Adapting sex to needs

1995/08/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biologia

Hyenas have the capacity that many human beings would want for themselves: depending on the needs of each moment, they can choose the sex that will predominate in the breeding season. According to recent studies in Kenya, a group of children can decide which sex will prevail in the group of children who have been at once. In the case analyzed in Kenya, during the two years of breeding in which the hyena group lived in the same place predominated males. However, in the year that the time came to move and settle in the new place, the females were imposed.

Biologists at the University of Michigan have conducted these research in Kenya. The report, published recently, reveals that the ability of hyenas to choose the sex of new generations is a direct consequence of the differences between females and hyena. Hyena males usually have little relationship with the group. Before the hyena is older, the male leaves the group, being able to become part of any other group of hyena. On the contrary, females have fidelity to the group.