Wynne-Edwards, Vero Copner (1906–1997)

English zoologist who argued that animal behaviour is often altruistic and that animals will behave for the good of the group, even if this entails individual sacrifice. His study Animal Dispersion in Relation to Social Behaviour was published in 1962.

The theory that animals are genetically programmed to behave for the good of the species has since fallen into disrepute. From this dispute grew a new interpretation of animal behaviour, seen in the work of biologist E O Wilson.