Kasakela Chimpanzee Community - Alpha Males

Alpha Males

The alpha male is the highest-ranking male, most dominant chimp, and can control most situations, including situations in which he is opposed by a coalition of other males. Nonetheless, an alpha male typically cannot monopolize breeding opportunities, and in some cases lower-ranking males have been more successful at mating than alpha males, since the alpha male has to spend much energy maintaining his rank. Faben (Figan's older brother with a paralyzed arm), Evered (defeated by Figan in his bid for alpha status who became Ferdinand's father.) and Sherry (lower-ranking male who became Frodo's father) are examples of males who successfully devoted their energy to breeding success despite not attaining alpha status. However, a very secure alpha male, such as Frodo, can use his status to increase his access to females in estrus, especially during the period when she is at peak fertility.

Goliath was the first chimpanzee Dr. Goodall recognized as the alpha male. In 1964, Mike, who was previously a low-ranking male, deposed him. Goliath remained a high-ranking male for several more years, but fell in rank as he aged. Eventually, Goliath was one of the chimpanzees who left the Kasakela community to form the Kahama community. However, in 1975 he was brutally attacked by a group of Kasakela males led by Faben, and died as a result of his injuries.

Mike figured out that incorporating cans and other objects left by the human researchers into his displays would make them more effective. These displays indeed allowed him to take over the alpha male rank in 1964. By 1969, a group of younger males including Humphrey, Faben, Figan and Evered challenged and defeated him, making Humphrey the alpha male and returning Mike to his low-ranking position.

From 1972 through 1989, two males, Figan and Goblin held the alpha position. Figan was able to defeat Humphrey when Faben became his ally. For a period after Faben's death in 1975, Figan remained the top-ranking male, but was unable to control coalitions of other males when they joined together, making his status as alpha male ambiguous. Within a few months, Figan reestablished himself as the unambiguous alpha by forging alliances with other high-ranking males, such as Humphrey. In 1979, 15-year-old Goblin, who had previously been protected by Figan challenged him for the alpha position. Goblin temporary held the top-ranking position in 1979, although could not control coalitions of other males, before the more senior males brutally beat him and restored Figan to the alpha position. By 1982 Goblin had reestablished himself as the top-ranking male, and by 1984 was unambiguously the alpha male, able to control situations even against coalitions of other males.

In 1989 Wilkie defeated Goblin and attained the alpha position. Wilkie, attained this position despite being one of the smallest males in the community, at 37 kilograms (82 lb). According to researchers at the University of Minnesota's Jane Goodall Institute Center for Primate Studies, Wilkie attained his position primarily by becoming popular by obsessively grooming other males. Unlike most males, Wilkie also groomed females. Wilkie was overthrown in 1992 by his childhood playmate Freud, who was in turn deposed by his brother Frodo in 1997 while Freud was ill. Freud, at 44.8 kilograms (99 lb), was larger than Wiklie and relied on a mixture of moderate force and grooming to become alpha and maintain his stautus. Frodo, at 51.2 kilograms (113 lb), was one of the largest males ever seen in the group, relied primarily on brute force to attain and maintain alpha status. After Frodo became ill in 2002, he was brutally beaten by a coalition of males led by Sheldon and spent two years traveling away from the rest of the community. No chimpanzee was able to establish himself as an alpha male until 2004. Sheldon briefly held the top-ranking male position in 2004, but by 2005 Kris had defeated all competitors, including Frodo, and established himself as the unambiguous alpha male. In 2008, Kris was supplanted as alpha male by Ferdinand, the youngest surviving brother of Freud and Frodo. As of 2012, Ferdinand is the alpha male of the community.