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Steklis NG, Peñaherrera-Aguirre M, Steklis HD, Herrera I. Why Were Zebras Not Domesticated? A Review of Domesticability Traits and Tests of Their Role in Ungulate Domestications with Macroevolutionary Models. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2355. [PMID: 39199888 PMCID: PMC11350691 DOI: 10.3390/ani14162355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Since Darwin, many evolutionary and behavioral researchers have considered the role of phenotypic traits that favor the domestication of nonhuman animals. Among such proposed traits are a species' social structure, level of intra- and interspecific agonistic interactions, sociosexual behaviors, parental strategies, reaction to humans, habitat preference, dietary habits, developmental trajectories, and utility to humans. However, little to no comparative phylogenetic evidence exists concerning the importance of these attributes for the domestication of animals. Moreover, rather than considering domestication as a dichotomous event (non-domesticated vs. domesticated), humans and their potential domesticates encountered numerous socioecological challenges/obstacles during the domestication process before reaching the stage of full domestication. The present study explored the influence of adult body mass, gregariousness, dietary breadth, and reaction to humans on the domestication process of ungulates. The phylogenetic comparative model revealed that capture myopathy (CM), as a proxy for reaction to humans, negatively and significantly influenced the domestication process. The present paper also explored the evolution of CM in equine species in response to the presence of large carnivoran predators during the Pleistocene. Ecologies that preserved most of the large carnivoran predators of equine species also featured more equine taxa with CM (e.g., zebras), which were thus less suitable for domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mateo Peñaherrera-Aguirre
- Human-Animal Interaction Research Initiative, School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (N.G.S.); (I.H.)
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Torres Borda L, Roth P, Lumetzberger J, Auer U, Jenner F. Proximity tracking using ultra-wideband technology for equine social behaviour research. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9971. [PMID: 38693325 PMCID: PMC11063072 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60805-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Sociopositive interactions with conspecifics are essential for equine welfare and quality of life. This study aimed to validate the use of wearable ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to quantify the spatial relationships and dynamics of social behaviour in horses by continuous (1/s) measurement of interindividual distances. After testing the UWB devices' spatiotemporal accuracy in a static environment, the UWB measurement validity, feasibility and utility under dynamic field conditions was assessed in a group of 8 horses. Comparison of the proximity measurements with video surveillance data established the measurement accuracy and validity (r = 0.83, p < 0.0001) of the UWB technology. The utility for social behaviour research was demonstrated by the excellent accordance of affiliative relationships (preferred partners) identified using UWB with video observations. The horses remained a median of 5.82 m (95% CI 5.13-6.41 m) apart from each other and spent 20% (median, 95% CI 14-26%) of their time in a distance ≤ 3 m to their preferred partner. The proximity measurements and corresponding speed calculation allowed the identification of affiliative versus agonistic approaches based on differences in the approach speed and the distance and duration of the resulting proximity. Affiliative approaches were statistically significantly slower (median: 1.57 km/h, 95% CI 1.26-1.92 km/h, p = 0.0394) and resulted in greater proximity (median: 36.75 cm, 95% CI 19.5-62 cm, p = 0.0003) to the approached horse than agonistic approaches (median: 3.04 km/h, 95% CI 2.16-3.74 km/h, median proximity: 243 cm, 95% CI 130-319 cm), which caused an immediate retreat of the approached horse at a significantly greater speed (median: 3.77 km/h, 95% CI 3.52-5.85 km/h, p < 0.0001) than the approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torres Borda
- Equine Surgery Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Roth
- Computational Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jennifer Lumetzberger
- Computational Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Auer
- Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive Care Medicine Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florien Jenner
- Equine Surgery Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
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Torres Borda L, Kelemen Z, Auer U, Jenner F. Video Ethogram of Equine Social Behaviour. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1179. [PMID: 38672327 PMCID: PMC11047489 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Equine social behaviour studies face challenges stemming from the absence of a comprehensive ethogram with unequivocal standardised definitions and the resulting limits to data comparison across studies. To address these constraints, this ethogram offers researchers a standardised framework, defining thirty-seven distinct equine social behaviours supplemented by video examples for enhanced clarity. These definitions amalgamate insights from existing ethograms and are fine-tuned through meticulous video observations, encompassing contextual cues such as distinguishing between aggressive and playful circling based on ear position and facial expressions and communicative nuances to provide a detailed representation of equine social behaviours. Video recordings complement the standardised definitions by capturing the dynamic flow and sequence of social interactions. By providing a dynamic and detailed representation, videos allow researchers to observe the temporal aspects of behaviour, including the sequence, duration, and rhythm of interactions. These detailed data are crucial for interpreting social behaviours and unravelling the complexities of equine societies. Standardized and video-illustrated definitions of equine social behaviour facilitate clear and consistent communication between researchers, enabling cross-study comparisons regarding the impact of husbandry practices and health conditions on equine social behaviour, which, in turn, can facilitate the assessment and optimisation of management practices and equine welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torres Borda
- Equine Surgery Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (L.T.B.); (Z.K.)
| | - Zsofia Kelemen
- Equine Surgery Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (L.T.B.); (Z.K.)
| | - Ulrike Auer
- Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive Care Medicine Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Florien Jenner
- Equine Surgery Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria; (L.T.B.); (Z.K.)
