Infant handling in colobus vellerosus

Abstract

The function of primate infant handling is debated, and characterizations of its expression in many species are required. We described natal attraction and infant handling for five Colobus vellerosus infants from 1-16 weeks of age. Ten-minute focal animal samples collected 91.8 hours of observation. Immature females were most attracted to infants. Infants were sometimes handled roughly. We used these data to evaluate the socioecological model of infant handling. A sixth infant was attacked by members of an all-male band. We compared handling of all infants to determine the impact of infanticidal threat. Our data suggest C. vellerosus females handle infants for maternal experience and because they are innately attracted to do so. Mothers spent more time feeding with their infants off-contact, suggesting another possible function of infant handling. The attacked infant was carried less by group members. C. vellerosus infants may fall victim to infanticide more often when away from their mothers.