Male Gorillas With Engaged Parenting Skills For All Babies In Group Produce More Offspring

THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND

Male Gorillas With Engaged Parenting Skills For All Babies In Group Produce More Offspring

By Stacy Rosenbaum, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles. First published on The Conversation.

Paternal care – where fathers care for their children – is rare among mammals (that is, animals which give birth to live young). Scientists have identified more than 6,000 mammal species, but paternal care only occurs in 5 to 10% of them.

Humans fall into that category, along with species like mice and lions. There are also a number of South American monkey species where males take on equal or greater childcare burdens than females. But these species are the exceptions, not the rule.

Scientists believe the reason so many male mammals don’t get involved in caring for their young is because they get higher “returns on investment” if their energy is spent seeking out more mating opportunities rather than actively parenting. Simply put, male mammals that spend their time producing more infants rather than taking care of the ones they have will leave behind more offspring. Over time, natural selection favours males who use this strategy, so fathering behaviour rarely gains an evolutionary foothold.

Mountain gorillas, found in the mountains of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are among the exceptions to the rule.

Though mountain gorilla groups are full of complex social dynamics, just as human families are, in many groups some of the strongest social bonds we observe are between adult males and infants – even when the infants aren’t the males’ own offspring. From the time that young gorillas are old enough to move away from their mothers, they follow males everywhere. Males, in turn, are extremely tolerant. Some regularly hold, play with, groom, and let infants sleep in their nests with them.

In a recent study, my colleagues and I set out to determine why this might be the case, since this behaviour didn’t seem to only benefit their own infants. We found that the gorillas who spent the most time with any young, not just their own, also sired the most infants.

Obscenity Charges Dropped Against Egyptian Actor Rania Youssef Over Red Carpet Dress

Obscenity Charges Dropped Against Egyptian Actor Rania Youssef Over Red Carpet Dress

Actor Rania Youssef said she didn’t mean to offend anyone with her Cairo International Film Festival ensemble, after walking the festival’s red carpet last week in a black leotard layered underneath a sheer, beaded black gown. “It was the first time that I wore it and I did not realize it would spark so much anger,” said the 44- year-old, citing the influence of celebrity stylists. “I reaffirm my commitment to the values upon which we were raised in Egyptian society.”

Three Egyptian lawyers — Amr Abdel Salam, Hamido Jameel al-Prince and Wahid al-Kilani — known for using the courts to engage in moral vigilantism, according to The New York Times, filed a lawsuit against Youssef, accusing her of wearing an outfit that constituted “incitement to debauchery.”

The lawsuit was dropped on Monday and it appears that the actor will not face further charges, despite our first finding news of the lawsuit on Vogue Arabia Tuesday morning.

The actress’s gown “did not meet societal values, traditions and morals and therefore undermined the reputation of the festival and the reputation of Egyptian women in particular,” complainant Samir Sabri, The supporter of Egypt’s Abdel Fattah Saeed Hussein Khalil el-Sisi, Egypt’s current and sixth president, claims to have filed over 2,700 lawsuits over 40 years, targeting actors, clerics, politicians and belly dancers. 

Chanel Ends Use Of Exotic Animal Skins Including Crocodile, Lizard, Snake + Stingray Skins

Chanel Ends Use Of Exotic Animal Skins Including Crocodile, Lizard, Snake + Stingray Skins

On Monday, in advance of Chanel’s pre-fall Metiers d'Art show at New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art, the luxury house announced that it has initiated a ban on exotic animal skins in its designs and products. Chanel will "no longer use exotic skins in our future creations," Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel's president of fashion, told WWD.

The ban extends to crocodile, lizard, snake, and stingray skins, and also includes fur, the use of which Chanel has already wound down in recent years in recent years. "It is our experience that it is becoming increasingly difficult to source exotic skins," the brand said in a statement, per WWD, noting its intention to begin innovating "a new generation of high-end products" sans skins and furs. In place of these animal products, Chanel will reportedly turn to fabric and leathers generated by the "agri-food" industry.

