A Free-Ranging Rhesus Monkey Troop Lacking Adult Males

The “trap, spay/neuter, and release” programs to manage unowned free-roaming cat populations are diffused worldwide and they are largely advised even in countries where the suppression of unowned cats is enforced by law. Despite the massive neutering campaigns in the world, there is little information on the influence of neutering on individual cat behaviour, as well as on the social structure of cat colonies. The aim of this study is to verify such effects. Before neutering, the group consisted of 17 free-roaming domestic cats, who were totally unrestrained. After neutering it consisted of 16 individuals. Data on the outcomes of aggressive, submissive, affiliative, and territorial behaviour were collected, using classic ethological methods (“focal animal”, “all occurrences”, and “1/0” sampling methods) (735 h of observation before and 537 h after neutering). The dominance hierarchy did not change after neutering. On the other hand, the frequency of aggressive, territorial behaviour as well as proximity among individuals decreased significantly. Affiliative behaviour has been observed among neutered adult males that never performed it before neutering. The results of this study suggest that, after neutering: (i) The group of free-ranging cats was stable over time; (ii) the hierarchical structure of the cat social group did not change; (iii) the general level of activity, decreased; (iv) urine spraying marking behaviour almost disappeared; (v) the level of social proximity among group members decreased, although it tended to increase in some male–male dyads. The most obvious effect of neutering, detected on individual behaviour, was that cats were less active.

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The effects of age, sex, reproductive status and temporal factors on the time-use of free-ranging red kangaroos

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr9930785 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 20 (6) ◽

pp. 785 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

DM Watson ◽

TJ Dawson

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Group Size ◽

Time Use ◽

New South ◽

New South Wales ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Adult Males ◽

South Wales ◽

Free Ranging ◽

Foraging Time

The effects of temporal (time of day and season) factors and size, sex, female reproductive state and group size on the diel time-use of free-ranging red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) was examined. Particular emphasis was given to the effects on their foraging behaviour, with foraging divided into cropping, chewing and searching components. The study was conducted in semi-arid western New South Wales from July 1991 to March 1992, a time of deepening drought conditions in New South Wales. Group size had very little influence on the time-use of M. rufus. It was negatively but only weakly correlated with the proportion of foraging time spent chewing (chewing intensity). No significant differences in time-use were found between size classes of adult males (large and medium-sized males), females with or without pouch young, or females with different-sized pouch young (no visible young, small pouch young or large pouch young). Differences occurred between adult males, adult females and subadult kangaroos. These differences were mainly associated with their chewing and searching behaviour and were related to body size; as body size increased the proportion of time spent chewing and the intensity of chewing increased while the proportion of time searching and the proportion of foraging time spent searching (searching intensity) decreased. Neither the proportion of time spent cropping or foraging nor the proportion of foraging time spent cropping (cropping intensity) or the proportion of active time spent foraging (foraging intensity) differed between any size/sex/reproductive class. Temporal effects had a considerable influence on time-use. M. rufus were most active at night and in the few hours after sunrise and sunset. Seasonal changes in time-use were largely a result of changes in daytime behaviour. M. rufus foraged less and rested more during the day in winter than in spring or summer. There was no increase in the intensity or proportion of time spent foraging or cropping at night to compensate for the reduction in diurnal foraging. It is hypothesised that temporal variations in time-use were related to variations in weather and vegetation conditions.

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Birth season glucocorticoids are related to the presence of infants in sifaka ( Propithecus verreauxi )

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2008.1912 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 276 (1663) ◽

pp. 1855-1863 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Diane K. Brockman ◽

Amy K. Cobden ◽

Patricia L. Whitten

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Adult Males ◽

Birth Season ◽

Propithecus Verreauxi ◽

Group Stability ◽

Dispersal Events ◽

Free Ranging ◽

Plural Breeding

The responses of plural breeding mammals to environmental stressors are little understood in free-ranging populations, but recent studies of singular breeders suggest that ecological factors and social milieu influence the variable physiological stress responses observed among individuals. Our previous studies examining faecal glucocorticoid (fGC)–behaviour interactions in plural breeding male sifaka ( Propithecus verreauxi ) show that fGC elevations coincide with specific dispersal events, particularly the eviction of subordinates by resident alpha males. This study examined the utility of fGC assays for assessing the stress responses of male sifaka to demographic changes in the population during the birth season. Analyses were based on 889 faecal samples collected over five birth seasons from 124 adult males residing in 55 different groups at Beza Mahafaly, Madagascar. Results show that fGC levels in males are unrelated to age, residence, group stability or rank, but are significantly and positively correlated with the presence of infants, annual elevations in weekly mean fGC concentrations in males paralleling increasing numbers of infants born annually in the population. These data are the first to show that in seasonal plural breeding species such as sifaka, elevated fGC in males reflects specific events related to reproduction rather than states or social context during the birth season.

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Sex or power? The function of male displays in rhesus macaques

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003340 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 153 (3) ◽

pp. 245-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Krista M. Milich ◽

Dario Maestripieri

Keyword(s):

Puerto Rico ◽

Rhesus Macaques ◽

Mate Guarding ◽

Male Dominance ◽

Adult Males ◽

Mating Season ◽

Male Display ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

Male Displays ◽

Free Ranging

Male behavioral displays (e.g., branch-shaking) are common across Anthropoidea, but their function remains unclear. We examined free-ranging rhesus macaques on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, to test three major hypotheses for the function of male displays: (1) mate attraction, (2) mate guarding and (3) male–male dominance competition. Focal and ad libitum behavioural data were recorded for 21 adult males across 9 groups during the mating season. Display rates were calculated for each male in each context (i.e., agonistic, mating). In stable groups, males with high mating success displayed more during consortships than in other contexts and displays were more likely to follow than to precede copulation, whereas males in unstable groups were more likely to displays in agonistic contexts. These results suggest that mate guarding and male–male dominance competition are the primary functions of male display behaviours in rhesus macaques.

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Reproductive seasonality, sex ratio and philopatry in Argentina's common vampire bats

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.160959 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 160959 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

H. A. Delpietro ◽

R. G. Russo ◽

G. G. Carter ◽

R. D. Lord ◽

G. L. Delpietro

Keyword(s):

Specific Information ◽

Adult Males ◽

Reproductive Seasonality ◽

Tropical Regions ◽

Young Males ◽

Young Females ◽

Vampire Bats ◽

Lactating Females ◽

Free Ranging

Common vampire bats ( Desmodus rotundus ) are a key rabies vector in South America. Improved management of this species requires long-term, region-specific information. To investigate patterns of demography and dispersal, we analysed 13 642 captures of common vampire bats in Northern Argentina from the period 1969–2004. In contrast with findings from more tropical regions, we found reproductive seasonality with peak pregnancy in September and peak lactation in February. Curiously, sex ratios were consistently male-biased both in maternity roosts and at foraging sites. Males comprised 57% of 9509 adults caught at night, 57% of 1078 juveniles caught at night, 57% of 603 juveniles caught in roosts during the day, and 55% of 103 newborns and mature fetuses. Most observed roosts were in man-made structures. Movements of 1.5–54 km were most frequent in adult males, followed by young males, adult females and young females. At night, males visited maternity roosts, and non-pregnant, non-lactating females visited bachelor roosts. Males fed earlier in the night. Finally, we report new longevity records for free-ranging vampire bats: 16 and 17 years of age for a female and male, respectively. Our results are consistent with model predictions that sex-biased movements might play a key role in rabies transmission between vampire bat populations.

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