Chimpanzees are considered to be the closest animal relatives and among the most intelligent apes in the animal kingdom.
However, who would have thought that chimps are also capable of using military tactics? This was revealed by a new study conducted by the University of Cambridge.
Involved researchers claimed that these primates use military strategies to defeat or gain an advantage over their enemies.
Study Claims Chimpanzees Use Military Tactics as Well
According to The Guardian's latest report, the new study focused on chimpanzees located in the Ivory Coast on the southern coast of West Africa.
Experts said that they discovered that these chimps can scale hilltops for rescue missions. They also use their military-like strategies to advance if their rivals are outnumbered or distant.
"These military tactics that we see in humans - the importance of high ground - is maybe something that's deeply rooted in our evolutionary past," said the study's lead author, Sylvain Lemoine.
The statement made by Lemoine, who is also a primatologist at the University of Cambridge, hints that chimpanzees' tactics may have inspired human soldiers to create their military strategies.
"The chimps go up the hill, stop there, and, based on the information they gather, either carry on or retreat," added Sylvain.
He further stated that just like human troops, chimps are also taking advantage of high grounds to get information on neighboring animals, such as their numbers and distances.
How Smart are Chimpanzees?
Britannica explained that chimps are highly intelligent animals that are capable of solving numerous problems.
In some studies, these apes even learned sign language, play chess, and other activities that are too complicated for other animals.
Aside from being a smart mammal, East African Trails provided other fun facts about chimpanzees, such as the following:
- They share over 98% DNA with humans.
- Unlike other primates, chimps live in communities.
- Chimpanzees will vote for their next leaders.
- Just like humans, chimpanzee communities are divided into different classes, such as upper, middle, and lower classes.
- They can create different kinds of tools using the resources in their environment.
