Flo family (chimpanzee)
Observations of female chimpanzee Flo and her family in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, provided the first information on chimpanzee sexuality across the lifespan in the wild. Like other female chimpanzees, Flo continued to breed into old age and was immensely popular with males during her sexual swellings. All the young and adult males except her sons mated with her repeatedly, while infant daughter Fifi, like other infants, “interfered” by hurling herself at the mating male and pushing him. Flo's daughter and granddaughters avoided inbreeding with their maternal brothers, and one avoided the mating attempts of her father. Young males start mating attempts by their third year, but stop mating with their mothers before adolescence. Flo family members formed enduring family bonds, supporting each other against non-family members. Most of the males attained alpha status. The females exhibited high dominance rank, short inter-birth intervals, and exceptional reproductive success.
