Sibling jealousy may not be uniquely human after all, according to a new study observing chacma baboons in Namibia’s Tsaobis Nature Park. Researchers spent months watching young baboons compete for their mother’s attention, often interrupting grooming sessions with tantrums, clever distractions, and even strategic tricks to steal affection. The behavior appeared far more frequently when a younger sibling was being groomed, suggesting emotional rivalry rather than simple playfulness. Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the findings offer some of the strongest evidence yet that primates experience complex emotions like jealousy—long considered uniquely human. While the tactics rarely worked, the behavior opens new questions about the evolution of emotion.
The New York Times
