Axelle Delaunay

My thesis focuses on the mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of sibling rivalry in two wild populations of social primates, mandrills in Gabon (Mandrillus Project) and chacma baboons in Namibia (Tsaobis Baboon Project), and is organized around 4 main axes:

1) Explore behavioral and physiological changes in juveniles after the birth of a maternal sibling

2) Understand the dynamics of sibling relationships and identify possible sources of variation between siblings in the intensity of sibling competition

3) To study the long-term costs of sibling competition on development, health, reproduction, personality and social behavior

4) Test whether juveniles can manipulate maternal reproductive strategies to delay conception of another child.