MOTHERS IN A WILD GROUP OF MOOR MACAQUES (MACACA-MAURUS) ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE TO OTHER GROUP MEMBERS WHEN HOLDING THEIR INFANTS

Social interactions between mothers that were holding their infants an d other group members were studied in a wild group of moor macaques (M acaca maurus). Affiliative approaches to infants (AAI) by group member s that were accompanied with particular behaviours, such as mouthing a nd touching or affiliative grunts, were observed frequently. Females a pproached mothers with infants more frequently than did males in all a ge classes. Female reproductive status, parity and dominance relations hips between interactants had little effect on the frequency of approa ches, Mothers received more grooming and performed less grooming when they were holding their infants than when they were not, A high level of social tolerance in macaque species with relaxed dominance styles m ight allow the free expression of AAI. Dominance styles among females and AAI could be linked via a positive feedback relationship since AAI might play a role in relaxing the dominance style among females.