Feeding tactics in juvenile rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

In a group of rhesus monkeys, feeding tactics of juveniles were studied in a competitive situation in which food presentation had been modified, and w here food was supplied in a feeding trough six times a day. Juvenile offspr ing of high-ranking mothers remained longer in the feeding area gathering f ood. In contrast, juvenile offspring of low-ranking mothers went less often to the feeding area, primarily to collect food. Low-ranking juveniles also gathered the food faster than did dominants and used longer feeding bouts. High-ranking juveniles interrupted their feeding more spontaneously than d id subordinate ones. Low-ranking juveniles did so more often as a result of avoiding and being startled. Juvenile males entered the feeding area to sa tisfy their food requirements more often than females, but were also aggres sively expelled more than females. No relation was found between age in mon ths of juveniles and any feeding parameters or causes of interruption. Nor were significant differences found between young and old juveniles. Juvenil e rhesus appear to use different tactics in accessing food according to the ir sex and to their mothers' dominance rank. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.