Barbary Macaques Demonstrate Unique Parental Care in Monkey Communities
Macaque Monkeys Take Joy in Paternal Role - Berber monkey males exhibit paternal instincts.
Male Barbary macaques, known for their promiscuous mating habits, demonstrate an unexpected level of paternal care. In the Affenberg-Salem monkey park on Lake Constance, these male macaques not only share in the care of baby monkeys, but also relieve the mothers, according to the park's director, Roland Hilgartner.
Rather than abandoning newborns to the care of mothers, male Barbary macaques show remarkable tenderness towards their infants. This unique parental behavior has been observed in the Affenberg-Salem monkey park, which houses one of Germany's largest monkey enclosures spanning approximately 20 hectares.
In the aftermath of birth, the young ones primarily stay with their mothers, but the fathers are also present. According to Hilgartner, the male Barbary macaques take loving care of the babies and help mothers by doing so. Additionally, the babies serve as a means of communication between fathers.
Since April, four baby monkeys have joined the population of nearly 200 Barbary macaques residing in the park, as reported by Hilgartner. Despite their non-traditional family structure, these communities show remarkable cohesion.
Although Barbary macaques do not form families in the traditional sense, they live in larger groups. Their mating system is characterized by multiple partners, which makes determining paternity impossible. However, the males continue to care for infants in their group, even if it's not necessarily their own offspring.
Barbary macaque communities continue to grow as more babies are expected to be born in Salem following Father's Day, with the park director still anticipating up to three infant monkeys this year. The sex of the animals can only be determined over time, according to Hilgartner.
Barbary macquake births are often difficult to predict, as the pregnancy of mothers can be challenging to detect amidst their springtime diet of young leaves and shoots. This added complexity further emphasizes the importance of paternal care and community cohesion in the lives of these fascinating primates.
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- The Affenberg-Salem monkey park, renowned for its spacious enclosure of approximately 20 hectares, follows a community policy promoting the extraordinary parental care observed in Barbary macaques, which includes a science-based health-and-wellness approach towards both their physical and emotional well-being.
- Employment policies in the park prioritize family-health initiatives, with a focus on parenting Education and Support Programs, ensuring the well-being of both the human staff and the macaque community they work with, emphasizing the importance of family and community in fostering caring environments.
- The fitness-and-exercise regime implemented for the Barbary macaques consists of daily routines and tasks designed to encourage physical activity and maintain their overall health, facilitating a positive and active lifestyle in line with the park's commitment to health-and-wellness and family health principles.
