Several months after that film was finished, Nikkie tried to jump the moat surrounding the enclosure and drowned. His death , and the power struggle leading up to it, received to a lot of media attention. Some journalists tried to turn Nikkie's death into a suicide, which it wasn't. A year after Nikkie's death, film pictures were shown to the entire group , with remarkable results. In addition, it describes results of research on teasing and the development of quasi-agressive behaviour in chimpanzees.
Chimpanzees are our closest living relatives.
Behavioural research, both in Africa and in zoos, has given us a lot more information about the behaviour, the way of life and the social and intellectual capabilities of chimpanzees. Over the years, endless discussions have taken place about similarities and differences between man and other animals, especially apes.