Chimpanzee The most striking single fact about chimpanzees is the flexibilityof their social life, the lack of any rigid form of organization. It representsabout as far a departure from the baboon type of organization as one canfind among the higher primates, and serves to emphasize the great variety of primate adaptations. Chimpanzees are morehuman than baboons, or rather they jibe better with the way we liketo picture ourselves, as free-wheeling individuals whotend to be unpredictable, do not take readily to any form ofregimentation, and are frequently charming. Two researchers have described what they foundduring more than eight months spent among chimpanzees in their naturalhabitat the forest:We were quite surprised to observe that there is nosingle distinct social unit in chimpanzee society. Not only is there nofamily or harem organization; neither is there a troop organization - that is to say, no particular chimpanzees keep permanently together. On the contrary, individuals move about atwill, alone or in small groups best described as bands, which sometimes forminto large aggregations. They leave their associates if they want to, and joinup with new ones without conflict.The general practice is best described as easy come, easy go, although there are certain group-forming tendencies. As a rule chimpanzees moveabout in one of four types of band: adult males only; mothers andoffspring and occasionally a few other |