Langergraber, who
studies the evolution of cooperation and social relationships in
wild chimpanzees, notes that there's compelling evidence in finches, crows, and
gorillas that some behaviors — like learning to use tools or eat nettles that will sting unless they are handled just so — have genetic underpinnings.
Future
studies, including data from larger sample sizes of
wild - born and geographically well - defined individuals, and full Y - chromosome sequences from bonobos,
gorillas and orangutans, promise to further our understanding of population histories, male - biased behaviours, mutation processes, and the functions of Y - chromosomal genes.