Saturday, April 4, 2009

Female Orangutans Steal From Potential Mates

It seems that female orangutans steal from potential mates to test them, according to a new study. Females prefer males that do not fight back when they steal their food. This behavior evolved so that females can choose males that are not overly aggressive. Being aggressive towards other males to protect the females is a good thing. Males that are aggressive towards their females, however, is not. Male's aggression towards a female limits their choice to choose whom or when they mate, according to Maria van Noordwijk from the University of Zurich. So, when a female steals from her potential mate, it is an evolutionary adaption to test out their potential mate's aggression and tolerance towards her. Read the full article from National Geographic.

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