A mother bonobo grooms her young son at the Kokolopori Bonobo Reserve in Congo. (Martin Surbeck)If you think your mom is laying it on thick about producing grandchildren, take heart: At least you’re not a male bonobo. The new research, however, documented that wild male bonobos in Congo father three times as many offspring when their moms are still in the picture than bonobos whose mothers have died or left their group. This male bonobo's mother may play a very active role in his love life -- for good reason. In any case, the new bonobo study shows intriguing evidence for the grandmother hypothesis in one of our closest relatives, Surbeck said.

Source: Washington Post May 20, 2019 15:07 UTC