We observed a zoo-housed group of cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) before and after a bout of severe targeted aggression directed towards two of its members. The aggression was so severe and repeated that the zoo personnel was forced to remove the two victims and the main aggressor. In the tense period that preceded removal, the tamarins showed increased aggression, a steeper and linear dominance hierarchy, and reduced post-conflict reconciliation compared to the period following removal. In contrast, affiliative interactions such as grooming and peaceful food transfers did not differ in the two periods of observations. Patterns of reciprocity also remained stable. These results highlight the flexibility of tamarin social relationships and provide useful information for managing captive colonies and improving animal welfare.

我们观察到动物园饲养的一群棉顶狨猴（Saguinus oedipus）在针对其中两名成员进行严重的有针对性的攻击之前和之后。由于攻击行为如此严重且反复发生，动物园工作人员被迫将两名受害者和主要攻击者移走。在迁移前的紧张时期，与迁移后的时期相比，狨猴表现出更强的攻击性、更陡峭和线性的统治等级，以及冲突后和解的减少。相比之下，在两个观察期中，梳理毛发和和平食物转移等亲和互动并没有差异。互惠模式也保持稳定。这些结果凸显了狨猴社会关系的灵活性，并为管理圈养群体和改善动物福利提供了有用的信息。