Peeing is contagious for chimpanzees

For chimpanzees, the need to pee appears to be contagious. A study published January 20 in the journal Current Biology finds that when one chimpanzee urinates, the others in a group are more likely to follow. The phenomenon is called “contagious urination,” and could have deep evolutionary roots in humans and chimpanzees–our closest relatives.

“In humans, urinating together can be seen as a social phenomenon,” study co-author and Kyoto University evolutionary biologist Ena Onishi said in a statement. “An Italian proverb states, ‘Whoever doesn’t pee in company is either a thief or a spy,’ while in Japanese, the act of urinating with others is referred to as ‘Tsureshon.’ This behavior is represented in art across centuries and cultures and continues to appear in modern social contexts.”

Onishi and colleagues decided to study this behavior when they observed that the chimpanzees in the sanctuary appeared to pee at roughly the same time. They were curious to see if urination could be similar to contagious yawning seen in humans. 

Leave a Comment