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Abstract
The goal of the this research was to examine the social dynamics among extended matrilines of Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) housed at the North Carolina Zoo (NCZ) in Asheboro, North Carolina, including the putative existence of allocare, defined as care provided to an infant by a conspecific other than the mother. This behavior does not typically occur in wild populations in which females disperse from their natal groups. Previous research at the NC Zoo has suggested the presence of allocare behaviors in this population (Gastil, 2014). I tested the hypothesis that allocare is strongly dependent upon the existence of extended female kin-groups in captivity. I predicted that allocare would occur in extended kin groups of mother-infant pairs and be absent in extended non-kin groups of mother-infant pairs. My hypothesis was weakly supported. Tinka was observed receiving allocare more frequently than the other focal subjects, and an affect of matriline was observed on the frequency of approach and agonistic behaviors as well.