The Third Chimpanzee

The Development of an Extraordinary Species We human beings share 98 percent of our genes with chimpanzees. Yet humans are the dominant species on the planet -- having founded civilizations and religions, developed intricate and diverse forms of communication, learned science, built cities, and created breathtaking works of art -- while chimps remain animals concerned primarily with the basic necessities of survival. What is it about that two percent difference in DNA that has created such a divergence between evolutionary cousins? In this fascinating, provocative, passionate, funny, endlessly entertaining work, renowned Pulitzer Prize winning author and scientist Jared Diamond explores how the extraordinary human animal, in a remarkably short time, developed the capacity to rule the world . . . and the means to irrevocably destroy it.

Though we share 98 percent of our genes with the chimpanzee, our species evolved into something quite extraordinary. Jared Diamond explores the fascinating question of what in less than 2 percent of our genes has enabled us to found civilizations and religions, develop intricate languages, create art, learn science--and acquire the capacity to destroy all our achievements overnight. The Third Chimpanzee is a tour de force, an iconoclastic, entertaining, sometimes alarming look at the unique and marvelous creature that is the human animal.

At some point during the last 100,000 years, humans began exhibiting traits and behavior that distinguished us from other animals, eventually creating language, art, religion, bicycles, spacecraft, and nuclear weapons—all within a heartbeat of evolutionary time. Now, faced with the threat of nuclear weapons and the effects of climate change, it seems our innate tendencies for violence and invention have led us to a crucial fork in our road. Where did these traits come from? Are they part of our species immutable destiny? Or is there hope for our species’ future if we change? With fascinating facts and his unparalleled readability, Diamond intended his book to improve the world that today’s young people will inherit. Triangle Square’s The Third Chimpanzee for Young People is a book for future generation and the future they’ll help build.

Focusing on the remarkable similarity between chimp and human DNA, the author explores the role of molecular genetics, anthropology, biology, and psychology in the human-ape relationship.

"Precise but eminently readable and indeed exciting... This excellent book achieves the dual goal which eludes so many writers about animal behavior -- it will both fascinate the non-specialist and be seen as an important contribution to science." -- Times Literary Supplement

A Chimpanzee Tale is a story told by Hoot the Chimpanzee and written for children, ages five to ten, by Karen Young. The verses rhyme and carry the reader through the book in a fast-paced and entertaining way. The illustrations are intricate, realistic, and match the tone of the book. The first part of the book takes place in the rain forest in Africa and takes the reader on a journey of discovery with wild chimpanzees. It tells about daily life, how they interact with each other and their environment, their physical features, how they forage for food and use tools, nesting habits, the importance of social grooming, and the role of the family and the community in wild chimpanzee life. The second part of the book addresses the lives of captive chimpanzees. It exposes the reader to the many issues related to captivity, but it is told in a sensitive and lighthearted way. It encourages children to reach out and take a stand for something greater than themselves. It shows them that their actions can make a difference. It explains about sanctuary life and why sanctuaries are the best option for captive chimpanzees. It ends on a positive note by showing the reader that chimps can live in a sanctuary with their chimpanzee friends with dignity and with an enriched and understanding environment provided for them by humans. The book ends with Hoot thanking the children for their help. Vocabulary words and web sites add to the educational value of the book. A unique feature is that the reader can meet real chimps by visiting the sanctuary web sites listed in the book.

This book describes the similarities and differences between two species, bonobos and chimpanzees, based on the three decades the author has spent studying them in the wild, and shows how the contrasting nature of these two species is also reflected in human nature. The most important differences between bonobos and chimpanzees, our closest relatives, are the social mechanisms of coexistence in group life. Chimpanzees are known as a fairly despotic species in which the males exclusively dominate over the females, and maintain a rigid hierarchy. Chimpanzees have developed social intelligence to survive severe competition among males: by upholding the hierarchy of dominance, they can usually preserve peaceful relations among group members. In contrast, female bonobos have the same or even a higher social status than males. By evolving pseudo-estrus during their non-reproductive period, females have succeeded in moderating inter-male sexual competition, and in initiating mate selection. Although they are non-related in male-philopatric society, they usually aggregate in a group, enjoy priority access to food, determine which male is the alpha male, and generally maintain much more peaceful social relations compared to chimpanzees. Lastly, by identifying key mechanisms of social coexistence in these two species, the author also seeks to find solutions or “hope” for the peaceful coexistence of human beings. "Takeshi Furuichi is one of very few scientists in the world familiar with both chimpanzees and bonobos. In lively prose, reflecting personal experience with apes in the rain forest, he compares our two closest relatives and explains the striking differences between the male- dominated and territorial chimpanzees and the female-centered gentle bonobos." Frans de Waal, author of Mama’s Last Hug - Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about Ourselves (Norton, 2019)

Jane Goodall's adventures with the chimpanzees and the important discoveries she has made about them have gained her worldwide recognition. Now she tells her exciting story in her own words! When Jane Goodall was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimps in the wild. On her expeditions she braved the dangers of the jungle and survived encounters with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees - intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own. Jane Goodall has also written the bestseller In the Shadow of Man and The Chimpanzee Family Book. In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation to promote animal research throughout the world. SUMMARY: A DREAM COME TRUE From the time she was a girl, Jane Goodall dreamed of a life spent working with animals. Finally she had her wish. When she was twenty-six years old, she ventured into the forests of Africa to observe chimpanzees in the wild. On her expeditions she braved the dangers of the jungle and survived encounters with leopards and lions in the African bush. And she got to know an amazing group of wild chimpanzees — intelligent animals whose lives, in work and play and family relationships, bear a surprising resemblance to our own. Jane Goodall's adventures with the chimps and the important discoveries she has made about them have gained her worldwide recognition. Now she tells her exciting story in her own words.