Reproductive seasonality in a free-ranging troop of stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides): A five-year report

Abstract

Seasonality in births and fertile matings are reported for a stumptail macaque group living on an island for a period of five years: 1975–1979. During this period 26 births occurred of which 24 represent infants conceived on the island. While births and fertile matings occurred throughout the year 21% of the births were concentrated in March, 34% in June and July and 17% in November. Additionally 63% of the births occurred during the rainy season. Of the 24 infants, 4 died during the first year of life thus yielding a reproductive success of 83%. The sex ratio at birth for the five years was 1:1 corrected to 1:1.2 with the four deaths. The mean interval between fertile matings for females was 19 months and 2 days and the mean age for first conception was 4 years and 5 months. The pattern of birth and breeding seasonality was markedly similar to that of the parent troop while in Puerto Rico.