Social interactions of juvenile female bonnet monkeys,Macaca radiata

This study reports observations on juvenile female bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) in a field cage environment. Interaction and proximity data collected on different age classes of juvenile females indicate distinct changes in social behavior from the time a female is weaned until her first pregnancy. Behavioral development includes an increase in solitary behavior, an early disinterest in younger animals, and a surprisingly low interaction rate with relatives. Important aspects of ontogeny are lost in analyses that treat all juvenile females as a single age-class. This research was supported partially by US PHS Grant No. RR00169.