The prolonged nursing period and strong, extended mother-infant bond observed among bottlenose dolphins may reflect social and physical ontogeny critical for infant survival. This study was conducted to quantify ontogentic changes in mother-infant contact time and the amount of time infants spent in specific spatial states with their mothers from birth to age 12 mo. These behaviors were studied through a systematic, longitudinal study of six mother-infant pairs of captive bottlenose dolphins from three different social groups. There was a significant decrease in the time infants spent with their mothers (logistic regression, P < 0.00 l), following the general mammalian pattern of increasing independence with age. When with their mothers, the probability that infants would be found in "echelon" position, flanking the mother, decreased as the calf aged (logistic regression, P < O.OOl), possibly due to anatomical and hydrodynamic factors. The probability that infants would be found in "infant" position, underneath the mother, increased with calf age (logistic regression, P < 0.001). Results obtained in this study are consistent with similar studies of wild bottlenose dolphin mother-infant pairs, indicating a suite of ontogenetically comparable behaviors between wild and captive bottlenose dolphins.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.