Love thy neighbour: Behavioural and endocrine correlates of male strategies 
during intergroup encounters in bonobos

Cheng, Leveda; Samuni, Liran; Lucchesi, Stefano; Deschner, Tobias; Surbeck, Martin

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.02.014

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Love thy neighbour: Behavioural and endocrine correlates of male strategies during intergroup encounters in bonobos

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Cheng, Leveda
Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
The Leipzig School of Human Origins (IMPRS), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Samuni, Liran
Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Chimpanzees, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Lucchesi, Stefano
Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
The Leipzig School of Human Origins (IMPRS), Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Deschner, Tobias
Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Chimpanzees, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Surbeck, Martin
Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Bonobos, Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Department of Human Behavior Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
The Cuvette Centrale as reservoir of medicinal plants, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;
Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society;

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Citation

Cheng, L., Samuni, L., Lucchesi, S., Deschner, T., & Surbeck, M. (2022). Love thy neighbour: Behavioural and endocrine correlates of male strategies during intergroup encounters in bonobos. Animal Behaviour, 187, 319-330. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.02.014.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000A-9222-A

Abstract

Across group-living taxa, males act aggressively towards outgroup males because they represent a threat to reproduction with ingroup females. This intergroup aggression can entail agonistic coalition formation between group members, is typically associated with higher testosterone levels and prevents extended associations between members of different groups. However, in a few species, including humans, groups can interact peacefully, allowing the exchange of resources and information. To better understand how social relationships are manifested between groups and the involvement of males in these relationships, we investigated behavioural and endocrine correlates of male strategies during intergroup encounters in bonobos, Pan paniscus. We found that, despite overt intergroup aggression, males rarely engaged in coalitionary attacks against outgroup individuals and their testosterone levels did not rise during intergroup encounters. Also, males sacrificed the time available to affiliate with ingroup individuals and actively affiliated with outgroup individuals, especially outgroup males. The paucity of cooperative group defence and high levels of intergroup affiliation suggest that male bonobos play a role in maintaining tolerant intergroup relationships. We discuss how our findings relate to the establishment of male–male social relationships beyond the group level in other species.