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Infanticide as a male reproductive tactic is widespread across mammals, and is particularly prevalent in catarrhine primates. While it has never been observed in wild orangutans, infanticide by non-sire males has been predicted to occur due to their extremely long inter-birth intervals, semi-solitary social structure, and the presence of female counter-tactics to infanticide. Here, we report on the disappearance of a healthy four-month-old infant, along with a serious foot injury suffered by the primiparous mother. No other cases of infant mortality have been observed at this site in 30 years of study. Using photographic measurements of the injury, and information on the behavior and bite size of potential predators, we evaluate the possible causes of this injury. The context, including the behavior of the female and the presence of a new male at the time of the injury, lead us to conclude that the most likely cause of the infant loss and maternal injury was male infanticide. We suggest that in orangutans, and other species where nulliparous females are not preferred mates, these females may be less successful at using paternity confusion as an infanticide avoidance tactic, thus increasing the likelihood of infanticide of their first-born infants. 

Animal-mediated seed dispersal is important for promoting forest regeneration and sustainability. Animal movement influences the distribution of seeds across the environment, resulting in spatially aggregated seed dispersal patterns. Animal seed dispersal patterns likely play an important role in the spatial structuring of tree populations: where a seed disperser moves influences the seed distribution. Environmental parameters that shape a disperser’s movement also influence the spatial distribution pattern of their seed dispersal. Orangutans are highly frugivorous and have been shown to disperse intact viable seeds. GPS locations were recorded for all orangutan defecations (n=1721) from 2014 to 2016 at the Cabang Panti Research Station in Gunung Palung National Park (GPNP), Indonesia. Our pilot research at GPNP measured seeds in fecal samples (n=98 fecal samples) and demonstrated that orangutan fecal samples do have intact seeds in more than 95% of t heir feces. A kernel density map was made using the defecation data to calculate the spatial density distribution of the defecations. A geographically weighted regression model (GWR) analyzed how well spatial parameters (altitude, slope, distance to river, and normalized difference vegetation index) predict the spatial density distribution of orangutan seed dispersal. All parameters in the GWR were statistically significant (R2=0.80, p<0.001) and showed low values for collinearity. The results show that orangutan seed dispersal is aggregated in space and the seed dispersal pattern is significantly shaped by environmental variables. This study provides us a better understanding of how the environment plays a role in determining animal behavior which influences the seed spatial distribution. Funders include the National Science Foundation (BCS-1638823), National Geographic Society, US Fish and Wildlife (F15AP00812), Leakey Foundation, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, and Nacey-Maggioncalda Foundation.