VIDEO: Lethal Chimpanzee Attack On Gorillas

Barcroft Media. Getty Images.

On July 22nd researchers in the Loango National Park observed a violent encounter between a troop of Chimpanzees and a band of Gorillas. The researchers commented that the two species were sometimes playful and relaxed toward each other but one day the chimpanzees went "Apeshit" and decided to go on a murder rampage on an outnumbered group of gorillas. It's hard to imagine that the larger Gorillas would be overpowered by the Chimps but the Chimps vastly outnumbered the Gorillas. Primatologists have always commented that Chimps are much more warlike than Gorillas. Gorillas are gentle giants that spend their day foraging and lounging, while chimps have been known to engage in advanced almost military-like conflict with other groups. This is the first interspecies primate war ever seen but not the first Chimpanzee war ever recorded. The Gombe Chimpanzee was a conflict that took place from 1974-1978 with mass casualties on both sides. This war actually was quite traumatizing to famed primatologist Jane Goodall. This was the first time she had been shown the dark side of Chimpanzee behavior. The Gombe Chimpanzee war was heavily documented with an amazing synopsis on the Wikipedia

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First blood was drawn by the Kasakela community on January 7, 1974,[5] when a party of six adult Kasakela males consisting of Humphrey, Figan, Jomeo, Sherry, Evered, and Rodolf ambushed the isolated Kahama male Godi while he was feeding on a tree.[6] This was the first time that any of the chimpanzees had been seen to deliberately kill a fellow male chimp.[5] After they had slain Godi, the victorious chimps celebrated boisterously, throwing and dragging branches with hoots and screams.

After Godi fell, De was taken out next, and then Hugh.[7] Later on came the elderly Goliath. Throughout the war, Goliath had been relatively friendly with the Kasakela neighbors when encounters occurred. However, his kindness was not reciprocated and he was killed.[8] Only three Kahama males remained: Charlie, Sniff, and Willy Wally, who was crippled from polio. Without a chance to strike back, Charlie was killed next.[9] After his death, Willy Wally disappeared and was never found. The last remaining Kahama male, the young Sniff, survived for over a year.[10] For some time it seemed as if he might escape into a new community or be welcomed back to the Kasakelas, but there was no such luck. Sniff, too, fell to the Kasakela war band.[11] Of the females from Kahama, one was killed, two went missing, and three were beaten and kidnapped by the Kasakela males.[12] The Kasakela then succeeded in taking over the Kahama's former territory.[12]

These territorial gains were not permanent, however. With the Kahama gone, the Kasakela territory now butted up directly against the territory of another chimpanzee community, called the Kalande.[13] Cowed by the superior strength and numbers of the Kalande, as well as a few violent skirmishes along their border, the Kasakela quickly gave up much of their new territory.[13] Furthermore, when they moved back northward, the Kasakela were harassed by Mitumba foragers, who also outnumbered the Kasakela community. Eventually hostilities died down and the regular order of things was restored.

With Chimps having serious war-like ability it is no wonder the Gorillas were unable to drive off the Chimps in this recent encounter that left 2 gorilla infants dead. The Chimps then celebrated and eat the Gorilla infants. This is pretty nuts from a human angle because it goes to show how deeply entrenched violence is in our own psyche. 

The fight seemed to have happened due to fruit shortages in the region but no one can truly be sure. Here is some footage of the attack on the gorillas. Turn the volume down there is some serious primal screaming.