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Torres Borda L, Auer U, Jenner F. Equine Social Behaviour: Love, War and Tolerance. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091473. [PMID: 37174510 PMCID: PMC10177386 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociality is an ethological need of horses that remained unchanged by domestication. Accordingly, it is essential to include horses' social behavioural requirements and the opportunity to establish stable affiliative bonds in equine management systems and welfare assessment. Thus, this systematic review aims to provide an up-to-date analysis of equine intraspecific social ethograms. A literature review yielded 27 papers that met the inclusion criteria by studying adult (≥2 years) equine social behaviour with conspecifics using a well-defined ethogram. Social interactions were observed in 851 horses: 320 (semi-)feral free-ranging, 62 enclosed (semi-)feral and 469 domesticated, living in groups averaging 9.1 (mean +/- 6.8 s.d., range: 2-33) horses. The ethograms detailed in these 27 studies included a total of 40 (mean: 12.8/paper, range: 2-23) social behaviours, of which 60% (24/40) were agonistic, 30% (12/40) affiliative, 7.5% (3/40) investigative and 2.5% (1/40) neutral. The 27 publications included 67.7% agonistic and only 26% affiliative, 5.1% investigative and 1.2% neutral social behaviours in their methodology, thus focusing predominantly on socio-negative interactions. The strong emphasis on agonistic behaviours in equine ethology starkly contrasts with the rare occurrence of agonistic behaviours in stable horse groups and the well-established importance of affiliative interactions for equine welfare. The nuanced and complex equine social behaviour requires refinement of the ethogram with a greater focus on affiliative, ambivalent and indifferent interactions and the role of social tolerance in equine social networks to advance equine welfare assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torres Borda
- Equine Surgery Unit, University Equine Hospital, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Auer
- Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Intensive Care Medicine Unit, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Florien Jenner
- Equine Surgery Unit, University Equine Hospital, Department of Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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Zollinger A, Wyss C, Bardou D, Bachmann I. Social Box: A New Housing System Increases Social Interactions among Stallions. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13081408. [PMID: 37106974 PMCID: PMC10135302 DOI: 10.3390/ani13081408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In domestic conditions, adult stallions are mostly housed individually in internal stables to reduce the risk of injuries during social interactions. Social deprivation in horses results in physiological stress and behavioural problems. The aim of this study was to test the "social box" (SB), which allows closer physical contact between neighbouring horses. Eight pairs of stallions (n = 16) were filmed over a 24 h period in the SB and in their usual box stables, "conventional boxes" (CB), which strongly restrict tactile contact. The effect of housing in the SB on behaviour and the occurrence and characteristics of injuries was investigated. The total duration of active social interactions was significantly higher in the SB than in the CB (51.1 vs. 4.9 min, p < 0.0001). Positive interactions accounted for about 71% of the total duration of interactions in SB and CB stabling. The stallions interacted significantly more often in the SB than in the CB (113.5 vs. 23.8 social interaction sequences over 24 h, p < 0.0001). No grievous injuries were recorded. The social box appears to be a suitable solution to give adult stallions the possibility of having physical interactions. Therefore, it can be considered a substantial environmental enrichment for singly housed horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Zollinger
- Agroscope, Swiss National Stud Farm SNSF, Les Longs-Prés, CH-1580 Avenches, Switzerland
| | - Christa Wyss
- Agroscope, Swiss National Stud Farm SNSF, Les Longs-Prés, CH-1580 Avenches, Switzerland
| | - Déborah Bardou
- Agroscope, Swiss National Stud Farm SNSF, Les Longs-Prés, CH-1580 Avenches, Switzerland
- Chaire bien-être animal, VetAgro Sup, 1 Avenue Bourgelat, F-69280 Marcy-l'Étoile, France
| | - Iris Bachmann
- Agroscope, Swiss National Stud Farm SNSF, Les Longs-Prés, CH-1580 Avenches, Switzerland
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Górecka-Bruzda A, Jaworska J, Stanley CR. The Social and Reproductive Challenges Faced by Free-Roaming Horse (Equus caballus) Stallions. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071151. [PMID: 37048406 PMCID: PMC10093049 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In captivity, intact male horses, due to their sexual drive, are usually socially isolated from other horses. This lifestyle strongly contrasts with that experienced by horses living in free-roaming, feral, or semi-feral conditions, where adult stallions have several roles in their social group, with successful reproduction being their primary drive. Reproductive skew in wild populations is high; many stallions will fail to reproduce at all, while others achieve high levels of reproductive success, siring a large number of foals. Successful stallions are those with particular characteristics and abilities that facilitate harem formation and tenure, allowing them to successfully take over a harem or establish a new one, protect mares from rival stallions, employ appropriate social behaviour to maintain group cohesion, and avoid kin-mating, for example through kin recognition mechanisms. Whilst the life of free-living stallions is far from stress-free, they retain ancestral adaptations to selection pressures (such as predation and competition) exhibited by their natural environment over thousands of years. Here, we discuss the challenges faced by free-living horse stallions, the roles they play in social groups, and their resulting social needs. By understanding these pressures and how stallions react to them, we highlighted the importance of the social environment for the stallion. It is hoped that a better understanding of wild stallions’ lives will lead to their needs being more clearly met in captivity, reducing stereotypical behaviour and improving welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Górecka-Bruzda
- Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-22-736-71-24
| | - Joanna Jaworska
- Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Gamete and Embryo Biology, 10-243 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Christina R. Stanley
- Animal Behaviour & Welfare Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester CH1 4B, UK
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Schoenecker KA, Esmaeili S, King SRB. Seasonal resource selection and movement ecology of free‐ranging horses in the western United States. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn A. Schoenecker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center 2150 Centre Avenue, Building C Fort Collins CO 80526 USA
| | - Saeideh Esmaeili
- Colorado State University, Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory 1213 Libbie Coy Way Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
