The Behavior of Chimpanzees in Their Natural Habitat

In his search for the biological basis of human behavior patterns, the scientist finds a fruitful resource in studying the chimpanzee, man's closest living relative. The author describes some of the findings from a longitudinal study of chimpanzees at Gombe, Tanzania; these concern the long period of infant and juvenile dependence on the mother, the affectionate bonds in the chimpanzee family, adolescence, and dominance. She also discusses some of the behavior patterns of chimpanzees that strikingly resemble some patterns in man, noting, however, that there are also important differences that point up the uniqueness of the human.