At Gombe, Goodall observed chimpanzees hunting which monkeys?

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At Gombe, Jane Goodall observed chimpanzees hunting colobus monkeys.

The observations were especially significant because they challenged the widespread idea that chimpanzees were essentially peaceful vegetarians. Goodall documented hunting parties pursuing smaller primates in Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania, where she began her long-term study in 1960.

In one reported hunt, chimpanzees isolated a colobus monkey high in a tree and blocked possible escape routes. One chimp climbed after it, captured and killed it, and other members of the group took portions of the carcass. The episode showed that chimpanzee feeding could involve planning, coordination, pursuit and meat sharing.

The monkeys in this question are not capuchins or howler monkeys, which are native to the Americas. Vervet monkeys do live in Africa and share parts of the Gombe ecosystem, but Goodall’s famous hunting observations concerned colobus monkeys, particularly red colobus. Chimpanzees still eat mostly plant foods, so hunting is an important but comparatively limited part of their diet.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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