Sexual division of labour shapes hunter-gatherer spatial ranges

Mobility lies at the adaptive core of the hunter-gatherer foraging niche, and has shaped the cultural and genetic evolution of our species. Yet, the specific drivers and consequences of mobility are still debated. Here we analyse the lifetime mobility patterns of 776 Mbendjele BaYaka hunter-gatherers from five regions in the northern Republic of Congo, revealing pronounced gender differences in spatial behaviour. While men expand their spatial ranges from adolescence to adulthood, womens ranges remain stable. We find evidence for a sexual division of labour underpinning these patterns, with mens greater mobility driven by subsistence activities such as hunting or exploratory trips away from camps, and womens mobility mostly driven by gathering closer to their residential location. Our findings challenge traditional assumptions of patrilocality, suggesting that men travel further due to their spatial separation from kin. Larger spatial ranges are associated with increased reproductive success for both genders, suggesting adaptive benefits of mobility in accessing resources, social networks, and potential mates. By linking individual behaviors to broader movement dynamics, our study deepens our understanding of gendered mobility in humans and highlights its significance to social structuring in our species and its evolutionary consequences.