Why are they killing their children?

In Colombia, Ecuador and Belize, it has been found that monkeys of a particular breed - spider monkeys are killing their own male children.

According to a new study, the reason for the killing of Spider Monkey's male children is to stop sexual competition.

They are said to be spider monkeys because these monkeys rarely place their feet on the ground. It hangs from one file to another bridge and from tree to tree for hours.

Their tail also helps them in jumping and hanging from the twigs.

Among mammals, infanticide is common among 119 animals, including 35 apes.

Earlier infanticide in spider monkeys was recorded only five times.

Researchers have now recorded three separate incidents of behavior of spider monkeys. Researchers believe that killing male analysts is common in spider monkeys. Although not previously believed to be so.

According to a report published in the Primate Journal, infant male spider monkeys are being killed in view of sexual competition between male spider monkeys in the group. If there are too many male monkeys, the competitor will become more dangerous

The study also explains that this also proves why the number of females in spider apes is higher than male monkeys.

It was very difficult to record incidents of killing of male analysts of Spador monkeys. Researchers needed to know what group each monkey belongs to and which family it belongs to.

Research on three organisms
Sarah Alvaragel and colleagues at Complutence University of Madrid studied three different emotions of spider monkeys in Ecuador, Colombia and Belize.

These groups of spider monkeys were accustomed to the presence of researchers and all the researchers were aware.

In one case, a male spider monkey named Kuao becomes violent towards his mother with a small child.

Although there was no violent activity towards the child at that time, but seven days later he was found crying in a badly injured state in a part of the forest. He died of those injuries a day later. His death knot could not be solved.

Nine months later, Kuao was found with a new baby, leading researchers to discover that she had become pregnant soon after the death of the infant.

Clash of male monkeys
In another incident, an infant spider monkey was left dead after a violent attack. The injury to the mother and another male monkey revealed that there was a clash between the monkeys.

Another adult female monkey was seen caressing this child without a mother.

The group of researchers showed this baby and then introduced it to his mother. Researchers say the baby's injuries were so severe that she was barely being overcome.

Usually a female spider monkey gives birth to a child every third year, but if her baby dies, the gestation time is reduced to 9–10 months.