(ORDO NEWS) — Who does not know about such situations: life – it is also the life of monkeys. But what exactly makes mammals forget about their mates as soon as they get a partner and children?
Humans are more like apes than you think
Studies have repeatedly noted: in the animal world, due to competition between males, male friendship is not common.
But among the Guinean baboons, it exists and it is stronger than in other mammals. So, friends help each other to raise the rank in their social hierarchy, as well as protect their companion from other monkeys.
However, baboons with more buddies end up spending far less time with friends after they have a female and cubs in their lives. The baboons independently corrected the social habits they developed for the most successful reproductive function.
Communication levels
Guinea baboons live in a tolerant multi-level society. Males maintain strong bonds with other males and do not have a clear rank hierarchy. Females freely choose sexual partners, staying with the same male from several weeks to several years.
“What we don’t know yet is whether male friendships help attract the first females earlier or maintain the status of a reproductively active male longer,” added study senior author Julie Fisher. “To answer this question, we need many more years of observations,” she concluded.
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