David the chimp from David Attenborough’s Dynasties beaten to death

David the chimp – who starred in Dynasties with David Attenborough – has been beaten to death. 

The ‘aggressive’ leader had been alpha male of his troop for three years before younger apes ‘jumped’ him.

He hit screens this weekend in the show’s first episode, but was found dead seven months after filming concluded.

Younger males beat their leader to death, according to Fongoli Savanna Chimpanzee Project director Jill Pruetz. 

David Attenborough brought his namesake chimpanzee to viewers this weekend in the first episode of Dynasties

She told The Daily Telegraph: ‘He died from wounds inflicted from what I’m sure are these young males.

‘There aren’t other animals that would have inflicted wounds like that – especially when you have multiple individuals attacking a single individual.’

She said that the evidence pointed to adult males ‘jumping’ him, adding that a chimpanzee called Jumkin had taken over as alpha male.  

A female and baby in the group. There are seven adult females in the group whom the 12 males all compete over. It is thought a chimpanzee called Jumkin has now taken over as alpha male

A baby chimp in the group. The ‘aggressive’ leader had been alpha male of his troop for three years until he was beaten by younger males

David the chimp featured this weekend in the show’s first episode, but was found dead seven months after filming finished 

But she said his leadership was under threat from beta male Luther, who she said is ‘already challenging him a bit’.   

David – who led the troop in the jungles of Senegal and Guinea, West Africa – was the longest-reigning alpha in the group’s history.

The new BBC show also explores the lives of Emperor penguins in Antarctica and lions in Kenya as well as tigers in India’s Bandhavgarh National Park.