Alloparental Care in Free-Ranging Lemur catta at Berenty Reserve, Madagascar

Alloparental care was examined in three free-ranging groups of Lemur catta . Group members of all age/sex classes were found to participate to varying degrees in alloparental care of infants, and some types of care were performed significantly more frequently by animals of particular age/sex classes. Adult males, previously reported not to interact with infants, were found to groom and play with them occasionally. Rank or sex of the infant did not affect the amount of alloparental care it received. It is suggested that individuals of all age/sex classes can benefit from receiving or performing alloparental care. Infants can develop social skills and receive protection from alloparents; mothers gain free time to forage and rest; prereproductive females can learn parental skills; all adult females and prereproductive animals are aiding kin by alloparental care, and adult males, by interacting with infants, may have the opportunity to establish a relationship with the mother which could enhance future reproductive success.