Pygmy chimpanzees can confidently be called “intellectuals among monkeys.”

While ordinary chimpanzees are all about male dominance and aggression, bonobos adhere to the principles of peaceful coexistence.

Bonobos are monkeys with very free morals, in whose lives sex plays one of the main roles.

Unlike most representatives of the animal world, sexual relations for bonobos are not limited to the need to procreate, but are an important component of their daily life.

Bonobos are, so to speak, the “hippies” of apes, living by the motto “make love, not war,” as they are much more voluptuous and less warlike than their close relatives, chimpanzees.

Dutch-American biologist Frans de Waal, who studies zoo animals, notes the uninhibited sexuality of bonobos, as well as their penchant for friendly alliances (especially between females), in contrast to battles for dominance (especially between males) and intergroup warfare among chimpanzees.

Other biologists who observe these animals in captivity agree with Vaal. But in the harsh conditions of the jungle, things are more complicated.

Bonobos live in small groups of up to 100 individuals.

Females, despite their smaller size compared to males, have a higher social status. This is due to the fact that females are more organized and united than males.

Bonobo monkeys do not have the behavioral characteristics of ordinary chimpanzees; they do not hunt together, often use aggression to sort things out and engage in primitive wars; they do not learn sign language, although in captivity bonobos can easily operate various objects.

Simply put, in bonobo flocks there is a matriarchy.

Bonobos do not have a leader, like other primates. A distinctive feature of bonobos is that the head of the community is the female.

Females live in groups, which include cubs up to 5-6 years old. Males stay separately, nearby.

All or almost all aggressive interactions of bonobos have been replaced by... elements of mating behavior! - the dominance of females in bonobos was revealed in an experiment with groups of monkeys of both species (one male and two females) and during observations in nature.

All monkeys are very playful, but bonobos are also inventive in their games.

The cubs happily make funny faces and perform pantomimes, even when alone with themselves.

They observed how bonobos had fun in the following way: the monkey covered its eyes with its hands or a piece of banana leaf and began to spin, jump over bumps or jump on its relatives - until it lost its balance and fell.

At the same time, bonobos are much more restrained in expressing their emotions than chimpanzees. A male chimpanzee, angry about something, begins to throw stones, break branches and uproot small trees.

At this time, his fellow tribesmen prefer to stay away - they, too, may get it... Male bonobos, wanting to somehow “spoil evil,” usually simply run along the ground, dragging a bunch of branches behind them.

In bonobo groups, females eat first. If the male protests, the females band together to expel the male. Fights never occur during eating, but mating before eating is obligatory.

Young bonobo males are spared the harsh need to rally and stand together against older individuals, defending their “place in the sun.”

In communities where the leaders are females, mothers do the talking for them. Not being fans of aggressive confrontations, bonobos are extremely “sensitive”.

Sex among bonobos is the most important (if not the only) way of resolving conflicts.

That is, bonobos do not have quarrels, fights and all sorts of “showdowns”.

The best way to reconcile is sex. Moreover, the dominant position (as in any matriarchy) is occupied by females.

It would seem that what is so seditious here, why didn’t scientists immediately make their information about the behavior of this species of primate available to the whole society?

Indeed, from the point of view of the development of social society, one can learn a lot from bonobos...

Much is possible, but... not everything.

The thing is that among bonobos there is no place for chastity, and everyone mates with everyone, there are no taboos: a male can make love with a female, with another male, with children of both sexes. The same applies to females.

Females have sex with the cub, mother with son, but with an age limit - he should not be more than 6 years old.

When meeting with another pack on the border territory, males enter into communication, and females enter into sexual contact with the males of another pack.

Jealousy of one bonobo male towards another over the female ends in them with elements of mating behavior towards each other. Oh how!

If one of the females gives a thrashing to someone else's cub, the mother rushes to the offender and everything again ends in genital contact. Before they start eating, two female bonobos always come into genital contact with each other.

The social structure of bonobo communities, in particular the transition of females from group to group, is also determined by sexual contacts.

If they want to join a new group, young bonobo females enter into genital contact with two or three adult females.

If the attention is mutual, the applicant is accepted into the association, although she receives a stable position in the group only after the birth of the first cub.

Male bonobos do not usually move from group to group. They remain where they were born, acquiring and maintaining a new social status as they grow older.

