1
|
Scott AM, Banes GL, Setiadi W, Saragih JR, Susanto TW, Mitra Setia T, Knott CD. Flanged males have higher reproductive success in a completely wild orangutan population. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296688. [PMID: 38335166 PMCID: PMC10857694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Male orangutans (Pongo spp.) exhibit bimaturism, an alternative reproductive tactic, with flanged and unflanged males displaying two distinct morphological and behavioral phenotypes. Flanged males are larger than unflanged males and display secondary sexual characteristics which unflanged males lack. The evolutionary explanation for alternative reproductive tactics in orangutans remains unclear because orangutan paternity studies to date have been from sites with ex-captive orangutans, provisioning via feeding stations and veterinary care, or that lack data on the identity of mothers. Here we demonstrate, using the first long-term paternity data from a site free of these limitations, that alternative reproductive tactics in orangutans are condition-dependent, not frequency-dependent. We found higher reproductive success by flanged males than by unflanged males, a pattern consistent with other Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) paternity studies. Previous paternity studies disagree on the degree of male reproductive skew, but we found low reproductive skew among flanged males. We compare our findings and previous paternity studies from both Bornean and Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) to understand why these differences exist, examining the possible roles of species differences, ecology, and human intervention. Additionally, we use long-term behavioral data to demonstrate that while flanged males can displace unflanged males in association with females, flanged males are unable to keep other males from associating with a female, and thus they are unable to completely mate guard females. Our results demonstrate that alternative reproductive tactics in Bornean orangutans are condition-dependent, supporting the understanding that the flanged male morph is indicative of good condition. Despite intense male-male competition and direct sexual coercion by males, female mate choice is effective in determining reproductive outcomes in this population of wild orangutans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy M. Scott
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Graham L. Banes
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- The Orang-Utan Conservation Genetics Project, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Wuryantari Setiadi
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN), The Science and Technology Center of Soekarno, Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Jessica R. Saragih
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Agency for Research and Innovation (BRIN), The Science and Technology Center of Soekarno, Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Tri Wahyu Susanto
- Departemen of Biology, Faculty of Biology and Agricultural, Universitas Nasional, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Tatang Mitra Setia
- Departemen of Biology, Faculty of Biology and Agricultural, Universitas Nasional, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Cheryl D. Knott
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
van Noordwijk MA, LaBarge LR, Kunz JA, Marzec AM, Spillmann B, Ackermann C, Rianti P, Vogel ER, Atmoko SSU, Kruetzen M, van Schaik CP. Reproductive success of Bornean orangutan males: scattered in time but clustered in space. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023; 77:134. [PMID: 38076722 PMCID: PMC10700224 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03407-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Abstract The social and mating systems of orangutans, one of our closest relatives, remain poorly understood. Orangutans (Pongo spp.) are highly sexually dimorphic and females are philopatric and maintain individual, but overlapping home ranges, whereas males disperse, are non-territorial and wide-ranging, and show bimaturism, with many years between reaching sexual maturity and attaining full secondary sexual characteristics (including cheek pads (flanges) and emitting long calls). We report on 21 assigned paternities, among 35 flanged and 15 unflanged, genotyped male Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii), studied from 2003 to 2018 in Tuanan (Central Kalimantan, Indonesia). All 10 infants born since mid-2003 with an already identified sire were sired by flanged males. All adult males ranged well beyond the study area (c. 1000 ha), and their dominance relations fluctuated even within short periods. However, 5 of the 10 identified sires had multiple offspring within the monitored area. Several sired over a period of c. 10 years, which overlapped with siring periods of other males. The long-calling behavior of sires indicated they were not consistently dominant over other males in the area around the time of known conceptions. Instead, when they were seen in the area, the known sires spent most of their time within the home ranges of the females whose offspring they sired. Overall, successful sires were older and more often resident than others. Significance statement It is difficult to assess reproductive success for individuals of long-lived species, especially for dispersing males, who cannot be monitored throughout their lives. Due to extremely long interbirth intervals, orangutans have highly male-skewed operational sex ratios and thus intensive male-male competition for every conception. Paternity analyses matched 21 immature Bornean orangutans with their most likely sire (only 10 of 50 genotyped males) in a natural population. Half of these identified sires had multiple offspring in the study area spread over periods of at least 10 years, despite frequently ranging outside this area. Dominance was a poor predictor of success, but, consistent with female mating tactics to reduce the risk of infanticide, known "sires" tended to have relatively high local presence, which seems to contribute to the males' siring success. The results highlight the importance of large protected areas to enable a natural pattern of dispersal and ranging. