Gombe Chimpanzee War
The Gombe Chimpanzee War, also known as the Four-Year War, was a violent conflict between two communities of chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in the Kigoma region of Tanzania between 1974 and 1978. The two groups were once unified in the Kasakela community. By 1974, researcher Jane Goodall noticed the community splintering. Over a span of eight months, a large party of chimpanzees separated themselves into the southern area of Kasakela and were renamed the Kahama community. The separatists consisted of six adult males, three adult females and their young. The Kasakela was left with eight adult males, twelve adult females and their young.
| Gombe Chimpanzee War | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Kahama chimpanzees | Kasakela chimpanzees | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Hugh (MIA) Charlie † | Figan | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 6 males |
8 males 1 female | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
7 killed 3 missing and presumed dead (including non-combatants) | 1 killed | ||||||||
Location within Tanzania | |||||||||
During the four-year conflict, all males of the Kahama community were killed, effectively disbanding the community. The victorious Kasakela then expanded into further territory but were later repelled by two other communities of chimpanzees.