n. the departure of nonhuman animals from their natal group to join a different group or find mates elsewhere. Dispersal is thought to be important in reducing inbreeding and avoiding competition with older individuals of the same sex. Species vary in terms of whether dispersal is male biased or female biased or whether both sexes disperse. It is a costly behavior, because the dispersing individual is more subject to predation as well as to aggression from other members of the same species. See also philopatry.