Blog post #2; [Summary] Gender in the Wild

     Studies in three African national parks reveal how gender influences the social structure of elephants, the family behavior of geladas and the ways in which young chimpanzees play.

      First, when it comes to the life of elephants, they are raised within extended matriarchal families including mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and etc. This system helps protect young orphan elephants whose mothers have been killed by hunters of farmer. Thanks to the system, grouped female elephants can also make a strong bond within each other.

     In contrast, male elephants from the age of 14, the time when they generally go off by their own, they often form intense, long-lasting associations with other males usually among with the group of 12 other males following a strict hierarchy. Often, order males act as teachers of mediators and this system is very helpful when food and water are scarce.

     Second, regarding the family behavior of geladas, while females are smaller and less distinctive-looking, they have the real power in family groups. And, gelada’s only-male in the family, called ‘family-male’ have little say in what the family does from day to day. Instead, females have the decision-making power. For example, when family male becomes weak or does not give enough attention to them or their offspring, females invite a bachelor, whose job is to challenge the family males, to take over the family.

     Finally, as for the ways young chimps play, they demonstrate gender-driven toy preferences. For example, females choose dolls and males choose trucks. Also, male and female in the wild play in contrasting ways. Female chimps mimicked caretaking behaviors like mothers do with their babies. However, young chimps preferred active play such as climbing, jumping, and chasing.