Variable intergroup encounters: What drives neutral and intolerant encounters in blue monkeys?

In group-living animals, between-group relations are often revealed during intergroup encounters, which may be intolerant (competitive), affiliative (cooperative), or neutral. Our study investigated factors that predict different encounter types in blue monkeys, where intolerant encounters predominate but neutral encounters also occur. Using data from 9 groups monitored over 24 months in equatorial forest, we first examined whether the availability of fruit, a preferred and important food, predicted monthly encounter rates for individual groups. We then examined how fruit availability and time of day influenced the odds that individual encounters were intolerant vs. neutral. For a subset of encounters between study groups with well-known histories, we examined the effects of additional social and location factors, which included group size, the proportion of females with infants, the time elapsed since the opposing groups had split from each other in the past years, and the encounter’s ..., Data were collected from January 2019 through December 2020 via field observations of wild, individually recognized blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) living in nine groups in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya. The study groups were part of a long-term project that began in 1979. During the study period, each group was monitored on a nearly daily basis from ca. 0800-1700 hrs by members of an experienced field team that recorded all occurrences of intergroup encounters, both intolerant and neutral (see publication for definitions of these two categories). These records included the time of the encounter, whether it was intolerant or neutral, and (for intolerant encounters) a brief description of the opponent groups' behavior. All encounters included at least one study group, as we detected them by following these groups; however, opponent groups could be another study group or a non-study group.
In addition, the field team took a daily census of the group/s they monitored, as all gro..., , # Data from: Variable intergroup encounters: What drives neutral and intolerant encounters in blue monkeys?

Three data files were used to analyze variable intergroup encounter types in wild blue monkeys, including data on encounter rates, encounter types, and group behavior during encounters.

## Description of the data and file structure

This submission includes 3 data files:

(1) In \"Datafile_1_Rate_data.csv\", each line of data represents a particular group in a particular study month. We include a rate variable, based on the monthly sum of intergroup encounters recorded relative to total group observation time in that same month. This and other variables in this data set are described below.

(2) In \"Datafile_2_Encounter_data.csv\", each line of data represents a single intergroup encounter, classified as intolerant or neutral. This and other variables in this data set are described below.

(3) In \"Datafile_3_Group_behaviour_data.csv\", each line of data represents one study group ...