Between all members of the community (with the exception of immediate relatives) and in any combination, there is a high frequency of sexual contacts - usually very short-term and more reminiscent of playful demonstrations.

This is the only representative among apes that mate like humans (in the messianic position).

And, by the way, not only these bonobos are very close to people.

Watching the sexual orgies of bonobos, you might think that the Kama Sutra is included in compulsory study from childhood.

Absolutely all types of sex are familiar to them and they practice them completely calmly.

By the way, this behavior of bonobos is reflected in their Latin name - Pan paniscus, that is, little Pan.

The ancient Greek god Pan was the personification of a wild life, having fun in the company of beautiful nymphs.

Scientists have long studied the reasons for such serious differences in the behavior of two closest relatives - bonobos and common chimpanzees, and came to the conclusion that the isolation of the bonobo's habitat played a major role here.

The more sparse northern part forced common chimpanzees to fight for survival, displaying aggression and strength.

Reproduction

Despite the high frequency of sexual intercourse, the level of reproduction in their populations is low.

The female gives birth to one cub with an interval of 5-6 years. Females become sexually mature at 13-14 years of age.

Pregnancy, on average, lasts for 240 days. The mother feeds the baby for 3 years.

Children maintain family relationships with their mother throughout their lives.

In February 1926, 90 years ago, Soviet biologist Ilya Ivanov was sent to Africa to artificially inseminate female chimpanzees with human seed. How did the scientist perform his famous experiments and what does Shostakovich’s opera have to do with it?

"Take me as an experiment"

“I dare to approach you with an offer. I learned from the newspapers that you undertook experiments in artificially inseminating monkeys with human sperm, but the experiments were unsuccessful. This problem has interested me for a long time. My request: take me as an experiment.

I beg you, do not refuse me. I will happily comply with all experience requirements. I am confident in the possibility of fertilization.

As a last resort, if you refuse, then I ask you to write me the address of any foreign zoological scientist,” biologist Ilya Ivanov received such a letter from a resident of Leningrad in 1928.

This message is not the only one of its kind: after learning that a scientist was trying to crossbreed a man with a monkey, women from all over the Soviet Union wanted to take part in an unprecedented experiment.

Ilya Ivanovich Ivanov (1870-1932), outstanding Russian and Soviet biologist

To a modern person, Ilya Ivanov may seem crazy, obsessed with the idea of ​​creating some kind of mutant. In fact, the scientist, considered the greatest specialist in the field of artificial insemination of animals, began breeding hybrids of a mouse and a rat, a mouse and a guinea pig, a zebra and a donkey, an antelope and a cow back in 1899. Inspired by the successes, the biologist suggested that it was possible to create a hybrid of humans and monkeys using artificial insemination.

Ivanov spoke about this during his speech before the World Congress of Zoologists in the Austrian city of Graz in 1910.

Unacceptability of experiments

In 1925, the rector of the Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman, Nikolai Gorbunov, became interested in Ivanov’s ideas. He believed that the created hybrid would have “important scientific significance” and would attract the attention of all countries to the Soviet Union.

Ivanov himself has repeatedly stated that in the West they want to cross a man with a monkey, but they are afraid to conduct such experiments “because the experiments are unacceptable from the point of view of generally accepted morality and religion.”

By the way, the Soviet biologist admitted that he was not the first to come up with the idea of ​​​​creating an unprecedented hybrid. Ilya Ivanov was well aware that back in 1908, the Dutch naturalist Bernelot Muns argued that it was possible to conduct experiments on inseminating gorillas and chimpanzees with human sperm. Moons even raised money for an expedition to the French Congo (where the cherished crossing was to take place), and also published a thematic brochure “Truth. Experimental studies on the origin of man." As the Dutchman believed, it is best to cross monkeys with blacks - in his opinion, representatives of the “inferior” race.

How monkeys were stunned

In the fall of 1925, Nikolai Gorbunov got the Academy of Sciences to allocate $10,000 for Ilya Ivanov’s experiments in Africa. The following February, the biologist went on a business trip to Kindia, the third largest city in French Guinea. Soon after his arrival, Ivanov learned that the station had only chimpanzees that had not reached puberty.

Then the scientist entered into correspondence with the governor of Guinea and received permission to conduct experiments in Conakry, the administrative center of the country.

The biologist went to Conakry with his son Ilya, who wanted to help his father with experiments. Ivanov Sr. personally supervised the capture of adult monkeys.

