The Effect of Social Hierarchy and Captivity on Behavior in Cercopithecus petaurista

The social hierarchy within three Cercopithecus petaurista individuals was studied to determine how the influence of captivity affects behavior. The three individuals were monitored from August-November, and the data retained was focused on aggression and allogrooming behaviors. The group consisted of one dominant male and two females in the Central Florida Zoo, and behavioral observations were recorded at 10-minute intervals. Results showed that the dominant male infrequently engaged in allogrooming behavior but more often received it from the less dominant females. The hierarchy and social status of the females was shown and influenced by the allogrooming given and received between each other. The high frequency of grooming and non-aggressive interactions between the two females was also noted to be likely caused by recent birth control interventions which can regulate hormones. Consistent with literature on spaying, there was a reduced amount of sexual and territorial aggression, which caused a shift of social status between the females. These findings highlight how factors such as contraceptive use, abundance of food, and space security in captivity can modify the social hierarchy creating a more cooperative group between the individuals.