Social Behaviors in Two Different Groups of Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in Relation to Housing, Sex and Time of Day Sessions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of housing conditions, sex, and time of day on the behavior of two groups of Ateles geoffroyi: one housed in an indoor enclosure (laboratory) and the other in an outdoor enclosure. Direct observations of the social interactions of these primates were conducted using 30-minute focal sampling sessions over the course of a year, divided into morning and afternoon periods. A descriptive analysis was employed to evaluate the relationships between housing type, sex, and time of day, focusing on affiliative, agonistic, and social play interactions. The results suggest that outdoor enclosure conditions consistently promote playful interactions, which occur more steadily and with less variability compared to the laboratory, where agonistic and affiliative interactions predominated. Moreover, significant differences were observed between the two housing types depending on whether the observations took place in the morning or afternoon. However, the predictions proposed, and the results obtained require further corroboration through additional investigations. This study provides valuable evidence on social interaction patterns, contributing to existing research on how various environmental factors, both physical and social, influence the behavior of these primates in captivity.