How do monkeys live when they are in their natural social groups in the wild?
Most of the species we house at the TNPRC form multi-male/multi-female groups in which there is a strong dominance hierarchy for both males and females. Group sizes vary widely but can contain several hundred individuals in some of the species, e.g. rhesus monkeys and squirrel monkeys. Kinship plays a critical role in the social structure. Social groups are composed of several matrilines or family groups. Each matriline consists of the dominant female, her daughters, granddaughters, and immature male offspring. Each animal has a rank within its matriline, and matrilines are ranked with respect to one another. A female is born into and grows up in the same group, her natal group. Males leave their natal social groups at maturity and may live solitarily or in all-male bachelor groups and remain in them for two or more years before trying to join a new social group as fully adult breeding males.
