Compensatory Response of Juvenile Orphans

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Primates have a long period of immaturity between weaning and adulthood, and during this time juveniles continue to maintain a close relationship with their mothers. Behavioral observations from Dr. Fairbanks' captive colony of vervet monkeys indicate that the mother provides social and physical support to her juvenile offspring. This research was designed to determine how juveniles compensate for the loss of their mother and how they develop in her absence. Juvenile orphans are observed in their natal social group for a period of two years following removal of their mothers, and the behavior and social relationships of the orphans are compared with that of other juveniles whose mothers are still living in the groups. The juveniles being studied were born in the colony and information is already available about their early relationships with their mothers. Dr. Fairbanks is testing specific predictions from a model of compensatory response to mother-loss based on the assumption that the juvenile will not just react passively to the loss, but instead will actively try to replace the benefits that would have been provided by the mother. The model predicts that the behavioral deficiencies associated with being orphaned should be related to reduced self- confidence and increased need for self-protection, and that the incidence of these deficiencies should be influenced by the nature of the orphan's prior relationship with its mother, and by the orphan's ability to form compensatory relationships with appropriate individuals. The results of this research will contribute to a growing base of information about the significance of continued maternal investment in offspring long after the period of early infant dependency across different animal species. They will increase our understanding of how management of captive colonies influences animal welfare. The model being tested also has relevance for understanding the problems associated with adoption and parent loss for human children.