Bonobo and Chimpanzee: The Lessons of Social Coexistence (Primatology Monographs)

This book describes the similarities and differences between two species, bonobos and chimpanzees, based on the three decades the author has spent studying them in the wild, and shows how the contrasting nature of these two species is also reflected in human nature. The most important differences between bonobos and chimpanzees, our closest relatives, are the social mechanisms of coexistence in group life. Chimpanzees are known as a fairly despotic species in which the males exclusively dominate over the females, and maintain a rigid hierarchy. Chimpanzees have developed social intelligence to survive severe competition among males: by upholding the hierarchy of dominance, they can usually preserve peaceful relations among group members. In contrast, female bonobos have the same or even a higher social status than males. By evolving pseudo-estrus during their non-reproductive period, females have succeeded in moderating inter-male sexual competition, and in initiating mate selection. Although they are non-related in male-philopatric society, they usually aggregate in a group, enjoy priority access to food, determine which male is the alpha male, and generally maintain much more peaceful social relations compared to chimpanzees. Lastly, by identifying key mechanisms of social coexistence in these two species, the author also seeks to find solutions or “hope” for the peaceful coexistence of human beings. "Takeshi Furuichi is one of very few scientists in the world familiar with both chimpanzees and bonobos. In lively prose, reflecting personal experience with apes in the rain forest, he compares our two closest relatives and explains the striking differences between the male- dominated and territorial chimpanzees and the female-centered gentle bonobos." Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last Hug - Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves (Norton, 2019) Contents 6 1: The Life of Bonobos in a Tropical Rainforest 9 1.1 I Would Really Rather Be Like a Bonobo 9 1.1.1 Which One? 9 1.1.2 What Is a Bonobo? 10 1.1.3 History of the Bonobo Discovery 11 1.1.4 What Do Bonobos Teach Us? 15 1.2 Inside the Rich Forest 18 1.2.1 The Bottom of the Forest 18 1.2.2 A Day in the Life of the Bonobo 21 1.2.3 The Day Is Until an Afternoon Naptime 26 1.2.4 Human Evolution and Change of Our Way of Life 28 1.2.5 Three-Hour Working Hours of Hunter-Gatherers 29 1.2.6 I Want More Time 31 1.2.7 The End of a Day 32 1.3 Bonobos Enjoy Friendly Relations 33 1.3.1 Playful Bonobos 33 1.3.2 Adults That Do Not Grow Up 37 1.3.3 Doing Things Together 40 1.3.4 Accompanying to Socialize 42 2: A Cul-de-sac of Sexual Evolution 45 2.1 Roaming Females 45 2.1.1 Incest Taboo 45 2.1.2 Primate Inbreeding Avoidance Mechanism 47 2.1.3 Does One Not Feel Sexually Attracted to a Familiar Individual? 48 2.1.4 Does Familiarity Drive Away Males? 49 2.1.5 Male-philopatric Society in which Females Leave 51 2.1.6 The Departure of Female Bonobos 53 2.1.7 The Departure of Females in Human Societies 57 2.2 Females That No Longer Experience Estrus 60 2.2.1 Why Do Females Have Estrus? 60 2.2.2 Madness Surrounds Estrus Females 61 2.2.3 Females’ Excessive Copulations 63 2.2.4 Parenting Based on a Strategy of Low Offspring Output but with a High Level of Protection 65 2.2.5 A Cul-de-sac of Sexual Competition 69 3: How to Suppress Male Competition 71 3.1 Struggles Among Male Chimpanzees 71 3.1.1 The Males’ Bargain 71 3.1.2 Deadly Conflicts over Ranks 73 3.1.3 Prescriptions for Unity in Chimpanzees 75 3.2 Female Bonobos Control Male-philopatric Society 77 3.2.1 Use of Sex for Unusual Purposes 77 3.2.2 Pseudo-estrus and Intensity of Male-Male Competition 81 3.2.3 Females That Have Regained Control over Sex 83 3.2.4 Female Bonobos Lead the Group 85 3.2.5 Bonobo Females Cooperate to Counter Males 87 3.2.6 A Mother Raises a Boss 89 3.2.7 Cooperation and Competition Among Female Bonobos 92 3.2.8 Appeasement Behavior of Bonobos 93 3.3 Nuclear Family: Patented by Humans? 95 3.3.1 Nuclear Family as a Strategy for Coexistence of Males 95 3.3.2 Eliminating or Extending Estrus 98 3.3.3 Concealed Ovulation 98 3.3.4 Nuclear Family for What Purpose? 100 3.3.5 Unfinished Evolution of Sex 105 3.3.6 The Love and Infidelity Dilemma 107 4: Wars Beyond Groups 109 4.1 War and Peace in Three Hominid Species 109 4.1.1 War of the Chimpanzee 109 4.1.2 Intermingling During Group Encounters in Bonobos 111 4.1.3 Accepting Novel Males from Other Groups 113 4.1.4 Sex Differences in Benefits Through Antagonizing Other Groups 115 4.1.5 The Chimpanzee in Us 117 4.1.6 The Bonobo in Us 118 4.2 Human, the Most Formidable Ape 119 4.2.1 Departure from Life on Earth 119 4.2.2 The World Conquest of H. sapiens 121 4.2.3 Disconnected Safety Device in Humans 125 4.2.4 The Energy That Does Not Pass Through the Gut 126 5: Can Humans Behave Like Bonobos? 128 5.1 The Origin of the Bonobo 128 5.2 Social Coexistence Strategies of Four African Hominid Species 131 5.3 Bonobo’s Success and Human’s Limit 132 5.4 An Intensifying Survival Game 135 5.5 Cooperative Management of the World’s Remaining Natural Resources 136 5.6 Should the World Be Ruled by One Nation with Compelling Force? 138 5.7 Human Challenge 139 5.8 Two Resolutions Emphasizing Our Inner Bonobo 141 Epilogue 143 Acknowledgments 147 References 148 Front Matter ....Pages i-vii The Life of Bonobos in a Tropical Rainforest (Takeshi Furuichi)....Pages 1-36 A Cul-de-sac of Sexual Evolution (Takeshi Furuichi)....Pages 37-62 How to Suppress Male Competition (Takeshi Furuichi)....Pages 63-100 Wars Beyond Groups (Takeshi Furuichi)....Pages 101-119 Can Humans Behave Like Bonobos? (Takeshi Furuichi)....Pages 121-135 Back Matter ....Pages 137-149