“The methods of catching chimpanzees were downright rude,” writes documentarian Oleg Shishkin. — At night, the population of the hunting village tracked a herd of monkeys. Then, armed with pitchforks and rakes, the aborigines drove the chimpanzees onto a lonely tree and lit a fire around them. After the chimpanzee, seeing no other way out, threw himself down, the Africans ran up to him and dealt serious blows with batons. The stunned and crippled animal could not resist the hunters, who tied its limbs to two poles. These poles were carried on the shoulders of four Africans.”

The experiment failed

In February 1927, Ivanov conducted an experiment in which two female chimpanzees were artificially inseminated with sperm from unknown human donors. And in the summer he inseminated another monkey named Black.

In none of the three cases did pregnancy occur.

The biologist did not lose hope - now he proposed to inseminate female volunteers with the sperm of a male chimpanzee. However, the scientist’s colleagues did not greet this idea with enthusiasm.

“All around, apart from obvious confusion and even a hooligan attitude, you rarely see even a tolerant attitude towards my unusual quests,” Ivanov wrote in 1927. “However, I am not giving up and, not giving a damn about the antics of our “elders” and their sycophants, I continue to strive for the opportunity to bring the experiments that have begun to a more significant number and get an answer to the questions posed. I’m negotiating and hope to get support where, if there is no academic cap on my head, there is common sense and the absence of professional intolerance.”

Ivanov’s plans were not destined to come true - soon the scientist was subjected to political criticism and exiled to Alma-Ata, where he died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

“It’s stuffy for me, it’s stuffy, it’s stuffy under the skin of an animal.”

The experiments of the Soviet biologist found cultural expression - in particular, the famous composer Dmitry Shostakovich began writing the opera “Orango”, the main character of which was a hybrid of man and monkey. By the way, Shostakovich was personally acquainted with Ivanov and even visited his scientific station in Sukhumi in 1929, several years before the scientist’s death.

According to the composer's plan, the half-man, half-ape appeared as a result of a daring biological experiment. But the hero was not kept in the laboratory: he was released, took up journalism, took part in the First World War, got married and even tried himself as a spy.

“Yawn, Orango!”, “It’s stuffy for me, it’s stuffy, it’s stuffy under the skin of an animal,” “Nastya dances and calms down Orango” - these were the names of the episodes of the opera.

For unknown reasons, Shostakovich wrote only the prologue of the musical work.

Subspecies of the Sichuan monkey, distribution area, appearance, habitats, lifestyle and behavior, nutrition, reproduction. Maintenance at home.

The content of the article:

On ancient Chinese silk-screen printing and world-famous porcelain vases, along with stylized dragons, fantastic fish and all kinds of strange animals and birds, you can often find an image of a monkey with an amazing color - golden fur and a blue muzzle. In China, this original creature has been called Sichuan since ancient times, which literally means “monkey with golden fur” or “golden monkey”.

History of the discovery of Sichuan

European connoisseurs of beauty have long considered the golden blue-faced monkeys depicted on Chinese vases to be nothing more than fairy-tale characters of mysterious Chinese mythology, just like the famous dragons - symbols of the Celestial Empire. And only in the second half of the 19th century did the enlightened Old World learn about the real existence of this unusual creature.

The European discoverer of the blue-faced monkey was the Catholic missionary Armand David, who succeeded not so much in converting the Chinese to Catholicism, but in his zoological discoveries of a hitherto unknown world.

Further study of the open species of primates was continued by the famous French zoologist Milne-Edwards, who gave it a Latin name in accordance with his observations and priorities - Rhinopithecus roxellana - “rinopithecus”, which simply means “nosed monkey”.

Milne-Edwards was not so much struck by the bright color of the discovered primate as he was surprised by the unusually upturned noses of the representatives of the found species. But the zoologist did not reflect the blue face and golden fur of the animal in his name. And he turned out to be right. As it turned out later, three more subspecies of the unusual beast live in the mountainous regions of Southwestern China. And only one of them has a golden outfit. But everyone’s noses really turned out to be equally snub-nosed. And this snub-nosed resemblance to the famous slave and then beloved wife of the Turkish Sultan Suleiman I the Magnificent, Ukrainian Roxelana, made it possible to give this species another name - roxellana.

