Inbreeding avoidance in chimpanzees

In a community of chimpanzees in Gombe National Park, females' associations with their previous closest male associates (usually maternal siblings) dropped abruptly when they commenced full oestrous cycles, in some cases because the females changed their range within their natal community. Sexual activity was very infrequent between maternal siblings and between mothers and sons. Whereas males remained in their natal community all their lives, most or all females transferred to other communities during adolescence either permanently or temporarily. Inter-community transfer by females apparently resulted from attraction to unfamiliar males. Thus inbreeding appears to be avoided in this species as a consequence of reduced sexual attraction between individuals who were familiar with each other in immaturity. © 1980.

Duke Scholars

Author Anne Pusey Evolutionary Anthropology