Male Residence and Takeover

Abstract

Male primates face critical life decisions when engaging in reproductive competition. They can choose between three options, incurring different levels of risk, when competing: challenge, succession, and influx. The first tactic consists of challenging top-ranking resident males in order to replace them and obtain a privileged access to females. In the second tactic, males avoid force and attempt to obtain a share of mating while they wait to succeed top-ranking males. In the third tactic, males move between breeding groups, but are ready to flood in and seize any mating opportunity. Males can shift from one tactic to another during their lifetime. Tactical decisions depend not only on male and female numbers, but also on age, chance, and the ability of males to gain the support of allies.