INFANTICIDE AMONG GOLDEN MARMOTS (MARMOTA-CAUDATA-AUREA)

Fifty-percent (36/72) of golden marmot (Marmota caudata aurea) pups th at emerged above ground their first summer in Dhee Sar, Khunjerab Nati onal Park, Pakistan, died before their first hibernation. At least 22% (8/36) of this mortality was attributed to infanticide by new adult m ale group members. Carcasses were not cannibalized, thus infanticide p robably was not a form of resource exploitation. Adult females who los t their entire litters to presumed infanticide were not more likely to breed in subsequent years; an observation inconsistent with infantici de being a form of sexual selection. Results are consistent with the h ypothesis that males may kill unrelated pups to avoid providing care t o unrelated young even though killed pups include potential future mat es.