KABAROLE, UGANDA

A HUMAN INFANT KILLED BY A WILD CHIMPANZEE?

According to Mr. Christopher Bakuneeta, Budongo Forest Project, Masindi, Uganda, thesurprising news of the death of an human infant due to an attack by a wild chimpanzee was reportedby the Government newspaper New Vision 256 (November 6, 1995). Mr. Bakuneeta summarized thetragic event in a letter to PAN and his comments are given below. The death of the infantallegedly occured on November 2, 1995 while the victim's mother wasabsorbed in cultivating her farmland and the baby slept alone nearthe field. The mother tried to save her baby but her efforts were invain.

"In my personal opinion, the very chimpanzee who killed the baby might be one of thosehabituated by human researchers," Mr. Bakuneeta wrote. "This tragedy might have been caused bythe overhabituation of study chimps. They have been so much used to the researchers and assistantsthat they can become quite aggressive and dangerous."

Mr. Bakuneeta was concerned because according to the National Park/Game Act in Uganda, nocompensation could be given to the family even if his speculation turned out to be true. In particular,he feared that the feelings brought forth by such a report might change the tolerant attitude that localpeople maintain toward the study chimps. "For instance, the Budongo Forest chimpanzees haveacquired a good feeling within the neighbouring communities near the Reserve. People are toleranteven when the chimps eat a few of their crops while they chase away the baboons which are moredestructive. Such a tragedy may sever the good relationships between the habituated chimps and localpeople."

Professor Toshisada Nishida of Kyoto University was asked to comment on the report in theUgandan newspaper.
"Dr. Bakuneeta informs us of the rare event of a human infant killed by a wild chimpanzee. So far asI know, such a case has only been reported by Goodall for the chimpanzees near Gombe, Tanzania,"said ProfessorNishida. "Dr. Bakuneeta suggests that the killer chimpanzee came from a habituated population.However, I do not think this is based on sound evidence or reasonable speculation. First, Gombe'scase occurred long before Goodall succeeded in the habituation of her chimpanzees. Second, it is truethat some chimpanzees increasingly use intimidation displays in the presence of and even attackhuman observers as habituation makes progress. However, there is no evidence that chimpanzeeswho are accustomed to humans become more likely to kill and eat human infants. Chimpanzees arepredators from the onset. Habituation does not bring out their carnivorous tendency. Wildchimpanzees apparently kill and eat any medium-sized mammal from 1 to 10 kg in size. Humanobservers should not leave their infants or small children alone in their camp if wild chimpanzeesregularly visit it. This has been a common sense rule that has long been observed by researchers ofMahale, and very probably Gombe."

Ed.note: The editorial office of PAN is now trying to obtain information on this event. We wouldlike to ask any one of you who has any relevant information to contact us by letter or e-mail.

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