14 Chimpanzee Hunting Behavior

Abstract

The pursuit, capture and consumption of small-and medium-sized vertebrates, appears to be typical of all chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) populations, although large variation exists. Red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus sp.) appear to be the preferred prey but intensity and frequency of hunting varies from month to month and between populations. Hunting is a predominately male activity and is typically opportunistic, although there is some evidence of searching for prey.

Predation by female chimpanzees: Toward an understanding of sex differences in meat acquisition in the last common ancestor of Pan and Homo

“…Females, which are less gregarious than males at both sites, encountered red colobus less often than males did, because large parties travel greater distances (Gilby et al, 2013). Also, party sizes at Kasekela were larger at kills of red colobus than at those of other prey types, suggesting that relatively gregarious females have more quality chances to hunt (because larger parties are more likely to hunt red colobus; reviewed in Newton-Fisher, 2014). Indeed, in all three communities, the total number of kills a female made was positively correlated with her gregariousness.…”

“…By comparison, chimpanzees have a relatively limited habitat range, restricted to forests, woodlands and savannas across equatorial Africa. Nevertheless, both chimpanzee prey profiles and meat-eating frequency vary greatly, even among eastern African sites (Newton-Fisher, 2014). The variation in hunting patterns is generally greater than the variation in other aspects of chimpanzee diet.…”

“…Perhaps there are relatively few low-cost options to hunt arboreal monkeys at Kanyawara. At all sites where chimpanzees hunt red colobus, larger chimpanzee parties are more likely to hunt and to succeed (reviewed by Newton-Fisher, 2014). The same is true at Kanyawara (Gilby et al, 2008), but it may be that there, large parties form relatively rarely in comparison to Kasekela.…”

“…Large parties also travel greater distances relative to small parties, increasing the probability of encountering red colobus (Gilby et al, 2013). Since red colobus make up a high percentage of the prey at most long-term chimpanzee research sites (53% – 92% of prey items; Newton-Fisher, 2014), the relatively low gregariousness of females compared to males provides a simple explanation for lower female predation rates at these sites. However, females may have more opportunities than males to hunt prey types that require some element of stealth or surprise to capture (e.g., cached infant bushbuck, Tragelaphus scriptus ).…”

The Paleoanthropology and Archaeology of Big-Game Hunting

“…The problem is that the Barí do just that -they continue hunting even in those seasons when fishing returns are several-fold higher than hunting returns. Beckerman (1983:269) Venturing further afield and into the domain of primatology, a recent study by Gilby and Wrangham (2007; see also Watts and Mitani 2002;Matsumoto-Oda and Hayashi 1999;Newton-Fisher 2007:1313 offers an interesting analysis of chimpanzee red colobus monkey hunting, conducted by adult males, that is almost certainly not driven by a need for protein (a point made by the authors), and may not be driven by nutrition at all. This last suggestion is admittedly speculative on my part in the absence of quantitative data documenting the energetic returns from colobus hunting (adjusted for time and energy expended, and the likelihood of failure as well as injury) versus returns that males might obtain if they instead invested their efforts in plant foods, particularly fruits, seeds, and nuts.…”