Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are highly social animals that tend to live in a fusion-fission society. This means that the chimps belong to one big group that is broken up into smaller subgroups. The subgroups eat, sleep, and travel together, though the chimps may also spend some time on their own. In the wild, males tend to be more social than females but this is not the case with chimps in captivity. Female chimps in captivity will form life-long friendships with other female chimps, as will older male chimps.
Sociability in chimps is also dependent on age. Young chimps’ social behavior is directly related to the social behavior of their mothers. In late adolescence, males will spend a considerable amount of their time alone while frequently challenging other male chimps to establish dominance hierarchy. During this time females will go through social experiences related to social events, and eventually may become a part of a neighboring community. Since male and female chimps mate more often than is necessary for impregnation, copulation seems to be a social function as well. It develops bonds between the males and females, and ensures group unity.
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