Attenborough's chimp beaten to death

[Eldorado]

David the chimp - who starred in Dynasties with David Attenborough - has been beaten to death.

The 'aggressive' leader had been alpha male of his troop for three years before younger apes 'jumped' him.

He hit screens this weekend in the show's first episode, but was found dead seven months after filming concluded.

Younger males beat their leader to death, according to Fongoli Savanna Chimpanzee Project director Jill Pruetz.

Full report: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6386151/David-chimp-David-Attenboroughs-Dynasties-beaten-death-younger-males.html

[psyche101]

That's the struggle I guess. 

I don't think my dog would prefer a life in the wild. She seems pretty happy being domestic. 

She's really spoiled..... 

[Still Waters]

I watched this first episode on BBC iplayer just 2 nights ago and plan to watch the rest of the series as they're shown.

In this episode featuring David and the rest of the chimps he'd already endured one attack by the younger males and left for dead. He recovered, and although badly injured and very weak he caught up with the rest of the group and regained his alpha male status. David Attenborough did say this chimp was by no means safe from being attacked again. What a shame  

[SHaYap]

Hate to say it but there must have been something about him that really goes against the very core of what chimp society can tolerate.

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[Still Waters]

18 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Hate to say it but there must have been something about him that really goes against the very core of what chimp society can tolerate.

~

It's all to do with dominance and leadership. In a group of chimps the younger males will fight to become the alpha.

[SHaYap]

1 minute ago, Still Waters said:

It's all to do with dominance and leadership. In a group of chimps the males will fight to become the alpha.

I am well aware and is familiar with the hierarchical structure of chimp society, normally Alphas are not only the one with the might and strength to attain that position, there are Dynastic ties among the females that figures in the equation as well, for instance the relationship with the Alpha female. Contention for the Alpha seat seldom leads to death, as far as has been observed or documented in the wild. Clashes that leads to fatalities occurs much more frequently with territorial raids on other groups with no family ties and more often than not, in captive and enclosed conditions. Even so, chimps do learn to cohabit peacefully most of the time, again, as far as it has been observed. What happened to 'David' the chimp here is quite abnormal, as far as I know, certainly the first I've seen or read about, normally when an Alpha loses his position, very rarely do they again regains the position as it is normally a sign of age catching up with them or perhaps in circumstances where they are suffering from illness or injury that prevents them from being Alpha

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[SHaYap]

Pack and herd animals do have a lifelong respect of Alpha status, be it another one of its kind, a man or a woman ... even if they are mightier and stronger of the equation, Alpha status based entirely on aggression seldom goes very far, or leads to anything that ends well ...

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Animal Odd Couples [Full Documentary] | Wild Things - YouTube

[00.58:02]

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[Still Waters]

On 11/14/2018 at 12:17 PM, third_eye said:

What happened to 'David' the chimp here is quite abnormal, as far as I know, certainly the first I've seen or read about, normally when an Alpha loses his position, very rarely do they again regains the position as it is normally a sign of age catching up with them or perhaps in circumstances where they are suffering from illness or injury that prevents them from being Alpha.

David was in a vunerable position from the younger males, they had reached the age where they could challenge him for dominance. His leadership was by no means secure and he was very aware of that, he was always on guard waiting for one of them to challenge him. That featured a lot in the episode.

Going back to when he was attacked by the younger males and left for dead, the rest of the group moved on in search of water. When he did manage to catch up with them it wasn't easy for him, he was badly injured and weak from his wounds. He had to hide his weakness from the rest of the group to prevent being challenged/attacked again. He even befriended some of the younger males hoping they would back him up in any future fights, which they did.  At one point his main attacker approached him for forgivenesss but David wasn't having any of it, I suspect it was that same chimp who killed him in the end.

[SHaYap]

1 hour ago, Still Waters said:

At one point his main attacker approached him for forgivenesss but David wasn't having any of it, I suspect it was that same chimp who killed him in the end.

Its one of those lessons that is the hardest to learn I guess, to truly forgive one must also be forgiven

~