Friday, October 17, 2008

"Hippie" Monkeys Leave the Commune, Go Hunting


"Hippie" Monkeys Leave the Commune, Go Hunting: "Deep in the forest, south of the river Congo, live the free-lovin’ relatives of the common chimpanzee, the bonobo. Previously known as the pygmy chimpanzee, the bonobo spend their days getting frisky in the forest, weaving hemp hammocks, and living among an ever-present haze of sandalwood smoke.

Well, maybe not those last two, but they have developed a reputation as being the peaceful hippies of the chimpanzee world. After five years of observation, however, primate researchers stationed in the Democratic Republic of Congo have made a startling discovery about these animals: Not only do they hunt and kill, they hunt and kill other monkeys, just like the common chimpanzee."

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