Triadic male-infant-male interaction serves in bond maintenance in male Assamese macaques

Area of Science:

• Primatology
• Ethology
• Behavioral Ecology

Background:

• While the outcomes of social bonds are increasingly understood, the specific behavioral mechanisms driving their formation and maintenance remain less explored.
• Male-male social bonding is crucial for group living mammals, influencing social dynamics and individual well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of male-infant-male interactions (MIMIs) in the formation and maintenance of male-male social bonds in wild Assamese macaques.
• To determine if MIMIs serve an agonistic buffering function or contribute to relationship maintenance and formation.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of approximately 9000 hours of focal animal observations on two groups of wild Assamese macaques.
• Quantification of the frequency of male-infant-male interactions (MIMIs) and proximity maintenance between male dyads.

Main Results:

• Subordinate males remained in closer proximity to dominant males after engaging in MIMIs, supporting an agonistic buffering function.
• Increased frequency of MIMIs correlated with stronger affiliative relationships between males, suggesting a role in relationship maintenance, similar to grooming.
• MIMIs did not significantly influence the proximity of male dyads in the subsequent year, indicating no role in bond formation.

Conclusions:

• Male-infant-male interactions (MIMIs) play a significant role in buffering aggression and maintaining existing social bonds between male Assamese macaques.
• MIMIs do not appear to be a primary mechanism for the formation of new social bonds in this species.
• Findings contribute to understanding the behavioral mechanisms underlying social dynamics in group-living mammals.