Gigi Hadid Transforms Into Debbie Harry, Queen of Punk By Mert + Marcus For W Magazine #8

Gigi Hadid Transforms Into Debbie Harry, Queen of Punk By Mert + Marcus For W Magazine #8

Supermodel Gigi Hadid doesn’t tart up often, but she does a great job of channeling the cool rock star Debbie Harry, circa 1975, lensed by Mert + Marcus for W Magazine’s Issue #8 ‘Celebrate’.

Carlos Nazario styles Gigi in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Chanel, Isabel Marant, Gucci , DSquared2 and more for Gigi Hadid Transforms Into Debbie Harry, Queen of Punk./ Hair by Tomi Kono; makeup by Diane Kendal

"I've always studied how models made pictures," said Gigi, who had been staring intently at a mood board covered with photos of Harry from Blondie's heyday. "It’s always been important to me to make a picture better. I can look at a shot and see where I fit into it, what I can add to the picture. I don’t want to be just another person on the page.” She paused. “I want people to see the new picture with me and one day remember it the way we remember these pictures of Debbie Harry.” So then: Iconic? “Iconic!” Gigi said. “What else is there?”

Francesco Vincenti Captures Anastasia, Tatiana + Victoria As 'The Captive Dreamers' For Numéro Russia F/W 2018

Photographer Francesco Vincenti captures a dark, old-world elegance, styled by Lucio Colapietro as ‘The Captive Dreamers’. Models Anastasia, Tatiana Katysheva, and Victoria Schons pose for Numéro Russia Fall/Winter 2018./ Hair by Lorenzo Barcella

Vincenti writes about the editorial on his Instagram page:

The captive dreamers story was born from my idea of life. Three girls, out of the blue, find themselves on a trip inside a library bound in time. From the very beginning they don’t understand if they’re living a dream or reality.

What are dreams? Dreams are the mysterious and fascinating places of our unconscious. And if I asked you if life is a dream that we live day by day? What would you think? The truth is one, and it’s that we struggle with two realities: objective and subjective, and we’ll never know which is more true.

To me . . . Everything that you can imagine is real. Life is just a dream!

Right-Wing Bogeyperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Challenges Sen. Joe Manchin's Energy Committee Role

Right-Wing Bogeyperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Challenges Sen. Joe Manchin's Energy Committee Role

Politico writes Monday that Ocasio-Cortez is leading a group of progressives very unsettled by the prospect of West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin assuming a minority leadership position on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

At a Friday rally outside the Capitol, Ocasio-Cortez joined other Democratic lawmakers and other incoming Democratic freshmen, arguing that allowing Manchin to become the ranking member of the Energy committee would undercut the momentum behind their "Green New Deal" proposal that calls for transitioning to 100 percent renewable energy sources within a decade of initiating the plan.

“The vast majority of Americans believe that we should not be taking money from the industries that we are legislating and really presiding over in our committee work, but in D.C. that’s a controversial opinion,” Ocasio-Cortez said alongside youth climate activists from the Sunrise Movement.

Manchin, who has a 47 percent lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters Joe Manchin has a steady — and expected position given that he’s elected to support voters in his coal country state — regularly accepts election campaign contributions from the fossil fuel industry.

Supporters of the Green New Deal say the activism that propelled candidates like Ocasio-Cortez to Washington underscores the citizen support for action on climate change. The argument gained momentum with federal scientists from 13 agencies last week issuing a report forecasting dire economic and physical consequences across America if greenhouse gas emissions continue rising.

“A decade ago it was a little easier to hide behind, ‘I’ve got a state where we can’t do this,’” Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) told POLITICO after the event, noting her Maine delegation colleagues Sens. Angus King (I) and Susan Collins (R) often side with Democrats on climate issues. “It may be hard for Joe Manchin to be there, but I think there’s going to be a lot of other colleagues who say, ‘Hey, this needs to be on our agenda, we’ve got to move forward with some legislation.’ And they could be on both sides of the aisle.”

Rihanna Plays Naughty in SAVAGE X Holiday 2018 Collection By Charlotte Rutherford

Rihanna has launched her holiday SAVAGE X Holiday 2018 lingerie collection in a series of scalding images by Charlotte Rutherford. There’s a grand tradition of church hats in the African American and Caribbean communities and Rihanna wears a perspex bubble chair with a wide-brim had made of electric blue tulle.

