Frank the Notorious Adult Male in the Sonso Chimpanzee Community of Budongo Forest Reserve
Authored by: Geresomu Muhumuza
Although Frank is a Chimpanzee, but in relation to the human beings, he is a very nice looking chimp among all the eight (8) males in the community with a pale face that everyone can admire.
He is short, stout bodied with large ears. He is currently developing brown hairs at the back. He is the Gamma Male in the hierarchy.
He was born around 1999 and suspected now to be twenty-two (22) years of age. His father according to DNA sequencing, is not known but almost certainly from the Sonso Community.
His mother Flora (FL) was a peripheral female who first settled in the central community early 2003 in January. She appeared with both sons Fred and Frank. Fred (FD) being older at that time. Sadly, on 22/July/2014, his elder brother Fred’s carcass was found, part of it eaten by dogs. That happened south of the Sonso grid in the neighbouring village of Nyakafunjo.
While still living in the community, Flora gave birth to three (3) more offsprings namely: Faida (FA) sub-adult who emigrated, Faith (FG) is still with the group and another baby who got lost at a young age of 44 days which we suspected to have been through infanticide.
An infanticide is grabbing of an infant from the mother and killing it. This can be either biting or swinging and hitting it against a tree. It is common in many species of primates and is regularly seen in Sonso chimpanzees.
Frank, is liked by some individuals within the community. He is social and playful, but he plays roughly with juveniles. Sometimes, they avoid him. He can be a very aggressive individual. Mothers with infants also do avoid him whenever he arrives or during his displays.
Through his behavioural patterns of being notorious within the community, a number of infatns have been murdered by him. Other members involved in these incidents are: Hawa the alpha, Musa the beta, Simon, Harriet, and in the past years, Nambi (BG) the alpha female. She used to be very active in the act but now she is not. Instead, she now protects her fellow females who appear with newly born infants. Her behaviour seemed to change after she stopped having her own offspring. Frank has killed sex (6) infants, the ones we have observed him being very active during the act.
The victims mothers have included Kalema, Katia, Coco, Irene, and two stranger females from other communities that Sonso bumped into during regular patrols.
Although Frank is regarded as a badly behaved chimp, he also protected his mother Flora in February 2013 when she appeared with a newly born infant.
Big males attacked flora and aggressed her severely but he fought hard to allow her make an escape. He was joined up by his brother Fred, this was before Fred met his death as described previously.
The infant having survived death, was named Faith (FH). She is now 8 years old and the only sibling of his within the community.
Whenever there is any inter-community encounter during the organised regular patrols, he is very active. Actually, he is always at the forefront leading the way while encouraging his fellow Sonso chimps to continue.
He is also good at spotting prey most especially the slow decision making black and white colobus monkeys and he is a well known and successful hunter.
Mbotella (MB) and Muhumuza (MZ) like staying with him and sometimes staying together although their mother Melisa (ML) is gone.
To date, according to the DNA sequencing, Frank has not yet sired any offspring although he is going on killing young ones sired by other males.
Following his way of conduct within the community, there is a high prospect of him becoming alpha in the future. When he reaches alpha, maybe his chances of becoming a father will improve.
Cite as
Muhumuza, Geresomu. (2023). Frank the Notorious Adult Male in the Sonso Chimpanzee Community of Budongo Forest Reserve. Perspectives Collective Journal, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8418179