Subspecies and distribution area of ​​the snub-nosed monkey

Currently, zoologists distinguish three subspecies of this cute creature:

• Moupin golden snub-nosed monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellana roxellana). The subspecies is distributed in the mountains of the Chinese province of Sichuan. This is the largest subspecies in terms of population. There are about 10,000 individuals in total.
• (Rhinopithecus roxellana qinlingensis). The population numbers up to 4,000 primates. Found in Qinling Province (where the name of the subspecies comes from) and in the south of Shaanxi Province.
• Hubei snub-nosed monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellana hubeiensis). Up to 1,000 representatives of the subspecies live in mountainous areas in western Hubei province.

In addition to the already well-known Chinese species, in 2010, another species of these animals was discovered in the northeast of Burma, called by zoologists the Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri). The population of the new species ranges from 260 to 330 individuals and lives in the valleys of the Salween and Mekong rivers.

Appearance of Rhinopithecus

In terms of its external characteristics and anatomical features of its body structure, the monkey is quite comparable to the well-known monkey. In fact, this is a monkey, only dressed in a thick, warm fur coat, which in Roxellan’s rhinopithecus is also painted in a bright orange-golden color. It must be said that the color of the fur of different subspecies varies greatly. For example, the recently discovered Burmese species has completely black fur (only the chin and ears of these creatures are white).

The snub-nosed monkey's fur is so thick and warm that it can easily withstand the low winter temperatures of the mountainous regions of China. For this frost resistance, these animals are sometimes even called “snow monkeys.”

The primate's height is 58–76 centimeters (depending on the subspecies). Tail length is 50–72 centimeters. On average, the weight of males of this species is in the range of 15–16 kg. Females are larger, with a body weight of up to 35 kg.

Rhinopithecus has a round head with large dark expressive eyes framed by blue glasses, a blue muzzle and a very upturned nose. It is impossible to confuse this animal with some other species of thin-bodied primates, it is so extraordinary in appearance.

Habitats of the snub-nosed monkey

Chinese snub-nosed primates of all subspecies mainly inhabit the subtropical forests of the mountainous regions of Southern and Central China. Small groups of these animals are also found in the forests of Northern Vietnam and India.

In the warm season, flocks migrate, rising higher - up to 3500 meters above sea level. In winter, they descend into the warmer lower forests of the foothills.

The largest population of Rhinopithecus lives in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in the Chinese province of Sichuan.

Lifestyle and behavior in nature of the snub-nosed monkey

Roxellan's rhinopithecus are social animals that prefer to live in large groups. Moreover, the number of individuals in these monkey groups can be very different. The maximum number of such a community, officially recorded by scientists, numbered about 600 animals. However, in the spring the animals are always divided into smaller detachments-families of 40–60 individuals, and sometimes less.

An ordinary rhinopithecus family consists of a dominant male, five to six adult females and their cubs of all generations, which in total adds up to those same 40–60 individuals. The habitat of one such family occupies from 15 to 50 square meters. km, depending on the landscape of the area and the availability of food.

These primates spend almost all their time in the trees, descending to the ground only for some special food or to sort out relationships in the family and between monkey clans.

Serious clashes among these animals rarely occur. Typically, territorial or other conflicts are limited only to mutually threatening poses and loud screams. When real danger appears, the monkeys immediately return to the trees.

Despite the fact that “snub noses” prefer the upper tier of the forest for their existence and do not like to travel on land, as it turned out recently, they are not at all afraid of water and are able to swim well.

Primates communicate and regulate their social hierarchy using special postures, gestures, caring for each other’s fur (grooming), giving sound signals and loud cries.

In general, the lifestyle of these amazing animals has not yet been fully studied. Also, their actual life expectancy has not been precisely established. Zoologists are so far only suggesting that it may be approximately 19–20 years.

Primate nutrition

Snub-nosed monkeys are 100% vegetarians, but the diet of these funny-looking animals depends entirely on the season.

In the summer, their diet is quite rich - edible tree fruits, succulent plant leaves, nuts, berries, fruits, wild onions, young bamboo shoots, iris and saffron bulbs.

In the cold winter season, even having descended into the warmer lower forests, primates are forced to make do with the remains of grass, thin branches and tree bark, lichens and pine needles.

Reproduction of snub-nosed monkeys

Females of this cute creature reach sexual maturity at the age of 4–5 years. Males, somewhat later - at 7 years.

