Vigilance during play in squirrel monkeys

Play by young squirrel monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis) may put them and other troop members at risk for predation because youngsters are noisy, separated from adults, and not vigilant when at play. In a study using separated groups of adults and 1-year-old juveniles caged outdoors, we found that adult female squirrel monkeys become more vigilant during periods of spontaneous play among juveniles. This behavioral response could be obtained with auditory cues (play vocalizations) alone. Five times as much vigilance activity was directed toward an area from which threat or disturbance was likely to come as was directed toward the juveniles themselves. These results suggest both an adaptive, compensatory increase in adult vigilance during play and a function for play vocalizations. Additional functions for play vocalizations remain to be investigated.