International Journal of Comparative Psychology

Three chimpanzee infants were separated from their mothers. The behavior of the mothers was monitored before and after separation. Data were equally divided between pre- and post-separation observation periods. The mothers exhibited significantly reduced levels of play and significantly more time spent in proximity to an older offspring after they were permanently separated from their infants. No other recorded behaviors were significantly altered. The mothers exhibited individual differences immediately following the separation. The findings are consistent with other studies that noted the relatively mild maternal reactions to infant separation and the attenuating effect of familiar conspecifics in the post-separation environment.