Although they can mate throughout the year, the main mating season usually occurs in late summer and early autumn. Females of the same family “harem” are quite tolerant of each other, without entering into conflicts for the sake of the sexual attention of the head of the family.

A female capable of conception, with her specific behavior, taking appropriate poses and giving signals that are unambiguous for the male snub-nosed monkey, calls for the leader of the family to mate. True, this does not always work. The male, according to the observations of zoologists, reciprocates her feelings only in half of the cases.

Pregnancy of female rhinopithecus lasts for 7 months. As a result, usually in mid-spring, one to two cubs are born.

Nursing offspring Sichuan

The period of milk feeding of snub-nosed monkey cubs by the mother lasts for 1 year. After which the diet of the babies is no different from the diet of the adults of the flock.

Both parents are involved in raising the little “snub noses”. As necessary, other females of the monkey family also provide care to the maturing cubs. In particularly harsh winters, the whole family huddles tightly together, trying first to keep the kids warm.

Natural enemies of the snub-nosed monkey

This species of monkey has few natural enemies in nature. Not every predatory animal is able to reach them in mountainous habitats.

In the central and southern parts of China, the most dangerous enemy of rhinopithecus is the clouded leopard, capable of lying in wait and easily catching even the most nimble of monkeys in a tree.

The small Chinese tiger, which lives in the same highland forests as the primates, also poses a danger. But the population of the striped predator itself is under threat of extinction (there are about 20 individuals in total) and therefore does not pose a particular danger to rhinopithecus.

But until recently, the main enemy of these magnificent, cute animals was man. For centuries, hardworking Chinese loggers and peasants have conquered more and more land from the wild forest for their needs, depriving the animals inhabiting the forests of their usual habitat and food, forcing them to leave their usual habitats.

In addition, the barbaric extermination of snub-nosed monkeys by people took place for their meat. Specific Chinese cuisine considers all monkeys existing in the world only from a gastronomic point of view. Rhinopithecus, in this sense, was not a happy exception. On the contrary, this trophy has always been considered very valuable. The successful hunter, in addition to tasty meat, also obtained the magnificent fur of Roxellan's rhinopithecus, which, according to popular beliefs in China, is a good “help” for rheumatism.

Only recently, when the snub-nosed monkey approached the brink of complete extinction, did the Chinese authorities come to their senses. Now rhinopithecus is everywhere under state protection, and poaching has become severely punished. The measures taken bore fruit, and the primate population began to slowly recover.

The snub-nosed monkey was listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2008.

The legislation of the People's Republic of China strictly prohibits trade in this rare animal, which excludes the possibility of legally purchasing it as a pet.

Learn more about snub-nosed monkeys from this video:

Chimpanzee in their usual habitat they are found every year in smaller numbers. Relatively few populations can now be found in the tropical forests of Africa.

The weight of an adult representative of the species reaches 60-80 kilograms, while height varies depending on gender - females - up to 130 centimeters, males - up to 160. There is a separate species - pygmy chimpanzee, whose parameters are much more modest.

The entire body of primates is covered with thick brown hair, except for some parts, namely the fingers, face and soles of the feet. Chimpanzee in the photo You can see the sly brown eyes. At the same time, the growing representatives chimpanzee genus have a small area of ​​white hairs on the coccyx, which are later replaced by brown ones.

Such a seemingly trifle plays an important role in the development of the primate’s behavior - as long as the hair on the tailbone remains white, the baby is forgiven all the pranks and is lenient towards his failures. Once the hair darkens, it is perceived as equal to the rest of the adults in the group.

Character and lifestyle of chimpanzees

Mostly chimpanzee monkeys- forest dwellers. Eating vegetation, they lead a leisurely, measured life, moving between trees, communicating with each other and resting in nests. The only situation that can take this calm flow out of its usual channel is the appearance of an enemy.

As soon as one of the group notices the approach of a predator, she begins to scream and squeal, giving her relatives information that everyone is in danger. A group of primates reaches maximum excitement and horror, on the way of which even a small snake is encountered. Relationships between representatives of the same group are the key to a peaceful life chimpanzee. What social status a particular monkey occupies is an important question.

Through communication, they can protect each other from danger and more fruitfully look for hot spots for eating. Young animals learn by carefully observing the behavior of adults. Girls will learn how to properly feed and protect cubs, boys - what gestures and movements can achieve respect in the group.

