Male Tolerance in Two Species of Colobus Monkeys

Male mammals compete for mates and disperse from their natal group (i.e.. the group where they were born) to increase access to unrelated mates and to decrease the risk of competing against male kin. However. males in some species form tolerant and cooperative bonds. but for most species. we still have a poor understanding what facilitates the formation of such strong male bonds. This research study will investigate the links between dispersal patterns. kinship. mediating behaviors. and strength of male bonds in two closely related species of black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus vellerosus and Colobus angolensis). Behavioral data to quantify the strength of social bonds have already been collected from the populations at Boabeng-Fiema. Ghana. and Lake Nabugabo. Uganda. To determine dispersal patterns and kinship. I will extract DNA from already collected DNA samples. which will be amplified and genotyped at 20 short tandem repeat loci. The findings will help us evaluate the importance of dispersal patterns. kinship. and mediating behaviors in shaping the strength of male-male bonds. Because of the close evolutionary relationship between humans and other primates. understanding factors that facilitate tolerance and friendly bonds in nonhuman primates may also help us find means to promote such relationships in humans.