The way to a chimp's heart.

• Position: BEHAVIOR - Chimpanzees - Brief article

Sharing food may be a generous act, but there is often something in it for the sharer as well. It can be used to gain favors, pursue the opposite sex, or even to show off. It's true for chimpanzees as well as people, only what chimps share isn't a big box of candy. Researchers from the University of Stirling in Scotland observed chimps in the West African country of Guinea for two years. In 58 of 59 instances of food sharing, male chimps shared food stolen from nearby farms, including papaya, oranges, and cassava. And in most cases, they offered some of the loot to a...