"Chimpanzee Politics" by Frans de Waal

If you believe that chimpanzee thought is much more limited than human reasoning, then this book will "rock your world".

Frans de Waal, the author of "Chimpanzee Politics", is one of the most respected primatologists in the world. Dr. de Waal is the C. H. Candler Professor of Primate Behavior at Emory University, and Director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center.

"Chimpanzee Politics" was written in 1980, early in Dr. de Waal's research career. However the information that he presents is as relevant today as it was 27 years ago.

In this book, Frans details the power struggle among a group of chimpanzees that were living on an island at the Arnhem Zoo. This Zoo is located in the Netherlands. His data covers many years.

The story centers around the struggle for alpha male supremacy among a small group of males, which included Yeroen (the grizzled old veteran), Nikkie (the hot headed upstart), and Luit (the calculating politician). Each chimpanzee had a different method for seeking power. However they employed many similar techniques, that could be observed and predicted with a significant degree of certainty. Included were:

• When an alpha male was deposed, he would form an alliance with the other member of the triad who was not in power. This partnership would then seek to undermine the influence of the leader.

• The alpha male would seek support among the females. The "pretenders to the throne" would do the same. The females had a great deal of influence over who became the leader - and how long that leader stayed in power.

• Grooming was extremely important in resolving conflicts. Dr. de Waal's statistics showed that chimps who challenged the leader also groomed with that leader more frequently than at other times. Grooming appeared to be a way to reduce tension, and to re-establish an emotional bond among sparring chimps.

I was surprised by the complex group dynamics among these three chimps. Some campaign strategies took place over months, and involved a degree of planning and sophistication that I previously thought was limited only to humans. Many times, while I was reading this book, I felt like I was reading the chronicle of a U.S Presidential campaign. Machiavelli's book "The Prince" also came to mind.

The data collection methods of Dr. de Waal and his research team were scientifically sound, and rigorous in their execution. This gave me confidence that anthropomorphism did not have a significant role in the book's conclusions.

When I finished reading "Chimpanzee Politics", I had a great deal more respect for our closest animal cousins, and was inspired to find out more about chimpanzees. This book was also "a good read". The prose flowed smoothly, and was not overly inundated with technical jargon. As a result, I was able to finish the book in three days.

Whether you are a devoted follower of primate science or are simply interested in chimpanzees, I believe that you will find reading "Chimpanzee Politics" to be an enjoyable and educational experience.

Discover Magazine Interviews Jane Goodall

The March 2007 issue of Discover Magazine includes an interview with Jane Goodall. The interview was conducted by Virginia Morell. Although Jane has been interviewed more than most people in the world, Virginia still managed to discover new information by asking the right questions. For example:

When asked to compare human aggression to animal aggression, Jane responded "I think modern warfare is very different from chimpanzee warfare. Chimpanzee warfare is not unlike gang warfare, but modern warfare is about economics. It isn't about defending territory."

It has now been 47 years since Jane Goodall began her research in Gombe. The interview reveals that Jane began her career in Africa by working as a secretary for the famous anthropologist Lewis Leakey. While working with him, she developed her passion for observing chimpanzees.

Jane is credited with changing our perception of higher primates from that of mindless animals to seeing them as thinking, feeling, very intelligent beings, who in many ways meet the definition of human. Her findings were not anthropomorphic, but rather based on years of carefully documented observations that, in time, were verified by other scientists.

Jane also discusses TACARE, the Lake Tanganyika Catchment Reforestation and Education program, which gives microcredit loans to tribes which live near the chimpanzee habitats. This program provides economic incentives for the local people to preserve the chimp habitats and to reforest areas around these habitats. Jane states that it is much more successful than block grants from large world charities. This is so because it is developed and run through the local tribal cultures, so the people buy into the programs more enthusiastically than when money is "thrown" at them from outside organizations.

I have read quite a bit lately about microcredit loans, and how successful they have been in third world countries. In 2006, Muhammad Yunus, one of the originators of the microcredit loan system, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.

Jane also educates children all over the world about the importance of preserving wildlife habitats, so that the next generation of people running our planet will be more sensitive to this issue.

My only criticism of this interview was that it was very brief. Virginia did ask Jane fifteen well crafted questions, and Janes answers were very informative, but, after finishing the interview, I was hungry for more.

However, if you are interested in Jane Goodall's work, and would like to learn more about her, then this interview is well worth reading!