Ape Research Findings: Contrary to popular belief, male dominance in apes is not a result of evolutionary predestination, according to scientists from the Monkey Alliance.
Gotta Stick Together: Female Bonobos Achieve Dominance Through Unity Against Males, Study Shows
Forget what you think you know about male dominance in primate societies — the closest relatives of humans, the bonobos, are challenging this notion. According to a groundbreaking study published in the journal "Communications Biology," female bonobos strategically form alliances and gang up on their male counterparts to defend their places in their communities.
Lead by Martin Surbeck, a behavioral ecologist from the prestigious American Harvard University, a team of scientists observed that though male bonobos outweigh their female counterparts, female solidarity is the key to their social ascension.
In disputes with dominant males, female bonobos swiftly band together to overpower the intruder. For example, if a male attempts to snatch food from younger females, several females will suddenly charge at the male, letting out loud screams, and attempting to bite and disrupt him. While the females retreat after a few minutes, the males often stay away from the group for days or even weeks, the researcher explained.
The courageous female bonobos have turned social tactics into a powerful tool, as Surbeck noted: "We found that females direct 85% of their coalitions against males and achieve higher ranks than males when they form coalitions more frequently." This discovery, Surbeck said, suggests that male dominance is not genetically predetermined in these apes.
The researchers studied groups of bonobos living in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, observing communities consisting of up to 120 animals over three decades. In over 1,786 male-female conflicts documented, females won in around 61% of the instances. This hasn't just resulted in a reversed power hierarchy where females dominate nearly 70% of the males, but it also provides a parallel to human social strategies, as the study offers the first empirical evidence of female solidarity subverting typical mammalian power structures.
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Enrichment Data:
- Coalition formation and targeting: Females form alliances (termed "coalitions") with other females, often targeting males in 85% of observed conflicts[2][4] to protect young ones[1][3].
- Conflict outcomes and dominance: - Victory rates: In 1,786 male-female conflicts analyzed over 30 years, females won 1,099 (≈61%)[3]. - Hierarchy inversion: Coalitions enable females to outrank males, with the average female dominating 70% of males in her community[1][4].
- Mechanisms of power: - Collective aggression: Coalitions chase males through trees, scream loudly, and sometimes inflict serious injuries[1][3]. - Social strategy: Females actively use alliances to gain dominance rather than physical strength, as noted by researchers: "females can elevate their social status by supporting each other"[2][4].
- The study conducted by Martin Surbeck and his team proved that female bonobos achieve dominance over males through collective alliances, challenging the traditional understanding of dominance in primate societies.
- In contrast to the physical dominance of males, the researchers from Harvard University found that 85% of coalitions formed by female bonobos are directed against males.
- In the society of bonobos, where females outweigh males, it was observed that female solidarity is a key factor in their social ascension, as frequent coalition formation allows them to outrank males.
- Surbeck's research suggests that the power structure in bonobo communities is not genetically predetermined, as female bonobos have turned social tactics into a powerful tool for dominance.
- The strategic coalitions formed by female bonobos have resulted in a reversed power hierarchy, with approximately 70% of males in the community being dominated by females.
- The groundbreaking study on bonobo groups living in the Democratic Republic of Congo provides a parallel to human social strategies, offering the first empirical evidence of female solidarity subverting typical mammalian power structures, stretching beyond spheres like health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, mental-health, environmental-science, climate-change, and even space-and-astronomy.
