SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY
Foster Care for Chimps
from ScienceNOW Daily News
When Victor's mother died from anthrax, Fredy came along and adopted him. He shared his home with Victor every night, carried him on his back, and even gave him some of his precious food. Such altruistic behavior is one of the noblest attributes of our species. But Fredy and Victor aren't humans--they're chimps.
A new study of these primates in the wild suggests that they are far more selfless than scientists have given them credit for, though some researchers have their doubts.
Researchers have seen evidence of altruistic-type behavior in several species, including marmosets, rats, and even ants. But it's unclear whether these behaviors fit the scientific definition of altruism: spontaneously helping others with no expectation of a reward.
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