Female bonobos team up to suppress male aggression against them—the first evidence of animals deploying this strategy. In 85% of observed coalitions, females collectively targeted males, forcing them into submission and shaping the group’s dominance hierarchy. This is the first study to test drivers of female dominance in wild bonobos. The study, led by researchers from Harvard University and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB), examined 30 years of demographic and behavioral data across six wild bonobo communities. The study suggests that power isn’t solely determined by physical strength. It can be driven by social intelligence and coalition-building by females.