Barbary Macaque Males Adopt Paternal Responsibilities - Berber monkey males exhibit a paternal instinct
Barbary Macaques in Affenberg-Salem and Other Communities Demonstrate Uncommon Paternal Care Among Non-Human Primates
Male Barbary macaques show unusual levels of paternal care beyond Father's Day at the Affenberg-Salem monkey park on Lake Constance, according to Roland Hilgartner, the park's director.
Widely considered an integral part of infant care, male Barbary macaques assist in nurturing young monkeys by providing loving care to the babies and offering relief for mothers. This behavior is not exclusive to their own offspring due to the macaques' promiscuous mating system.
Adult males gather around infants to shield them from potential predators, displaying a form of paternal care that benefits the entire troop. Interestingly, young-adult males tend to build strong bonds with male infants, while older males primarily care for the infants of high-ranking females.
At the Affenberg-Salem enclosure in southern Baden-Württemberg, a 20-hectare forested habitat housing approximately 200 Barbary macaques, four baby monkeys were recently born in April. Two to three more are expected in the upcoming months, and the sex of these newborns cannot be immediately determined.
Typically, Barbary macaques do not maintain a traditional family structure, as explained by Hilgartner. Females often have multiple mating partners, leading to uncertainties about paternity among the males. Despite this ambiguity, they continue to care for the babies within their respective social groups.
The onset of pregnancy in female Barbary macaques can be challenging to discern, as they feed on young leaves and shoots in the spring. A bloated belly may suggest a pregnancy, but it is not always a definitive indicator.
Pregnancies result in one to three babies annually in the park's environment, with the difficulty of determining pregnancy making accurate population estimates challenging.
This exemplary display of paternal care from male Barbary macaques contributes significantly to the stability and protection of the entire social group, as well as the social and developmental growth of infants. Moreover, extensive alloparenting behavior—from various troop members caring for infants that are not their own—further promotes infant survival and social bonding [1-3].
The community policy at Affenberg-Salem may include provisions for protecting and promoting the health-and-wellness of its Barbary macaque residents, given the focus on their care and survival. In light of the science demonstrating uncommon paternal care among these non-human primates, the park's employment policy could prioritize practices that support and encourage such behavior among the staff members responsible for managing the monkey enclosures. Paternal care toward infants, as exhibited by adult males in the health-and-wellness of their social group, extends to offering parenting advice and assistance for new parents within the community, contributing to a nurturing and supportive environment for the well-being of all members.
