Mother Monkeys' (Macaca Nemestrina) Responses to Infant Vocalizations

Abstract

2 mother monkeys ( Macaca nemestrina) separated from their infants, 2 adult females without young and 2 adult males were studied to determine activity (pacing) and vocalization in response to taped monkey calls. Stimulus tapes were prepared from two different calls of each of the two infant monkeys and a call of an adult female monkey. Mother monkeys separated from their infants were always more active and vocal than either non-mother female monkeys or males, and their activity and response vocalizations increased during presentations of infant calls. There was no evidence that mothers responded differentially to the calls of their own infants.