Intraspecific variability in parenting styles of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta): The role of the social environment

This study tested the hypothesis that differences in parenting styles betwe en two captive populations of rhesus macaques, one living in the UK (Mading ley) and the other in the USA (Yerkes), are associated with differences in the degree to which social interactions with other group members pose a ris k to infants. Twenty-eight mother-infant dyads, 17 living at Madingley and 11 at Yerkes, were observed for 24 h during the first 12 wks of infant life . Mother-infant dyads living at Madingley spent a higher percentage of time in contact than those living at Yerkes. The Madingley mothers also restrai ned and retrieved their infants more often, and rejected them less often th an the Yerkes mothers. Consistent with the prediction, the protective paren ting style of the Madingley mothers was associated with higher frequency of infant kidnapping and higher risk of infant harassment from other group me mbers. Interpopulation differences in risks to infants and parenting styles are likely to be the result of differences in social density in the two en vironments rather than differences in the matrilineal structure of the two populations.