Thus, through imitation, young animals learn basic norms of behavior, which they first perceive as a game, and then gradually move into adulthood with a full set of “rules of etiquette.”

Living in a group not only helps chimpanzees more efficiently obtain food, defend themselves and raise offspring. Scientists have proven that monkeys living alone have a worse metabolism, decreased appetite, and overall health indicators are much lower than those in communities.

Chimpanzees and humans get along well together

It is precisely because of the social nature chimpanzee and human can easily live together. If a primate comes into a human family as a baby, he easily accepts all the behavioral habits of people, and learns to behave the same way.

Chimpanzees can be taught to drink and eat using utensils, and to dress, walk, and gesture like humans. In addition, scientists believe that individuals who have spent their entire lives in close surroundings with people are able to easily perceive human speech and even communicate with people using sign language.

That is, it is quite possible to meet a talking monkey, only it will express itself with the help of movable fingers. You can find a lot on the Internet chimpanzee bots, which generate monkey speech using a computer program, however, these are just bots, they have nothing in common with living primates.

Pictured is a baby chimpanzee

In terms of upbringing and ease of learning, male chimpanzees are considered more pliable and intelligent; at the same time, it is males who can pose a hidden threat to humans, since no one has canceled the instincts of dominance. Females are considered less intelligent, but more loyal.

Chimpanzee nutrition

The main food products of chimpanzees are fruits and green parts of plants. At the same time, fruits - juicy fruits - root parts and vegetables are eaten only in times of extreme need. Given the large weight of primates and the food they consume, they need to eat most of the time to stay in shape.

This is exactly what they do - moving nimbly among dense trees, chimpanzees look for fresh fruits. If a group representative comes across a suitable tree, he informs the others about it. Depending on the season, the time that a monkey spends eating ranges from 25 to 50% of the primate's total waking time.

In addition to the green parts and fruits of plants, chimpanzees can eat the soft bark and core of stems; in addition, in the spring, primates consume large quantities of flower petals. As for nuts, most chimpanzees are not fans of them, although, of course, there are individual exceptions.

Scientists have different opinions regarding the consumption of live food. Thus, some experts adhere to the theory that chimpanzees eat small animals and insects, however, in small quantities and only in the fall. Others believe that such delicacies are constantly present in the diet of primates.

Reproduction and lifespan of chimpanzees

Chimpanzees do not have a static breeding season - this can happen on any day at any time of the year. The female's pregnancy lasts about 230 days, that is, 7.5 months. In most cases, the female gives birth to one calf and is actively involved in protecting and raising it.

Considering that she is born almost defenseless, she has no chance of surviving without her mother’s care. In this respect, the behavior of primates is very similar to that of humans. The baby is born with light, sparse fur, which only changes to dark over time.

The mother is closely connected with the cub and for the first few months does not let him out of her arms, carrying him on her back or stomach. Then, when the little monkey is able to move around on its own, the mother gives her some freedom, allowing her to play and frolic with other children and adolescents, or with adults in the group.

In this way, their relationship is built for several more years, until the cub is fully matured. Females usually become adults, that is, ready for mating, in the period from 6 to 10 years, males - at about 6-8 years of age.

Average in the wild life expectancy of a healthy chimpanzee- up to 60 years, although such long-livers are rare, since the forest is full of dangers, and the older the monkey, the more difficult it is for it to avoid them.

Human evolution. Book 1. Monkeys, bones and genes Markov Alexander Vladimirovich

Why do female primates scream during sex?

Nowadays, few experts doubt that the relationship between the sexes played a vital role in the evolutionary development of man. This topic is covered in the popular science book by M. L. Butovskaya “Secrets of Sex. Man and woman in the mirror of evolution" ( 2004 ). We will also return to it more than once (without, however, claiming to be an exhaustive presentation), but for now we will consider several specific studies that show the direction in which the thought of biologists studying the role of sexual selection in the evolution of people and their closest relatives is moving today.

Sexual relations in monkey groups are extremely diverse and complex. Sex in many primates is much more than just copulation for the purpose of procreation. It plays an important role in public life and social organization. Sex can be used as a way to resolve conflicts, reconcile, maintain team cohesion or its hierarchical structure. For example, bonobos actively use sex, including same-sex sex, for reconciliation and relieving tension in the team; some monkeys use simulated mating (“false cages”) to demonstrate and maintain superior-subordinate relationships.

