When raised by humans as pets, chimps can't form strong social bonds with their fellow species even if they thrive in sanctuaries, according to a new study published in PeerJ.

It only seems logical that when a chimpanzee is raised by a human, its interactions will differ from other chimps. This study, however, demonstrates that chimps who serve as pets (which is legal in the U.S.) apparently acquire these abnormal social effects that could last for decades even if pet chimps were brought up in a nurturing, healthy sanctuary.

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Instead of concentrating on these chimps as "human reared" or "mother reared," researchers observed them at the Lincoln Park Zoo where they classified and measured them via chimp versus human interaction.

One group was totally isolated from humans or had minimal contact while the other group was taken away from their own species for the first four years of their lives where they grew up and were reared by humans.

Researchers were quick to note these abnormal social behaviors by chimps weren't only manifested in aggression or violent acts but with grooming social behavior among their group.

Grooming is a very important ritual among chimpanzee communities, according to Steve Ross, lead researcher and director of the Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes at Lincoln Park Zoo.

But it was disturbing to see there was a significant difference in how often these chimps groom other chimps.

In addition, Ross said that failure to reciprocate grooming behavior with another chimp signifies a strange social tension. Grooming is a sign of friendship and getting to know others in the chimp world, but this lack of openness among chimps can lead to aggressive behavior.

This study only shows that keeping a pet chimp is not advisable even if they are used as commercial performers.

Ross and his team have already transferred more than 30 primates from private homes and businesses into healthy sanctuaries and habitats with his program, ChimpCARE.

But he warns that chimps become aggressive when kept indoors and this can be a serious threat to human safety.

TagsWhy It's Bad For Chimps to Be Pets or Performers, chimps, chimpanzees, chimps raised by humans have social problems, chimpanzees humans social problems