Chimps prefer to cooperate over compete

MIAMI: Cooperation is often hailed as a key trait that separates humans from animals, but researchers said Monday that our closest relative, the chimpanzee, can learn to work as a team.

In fact, chimps prefer cooperation by a ratio of five to one over competition, and find ways to discourage peers from freeloading, said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal.