The world’s largest known group of wild chimpanzees in Uganda’s Kibale National Park has been locked in a violent internal conflict for eight years, with researchers documenting at least 24 killings, including 17 infants, since the group split in 2018.
Once a cohesive community of nearly 200 individuals, the Ngogo chimpanzees fractured into Western and Central factions following rising tensions first observed in 2015.
Interactions that were once cooperative turned increasingly hostile, culminating in sustained, targeted attacks.
Scientists believe the conflict may stem from a combination of factors, including competition for resources, male dominance struggles, leadership changes, and significant population losses from deaths and a respiratory epidemic.
Researchers say the prolonged and intense violence offers valuable insight into the roots of human warfare, suggesting that shifting social relationships and group identities alone—without cultural or political drivers—can lead to lethal conflict.
🇺🇬 A group of 200 chimps in Uganda lived together for 20 years, dominated rival groups, expanded their territory, and thrived.
Then their social bridges died, a new alpha rose to power, and within three years the group split in two.
By 2018, former allies were killing each… pic.twitter.com/LQ2neHW5jx
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 10, 2026
