Patterns of dispersal in mammalian population have a profound impact on genetic structure, population dynamics and social behavior. In the past the migratory processs has been poorly understood, in large part becuase there have been few attempts to follow migrating males from one troop to another. The goal of this study is to conduct observations of male transfer and dispersal in a population of yellow baboons in the Tana River Primate Reserve, eastern Keya. Observation of subadult and adult male baboons in three known habituated groups, as well as periodic censuses of three additional adjacent baboon groups, will provide data on the patterns of male transfer and tactics used by individual males in immigration. Moreover, through the analysis of polymorphism in single copy genes in nuclear DNA coupled with DNA fingerprinting, paternity of infants will be determined and a quantitative measure of the efficacy of male reproductive tactics will be obtained. The role of females in influencing patterns of male transfer will be assessed, along with measurement of the effects of seasonal patterns of rainfall and the availability of food.
