We examined aggressive displays among male chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) over a 23-mo period in the Okavango Delta of Botswana. High-ranking males were more likely than middle- or low-ranking males to participate in displays. Regardless of rank, all males were more likely to participate in chases or physical fights if their opponent's rank was similar to their own. Most chases and fights, including those that led to injuries, were also between similarly-ranked males. The rate of both aggressive displays and approach-retreat interactions increased in the weeks before rank reversals, suggesting that rank challenges were preceded by a period when males assessed each others' competitive ability and/or motivation. Aggressive displays between disparately-ranked opponents occurred most frequently in contests involving resources of high fitness value: the defense of meat, the defense of estrous females, and the protection of infants against infanticidal attacks. Silent displays were more likely to occur in these three contexts than were displays that occurred as part of more slowly escalating interactions, in which opponents first exchanged calls. Results suggest that competitive encounters among male baboons follow patterns predicted by evolutionary game theory.
Factors mediating inter-group encounters in savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus ursinus)
Inter-group encounters among baboons range from peaceful to aggressive. During 23 months we observed 110 inter-group interactions involving four groups of chacma baboons in the Okavango Delta, Botswana . Results supported the hypothesis that male behavior functions to prevent extra-group males from gaining access to sexually receptive females. Males were more likely to chase females in their own group when estrous females were present, and their chases targeted estrous females more often than expected. Males also chased members of the opposing group more when estrous females were present. When estrous females were absent, male displays were shorter in duration, involved fewer participants, were less intense, and were more likely to result in peaceful mingling between groups. The alpha male was the individual most actively involved in inter-group chases and displays, but males of all ranks participated, especially when they were in consort with a female. However, males did not cooperate in group defense. While behavior during encounters was affected by the presence of estrous females, the outcome of encounters was affected by location and rival group identity. Groups were more likely to approach and displace opponents in the core of their range and more likely to retreat in the periphery. Correcting for location, we also found some evidence for an inter-group dominance hierarchy based on the relative number of males.
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