These animals were the basis for deWaal's Chimpanzee Politics.
One very important point to remember about this video is how much the zoo
environment impacts the behavior of these chimps. For example, a steady food
supply probably gives them more time to engage in other activities in addition
to better health, more rapid maturity, and even larger in size. The
environment also might allow the dominant male, Nikki, much greater control
over the behavior of others who cannot escape into the woods for a little
unsupervised fun! (Group size also may be important, too.)
We have already discussed the importance of diet in intelligence --both direct
effects and indirect effects. Diet also plays a varied and critical role in
fertility. (See the Ackerman interview of Ellison in readings.)
All of the issues below contribute to a primate species rate of reproduction.
A normal 2000 calorie woman requires double that when nursing. Coupled with
the extreme helplessness of a human infant, male parental investment (MPI)
seems critical in early Homo sapiens survival.
some points from Tooby & Devore, Small, and Bryne