PHILOPATRY AND AFFILIATION AMONG RED COLOBUS

Temminck's red colobus (Procolobus badius temminckii) living in the Abuko Nature Reserve, The Gambia, have more prominent female-female bonds and less prominent male-male bonds than has been described in most other female-transfer, male-resident groups. This may be due to a number of factors such as female peer-group transfer, the small number of groups available to a transferee, the lack of sexual dimorphism, and the presence and importance of females in initiating and defending the social integrity of the social unit. It is clear from this that the presence of female-transfer, male-residence patterns is not always enough to automatically predict strong male-male bonds. Other factors must also be considered.