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-023-03407-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. van Noordwijk
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Laura R. LaBarge
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Julia A. Kunz
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Institute des Sciences de l’Evolution Montpellier, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Anna M. Marzec
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Brigitte Spillmann
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Corinne Ackermann
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Puji Rianti
- Division of Animal Biosystematics and Ecology, Department of Biology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
- Primate Research Center, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Erin R. Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Center for Human Evolution Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA
| | | | - Michael Kruetzen
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Carel P. van Schaik
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Comparative Socio-Ecology Group, May Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution (ISLE), University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kunz JA, Duvot GJ, Willems EP, Stickelberger J, Spillmann B, Utami Atmoko SS, van Noordwijk MA, van Schaik CP. The context of sexual coercion in orang-utans: when do male and female mating interests collide? Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|
4
|
McManus J, Marshal JP, Keith M, Tshabalala T, Smuts B, Treves A. Factors predicting habitat use by leopards in human-altered landscapes. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Transformed landscapes caused by human activity leave remnant patches of natural habitat for wildlife. The persistence of species in the face of such transformation depends on individuals’ ability to adapt to novel habitat, and to secure resources and reproductive opportunities despite habitat alterations. The leopard, Panthera pardus, is the last free-roaming top carnivore in South Africa whose high trophic status and wide-ranging movements make them an effective focal species in conservation planning. Using location data from leopards, we investigated key correlates of habitat selection in human-altered landscapes at two spatial scales. We compared sex-related differences and predicted how conspecific home range locations influenced habitat selection. Leopards avoided human-altered landscapes more strongly at the large spatial scale, where both sexes selected core areas near formally protected areas. Conspecific home range locations had a strong positive effect at both spatial scales for males, while for females, conspecifics explained fine-scale habitat selection by selecting areas near neighboring females. Spatial scale, sex-related differences, and conspecific location play roles in habitat selection for solitary felids and have implications for conservation planning and management. Excluding these factors may result in inappropriate species management policies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeannine McManus
- Research Department, Landmark Foundation, P.O. Box 22, Riversdale 6677, South Africa
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
| | - Jason P Marshal
- School of Animals, Plants and Environmental Sciences, Witwatersrand University, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
| | - Mark Keith
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Thulani Tshabalala
- School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X 01, Pietermaritzberg 3201, South Africa
| | - Bool Smuts
- Research Department, Landmark Foundation, P.O. Box 22, Riversdale 6677, South Africa
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa
| | - Adrian Treves
- Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, 122 Science Hall, 550 North Park Street, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Corredor-Ospina N, Kreyer M, Rossi G, Hohmann G, Fruth B. First report of a leopard (Panthera pardus)-bonobo (Pan paniscus) encounter at the LuiKotale study site, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Primates 2021; 62:555-562. [PMID: 33950405 PMCID: PMC8225524 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00897-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Predation is a major cause of mortality in non-human primates, and considered a selective force in the evolution of primate societies. Although larger body size is considered as protection against predation, evidence for predation on great apes by carnivores comes