Brokering peace in the ape (culture) wars

Mid-last century, controversy existed around the question whether non-human great apes have culture. To a large degree, this is no longer controversial - apes have their own cultures. However, there remains controversy around how to best study ape culture, given the varying and often dichotomised contributions from captive and field-ape research. Here, we present a historical summary of the ape culture wars since their inception and how this has evolved over time. We then focus on debates surrounding wild versus captive-ape research with an emphasis on culture, detailing major arguments arising from both research domains. Throughout, we critically deconstruct these arguments, illustrating the nuance behind these critiques, while highlighting their assumptions, overgeneralising statements and potential constraints. We further provide potential solutions to help alleviate the issues we describe, when possible. We also offer a metacritique of ape culture research for its scientific and political impact, irrespective of one's expertise. In closing, we summarise concrete recommendations for a richer and more holistic understanding of ape, and human, culture.