| | - Sarah R. B. King
- Colorado State University, Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory 1213 Libbie Coy Way Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
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Harvey AM, Ramp D, Mellor DJ. Review of the Foundational Knowledge Required for Assessing Horse Welfare. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:3385. [PMID: 36496906 PMCID: PMC9736110 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed understanding of what is usual for a species under optimal conditions is critical for identifying and interpreting different features of body function that have known impacts on animal welfare and its assessment. When applying the Five Domains Model to assess animal welfare, the key starting point is therefore to acquire extensive species-specific knowledge relevant to each of the four physical/functional Domains of the Model. These Domains, 1 to 4, address areas where objective information is evaluated and collated. They are: (1) Nutrition; (2) Physical environment; (3) Health; and (4) Behavioural interactions. It is on the basis of this detailed knowledge that cautious inferences can then be made about welfare-relevant mental experiences animals may have, aligned with Domain 5, Mental State. However, this review is focused entirely on the first four Domains in order to provide a novel holistic framework to collate the multidisciplinary knowledge of horses required for undertaking comprehensive welfare assessments. Thus, inferring the potential mental experiences aligned with Domain 5, the final step in model-based welfare assessments, is not considered here. Finally, providing extensive information on free-roaming horses enables a better understanding of the impacts of human interventions on the welfare of horses in both free-roaming and domestic situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Harvey
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - David J. Mellor
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
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Pikuła R, Zaborski D, Grzesiak W, Smugała M. An analysis of the annual mobility of Polish Konik horses depending on habitat, season, and time of the day. Arch Anim Breed 2022; 65:239-247. [PMID: 35935751 PMCID: PMC9350879 DOI: 10.5194/aab-65-239-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to analyse the mobility of Polish
Konik horses in their natural environment. The study was conducted on a herd of
15 Polish Konik horses in 2018. The Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter
was used to track the horses' movements. Two habitats (forest and meadows), four
seasons (autumn, winter, spring, and summer), and four times of the day
(morning, midday, evening, and night) were distinguished. Season, habitat, and
time of the day as well as the interaction among them significantly (p<0.0001) affected the mobility of Polish Konik horses. The use of the
GPS device enabled tracking of horses' mobility also at night, which made the
results more complete compared with other similar studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryszard Pikuła
- Laboratory of Horse Breeding and Animal Assisted Therapy, West
Pomeranian University of Technology, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Daniel Zaborski
- Department of Ruminants Science, West Pomeranian University of
Technology, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Wilhelm Grzesiak
- Department of Ruminants Science, West Pomeranian University of
Technology, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Mirosław Smugała
- Laboratory of Horse Breeding and Animal Assisted Therapy, West
Pomeranian University of Technology, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
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Maeda T, Sueur C, Hirata S, Yamamoto S. Behavioural synchronization in a multilevel society of feral horses. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258944. [PMID: 34699556 PMCID: PMC8547633 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioural synchrony among individuals is essential for group-living organisms. The functioning of synchronization in a multilevel society, which is a nested assemblage of multiple social levels between many individuals, remains largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to build a model that explained the synchronization of activity in a multilevel society of feral horses. Multi-agent-based models were used based on four hypotheses: A) horses do not synchronize, B) horses synchronize with any individual in any unit, C) horses synchronize only within units, and D) horses synchronize across and within units, but internal synchronization is stronger. The empirical data obtained from drone observations best supported hypothesis D. This result suggests that animals in a multilevel society coordinate with other conspecifics not only within a unit but also at an inter-unit level. In this case, inter-individual distances are much longer than those in most previous models which only considered local interaction within a few body lengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamao Maeda
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Cédric Sueur
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Strasbourg, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - Satoshi Hirata
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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The Youngest, the Heaviest and/or the Darkest? Selection Potentialities and Determinants of Leadership in Canarian Dromedary Camels. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102886. [PMID: 34679907 PMCID: PMC8532867 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Genetic selection of camels for behavioral traits is not an extended practice in livestock scenarios. Given the existence of pleiotropic genes that influence two or more seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits, here we studied the sociodemographic, zoometric and phaneroptical characteristics potentially determining the intraherd leadership role in Canarian camels. This local endangered breed is mainly reared in same-sex groups because of biased morphostructural preferences, that is, tourism/leisure and milk production for males and females, respectively. The attribute most influencing leadership role was sexual status, as gelded animals more frequently initiated group movements. Furthermore, younger camels were mainly endorsed as group leaders, a condition that could be ascribed to their recognized fluid intelligence and need for constant social and environmental interaction. Referring to zoometrics and phaneroptics, the heaviest and darkest-coated dromedaries were significantly more prone to reaching higher positions in the leadership hierarchy. The presence of white-haired zones in the extremities, head and neck as well as iris depigmentation had non-negligible influence on this type of social organization. This information is valuable for application both in refining animal handling procedures and in genetic selection of animals for their social behavior. Abstract Several idiosyncratic and genetically correlated traits are known to extensively influence leadership in both domestic and wild species. For minor livestock such as camels, however, this type of behavior remains loosely defined and approached only for sex-mixed herds. The interest in knowing those animal-dependent variables that make an individual more likely to emerge as a leader in a single-sex camel herd has its basis in the sex-separated breeding of Canarian dromedary camels for utilitarian purposes. By means of an ordinal logistic regression, it was found that younger, gelded animals may perform better when eliciting the joining of mates, assuming that they were castrated just before reaching sexual maturity and once they were initiated in the pertinent domestication protocol for their lifetime functionality. The higher the body weight, the significantly (p < 0.05) higher the score in the hierarchical rank when leading group movements, although this relationship appeared to be inverse for the other considered zoometric indexes. Camels with darker and substantially depigmented coats were also significantly (p < 0.05) found to be the main initiators. Routine intraherd management and leisure tourism will be thus improved in efficiency and security through the identification and selection of the best leader camels.
