Allomothering in mammals

Allomothering is defined as a substitute parental infant care provided by an individual who is not a parent of the infant, but lives within the same group or pack. This behaviour helps the infant with the evolution and is an advantage in times when the mother is absent. In the group context, allomothering strenghtens social bonds by lowering the aggresivity and in the contrary, supporting the cooperative behaviour. Allomothering occurs among social species and has been observed in both animals in the nature and animals held in captivity, mostly birds, primates, rodents, cetaceans, ungulates, beasts and human. Evolution biology, who tries to explain the reasons why such a behaviour has evolved, connects allomothering mainly with Hamiltons theory of kin selection and Trivers theory or reciprocial altruism. Ethology describes different specific forms of non-parental care where allomothering belongs. This can be devided into direct care when the infants are influenced actively (eg. breastfeeding or holding) and indirect care that does not include direct activity (eg. defence against predators). Many different forms of allomothering exist and can vary both in between species and individuals. Mostly we can observe provisioring, defence agains predators, allosucking, grooming, adoption, holding and carrying of the infant. Practical consequences of allomothering have been well described and studies agree that this behaviour is a benefit for the mother, the infant and the helping individual. Benefits for he mother inhere the enegry savings in the period of lactation which is one of the physically most exhausting. Apart of having to invest less energy it is beneficial for the mother to be able to integrte back to the reprodutional life. Helping females, mostly infantless by the time, can get some maternal experience and for infants themselves, allomothering rises their chances to survive