Chimps and bonobos relieve social tension by rubbing their genitals

image via New Scientist

March 5, 2025, 12:01 AM

Chimpanzees and bonobos sometimes rub their genitals together to cope with stressful situations, according to a new study. The researchers observed 107 instances of genital contact in the bonobos and 201 in the chimpanzees in the 5 minutes before 45 feeding events across the five groups.

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