Chimpanzees steal less often from their friends, study finds

In short

• Chimpanzees stole less often from their friends than from others.
• The restraint held even when the chimps were offered pineapple.
• The discovery may hint at the roots of human norms around fairness and friendship.

Why the Good News Desk likes this one

The finding suggests that restraint between friends is not unique to people. It gives researchers a way to study where norms about fairness and friendship may have begun. The source gives few details on methods or sample size, so the result should be read as a discovery, not a settled answer.

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For kids

Chimpanzees are animals that live in groups and often make friends. Scientists found that chimps took less food from their friends, even when there was tasty pineapple around. This may help people learn how fairness and friendship began. What do you think you would do if your friend had a tasty snack?