The News:
Baboon Dads Have Surprising Influence On Daughters' Fitness
ScienceDaily (Feb. 7, 2008) — Polygamous baboon fathers get more grandchildren if they spend a little time with their children during their juvenile years, according to research directed by scientists at Duke and
The findings, in well-studied social groupings of yellow baboons living at the foot of Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro, were unexpected in "multi-male" animal societies where both genders have multiple partners and mature males were thought to focus their energies almost solely on mating.
"In such societies, the scientific dogma has very much been that males do not contribute to their offspring's fitness," said Susan Alberts, a Duke associate professor of biology. "They're not supposed to be engaged in a level of care that would make any difference."
Scientists have long known that mothers have major effects on daughters' fitness in these kinds of animal societies. more...
The Research:
Read the research behind this story in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. click on Full Text (PDF)
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