Harem (zoology)

As juvenile males grow, they leave the group and roam as solitary individuals or join bachelor herds.

For the male, the primary benefit of the harem system is obtaining exclusive access to a group of mature females.

The disadvantages for the male are the energetic costs of gaining or defending a harem which may leave him with reduced reproductive success.

The term harem is used in zoology to distinguish social organization consisting of a group of females, their offspring, and one to two males.

[12][13] Harems are a beneficial social structure for the dominant male, as it allows him access to several reproductively available females at a time.

[11] This level of protection may also, such in the case of the common pheasant, reduce the energy expended by females on remaining alert to, or fleeing from, invading males.

[9] This is especially true when there is high turnover rates of dominant males, as frequent intense fighting can result in great expenditure of energy.

[9] High turnover rate of dominant males can also be energetically costly for the females as their offspring are frequently killed in harems where infanticide occurs.