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Krueger K, Esch L, Byrne R. Need or opportunity? A study of innovations in equids. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257730. [PMID: 34570831 PMCID: PMC8476013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Debate persists over whether animals develop innovative solutions primarily in response to needs or conversely whether they innovate more when basic needs are covered and opportunity to develop novel behaviour is offered. We sourced 746 cases of "unusual" behaviour in equids by contacting equid owners and caretakers directly and via a website (https://innovative-behaviour.org), and by searching the internet platforms YouTube and Facebook for videos. The study investigated whether differences in need or opportunity for innovation were reflected in the numbers of different types of innovations and in the frequencies of repeating a once-innovative behaviour (i) with respect to the equids' sex, age, and breed type, (ii) across behavioural categories, and whether (iii) they were affected by the equids' management (single vs group housing, access to roughage feed, access to pasture, and social contact). We found that the numbers of different types of innovation and the frequency of displaying specific innovations were not affected by individual characteristics (sex, age, breed or equid species). Few types of innovation in escape and foraging contexts were observed, whilst the comfort, play, and social contexts elicited the greatest variety of innovations. We also found higher numbers of different types of innovations in horses kept in groups rather than in individual housing, and with unlimited rather than with restricted access to pasture and roughage. Equids in permanent social contact performed high rates of once-innovative behaviour. We suggest that equids produce goal-directed innovations and repeat the behaviour at high frequency in response to urgent needs for food and free movement or when kept in conditions with social conflict. However, equids devise the greatest variety of innovations when opportunity to play and to develop comfort behaviour arises and when kept in good conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstanze Krueger
- Department Equine Economics, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Nürtingen, Germany
- Zoology/Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Laureen Esch
- Department Equine Economics, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Nürtingen, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Chair of Animal Welfare, Ethology, Ludwig Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Richard Byrne
- Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Hildebrandt F, Büttner K, Salau J, Krieter J, Czycholl I. Proximity between horses in large groups in an open stable system – Analysis of spatial and temporal proximity definitions. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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14
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Hartigan J. Knowing Animals: Multispecies Ethnography and the Scope of Anthropology. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aman.13631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Movement orders in spontaneous group movements in cattle: 6-year monitoring of a beef cow herd with changing composition. J ETHOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-021-00700-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Briard L, Deneubourg JL, Petit O. Group behaviours and individual spatial sorting before departure predict the dynamics of collective movements in horses. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Wang X, Xia DP, Sun L, Garber PA, Kyes RC, Sheeran LK, Sun BH, Li BW, Li JH. Infant attraction: why social bridging matters for female leadership in Tibetan macaques. Curr Zool 2020; 66:635-642. [PMID: 33391362 PMCID: PMC7769585 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leadership is a key issue in the study of collective behavior in social animals. Affiliation–leadership models predict that dyadic partner preferences based on grooming relationships or alliance formation positively affect an individual’s decision to follow or support a conspecific. In the case of many primate species, females without young infants are attracted to mother–infant dyads. However, the effects of mother–infant–female associations on affiliation–leadership models remain less clear. In free-ranging Tibetan macaques Macaca thibetana, we used social network analysis to examine the importance of “mother-infant-adult female” social bridging events as a predictor of who leads and who follows during group movement. Social bridging is a common behavior in Tibetan macaques and occurs when 2 adults, generally females, engage in coordinated infant handling. Using eigenvector centrality coefficients of social bridging as a measure of social affiliation, we found that among lactating females, initiating bridging behavior with another female played a significant role in leadership success, with the assisting female following the mother during group movement. Among nonlactating females, this was not the case. Our results indicate that infant attraction can be a strong trigger in collective action and directing group movement in Tibetan macaques and provides benefits to mothers who require helpers and social support in order to ensure the safety of their infants. Our study provides new insights into the importance of the third-party effect in rethinking affiliation–leadership models in group-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.,International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Dong-Po Xia
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei 230601, China.,School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Lixing Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
| | - Paul A Garber
- Department of Anthropology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Randall C Kyes
- Center for Global Field Study, Departments of Psychology and Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.,Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Lori K Sheeran
- Department of Anthropology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
| | - Bing-Hua Sun
