Group Three Andrew Elges, Alex Fairall, and Surria Drahozal

Hominidae- The Great Apes

Hominidae- The Great Apes

“Lucy”  Australopithecus afarensis  million years ago  Extinct hominid  Woodland ape  Bipedal  Chimp-like head

Sibley and Ahlquist  Charles Gald Sibley and Jon Edward Ahlquist  Molecular biologists at Yale  1984 DNA tests  Proof that the Genus Homo was most similar to the Genus Pan  Also provided support that the great apes shared a common ancestor 5-7 million years ago

Similarities to Humans  Chimpanzees most like humans  Use of tools and other implements  Omnivorous diet  Patrilineal, male-bonded communities  Patterns of violent behavior

New Discovery  Intraspecific killing- a strictly human behavior?  Research in the 1960s-70s proved otherwise  Gombe National Park, Tanzania a.k.a. Kasekela  Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzees  First chimp raid recorded by humans Raid resulted in a death  First recorded observations of intentional intraspecific killing in a non-human species  Some females participated and benefitted from the violent behaviors

Some Observations  Orangutans  Least social of the apes  Rape- a common occurrence Reproductive tactic Male mechanism for control  Gorillas  Relatively small, stable social groups  Infanticide 37% of infant deaths Show of strength and superiority  Bonobos  Large, stable social groups  Relatively peaceful and calm  Chimpanzees  Highly intricate social groups, relatively large communities  Battering Males beat females to show dominance Form of sexual coercion

Demonic Males  Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans are all demonic male species  Capable of committing occasional acts of violence to acquire and maintain access to females  BUT! Violence not central to daily life  Evolution seems to have favored demonic males  They have been better able to acquire resources and females  Strategy to preserve genetic lineage  Females have evolved to prefer demonic males  Defense of community and resources