Why are we so worried about the existence of chimpanzees?

Fun fact: chimpanzees aren’t the only ape species we share significant DNA with. Many researchers have found that bonobos share about 98.7% of their DNA with humans. Furthermore, about 1.6% of that shared DNA is unique to bonobos and humans, not chimpanzees (Prufer, Kay et al.). 

I’ll admit I don’t love this question because of its speciesist overtones. It pushes the idea that we are superior because we were on the ‘right side’ of this evolutionary split. As someone who studies Primatology, I get this question A LOT. I know it usually comes from a genuine place, but it is a really ill-informed question. In order to answer this question, however, it is important to frame it knowing that humans didn’t really come from chimps. We didn’t just evolve to be modern humans, while our chimp cousins remained in the trees. It’s a hell of a lot more complicated than that, but….

What I usually say: We didn’t “come” from chimpanzees in the way that you are thinking. We share a common ancestor from between 5-8 million years ago. Chimpanzees and Bonobos diverged from each other around 2 million years ago. So, what we think of when we say chimpanzees today, isn’t what we originally diverged from. We don’t even know for sure who that last common ancestor was. The ‘human’ branch continued to evolve slowly into what we are today (and is still evolving). The chimpanzee and bonobo branch/branches did and continue to do the same. Because we are now on separate evolutionary paths, we are evolving different genetic traits based on our unique environments, mutations, etc. Also, chimpanzees are pretty damn effective in how they function. There hasn't been an evolutionary need for them to evolve to be like us. 

What I scream internally: Just because chimpanzees haven’t built skyscrapers or *willingly* gone to space, doesn’t mean we should question their existence in comparison to our own. A chimp could literally beat you up and could probably solve a puzzle faster than you. They are freaking chilling leave them alone. 

One of my favorite books is: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? by Frans de Waal. It advises against the same type of thinking that the "why chimps" question uses: comparing ourselves as some sort of standard to other animals. The real comparison is between human animals and the vast array of others. When it comes to chimpanzees, they are significantly stronger than us. They can learn sign language and solve puzzles. They can climb trees. They have been recorded to engage in calculated warfare. They are highly adaptable in many types of environments and can live successfully without the comforts of electricity or running water that human animals rely on. I honestly think a better question is why humans are still around, when chimps have figured it out pretty well so far. 

Prüfer, Kay et al. “The bonobo genome compared with the chimpanzee and human genomes.” Nature vol. 486,7404 (2012): 527-31. doi:10.1038/nature11128

Photo: 

https://humanorigins.si.edu/file/primate-family-tree-780x5200gif