What Bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees) can teach us regarding human evolution - Essay Example

(Waal, 2006) We can trace roots of human race in common ancestry with bonobos and common chimpanzees. Though researches cannot say for sure who is closer to humans – bonobos or common chimpanzees, the behavior and emotional capacity of bonobos is almost human. Bonobos or pygmy chimpanzees with regard to their social behavior and group structure stand closest to human beings. They differ from other apes by their mood, temperament, and curious nature. Bonobos resemble people more than any other apes because of their ability to share emotions in a natural human manner.

(Savage-Rumbaugh, Shanker and Taylor, 1998) The use of tools by bonobos, orangutans and chimps to satisfy their current needs gives researches an insight into the development of cognitive skills in hominids and evolution of human mind. (Jaffe, 2006) Though there’s no current evidence to prove our closest relation to bonobo than to other apes, bonobo seems to exhibit solely human emotional capacity – understanding of the feeling of the other. (Savage-Rumbaugh, Shanker and Taylor, 1998) Bonobo society is female centered with sex substituting for aggression.

Bonobo intellectual life concentrates on ‘conflict resolution and sensitivity to others’ but not hunting or dominance strategies. Bonobos natural communication is an example of socially driven brain evolution. In comparison to other apes bonobos are inclined to resolve any conflicts with peaceful settlement or subtler means. (Waal, 1997) Hominid cognitive advancement was possible due to the development of culture which was a mechanism of transmitting knowledge. Language evolutionary path can be traced in playful behavior of young apes.

Researchers believe that the roots of both language and pretending are inherent in a general symbolic function, which our ancestor most likely possessed. (Jaffe, 2006) Research of ape intelligence gives us insight into secrets of