A long-running conflict between two groups of chimpanzees in Uganda’s Kibale National Park has resulted in the deaths of nine adult males and 19 infants, according to researchers who have spent decades studying the animals.
The conflict developed after a large community of nearly 200 chimpanzees at Ngogo, within the park, began to split in 2015. By 2018, the animals had formed two distinct groups, with violence continuing between them.
Primatologist John Mitani, who co-founded the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project in 1995, witnessed the breakdown of the once closely connected community. His research helped document the animals’ social relationships, cooperation and behaviour in the wild.
The findings, described by researchers as a possible first documented civil war among wild chimpanzees, have provided new insights into the complex relationships within chimpanzee communities. The conflict was also featured in the 2023 Netflix documentary series Chimp Empire.
Researchers reported an unexpected development alongside the violence: female fertility doubled, while infant survival increased substantially among the remaining chimpanzees.
Mitani has cautioned against treating the conflict as direct evidence of an inevitable human tendency towards violence, stressing that chimpanzees have their own behavioural patterns and social dynamics.
The research team also highlighted the importance of long-term wildlife studies in understanding animal behaviour and supporting conservation. However, concerns over proposed cuts to US scientific funding have raised questions about the future of research at Ngogo.
The findings underline both the complexity of chimpanzee societies and the value of sustained scientific observation in protecting wildlife.
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