Final answer:
Paul Newton's study in India suggests that infanticide among langurs is a behavioral strategy used by males to enhance their reproductive success. This behavior is part of a broader context where infanticide can have profound ecological, ethical, and cultural impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
In India, Paul Newton's study of langurs showed that infanticide is a behavioral strategy deployed by certain male langurs to increase their own reproductive success. Upon gaining control of a troop, a male langur may kill infants sired by the previous male to bring the females back into estrus sooner, thus providing him the opportunity to sire his own offspring. This grim phenomenon was observed as a natural, albeit brutal, aspect of some primate social systems, including langurs.
Infanticide has significant ecological significance and ethical considerations in the realm of wildlife and human practices. In various situations, humans either engage in similar behaviors for complex reasons, such as warfare or socio-cultural pressures, or manage wildlife populations in ways that overlook ecological consequences. While such actions may have intended benefits, they can also lead to unintended and often negative side effects. Cultural and ethical perspectives play a significant role in shaping attitudes and actions towards infanticide in both humans and animals.