Chimpanzees wage ‘war’ in Uganda's Kibale National Park, study shows they fight organised battles

Extensive research at Kibale National Park in Uganda has found that chimpanzees are capable of engaging in prolonged and organised warfare, challenging the belief that war is an exclusively human concept. The findings, based on observations under the Kibale Chimpanzee Project, document a major split within the Ngogo chimpanzee community that led to years of violent conflict.

The Ngogo chimpanzee community had lived in relative peace for nearly two decades, marked by strong social bonds and cooperation. However, between 2015 and 2018, the group split into two factions following the death of older males who had acted as “social bridges,” according to a study by the Department of Anthropology at the University of Texas.

Researchers noted that the loss of these key individuals weakened internal cohesion and contributed to rising tensions within the group.


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As leadership structures weakened and power dynamics shifted, the divided groups began engaging in organised and targeted violence. The smaller faction carried out attacks, often targeting isolated individuals.

Over the course of the conflict, at least 24 chimpanzees, including adults and infants, were killed. The violence was not random but appeared to be deliberate and strategic, aimed at weakening rival factions.

Parallels with human conflict

Primatologist John Mitani observed that chimpanzees were capable of attacking former allies, highlighting a shift from cooperation to aggression. The behaviour displayed during the conflict showed similarities to human warfare, including territorial incursions, coalition-building and infanticide.

The incident has drawn comparisons with the Gombe Chimpanzee War documented by Jane Goodall, where former group members turned against each other.

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Internal stress factors behind conflict

Researchers found that the conflict emerged primarily due to internal factors such as social hierarchy disruptions, competition and resource pressures, rather than external threats.

Aaron Sandel noted that the departure of key individuals made the community’s social structure more vulnerable to fragmentation and conflict.

Implications for understanding conflict

The findings suggest that the roots of conflict may have evolutionary origins shared across species. Researchers emphasised that both cooperation and aggression are part of behavioural patterns seen in humans and chimpanzees.

With increasing environmental pressures and shrinking habitats, experts warn that such conflicts among chimpanzee groups could become more frequent.

Fragility of complex societies

The episode underscores the fragility of even highly organised societies, demonstrating how internal disruptions can lead to prolonged and violent conflict in both human and animal communities.