Male aggression and sexual coercion in wild West African chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus

Sexual conflict has an important selective influence on mating strategies, particularly in promiscuous species such as chimpanzees. Males may coerce females to mate and aggression may inhibit female choice. The effect of male coercion on females has rarely been examined in primates. The present study focuses on male aggression towards females and the influence of male coercion on female choice in two communities of wild chimpanzees in the Taï National Park, Côte dʹIvoire to determine (1) whether male-to-female aggression increases in a sexual context, (2) the frequency, context and efficacy of male–female aggression and (3) the influence of male coercion on female choice.