"If you have just had a big falling out with a colleague, there is nothing better than the comforting and consoling arm of a good friend.
Chimps, it seems, feel the same way, according to a study at Chester Zoo.
The research is said to provide the first evidence that consolation in primates, such as hugging and stroking, can reduce stress levels after a fight.
The behaviour could indicate some level of empathy, Dr Orlaith Fraser told the British Association Science Festival.
'We can't actually say what's going on in a chimpanzee's mind; we can only deduce from their behaviour what's going on,' the Liverpool John Moores University researcher said.
'Because this behaviour is actually reducing stress levels and it's being offered by a valuable partner, it seems likely that this is an expression of empathy.'"
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