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Can Animals Commit Murder?

Are humans the only species that murder each other? We go looking for evidence of murderous chimpanzees in the Ugandan rainforest

** Contains some upsetting scenes **

As a species, we humans can be uniquely horrible to our own kind. But are we the only animal to commit murder? Listener Michelle’s question sends CrowdScience trekking – and getting lost - in the Budongo rainforest in Uganda in search of one of Man’s closest relatives, the chimpanzee.

We hear from the scientists, who only days before the team’s arrival at the camp, witnessed a gang of chimps brutally killing another adult. But does chimpanzee lethal aggression pass muster as murder? We head to the capital Kampala for some legal advice and take a look at the grim history of putting animals on trial.

Do you have a question we can turn into a programme? Email us at crowdscience@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Geoff Marsh
Producer: Louisa Field

(Image: Closeup of angry chimpanzee Credit: Getty Images)

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29 minutes

Last on

Mon 7 Aug 2017 13:32GMT

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  • Fri 4 Aug 2017 19:32GMT
  • Sat 5 Aug 2017 22:32GMT
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  • Mon 7 Aug 2017 02:32GMT
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  • Mon 7 Aug 2017 06:32GMT
  • Mon 7 Aug 2017 13:32GMT

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