Little by little, the chimpanzees of Ngogo have slaughtered their way to the top.

With a community of more than 200 members, the Ngogo chimps in the Ugandan rainforest are said to be the most brutal troop in the world, often waging violent attacks on neighbouring tribes to expand their territory.

A new Discovery documentary has provided a captivating glimpse into the lives of these ‘warrior apes,’ following the group for 23 years to reveal their human-like complexity as the chimps hunt, fight, and support each other.

In one shocking clip, several chimps can be seen cooperating to take down a monkey – and later dividing the kill amongst themselves.

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A new Discovery documentary has provided a glimpse into the lives of these ‘warrior apes,’ following the group for 23 years to reveal their human-like complexity as the chimps hunt, fight, and support each other. One of the chimps is pictured after killing a monkey

Researchers have observed the chimps at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda for decades, watching as they’ve grown from a population of 142 in 1996, to more than 200 today.

Even 20 years ago, their numbers were ‘far more than the largest previously known community anywhere,’ David Watts, co-director of the Ngogo Chimpanzee Project, explains in the video.

While it was once thought that chimps may only resort to hunting when they’re hungry – if there isn’t enough fruit around – the observations revealed that the truth is ‘exactly the opposite.’

Disturbing footage shows several males hunting a monkey, cooperating to corner it up in a tree and grab it from behind. ‘Each took an arm or a leg, and they literally started drawing and quartering this monkey [as if to say] “Here’s a leg – it’s yours,”’ Watts says in the documentary.

Disturbing footage shows several males hunting a monkey, cooperating to corner it up in a tree and grab it from behind.

And, once they’d captured and killed their prey, the chimpanzees divvied up the meal.

‘Each took an arm or a leg, and they literally started drawing and quartering this monkey [as if to say] “Here’s a leg – it’s yours,”’ Watts says in the documentary.

Another shocking clip shows the chimps ganging up on a member of their own group, beating and kicking him.

Despite their often brutal nature, the Ngogo chimps were also found to show a much gentler side. Two in particular, named Hare and Ellington, were often seen spending time together

THE NGOGO CHIMPS The chimps at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda are the largest known chimpanzee community. In 1996, researchers estimated the population to be about 142 members. Now, the group has grown to 204, and vastly increased their territory. ‘Over the course of 10 years they had killed so many members from that neighbouring community that they had reduced the coalitionary strength of that neighbouring group to an extent where our chimps could simply move in,' one of the researchers explained in the documentary. With a community of more than 200 members, the Ngogo chimps in the Ugandan rainforest are said to be the most brutal troop in the world, often waging violent attacks on neighbouring tribes to expand their territory Advertisement

But, the victim eventually escapes the attack, retreating into a tree.

Despite their often brutal nature, the Ngogo chimps were also found to show a much gentler side.

Two in particular, named Hare and Ellington, were often seen spending time together.

Researchers have observed the chimps at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda for decades, watching as they’ve grown from a population of 142 in 1996, to more than 200 today

‘The fact that these killers can also be very peaceful very tranquil, very cooperative – I think it just shows how complex these animals are, and really how similar they are to humans,’ one of the researchers notes in the documentary.

And, when Ellington eventually died, the researchers observed changes in Hare that suggested he ‘was depressed,’ as he ceased to be one of the group’s more social members, and could often be seen ‘searching for his longtime friend.’