Stress with Siblings

Birth of a sibling triggers long-lasting stress in young bonobos

In any family, the birth of a child is a transformative event, often greeted with positive feelings from parents—and mixed feelings from siblings. The arrival of a new brother or sister, and the loss of parental attention that comes with it, is stressful for any first-born child. Now, scientists have shown that it is not just humans who have trouble becoming siblings. Bonobos, our closest living relatives, also experience stress in the transition to siblinghood.

^{© Christian Ziegler, LuiKotale Bonobo Project, MPI of Animal Behavior}

Publication: Verena Behringer, et al., Transition to siblinghood causes a substantial and long-lasting increase in urinary cortisol levels in wild bonobos, Evolutionary Biology (2022). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.77227.

Original Story Source: MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE