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Energetic Investment in Travel by Black Howler Monkeys: Testing Push-Pull Dynamics
Pedro A D Dias1, Ariadna Rangel Negrín1
1Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
American Journal of Biological Anthropology
|May 1, 2026
Summary
Black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) prioritize destination benefits over departure conditions when deciding travel energy expenditure. This goal-directed movement strategy helps them balance costs against expected rewards, crucial for energy-limited species.
Area of Science:
- Primate behavior
- Animal ecology
- Movement ecology
Background:
- Movement decisions involve balancing travel costs and destination benefits.
- Black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) are an energy-limited species.
- Understanding travel drivers is key to their behavioral strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if black howler monkey travel energy expenditure is driven by departure conditions (push factors), destination characteristics (pull factors), or both.
- To analyze energetic trade-offs in movement decisions.
Main Methods:
- Studied 12 groups of black howler monkeys in Campeche, Mexico (2005-2008).
- Analyzed 7461 travel episodes from 59 adults.
- Estimated energy expenditure using cost of transport models and compared push, pull, and combined models.
Main Results:
- Destination characteristics (pull factors) were the primary driver of travel energy investment.
- Travel to unripe fruit trees cost nearly twice as much as travel to resting sites.
- Larger destination trees and preferred food species reduced travel costs, while males expended more energy than females.
Conclusions:
- Black howler monkeys prioritize destination benefits, exhibiting goal-directed movement.
- This contrasts with a purely reactive strategy, despite their energy-minimizing ecology.
- Quantifying energetic trade-offs is vital for understanding animal movement and behavioral strategies in energy-limited species.
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