Correlates of agonistic and competitive interactions in pregnant baboons

Abstract

Maternal condition during pregnancy is known to influence fetal viability. Recently, primatologists have suggested that certain characteristics of the fetus may influence maternal condition as well. For example, among captive pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) mothers of female infants may be at greater risk of injury during their pregnancies than mothers of male infants. Analysis of the rates of aggression, submission, competition, and wounding among free-ranging pregnant baboons (Papio cynocephalus) in Amboseli National Park generally fail to support these findings, but several other factors such as maternal dominance rank, environmental conditions during pregnancy, maternal parity, and fetal age correlate with aggression, submission, competition, and injuries sustained by pregnant female baboons.