Ethological Study of Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in the Rehabilitation Process at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center, Uganda

Chimpanzees are part of the great ape family and the largest of the living family, belonging to the genus Pan (Pan troglodytes), native to Equatorial Africa, and believed to be the closest extant relative to humans with 98.7% of the human DNA. They live in extended family groups of as many as 20–120 individuals. The study evaluated the effect of the rehabilitation process on behavioral changes among the ex-situ chimpanzees’ community at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre -Conservation Area (UWEC CA) Uganda. Chimpanzees in the wild live in cohesive social units known as communities, where kinship and social strata significantly influence group dynamics. However, threats such as habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade, poaching, the bush meat crisis, climate change, and diseases disrupt this social structure, especially for rescued chimpanzees, leading to long-term behavioral changes in captivity. Therefore, the study sought to understand the effect of the rehabilitation process among the ex-situ chimpanzees on their behavioral changes, knowing that the chimpanzees in ex-situ facilities are rescued from various walks of life due to the aforementioned threats. The study set out to assess the behavioral changes among the rescued chimpanzees, understand their social dynamics, and the correlation between their behaviors caused by the rehabilitation process so as improve their rehabilitation and their welfare strategies. Using experimental, observational research designs among others; including focal, scan, ad libitum, and all-occurrence sampling techniques, the study found a moderate positive correlation between aggression and mating behavior (r = 0.3) and a strong negative correlation between grooming behavior and both aggression and mating (r = -0.7). The findings highlight the importance of understanding the behavioral changes of rescued chimpanzees and how these changes are influenced by their rehabilitation process while in ex-situ environments. By considering individual social positions, caretakers can better manage rehabilitation and release strategies, minimizing aggressions and enhancing the chimpanzees’ long-term well-being. Consistent monitoring of their behavior is crucial for successful rehabilitation, and promoting grooming behavior may help reduce aggression in captivity. The study recommends training more animal caretakers in chimpanzee behavior management, and social dynamics and encourages future research that includes longitudinal studies.