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Female dispersal and reproductive success in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

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Abstract

This paper presents data on the dispersal patterns and reproductive success of western lowland gorilla females from a long-term study at Mbeli Bai in the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. We find that female natal and secondary transfer is common. Female immigration rates are negatively related to group size, and emigration rates are positively related to group size, with the net result that larger groups are losing females and smaller groups are gaining females. Furthermore, females transferring between known groups show a preference for significantly smaller groups. However, there is no effect of group size on female reproductive success. Male protection and male quality are considered important in determining female transfer decisions. The case for infanticide is argued and females exhibit strategies that appear to minimise the probability of infanticide following the death of the silverback. Exclusively single-male groups and group formation through female acquisition by solitary males may bias female transfer to lone silverbacks and small groups. The effects of group size on female dispersal and reproductive success are not wholly consistent with an argument for increased foraging costs, and group size effects are more parsimoniously explained by demographic factors. Male protection from intra-group aggression is the most likely factor underlying grouping patterns across gorilla taxa, but differences in population structure and male reproductive strategies may account for inter-specific variation. We stress the need for intra-specific comparisons and more complete data sets on western lowland gorilla feeding behaviour.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Ministère de l'Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Supérieur Charge de la Recherche Scientifique in the Republic of Congo for permission to work in Congo and the Ministère de l'Economie Forestière and the Nouabalé-Ndoki Project of the Wildlife Conservation Society for permission to work in the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park. We further thank the staff of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Nouabalé-Ndoki Project for logistical and administrative support. We also thank Yako Valentine, David Morgan, Tina Goody, Angela Nowell, Mary Kerr, Aimee Tsama and Taryn Farrelly for assistance with data collection. Financial support was provided by Columbus Zoo, Busch Gardens, Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren, Brookfield Zoo, the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, Primate Conservation Inc., the Boise Fund, Lincoln Park Zoo and a Fulbright Fellowship (C.O.). Fiona Maisels and three anonymous reviewers gave helpful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wildlife Conservation Society, Nouabalé-Ndoki Project, BP 14537, Brazzaville, Congo

    Emma J Stokes

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK

    Richard J Parnell

  3. Department of Anthropology, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1114, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA

    Claudia Olejniczak

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  1. Emma J Stokes
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  2. Richard J Parnell
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Correspondence to Richard J Parnell.

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Communicated by S. Boinski

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Stokes, E.J., Parnell, R.J. & Olejniczak, C. Female dispersal and reproductive success in wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 54, 329–339 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-003-0630-3

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