Some argue that male domination is the natural order, but bonobos, primates that share nearly 99 percent of our DNA, present a different narrative.
Bonobos are great apes characterized by female-dominated societies, which is uncommon among mammals, particularly in species where males are typically larger. Despite being smaller than their male counterparts, female bonobos hold significant power within their communities.
A recent study published in the journal Communications Biology tracked six bonobo communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo over nearly 30 years, providing the first evidence-based explanation for how female bonobos maintain their dominance over males. Researchers found that females form coalitions against males to shift the balance of power in their favor.
When a male bonobo misbehaves, nearby females unite to attack or intimidate him. Males who show submission during these conflicts lose social rank, while the females involved gain status, leading to improved access to food and mates for their offspring.
Bonobos and chimpanzees are our closest living relatives. Previously considered a subspecies of chimpanzee, scientists established nearly a century ago that they are distinct species. These endangered apes, native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, present challenges for study in the wild.
To conduct this study, Martin Surbeck, a behavioral ecologist at Harvard University, and his team invested thousands of hours navigating dense jungles. Dr. Surbeck described the rigorous process of tracking bonobos, stating, “You get up around three o’clock in the morning, then walk for an hour or two to find the site where they built their nests the previous night.”
Bonobos are known for their high levels of sexual activity and lower violence compared to chimpanzees, leading to a perception of them as the “hippies” of the ape world. However, observations by Dr. Surbeck and others suggest that these primates are not as peaceful as commonly believed. Dr. Maud Mouginot, an anthropologist at Boston University, noted that conflicts between the sexes do occur.
Between 1993 and 2021, researchers documented 1,786 instances of male aggression toward females, with females teaming up in roughly 61 percent of these conflicts to achieve victory. Dr. Surbeck remarked that such confrontations can be severe, with some cases leading to male injuries or even death.
Using the data collected, Dr. Surbeck and his team evaluated several hypotheses regarding how females maintain power in bonobo society. Their findings supported the “female coalition hypothesis,” indicating that females collaborate to overpower males, resulting in higher social ranks for the victorious females. The average female bonobo outranks about 70 percent of the males in her community.
Dr. Mouginot stated that the study confirms long-held suspicions about the sources of female power in bonobo society, emphasizing the importance of quantitative data from various communities.
Dr. Surbeck stressed the significance of protecting bonobos, as they can provide insights into human evolution. He stated, “Bonobos are an endangered species. As our closest living relative, they help us look into our past. If we lose them, we lose a mirror for humanity.”
Additionally, Dr. Surbeck argued that the study challenges the notion that male dominance is a biological inevitability, suggesting that patriarchy and male dominance are not inherent evolutionary traits in our species.