Male migration in lion-tailed macaques

Abstract

Adult lion-tailed macaque males probably often migrate. Previous observations indicate the presence of solitary adult males in the forest and also the number of adult males in a group varying in repeated counts. This paper reports one fully documented case of a solitary male joining the study group. The resident male was first chased out and then allowed to reenter the group. One female conceived and delivered during the presence of migratory male. Almost all matings with that female were made by the migratory male. The other adult females in the group preferred the migratory male to the resident male in all social interactions including sexual present, approach, proximity, and grooming. The presence of two adult males resulted in a significant reduction in the frequency of social interactions among group members. The fact that the group females easily accepted the migratory male has significant implications for the management of this species inhabiting forest fragments.