Social proximities of developing gorilla males (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in European zoos: the consequences of castration and social composition
In the European captive population of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), the harem social structure and an even sex ratio at birth result in a surplus of males and consequent management difficulties. This study seeks to assess the socialization differences between captive juvenile and adolescent male gorillas according to their fertility status (intact vs […]
Puberty in female cavies (Cavia aperea) is affected by photoperiod and social conditions
In many environments, photoperiod is a reliable predictor of ecological conditions. Such predictability generally declines towards low latitudes as the yearly cycle becomes less marked. It has been claimed that photoperiodic effects are small in cavies and guinea pigs that reproduce throughout the year. We here investigated photoperiodic influences on the onset of puberty in […]
Puberty and dispersal in a wild primate population
This article is part of a Special Issue “Puberty and Adolescence”. The onset of reproduction is preceded by a host of organismal adjustments and transformations, involving morphological, physiological, and behavioral changes. In highly social mammals, including humans and most nonhuman primates, the timing and nature of maturational processes are affected by the animal’s social milieu […]