Infant-Mother Bond and Childhood

In general, primates have a closer infant/mother bond and a longer childhood than other animals. During the time a primate is an infant and child it is learning from its mother how to survive in the environment. Primates learn what to eat, where to find food, how to eat different foods, mating rituals, social structure, and females learn maternal behavior.

While still in utero, the brain is growing. Thus the longer the gestation period, the larger the relative size of the brain will be in the infant. It is assumed that the more time spent in infancy and childhood, the more an animal learns. There is a direct correlation to length of the gestation period, infancy and childhood development, and lifespan in primates.

What primate do you think has the longest gestation period, infancy, and childhood?

Prosimians Pongids Gibbons New World Monkeys

Old World Monkeys Primate Anatomy Locomotion Reoriented Use of Senses

Larger Primate Brains Primate Environments Dentition Primate Diets

"Social organization" Primate Evolution Infant-Mother Bond and Childhood Diurnal and Nocturnal Behaviors

Dominance and Hierarchies Human Organization as Bands One Final Thought Introductory Page

Prosimians	Pongids	Gibbons	New World Monkeys
Old World Monkeys	Primate Anatomy	Locomotion	Reoriented Use of Senses
Larger Primate Brains	Primate Environments	Dentition	Primate Diets
"Social organization"	Primate Evolution	Infant-Mother Bond and Childhood	Diurnal and Nocturnal Behaviors
Dominance and Hierarchies	Human Organization as Bands	One Final Thought	Introductory Page