Female Choices: Sexual Behavior of Female Primates
Within the essential framework of organic evolution, anthropologist Small has written a most engaging but very frank survey of female sexual activities in prosimians, monkeys, and apes. Drawing upon ongoing research in primatology, including her own extensive studies of Barbary macaques, she focuses on the complex and different mating strategies and reproductive behaviors of female primates (ranging from solitary orangutans through social baboons and chimpanzees to promiscuous bonobos). Contrary to Darwinian/Victorian sexism, Small argues that the empirical evidence clearly shows that female primates are actually highly sexual and even assertive creatures seeking novelty, variety, and pleasure. Topics treated include estrus, bonding, grooming, friendship, competition, parental care, and social dynamics. Boldly, Small does not hesitate to extend these findings to help us understand and appreciate human nature, e.g., the tenuous and unique adult social pair-bonding in our species of today. Of particular value to ethologists and science students, this is highly recommended for all anthropology and biology collections.1. Biological Warfare -- 2. Primate Cousins: Looking into the Mirror -- 3. Enjoy Being a Primate Girl: The Life History of a Female Primate -- 4. Female Choice: The Theory of Mating -- 5. Females Just Wanna Have Fun: Patterns of Sexual Behavior in Female Primates -- 6. Female Choice and Primates -- 7. Human Female Sexuality and Mate Choice
