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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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Vijendravarma RK. Diverse strategies that animals use to deter intraspecific predation. J Evol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Bartoš L, Putman R, Pluháček J, Dušek A, Bartošová J. Bruce effect, pregnancy block and disruption or feticide: proposal of a new term ‘effect of nonsire male's presence’. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Dezeure J, Charpentier MJ, Huchard E. Fitness effects of seasonal birth timing in a long-lived social primate living in the equatorial forest. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Pluháček J, Blahutová B, Bartoš L. A case of male infanticide in captive sika deer (Cervus nippon). BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Male infanticide has been reported in wide range of mammalian taxa however it remains very rare in even-toed ungulates where it was documented in two species only. Among six hypotheses explaining this phenomenon, the sexual selection hypothesis is supported by the largest evidence in mammals. Here, we report the first case of male infanticide in sika deer (Cervus nippon) which occurred at Ostrava Zoo. At the end of rutting season, new male had been joined with two pregnant females that successfully gave birth and reared offspring in his presence then. However, in the next season, the same male attacked and killed his own newborn female offspring. Since this male was separated from the herd for most of the time in the rut, we argue that he could be confused about paternity. Therefore, this case of infanticide might be driven by the same mechanism as that which is in line with the sexual selection hypothesis. In addition, based on our evidence we cannot reject the social pathology hypothesis as an alternative explanation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Pluháček
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, 104 00 Praha — Uhříněves, Czech Republic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Ostrava Zoo, Michálkovická 2081/197, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Blanka Blahutová
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Chittussiho 10, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Ostrava Zoo, Michálkovická 2081/197, 710 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Luděk Bartoš
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Přátelství 815, 104 00 Praha — Uhříněves, Czech Republic
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Britnell J, Vorster L, Shultz S. Evidence of infanticide in the Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Infanticide has been described across mammal species. Infanticide is thought to be a tactic which increases reproductive opportunities or reduces competition over local resources. Species of the genus Equus exhibit life history traits such as expensive young, long gestation, lactation and dependency, extended inter-birth interval when there is a foal at foot and strong male reproductive skew. These traits suggest infanticide may be present throughout the genus. However, most documented cases of infanticide attempts come from captive populations and rely heavily on indirect accounts in free-roaming populations. Here, we report an infanticide attempt in Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra). The aggression was perpetrated by multiple bachelor males on two foals belonging to the same family group. The foals were separated from the parent group, chased and harried for a total of 45 minutes before the mothers and herd stallion were able to regain their offspring. We also report three cases of infanticide from necropsy. The injuries sustained by the foals are consistent with infanticide-based injuries documented in other equids species. The timing of these deaths occurs after a stallion turnover. These two cases provide the most conclusive evidence to date that infanticide takes place within mountain zebra.
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Affiliation(s)
- J.A. Britnell
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo), Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester CH2 1LH, UK
| | - L. Vorster
- Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, Barrydale 6720, South Africa
| | - S. Shultz
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
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Zipple MN, Roberts EK, Alberts SC, Beehner JC. The Bruce effect should be defined by function, not mechanism: comments on ‘How to escape male infanticide: mechanisms for avoiding or terminating pregnancy in mammals’. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eila K. Roberts
- Department of Integrative Biology Michigan State University East Lansing MI48824USA
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Biology Duke University Durham NC27708USA
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology Duke University Durham NC27708USA
| | - Jacinta C. Beehner
- Departments of Psychology and Anthropology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI48109USA
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