STRATEGIES AND COUNTERSTRATEGIES TO INFANTICIDE IN MAMMALS

I analyse and summarize the empirical evidence in mammals supporting a lternative benefits that individuals may accrue when committing nonpar ental infanticide. Nonparental infanticide may provide the perpetrator with nutritional benefits, increased access to limited resources, inc reased reproductive opportunities, or it may prevent misdirecting pare ntal care to unrelated offspring. The possibility that infanticide is either a neutral or maladaptive behaviour also is considered. I devote the second half of this article to reviewing potential mechanisms tha t individuals may use to prevent infanticide. These counterstrategies include the early termination of pregnancy, direct aggression by the m other against intruders, the formation of coalitions for group defence , the avoidance of infanticidal conspecifics, female promiscuity, and territoriality. I evaluate the support for each benefit and counterstr ategy across different groups of mammals and make suggestions for futu re research.