Everything you always wanted to know about ALPHA chimpanzees.

What does it mean to be an ALPHA?

Chimpanzee social groups establish a hierarchy amongst themselves. Typically in wild chimpanzee communities, there is an alpha male who is the most dominant member of the group. The males have a clear dominance hierarchy amongst themselves, and generally all males are dominant to all females within the community. Females also have a hierarchy, and there is usually an alpha female who is the most powerful of all the females.

In captivity, dominance hierarchies among chimpanzees may not always resemble hierarchies seen in the wild. Many captive chimpanzees grew up in isolation or had very limited social interactions. They did not learn the “rules” of society as free-living chimpanzees do. When they are finally given the opportunity to live in a family group, and establish their own social order, it can take them awhile to figure things out. The resulting social structure may be somewhat different than what is observed in the wild. Females may be more dominant than some males. There may not be a clear-cut alpha male or alpha female, or some chimps may share leadership duties. The hierarchy may not be linear, but rather more like a matrix.

However, in both wild and captive chimpanzee groups, one thing is clear—a good alpha is worth his or her weight in gold. The most successful chimpanzee leaders rule with a firm but kind hand, are fair, welcoming, and seek to resolve disputes quickly. This results in group cohesion and relatively few arguments amongst the members of the community.

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