INTERACTIONS AMONG ADULT MALES AND FEMALES BEFORE AND AFTER THE DEATHOF THE ALPHA-MALE IN A FREE-RANGING TROOP OF JAPANESE MACAQUES

This report documents the social interactions among adult Japanese mac aques in a free-ranging troop before and after the death of the alpha male, who died at 28 years of age after occupying his rank position fo r 17 years. The alpha male's physical condition had deteriorated due t o his extreme age for several months before his death. However, he mai ntained his alpha position. When he was attacked by the second-ranking adult male, he was rescued by the alpha female. Thereafter, whenever the second-ranking male approached him, the alpha male screamed for th e alpha female's support. The number of adult females to whom the alph a male maintained proximity during his last four months was similar to that during the same period of the previous year. Prior to his death, the alpha male was observed in close proximity to the alpha female mu ch more frequently than was the second-ranking male. These results ind icate that the alpha male maintained his position by depending on fema le support and particularly that of the alpha female.