Female philopatry and dominance patterns in wild geladas

Geladas exhibit stable, maternally inherited female dominance hierarchies and female philopatry, challenging previous assumptions about their social structure. A four-year study of wild gelada units in Ethiopia's Simien National Park found no interunit migrations and a mortality rate consistent with philopatric behavior, confirming that females remain in their natal groups. Contrary to earlier reports, the study also revealed linear and stable dominance hierarchies, akin to other cercopithecine primates, with no evidence of aggressive targeting by alpha females or clear reproductive advantages for dominant individuals. These findings support the allostatic load model and underscore the importance of female philopatry in shaping kin-based dominance systems.

le Roux, A., Beehner, J. C., & Bergman, T. J. (2010). Female philopatry and dominance patterns in wild geladas. American Journal of Primatology, 73(5), 422–430. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.20916