Her holiday collection will offer denim reworked into lingerie and sleepwear, including printed denim chiffon in a range of sizes from 32A to 40DDD in bras and XS to 3X in underwear and sleepwear. 

'We getting NAUGHTY-not-NICE this season,' the pop star/fashion designer captioned the sultry images on Instagram, where she poses in scarlet briefs that read naughty on the waistband.

In a marketing move that’s a true volley across the net to Victoria’s Secret, Rihanna is promoting her 12 Days of Savage, with a special collection selling at a deep discount with a different style/item every day.

Rihanna’s SAVAGE X brand is a blip on the screen, compared to the embattled Victoria’s Secret brand. But her marketing prowess gives key pointers in how to play David and Goliath hardball with the retail giant.

Alexandra Fabiancsics Contemplates Future Organic Fashion By Daniela Rettore For ELLE Serbia December 2018

Photographer Daniela Rettore captures Alexandra Fabiancsics in a state of glittering. silvery fashion contemplation of woman and nature. Anna Sgura styles the future world editorial and women’s place in it for ELLE Serbia December 2018./ Hair & makeup by Sandra Alves

Alessandra Ambrosio Is Lensed By Élio Nogueira In 'Awaken Love' For Numero Russia #53

Supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio continues her guest edit role for the Fall/Winter #53 issue of Numero Russia. Ovidiu Batu styles Alessandra in images by Élio Nogueira for ‘Awaken Love’. / Hair by Steven Turpin

See also our earlier EYE post of Alessandra’s Numero Russia covers, news of her new romance with Nicolo Oddi and her AOC Model Archives.

Guide to Donating To HIV/AIDS Awareness This Holiday Season By CreditCards.com

APPLE STORE LOGOS GO RED FOR WORLD AIDS DAY AS APPLE PROMOTES (RED) W/ APP STORE STORIES

Guide to Donating To HIV/AIDS Awareness This Holiday Season By M2M.org

The Trump Administration proposed budget cuts for the 2019 fiscal year that would take away millions in federal funding from multiple HIV/AIDS prevention programs. While Congress denied those budget cuts, advocacy groups around the world are worried that similar cuts will be passed in the future.

With World AIDS day coming up on December 1 and Trump’s recent budget cut proposals in the news, the spotlight on HIV and AIDS awareness has returned, causing many people to consider how they can donate to organizations looking to help with the epidemic domestic and abroad.

Donating to causes such as HIV and AIDS research has become easier than ever as more organizations begin using online donation portals and partnering with businesses such as Amazon. This year, holiday shoppers can effortlessly support the fight against HIV and AIDS just by being mindful of where they shop for Christmas gifts.

Shop smarter and make a difference

Organizations such as (RED) have been partnering with brands to help raise money and awareness for the fight against HIV/AIDS. By shopping for these brands or through certain portals, you can contribute to health and community programs around the world that are working to stop HIV/AIDS.

(RED) Partners

(RED) is one of the largest and most well-known organizations dedicated to the elimination of HIV/AIDS. Every year, they partner with big brands to collaborate on special edition items. Brands donate a certain amount to the Global Fund for each purchase of a (RED) collection item.

Here are some their 2018 partners:

  • Apple. Apple has an entire line of products to support (RED), including a special edition iPhone XR.

  • Bank of America. From November 20 to December 31, 2018, Bank of America donates the cost of a day’s worth of medication for each dollar spent during the (RED) shopathon.

  • Beats. Beats donates a portion of every sale of (PRODUCT)RED™ headphones and speakers.

  • Belvedere Vodka. Toast the holidays with Belvedere’s special edition bottle, and they’ll donate 50 percent of the proceeds to Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

  • Telcel and Claro. These companies donate a portion of every (TELCEL)RED phone purchase to help fund programs in high-prevalence countries in Africa and Latin America.

  • Starbucks. On December 1, Starbucks will donate 25 cents (USD) for every featured holiday specialty drink purchased.

  • Durex. A percentage of each purchase of (DUREX)RED condoms will go towards The Keeping Girls in School Programme in South Africa, helping promote sexual health practices that prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.

  • AirAsia. If you plan to fly to Southeast Asia this holiday season, you could help raise funds and awareness by flying on the first-ever (RED) plane. The airline is also donating money for each flight booked on airasia.com.