Bonobo females hunt more than males, decade-long study reveals
In humans, hunting is considered a man's endeavor. But in one of our closest living relatives, hunting is primarily women's business.
For over a decade, a study led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior has revealed that hunting among bonobos is predominantly performed by females, challenging the long-held belief that it is a male-dominated activity. In the study published in the journal Current Biology, the team found that females were the primary hunters in 60% of the recorded hunts, regardless of whether they were carrying infants or not.
The researchers, led by Dr. Gottfried Hohmann, also found that bonobos are skilled hunters, just as adept as males at hunting monkeys in the trees and more likely to take down large terrestrial prey. This finding overturns the species' reputation as non-hunting and provides insight into the hunting behaviors of early humans.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