Because of the complexity of sexual relations themselves and the social organization into which they can be intricately woven, developing adequate models of the evolution of sexual behavior in primates has proven very difficult. One of the many mysteries is the origin and meaning of the so-called copulation signals - specific, rather loud calls emitted during mating by females of some species, including humans.

Of course, we can assume that these screams do not have any adaptive (adaptive) meaning, that females scream simply “out of passion,” that such behavior does not affect reproductive success, and therefore natural selection does not act on it. It could arise, for example, as a side effect of some other behavioral programs - innate or transmitted through imitation and learning. On the other hand, the “passionate cries” of female primates (including our closest relatives, chimpanzees) may well have their own adaptive meaning.

For a long time, a popular hypothesis was that female chimpanzees communicate to other males that they are ready to mate. It is assumed that the passionate cries of the female should excite the males and provoke them to compete for the right to mate with her. As a result, the female gets a chance to mate with the best males. True, this hypothesis is hardly applicable to people, creatures historically inclined more towards monogamy than promiscuity. But chimpanzees do not suffer from excessive chastity, and their sexual relations are characterized by great freedom. Each female mates with many males. However, this does not mean at all that she doesn’t care who to do it with, when and in what order. As a rule, she prefers high-ranking males.

Female chimpanzees have good reasons for not being faithful to any one partner. Firstly, by mating with several males in a row, she gives the opportunity to become the father of her children to the one whose sperm wins the “sperm war”. This increases the chance of providing the cubs with good genes. Constant sperm wars led to the fact that male chimpanzees developed very large testes during evolution. By the same token, we can say that among our ancestors, sperm wars did not play such an important role: humans have much smaller testes than chimpanzees.

Without standing out in terms of the size of the testes, man breaks all records among anthropoids in terms of penis size (both in terms of its length and thickness). For comparison, a male gorilla with a body weight of 200 kg has a penis length of only about 4 cm. This is normal for apes with a harem family type. For orangutans, the situation is approximately the same. Harems involve intense competition between males, but not at the level of genitals and sperm, but at the level of physical strength and sharp fangs. The size of the penis and testes is not important for the owner of the harem.

Chimpanzees have a longer penis (about 7 cm), but very thin. With relatively free sexual relations in chimpanzee groups, competition between males occurs primarily at the level of sperm.

What features of the life of our ancestors does the huge penis indicate? I recommend that readers think about this at their leisure: a good exercise for the mind.

Another reason why female chimpanzees tend to mate with many males, preferably high-ranking males, is that they reasonably expect their partners' gratitude and support in the future. There is nothing more important for a creature living in a competitive hierarchical team than good relations with influential people. Especially if society cannot develop reasonable laws and force everyone to comply with them. This need not be explained to anyone, but to the citizens of our country.

The social life of chimpanzees (unlike bonobos) bears little resemblance to an idyll. Females also have to take care that some male, in a fit of rage, does not kill their cubs. This, unfortunately, happens. A very effective way to prevent infanticide is to convince the male that the cubs are his. If it is impossible to convince, at least cast doubt. Given the lifestyle that chimpanzees lead, the mother herself does not know who the father of her cubs is, but the males have no idea which children are whose. It’s better not to kill your partners’ children at all, otherwise you’ll inadvertently kill your own and your genes will die with you (including those genes that determine the tendency to infanticide). Hopelessly confusing the question of paternity is another goal that a female may pursue by mating with several males in a row.

We must not forget that the social status of a female can greatly depend on which males she mates with and on how widely other members of the team are informed about this.

Thus, female chimpanzees theoretically have many reasons not only to mate with many males, but also to scream to announce this to the public. To test the theories, however, long-term observations of monkeys in natural conditions are necessary.

Anthropologists from Great Britain and Germany spent two field seasons in 2006 and 2007 spying on the intimate life of a monkey tribe living in the Budongo forest in Uganda. During the observation period, there were 78 individuals in the herd, including eight adult males and 25 adult females, of which seven were sexually active (more than 15 matings during the observation period).

All seven females sometimes emitted “cries of passion” during mating - rather loud rhythmic screams or squeals that could be heard in the forest at a distance of up to 50 meters. This didn't happen very often. In total, over nine months of observation, 287 matings involving these seven females were recorded, but in only 104 cases (36%) the females gave voice.

