The Aggressive Apes? Causes and Contexts of Great Ape Attacks on Local Persons

摘要: Attacks on humans by wildlife are a leading cause of ‘human–wildlife conflict’ and the rise due to increasing human populations competition over space resources. Thus far, little attention has focused attacks wild great apes compared other large mammals. This chapter reviews complexities human–great ape interactions, examines context causes attacks, including assessment species differences in propensity direct aggression towards humans. Physical people Africa Asia overall rare. Most reports involve chimpanzees and, lesser extent, gorillas; orangutans bonobos seem rarely attack Reports suggest that most gorilla target adult motivated defensive instincts (e.g. response hunting threat). In contrast, victims chimpanzee overwhelmingly children, fall more evenly into provoked (i.e. harassment) unprovoked categories predation young children). Among apes, increased is likely combination greater ecological flexibility enables them exploit disturbed habitats near people, their multimale social systems, tendencies for aggressive behaviours day-to-day life, prevalent behaviour. We discuss how improved knowledge contexts along with better understanding cultural attitudes conflict among different stakeholder groups, required develop effective mitigation strategies reduce likelihood attacks.