"We [and the gorilla] are the only ape species whose males are willing to help out with the kids"
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Posted on 10/15/2018 1:08:31 PM PDT by ETL
When it comes to gorillas, the males who help females out with their infants get benefits. The benefits? More babies. A new study of male gorillas in the wild in Rwanda has found that those who spend the most time grooming infants and resting with them—others’ offspring as well as their own—have about five times more offspring than males who don’t help out with the little ones.
This is surprising, scientists say, because male caretaking isn’t usually considered a smart reproductive strategy in primate species where access to females is intensely competitive. Instead, researchers thought the most successful strategy for males would be to put more time and energy into outcompeting other males for a mate, as chimps do.
That strategy still works for many male gorillas, who dominate small harems of females. But in 40% of the groups of mountain gorillas studied at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Karisoke Research Center in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda there is more than one male in a group, sometimes as many as nine. And those males need to be resourceful to get a female’s attention.
It turns out the way to a mom’s heart is through her offspring, according to the new analysis, published today in Nature Scientific Reports.
Genetic paternity data for 23 adult males and 109 infants, along with 10 to 38 hours of observations for each male gorilla, suggest the more time these “babysitters” spend with infants, the more reproductive success they will have.
The findings could even have implications for the evolution of paternal care in humans, given that we are the only other ape species whose males are willing to help out with the kids.
Author, Ann Gibbons
I doubt that male go-rillas have any babies at all.
That’s biologically impossible..................
It’s always amusing to me, when they cite studies in the animal kingdom of various behaviors, and then apply those to humans.
Occasionally, we see studies of homosexual behavior in the animal kingdom, for example. These studies are reported, I’m sure, to show that homosexuality is found among animals, so then, should be considered normal human behavior.
They did!
Now, now, Roseanne.
But really, is this any different from heterosexual males who hang out with feminist groups?
Does that make the babysitters the gorilla her dreams?
If men were the ones having babies, they would more likely be staying home taking care of them.
So are they using come kind of artificial womb to grow babies inside of male gorillas?
Same idea as taking your sister’s baby to the park
With no wedding ring on.
You will get mobbed by women
Yes, but this is written to climate change believers.
And if they believe that - they will believe male gorillas can have babies.
And why not? They are taught that men can be mothers too, right?
So, flinging feces & eating vomit (just to name a couple) are okay?
This is surprising, scientists say, because male caretaking isn’t usually considered a smart reproductive strategy in primate species where access to females is intensely competitive. Instead, researchers thought the most successful strategy for males would be to put more time and energy into outcompeting other males for a mate, as chimps do.
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Something is wrong with this because that was my first thought too. If this premise was true, then the males who help babysit would pass on the paternal behavior and it would become widespread. 5x is no small statistical factor. 5x means it should have perforated into becoming the dominant behavior by now.
I wonder if they did paternity tests to see the the offspring belonged to the male babysitting.
Posted on 10/14/2018, 10:23:04 AM by ETL
A gay penguin couple have started a family after it was decided to let them have an egg to nurture.
Sphen and Magic have become so inseparable they have been allowed to start a nest with each other in Sea Life, in Sydney, Australia.
The same-sex couple - collectively known as Sphengic - began forging an intense relationship with each other just before breeding season got underway.
The Gento penguins could be seen waddling in tandem and swimming alongside and were so close it was decided to let them adopt.
But before this they were given antenatal classes.
This entailed the flightless birds being given a dummy egg to allow them to practice incubating and develop their parenting skills.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Easy to understand. Female gorillas take a look at prospective mates’ resumes and her own observations of their behavior and choose the guy most willing to help out. They’re not out making a living, for heaven’s sake, so they have to bring something to the table,... er bed,... er tree.
I fail to see how any of this promotes JUSTICE for HARAMBE.
Because HARAMBE was the boss and we are left now boss-less, and bereft.
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