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.,International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Bo-Wen Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.,International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Jin-Hua Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China.,International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, Hefei 230601, China.,Hefei Normal University, Hefei 230601, China
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20
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Minnis H, Posserud MB, Thompson L, Gillberg C. Hypothesis: The highly folded brain surface might be structured and located so as to facilitate inter-brain synchronization. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.6.e48887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We integrate recent findings from neuro-anatomy, electroencephalography, quantum biology and social/neurodevelopment to propose that the brain surface might be specialised for communication with other brains.
Ground breaking, but still small-scale, research has demonstrated that human brains can act in synchrony and detect the brain activity of other human brains. Group aggregation, in all species, maximises community support and safety but does not depend on verbal or visual interaction. The morphology of the brain’s outermost layers, across a wide range of species, exhibits a highly folded fractal structure that is likely to maximise exchange at the surface: in humans, a reduced brain surface area is associated with disorders of social communication. The brain sits in a vulnerable exposed location where it is prone to damage, rather than being housed in a central location such as within the ribcage.
These observations have led us to the hypothesis that the brain surface might be specialised for interacting with other brains at its surface, allowing synchronous non-verbal interaction. To our knowledge, this has not previously been proposed or investigated.
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Gérard C, Valenchon M, Poulin N, Petit O. How does the expressiveness of leaders affect followership in domestic horses (Equus ferus caballus)? Anim Cogn 2020; 23:559-569. [PMID: 32065307 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01361-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In collective movements, some individuals are more effective and attractive leaders than others. Parameters such as social network, personality, and physiologic needs failed to explain why group members follow one leader more than another. In this study in the domestic horse, we propose to focus on the leader's attitude and its impact to the followers' recruitment during two conditions: spontaneous group departures or experimentally induced departures. We postulate that the expressiveness of the leader could enhance its attractiveness and thus produce a successful followership. We found that a high expressiveness level is associated with a high curiosity score and with a low social status. This propensity to initiate while being expressive was higher in the experimental condition than in the spontaneous condition which was expected, since the experimental procedure sought to increase the motivation of initiators with a highly appetent reward. Moreover, the more intense the leader's expressiveness is, the faster the followers will join the movement regardless of the condition. This positive and dynamic attitude can be perceived as an attractive feature by the followers. Finally, we evidenced collective arousal in followers initiated by the leader that could be essential for group cohesion. The present study is the first to investigate the expressiveness level in animals, and provides new insights into the emergence of leadership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Gérard
- Cognitive and Social Ethology Group, CNRS, UMR 7247 Physiologie de La Reproduction Et Des Comportements, 37380, Nouzilly, France.,UMR 7206 Eco-Anthropologie, MNHN, Musée de l'Homme, 17 place du Trocadéro, 75116, Paris, France
| | - Mathilde Valenchon
- Cognitive and Social Ethology Group, CNRS, UMR 7247 Physiologie de La Reproduction Et Des Comportements, 37380, Nouzilly, France.,School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Nicolas Poulin
- CeStatS, Institut de Recherche Mathématique Avancée, UMR 7501, University of Strasbourg-CNRS, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Odile Petit
- Cognitive and Social Ethology Group, CNRS, UMR 7247 Physiologie de La Reproduction Et Des Comportements, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
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22
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Wang C, Pan R, Wang X, Qi X, Zhao H, Guo S, Ren Y, Fu W, Zhu Z, Li B. Decision-making process during collective movement initiation in golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana). Sci Rep 2020; 10:480. [PMID: 31949226 PMCID: PMC6965115 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-57191-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective decision-making is important for coordination and synchronization of the activities among group-living animals and the mechanisms guiding such procedure involve a great variety of characteristics of behavior and motivation. This study provides some evidence investigating collective movement initiation in a multi-level social band of the golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) located in the Mts. Qinling, China. We collect 1223 datum records relevant to decision initiation from six OMUs. The results indicate that collective movement initiation could be divided into two continual but relatively independent processes: decisions on moving direction and movement implementation. In both processes, adult individuals are more likely to initiate the decision-making, while other adults vote on initiator's preference, with a threshold, a supporting number required for a success. Thus, voting behavior and quorum fulfillment contribute to a successful decision-making. Adult individuals play important role in making decisions for moving direction and implementation. For a successful collective movement initiation, the individuals being more central in grooming network initiate decisions more frequently than the others, and attract voters more easily. Furthermore, following the initiation, at least four positive voters are required for a direction decision and at least three positive voters are needed for the decision on movement implementation, which could be considered as the threshold of quorum numbers required for a successful decision. This study has provided some very interesting information and scientific evidence in understanding social structure and behaviors of the nonhuman primates with a social structure very similar to humans'. Thus, some results can directly be referred to the comprehension of human social structure and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengliang Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Ruliang Pan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Xiaoguang Qi
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Haitao Zhao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Songtao Guo
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Yi Ren
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Weiwei Fu
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Zirui Zhu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Baoguo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China.
- Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, 710032, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650223, China.
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Ringhofer M, Go CK, Inoue S, S. Mendonça R, Hirata S, Kubo T, Ikeda K, Yamamoto S. Herding mechanisms to maintain the cohesion of a harem group: two interaction phases during herding. J ETHOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-019-00622-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn animal groups, individual interactions achieve coordinated movements to maintain cohesion. In horse harem groups, herding is a behavior in which males chase females from behind; it is considered to assist with group cohesiveness. However, the mechanisms by which the individuals move to maintain group cohesion are unknown. We applied novel non-invasive methods of drone filming and video tracking to observe horse movements in the field with high temporal and spatial resolution. We tracked all group members and drew trajectories. We analyzed the movements of females and found two phases of interactions based on their timing of movement initiation. The females that moved first were those nearest to the herding male, while the movement initiation of the later females was determined by the distance from the nearest moving female, not by the distance from the herding male. These interactions are unique among animal group movements and might represent a herding mechanism responsible for maintaining group cohesion. This might be due to long-term stable relationships within a harem group and strong social bonds between females. This study showed that the combination of drone filming and video tracking is a useful method for analyzing the movements of animals simultaneously in high resolution.
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Animal behaviour in a human world: A crowdsourcing study on horses that open door and gate mechanisms. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218954. [PMID: 31242266 PMCID: PMC6594629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anecdotal reports of horses opening fastened doors and gates are an intriguing way of exploring the possible scope of horses’ problem-solving capacities. The species’ natural environment has no analogues of the mechanisms involved. Scientific studies on the topic are missing, because the rate of occurrence is too low for exploration under controlled conditions. Therefore, we compiled from lay persons case reports of horses opening closed doors and gates. Additionally, we collected video documentations at the internet platform YouTube, taking care to select raw data footage of unedited, clearly described and clearly visible cases of animals with no distinct signs of training or reduced welfare. The data included individuals opening 513 doors or gates on hinges, 49 sliding doors, and 33 barred doors and gateways; mechanisms included 260 cases of horizontal and 155 vertical bars, 43 twist locks, 42 door handles, 34 electric fence handles, 40 carabiners, and 2 locks with keys. Opening was usually for escape, but also for access to food or stable-mates, or out of curiosity or playfulness. While 56 percent of the horses opened a single mechanism at one location, 44 percent opened several types of mechanism (median = 2, min. = 1, max. = 5) at different locations (median = 2, min. = 1, max. = 4). The more complex the mechanism was, the more movements were applied, varying from median 2 for door handles to 10 for carabiners. Mechanisms requiring head- or lip-twisting needed more movements, with significant variation between individuals. 74 horses reported in the questionnaire had options for observing the behaviour in stable mates, 183 did not, which indicates that the latter learned to open doors and gates either individually or from observing humans. Experience favours opening efficiency; subjects which opened several door types applied fewer movements per lock than horses which opened only one door type. We failed to identify a level of complexity of door-fastening mechanism that was beyond the learning capacity of the horse to open. Thus, all devices in frequent use, even carabiners and electric fence handles, are potentially vulnerable to opening by horses, something which needs to be considered in relation to keeping horses safely.