from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), gorillas (Gorilla gorilla), and orangutans (Pongo spp.). Here, we describe the first encounter between wild bonobos (Pan paniscus) and a leopard (Panthera pardus). A single leopard was confronted by a group of habituated bonobos for three hours. Two adult males and one adolescent female bonobo actively harassed the leopard, which remained still for most of the encounter and reacted only to close approaches by bonobos. While no predation was observed, their behaviours confirm that bonobos perceive leopards as potential predators. Our report adds novel information to descriptions from other African ape species, and sheds light on the behavioural repertoire of bonobos' anti-predation strategies. For future investigations, we suggest tagging leopards to remotely monitor their movements and allow assessment of encounter rates as one of several factors influencing predation pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Corredor-Ospina
- LuiKotale Bonobo Project, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- SEC Semillero de Evolución Y Conservación, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, Cajica, Colombia
| | - Melodie Kreyer
- LuiKotale Bonobo Project, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Faculty of Science, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Giulia Rossi
- LuiKotale Bonobo Project, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Barbara Fruth
- LuiKotale Bonobo Project, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Faculty of Science, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hasan S, Al-Razi H, Ahmed T, Naher H, Muzaffar SB. Observation of Infanticide in the Particolored Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger) from a Forest in Northeastern Bangladesh. MAMMAL STUDY 2021. [DOI: 10.3106/ms2020-0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabit Hasan
- Bangladesh Slow Loris Research and Conservation Project, 531/2 Shahidbagh Mosque Road, Shajhanpur, Dhaka
| | - Hassan Al-Razi
- Bangladesh Slow Loris Research and Conservation Project, 531/2 Shahidbagh Mosque Road, Shajhanpur, Dhaka
| | - Tanvir Ahmed
- Bangladesh Slow Loris Research and Conservation Project, 531/2 Shahidbagh Mosque Road, Shajhanpur, Dhaka
| | - Habibon Naher
- Faculty of Life and Earth Science, Department of Zoology, Jagannath University, Dhaka 100, Bangladesh
| | - Sabir Bin Muzaffar
- Bangladesh Slow Loris Research and Conservation Project, 531/2 Shahidbagh Mosque Road, Shajhanpur, Dhaka
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
The cost of associating with males for Bornean and Sumatran female orangutans: a hidden form of sexual conflict? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020; 75:6. [PMID: 33408436 PMCID: PMC7773621 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02948-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Sexual coercion, in the form of forced copulations, is relatively frequently observed in orangutans and generally attributed to their semi-solitary lifestyle. High ecological costs of association for females may be responsible for this lifestyle and may have prevented the evolution of morphological fertility indicators (e.g., sexual swellings), which would attract (male) associates. Therefore, sexual conflict may arise not only about mating per se but also about associations, because males may benefit from associations with females to monitor their reproductive state and attempt to monopolize their sexual activities. Here, we evaluate association patterns and costs for females when associating with both males and females of two different orangutan species at two study sites: Suaq, Sumatra (Pongo abelii), and Tuanan, Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). Female association frequency with both males and females was higher in the Sumatran population, living in more productive habitat. Accordingly, we found that the cost of association, in terms of reduced feeding to moving ratio and increased time being active, is higher in the less sociable Bornean population. Males generally initiated and maintained such costly associations with females, and prolonged associations with males led to increased female fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) levels at Tuanan, the Bornean population. We conclude that male-maintained associations are an expression of sexual conflict in orangutans, at least at Tuanan. For females, this cost of association may be responsible for the lack of sexual signaling, while needing to confuse paternity. Significance statement Socioecological theory predicts a trade-off between the benefits of sociality and the ecological costs of increased feeding competition. Orangutans’ semi-solitary lifestyle has been attributed to the combination of high association costs and low predation risk. Previous work revealed a positive correlation between association frequencies and habitat productivity, but did not measure the costs of association. In this comparative study, we show that females likely incur costs from involuntary, male-maintained associations, especially when they last for several days and particularly in the population characterized by lower association frequencies. Association maintenance therefore qualifies as another expression of sexual conflict in orangutans, and especially prolonged, male-maintained associations may qualify as an indirect form of sexual coercion. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-020-02948-4.
