“Bonobos and chimpanzees both live in very complex social structures with very rich social interactions that they have to navigate on a daily basis,” says team member Zanna Clay, also at Durham ...

After the treat was hidden from view, Townrow would ask the bonobo where the food was, then wait ten seconds. If the bonobo had witnessed Townrow observing the placement of the grape, he would ...

In contrast, bonobo society is marked by the strong bonds ... a lengthy drought in southern Zaire that wiped out the preferred food plants of gorillas and sent the primates packing.

And that fateful difference in food-finding strategy carried consequences for social behavior, Wrangham explained. The relative stability of foraging groups within a larger bonobo community means ...