What’s behind a chimpanzee 'civil war'? episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 14, 2026 · 11 MIN

What’s behind a chimpanzee 'civil war'?

from The Current

 Scientists spent decades watching a large group of chimpanzees in Uganda, living peacefully together. Until 2015, when suddenly things started falling apart. And within a few years, two rival factions were launching violent attacks against one another, resulting in a permanent rift. Aaron Sandel is a primatologist at the University of Texas at Austin, he explains why the violence may have erupted, and what we humans can learn from it, about social breakdown. 

Scientists spent decades watching a large group of chimpanzees in Uganda, living peacefully together. Until 2015, when suddenly things started falling apart. And within a few years, two rival factions were launching violent attacks against one another, resulting in a permanent rift. Aaron Sandel is a primatologist at the University of Texas at Austin, he explains why the violence may have erupted, and what we humans can learn from it, about social breakdown.

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What’s behind a chimpanzee 'civil war'?

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This episode was published on April 14, 2026.

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 Scientists spent decades watching a large group of chimpanzees in Uganda, living peacefully together. Until 2015, when suddenly things started falling apart. And within a few years, two rival factions were launching violent attacks against one...

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