In a groundbreaking study published in the journal Science, researchers led by primatologist Aaron Sandel have documented what appears to be the first case of 'civil war' among wild chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Observations of the Ngogo chimpanzee group reveal a dramatic shift from social cohesion to conflict, marked by the emergence of two distinct factions: the western and central chimpanzees. Between 2015 and 2022, the western group executed 24 coordinated attacks, resulting in the deaths of at least seven adult males and 17 infants. The split is believed to have been influenced by changes in social hierarchies and the deaths of key older individuals, which weakened social bonds. Additionally, a disease outbreak in 2017 may have expedited the division. This phenomenon is concerning for chimpanzee conservation, as such civil wars are estimated to occur only every 500 years. The findings highlight the fragility of social structures in primate communities and the potential impacts of human-induced changes on their behavior and survival.