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25
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Berthier JM, Semple S. Observing grooming promotes affiliation in Barbary macaques. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181964. [PMID: 30963904 PMCID: PMC6304063 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Observing friendly social interactions makes people feel good and, as a result, then act in an affiliative way towards others. Positive visual contagion of this kind is common in humans, but whether it occurs in non-human animals is unknown. We explored the impact on female Barbary macaques of observing grooming, a behaviour that physiological and behavioural studies indicate has a relaxing effect on the animals involved. We compared females' behaviour between two conditions: after observing conspecifics groom, and in a matched control period. We found that observing grooming was associated with reduced behavioural indicators of anxiety, suggesting that seeing others groom is, in itself, relaxing. Observing grooming was also associated with a shorter latency to becoming involved in a grooming bout (and higher likelihood both of initiating that bout and being the groomer rather than groomee), and with elevated rates of other affiliative behaviours. These results provide evidence for positive visual contagion; this phenomenon may contribute fundamentally to group cohesion not just in this species, but also in the many mammal and bird species where grooming occurs. Our study highlights the importance of exploring social behaviour beyond the level of the interacting individuals, within the broader social context where it occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stuart Semple
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary, Social and Interdisciplinary Anthropology, University of Roehampton, London SW15 4JD, UK
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26
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McVey A, Wilkinson A, Mills DS. Social learning in horses: The effect of using a group leader demonstrator on the performance of familiar conspecifics in a detour task. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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27
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Parameters for the Analysis of Social Bonds in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8110191. [PMID: 30373257 PMCID: PMC6262610 DOI: 10.3390/ani8110191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Social bond analysis is of major importance for the evaluation of social relationships in group housed horses. However, in equine behaviour literature, studies on social bond analysis are inconsistent. Mutual grooming (horses standing side by side and gently nipping, nuzzling, or rubbing each other), affiliative approaches (horses approaching each other and staying within one body length), and measurements of spatial proximity (horses standing with body contact or within two horse-lengths) are commonly used. In the present study, we assessed which of the three parameters is most suitable for social bond analysis in horses, and whether social bonds are affected by individual and group factors. We observed social behaviour and spatial proximity in 145 feral horses, five groups of Przewalski's horses (N = 36), and six groups of feral horses (N = 109) for 15 h per group, on three days within one week. We found grooming, friendly approaches, and spatial proximity to be robust parameters, as their correlation was affected only by the animals' sex (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.001, t = -2.7, p = 0.008) and the group size (GLMM: N = 145, SE < 0.001, t = 4.255, p < 0.001), but not by the horse breed, the aggression ratio, the social rank, the group, the group composition, and the individuals themselves. Our results show a trend for a correspondence between all three parameters (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.004, t = 1.95, p = 0.053), a strong correspondence between mutual grooming and friendly approaches (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.021, t = 3.922, p < 0.001), and a weak correspondence between mutual grooming and spatial proximity (GLMM: N = 145, SE = 0.04, t = 1.15, p = 0.25). We therefore suggest either using a combination of the proactive behaviour counts mutual grooming and friendly approaches, or using measurements of close spatial proximity, for the analysis of social bonds in horses within a limited time frame.
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28
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Inoue S, Yamamoto S, Ringhofer M, Mendonça RS, Pereira C, Hirata S. Spatial positioning of individuals in a group of feral horses: a case study using drone technology. MAMMAL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13364-018-0400-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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29
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Ramos A, Manizan L, Rodriguez E, Kemp YJM, Sueur C. How can leadership processes in European bison be used to improve the management of free-roaming herds. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1175-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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30
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Briard L, Deneubourg JL, Petit O. How stallions influence the dynamic of collective movements in two groups of domestic horses, from departure to arrival. Behav Processes 2017; 142:56-63. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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31
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Bonanni R, Cafazzo S, Abis A, Barillari E, Valsecchi P, Natoli E. Age-graded dominance hierarchies and social tolerance in packs of free-ranging dogs. Behav Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arx059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Bonanni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Unità di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy,
| | - Simona Cafazzo
- Wolf Science Center, Dörfles 48, 2115 Ernstbrunn, Austria,
- Comparative Cognition, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria,
| | - Arianna Abis
- Djanet Association, via XI Febbraio 18, 10093 Collegno, Italy,
| | - Emanuela Barillari
- Agenzia Regionale Protezione Ambiente Calabria, Dipartimento di Catanzaro, Laboratorio Bio-naturalistico, via Lungomare, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy, and
| | - Paola Valsecchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Unità di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy,
| | - Eugenia Natoli
- Canile Interzonale, Azienda ASL Roma 3, via della Magliana 856/H, 00148 Rome, Italy
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Wang X, Sun L, Sheeran LK, Sun BH, Zhang QX, Zhang D, Xia DP, Li JH. Social rank versus affiliation: Which is more closely related to leadership of group movements in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana)? Am J Primatol 2016; 78:816-24. [PMID: 26990010 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Research on leadership is a critical step for understanding collective decision making. However, only 4 of the 22 extant macaque species have been examined for the impact of social rank and affiliation on the initiation of collective movement. It is far from clear whether such impact exists and, if so, how it works among other macaques. To answer these questions, we investigated free-ranging, Tibetan macaques' (Macaca thibetana) group departures from a provisioning area and tested two alternative hypotheses: personal versus distributed leadership. Personal leadership predicts that a single, highest ranking individual initiates the most group movements, whereas distributed leadership predicts that different members lead the group on different occasions and affiliative individuals have more initiations. We recorded how often and how successfully adults initiated group movements from a provisioning area into the forest, and related these variables to the duration of interindividual proximity and grooming time in the forest. All adults initiated group movements, but did so variably. Social rank was related neither to the number of successful initiations nor to the success ratio of initiations. By contrast, eigenvector centrality based on proximity relations was positively correlated with the number and ratio of successful initiations. Moreover, successful initiations were positively correlated with social grooming. Overall, Tibetan macaques showed a pattern of distributed leadership. Our study demonstrated the relationship between social affiliation and individual leadership in a macaque society. Am. J. Primatol. 78:816-824, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lixing Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
