out on January 7, 1974, when six males from the Kasekela pride ambushed a lone male from the Kahama pride while he was feeding. The next four years saw a series of coordinated attacks by the Kasakela pride, resulting in the deaths of all the males and several females of the Kahama pride. The Kahama pride was wiped out, allowing the Kasakela pride to expand its territory and gain control of the remaining members.

The level of violence was a particularly shocking aspect of the war, marking a level of aggression never seen before in great apes. The research suggests that chimpanzees are naturally aggressive and that their killing skills are a factor in their evolutionary success. But the conflict in Gombe took things to a whole new level . 'It really was like a civil war. They were treating each other in a way we had never seen before ,' Goodall said. 'It was terrible. That's what happens in genocide.'

The nature of conflict among chimpanzees raises the question of whether war has a deep evolutionary history or is a by-product of complex societies. As we know today, war emerged from non-swidden civilization and agriculture, which allowed for the establishment of strong territories, centralized authority, and advanced material technology.

Since the Gombe Chimpanzee War of the 1970s, many similar conflicts have been documented, including the complex conflict that arose in the Ngogo rainforest chimpanzee troop in Uganda, the largest known chimpanzee troop.