It turned out that females scream much more often when they mate with high-ranking adult males. They do not differentiate between low-ranking adult males and even lower-ranking juveniles (they scream little in both cases).

In 35 cases out of 287 (12%), relatives did not allow the couple to finish the process in peace. “Loud” sexual intercourse provoked aggression nine times, with a high-ranking female intervening in four cases, a high-ranking male intervening in three cases, and a low-ranking male intervening in two cases. The attacks of high-ranking females were the most violent. Aggression in this case was always directed at a low-ranking competitor, and not at the male. When the same low-ranking females mated silently, the high-ranking females did not attack them. They could not see copulation in either case: it was the screams that attracted them.

The researchers found no correlation between "cries of passion" and the interval between matings with different males. This contradicts the assumption that screams promote rapid attraction of additional sexual partners. There was no obvious correlation between the female's tendency to vocalize her feelings and her social status.

Based on the hormone content in the urine of females, the researchers monitored the phases of the estrous cycle. Female chimpanzees, unlike humans, only mate for about ten days during each cycle, but conception is impossible at the beginning and end of this ten-day period. As it turned out, “cries of passion” do not carry any information about whether the female is currently capable of conception. This contradicts the idea that the purpose of calls is to provide the best genes for the offspring. If it were a question of genes, females would try to scream more actively when conception is possible. But they cry the same at all stages of the estrous cycle when they are able to make love.

The most interesting result is that love cries were found to depend on the composition of the female audience, that is, on which females were in the vicinity of the mating couple. The rank of male listeners does not affect the behavior of the female. However, the more females of the same or higher rank nearby, the less likely the mating female is to call. In other words, mating females behave more reservedly in the presence of powerful competitors.

Thus, it was possible to identify only two factors influencing the likelihood of love cries: the rank of the partner (the higher it is, the more squealing) and the number of high-ranking listeners (the more of them, the less squealing). In addition, it turned out that the influence of these factors may be interrelated. If a female mates with a low-ranking male, the presence of high-ranking competitors bothers her less than if her partner occupies a high social position. In other words, a female who has acquired a valuable partner makes sure not to attract the attention of dangerous competitors. A female mating with a second-rate male is not as sensitive to the composition of the audience.

The authors believe their findings argue against the hypothesis that the purpose of love calls is to provoke competition among males, quickly attracting additional high-ranking partners and engaging them in sperm wars. If this were so, females would scream more actively in the arms of second-rate males. They do exactly the opposite. In addition, this hypothesis suggests that passionate cries, firstly, provoke aggression among males, and secondly, help reduce the intervals between matings with different males. Neither observation was confirmed. On the other hand, the authors noticed that when a high-ranking male makes love, other high-ranking males tend to hang around. Thus, the female, with her screams, still informs the male elite of the tribe about her readiness to mate. And although high-ranking men, respecting their dignity, do not immediately rush to push their comrade, they can use the information received a little later.

The results obtained confirm the rapidly growing theory that in chimpanzee groups, intense and sometimes very brutal competition between females plays an important role (unlike bonobos, whose social structure is based on friendship and cooperation between females). Mating females clearly restrain their emotions and try not to make unnecessary sounds when there are powerful competitors nearby.

According to the authors, their results do not contradict the hypothesis of “confusing the issue of paternity.” Male chimpanzees seem to have a good memory of who they have mated with and who might possibly be the mother of their children. This not only reduces the risk of infanticide, but also helps females in conflict situations. It has been noticed that males sometimes get involved in female fights on the side of “their” females. Sometimes the female even manages to provoke the male, fascinated by her, to kill the children of her competitor. Yes, the morals of our closest relatives are not the best role models. Maybe the females also scream so that the male remembers this date better?

Perhaps the intense competition between females in chimpanzees is partly due to patrilocality (males remain in their native tribe, grown females go to other families and are therefore not related by blood to other females in the herd). However, peaceful and loving bonobos are also patrilocal. The authors note that female chimpanzees in general make much less love cries than other primates. Apparently, the fear of reprisals from competitors overpowers the desire to attract high-ranking males and obscure the question of paternity. One way or another, the study found that female chimpanzees' "cries of passion" may serve as a flexible tool for minimizing various risks associated with intense competition between females ( Townsend et al., 2008).

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