Alpha Female

Dominant females are everywhere! 

She's the boss now.

The macaque monkeys at a nature reserve on the Japanese island of Kyushu have a new leader. The previous one just got ousted. It happens all the time, kind of a macaque thing. Alpha male Sanchu has been leader of ‘troop B’ for five years.

Yakei's ascent to power started when she beat up her own mother [3] in order to become the alpha female. Two months later she challenged and roughed up 31-year old Sanchu and now the nine-year old female macaque is the boss.

And what's the grand prize for being the boss lady? Walking around with her tail up [2]. First in line for free peanuts (humans can read pinot noir instead) and "climbing trees and shaking them, which is an expression of power and a very rare behaviour in females." Sounds a lot better than having a man worshipping you by sucking your toes. 

Read the full article in The Guardian. 

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[1] sounds very Japanese, 'troop B', don't you agree?

[2] Try walking with your tail up as a male. Or a slave. No further comment.

[3] Probably not the kind of succession planning queen Patricia had in mind when she dreamt of handing the keys to the OWK's castle to her daughter.