| | - Lori K Sheeran
- Department of Anthropology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington
| | - Bing-Hua Sun
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qi-Xin Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dao Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Dong-Po Xia
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jin-Hua Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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34
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Informed horses are influential in group movements, but they may avoid leading. Anim Cogn 2015; 19:451-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-015-0945-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2015] [Revised: 11/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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35
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36
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Briard L, Dorn C, Petit O. Personality and Affinities Play a Key Role in the Organisation of Collective Movements in a Group of Domestic Horses. Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Léa Briard
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien; Strasbourg France
- Université de Strasbourg; Strasbourg France
- Service d'Écologie Sociale; Université Libre de Bruxelles; Bruxelles Belgium
| | | | - Odile Petit
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien; Strasbourg France
- Université de Strasbourg; Strasbourg France
- Service d'Écologie Sociale; Université Libre de Bruxelles; Bruxelles Belgium
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37
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Bourjade M, Thierry B, Hausberger M, Petit O. Is leadership a reliable concept in animals? An empirical study in the horse. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126344. [PMID: 26010442 PMCID: PMC4444174 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Leadership is commonly invoked when accounting for the coordination of group movements in animals, yet it remains loosely defined. In parallel, there is increased evidence of the sharing of group decisions by animals on the move. How leadership integrates within this recent framework on collective decision-making is unclear. Here, we question the occurrence of leadership in horses, a species in which this concept is of prevalent use. The relevance of the three main definitions of leadership--departing first, walking in front travel position, and eliciting the joining of mates--was tested on the collective movements of two semi-free ranging groups of Przewalski horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). We did not find any leader capable of driving most group movements or recruiting mates more quickly than others. Several group members often displayed pre-departure behaviours at the same time, and the simultaneous departure of several individuals was common. We conclude that the decision-making process was shared by several group members a group movement (i.e., partially shared consensus) and that the leadership concept did not help to depict individual departure and leading behaviour across movements in both study groups. Rather, the different proxies of leadership produced conflicting information about individual contributions to group coordination. This study discusses the implications of these findings for the field of coordination and decision-making research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Bourjade
- Unité de Recherche Interdisciplinaire Octogone, Laboratoire Cognition Communication Développement, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France
- Association Takh pour le cheval de Przewalski, Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Arles, France
| | - Bernard Thierry
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Strasbourg, France
| | - Martine Hausberger
- Laboratoire d’Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Rennes, France
| | - Odile Petit
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, Strasbourg, France
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Hasenjager MJ, Dugatkin LA. Social Network Analysis in Behavioral Ecology. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Wolter R, Pantel N, Stefanski V, Möstl E, Krueger K. The role of an alpha animal in changing environmental conditions. Physiol Behav 2014; 133:236-43. [PMID: 24878311 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Revised: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The maintenance and development of conservation areas by grazing of large herbivores, such as Przewalski's horses, is common practice. Several nature conservation areas house male bachelor groups of this species. When males are needed for breeding they are removed from the groups, often without considering group compositions and individual social positions. However, alpha animals are needed for ensuring group stability and decision making in potentially dangerous situations in several species. To investigate the role of the alpha male in a bachelor group, we observed the behaviour of five Przewalski's horse males during the enlargement of their enclosure. We analyzed the group's social structure and movement orders, as well as the animals' connectedness, activity budgets, and whether they moved with preferred group members and how factors such as social rank influenced the horses' behaviour. We also investigated the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) via faeces of the horses while exploring a new area as a parameter of glucocorticoid production. Our results show that the alpha male is important for a bachelor group in changing environmental conditions. The alpha male had the highest level of connectedness within the group. When exploring the new environment, its position in the group changed from previously being the last to being the first. Furthermore the whole group behaviour changed when exploring the new area. The stallions showed reduced resting behavior, increased feeding and did not stay close to each other. We found that the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites of most horses rose only marginally during the first days on the new area while only the alpha male showed a significant increased amount of glucocorticoid production during the first day of the enclosure enlargement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccarda Wolter
- University of Regensburg, Biologie 1, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; University of Applied Sciences Nuertingen, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Department Equine Management, Neckarsteige 6-10, 72622 Nuertingen, Germany.
| | - Norbert Pantel
- Landschaftspflegeverband Stadt Augsburg e.V., Dr.-Ziegenspeck-Weg 10, 86161 Augsburg, Germany
| | - Volker Stefanski
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Animal Breeding, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Erich Möstl
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical Sciences/Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinär-Platz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Konstanze Krueger
- University of Regensburg, Biologie 1, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; University of Applied Sciences Nuertingen, Faculty Agriculture, Economics and Management, Department Equine Management, Neckarsteige 6-10, 72622 Nuertingen, Germany
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