Maternal Infant Monitoring in a Free-ranging Group of Japanese Macaques (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Macaca fuscata</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | Kenji Onishi Masayuki Nakamichi |
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Institution: | (1) Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan |
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Abstract: | In nonhuman primates, females with infants visually monitor their infants from a distance to detect and consequently avoid
potential threats to their infants. We recorded maternal visual monitoring of infants (infant monitoring) ages 7–18 wk in
a free-ranging, provisioned group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). The infant monitoring rate declined as a function of infants’ ages in weeks and increased when the infants were beyond
their mother’s reach, indicating that infant monitoring reflects the vulnerability of infants. Females with infants increased
infant monitoring when their infants were handled by other group members but not when their infants moved alone. This suggests
that intragroup threats (harassment/mishandling or kidnapping) have a relatively stronger influence on infant monitoring than
external threats (predation or infanticide) under the condition of this study. Infant monitoring of middle-/low-ranking females
was more frequent than that of high-ranking females when their infants were handled by other individuals. This may reflect
greater intragroup threats to infants of middle-/low-ranking females; however, further study is needed to confirm this. During
important activities (feeding or grooming), the infant monitoring rate was lower than that during other activities (resting
or self-directed behavior). However, even during important activities, females with infants increased infant monitoring when
infants were handled. This indicates that females with infants face a trade-off between infant monitoring and other important
activities, and even if females have to reduce the time spent on important activities, they increase infant monitoring when
their infants face greater potential intragroup threats. |
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