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhao HT, Zhang WQ, Jia KS, Li JX, Bai XX, Wang XW, Guo ST, He SJ, Sun HJ, Lei YH, Pan RL, Li BG. Observation of mother-perpetrated infanticide in golden takins ( Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi). Zool Res 2020; 41:455-457. [PMID: 32543790 PMCID: PMC7340516 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Tao Zhao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032 China.,College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Wen-Qing Zhang
- Shaanxi Broadcasting Corporation, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Kang-Sheng Jia
- Research Center of Qinling Giant Panda, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710402, China
| | - Jia-Xuan Li
- University of California Davis, Davis 95616, USA
| | - Xu-Xiang Bai
- Research Center of Qinling Giant Panda, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710402, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032 China
| | - Song-Tao Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Shu-Jun He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032 China.,College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Hong-Juan Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China
| | - Ying-Hu Lei
- Research Center of Qinling Giant Panda, Shaanxi Academy of Forestry, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710402, China. E-mail:
| | - Ru-Liang Pan
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation Centre, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan 671000, China.,School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia. E-mail:
| | - Bao-Guo Li
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China.,International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation Centre, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan 671000, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China. E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sunderland-Groves JL, Tandang MV, Patispathika FH, Marzec A, Knox A, Nurcahyo A, Husson SJ, Sihite J. Suspected Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) predation attempts on two reintroduced Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) in Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. Primates 2020; 62:41-49. [PMID: 32623603 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00842-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In February 2017 and August 2018, respectively, two Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) reintroduced into the Bukit Batikap Protection Forest in Central Kalimantan were found in weakened physical condition and with deep puncture wounds. The first individual was a sub-adult male, and the second an adult female whose 6- to 8-week-old infant was missing. Both individuals were rescued and transported back to the field base camp for treatment. Experienced veterinarians treating the injuries reported that the type of wounds appeared consistent with those expected from an attack by a large felid. The Sunda clouded leopard (Neofelis diardi) is the largest felid known to inhabit Bukit Batikap Protection Forest, and we suspect that these cases were unsuccessful predatory attacks by this species. Given the severity of his condition when found, the male orangutan would probably have died without medical intervention; however, both orangutans fully recovered following intensive treatment and were successfully returned to the forest. Predation attempts on orangutans are infrequently reported, thus our observations add to the body of knowledge about possible predation by clouded leopards on reintroduced, rehabilitant orangutans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline L Sunderland-Groves
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.
- Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Maryos V Tandang
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | | | - Anna Marzec
- University of Zurich, Rämistrasse 71, 8006, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Knox
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Anton Nurcahyo
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Simon J Husson
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Jamartin Sihite
- Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, Jalan Kumbang No. 31, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Home range establishment and the mechanisms of philopatry among female Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) at Tuanan. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-2818-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
11
|
Zipple MN. When will the Bruce effect evolve? The roles of infanticide, feticide and maternal death. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
12
|
|
13
|
O'Connell CA, Susanto TW, Knott CD. Sociosexual behavioral patterns involving nulliparous female orangutans (Pongo sp.) reflect unique challenges during the adolescent period. Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23058. [PMID: 31583721 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The primate adolescent period is characterized by a series of changes in physiology, behavior, and social relationships. Orangutans have the slowest life history and the longest period of dependency of all primates. As members of a semisolitary species with high levels of sexual coercion, adolescent female orangutans face a unique combination of challenges when achieving independence from their mother. This study examined the mating behavior of adolescent female orangutans and compared it with that of adult females to assess whether mating behavior reflects distinct strategies at these different points in the life cycle. Data were collected in Gunung Palung National Park on the island of Borneo over 20 years. Mating events from adolescent (n = 19) and adult females (n = 26) were scored and compared. Adolescent female mating events had significantly higher mating scores (indicating more proceptivity) than those of adult females (β = 1.948, p = .001). Adolescent females also engaged in elaborate sociosexual interactions with different flanged males, behaviors that were never observed during mating events of adult females. These interactions involved characteristic behavior on the part of both the adolescent females and the flanged males. Given these findings and the documentation of similar accounts of adolescent female-flanged male mating from the island of Sumatra, we propose that adolescent female orangutans display distinctive behavioral repertoires throughout the genus Pongo which serves to overcome male ambivalence toward nulliparous females, establish familiarity, and evaluate coercive tendencies in flanged males. We suggest that these behavioral patterns are an integral part of female social development in a female philopatric, but highly dispersed species where consistent social support is absent after ranging independence is achieved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin A O'Connell
- Department of Biological Sciences (Human and Evolutionary Biology), University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.,Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Cheryl D Knott
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Scott AM, Knott CD, Susanto TW. Are Male Orangutans a Threat to Infants? Evidence of Mother–Offspring Counterstrategies to Infanticide in Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii). INT J PRIMATOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-019-00097-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|