Does the social network structure of wild animal populations differ from that of animals in captivity?

Pacheco, Xareni P.; Madden, Joah R.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104446

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Captive mammals show differences in social interactions compared with free‐living conspecifics because the small sizes of enclosures likely force individuals into more frequent interactions than would occur naturally in the wild (Nieuwenhuijsen & de Waal, 1982; Pacheco & Madden, 2021). Captive chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) are reported to increase affiliative behaviors to avoid aggression (Nieuwenhuijsen & de Waal, 1982), whereas captive dominant meerkats ( Suricata suricatta ) show a greater degree of dominance toward subordinates than observed among those in the wild (Pacheco & Madden, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature

et al. 2023

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To improve animal welfare based on suitable social housing conditions, it is important to understand the factors that trigger high‐stress responses. Wild giraffes live in a fission–fusion society and males and females are rarely in the same herd for a long period. The captive condition of belonging to a herd with the same individuals for months or years is uncommon in nature. To understand the effect of male presence on female stress levels, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels and social interactions in two captive female giraffes were investigated. Additionally, the effect of enclosure size and temperature on fGCM level and social interactions were examined. The results showed no significant difference in the fGCM levels of females based on male presence. The frequency of agonistic behavior by the dominant female toward the subordinate female was significantly increased when a male was present. The subordinate female was significantly less likely to approach the dominant female and showed decreased affiliative and agonistic interactions toward the dominant female when a male was present. The frequencies of agonistic interactions between females were higher in the small enclosure regardless of male presence. Low temperature triggered higher fGCM levels and increased agonistic interaction in an aged female. The findings of this study suggest that these multiple factors should be considered individually to promote the welfare of captive giraffes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature

et al. 2023

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“…Hand-rearing, in which animals are raised in captivity by humans, is often used in threatened species conservation programmes ( Klusener et al, 2018 ), primarily to increase productivity by improving survival during development to maturity ( Alagona, 2004 ; Heezik et al, 2005 ). However, this intervention can have negative impacts, mainly by reducing long-term survival ( Aourir et al, 2013 ; Hampson & Schwitzer, 2016 ; Farquharson, Hogg & Grueber, 2021 ) and introducing behavioural issues ( Utt et al, 2008 ; Jones, 2008 ; Pacheco & Madden, 2021 ) which may cause hand-raised individuals to be unsuited to life in the wild ( Meretsky et al, 2000 ). These behavioural differences appear to affect productivity in some taxa ( King & Mellen, 1994 ; Beck & Power, 1988 ; Hampson & Schwitzer, 2016 ), although the impacts are poorly understood in wild bird species ( Assersohn, Brekke & Hemmings, 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hidden impacts of conservation management on fertility of the critically endangered kākāpō

Digby¹,

Eason²,

Catalina

et al. 2023

PeerJ

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Background Animal conservation often requires intensive management actions to improve reproductive output, yet any adverse effects of these may not be immediately apparent, particularly in threatened species with small populations and long lifespans. Hand-rearing is an example of a conservation management strategy which, while boosting populations, can cause long-term demographic and behavioural problems. It is used in the recovery of the critically endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus), a flightless parrot endemic to New Zealand, to improve the slow population growth that is due to infrequent breeding, low fertility and low hatching success. Methods We applied Bayesian mixed models to examine whether hand-rearing and other factors were associated with clutch fertility in kākāpō. We used projection predictive variable selection to compare the relative contributions to fertility from the parents’ rearing environment, their age and previous copulation experience, the parental kinship, and the number of mates and copulations for each clutch. We also explored how the incidence of repeated copulations and multiple mates varied with kākāpō density. Results The rearing status of the clutch father and the number of mates and copulations of the clutch mother were the dominant factors in predicting fertility. Clutches were less likely to be fertile if the father was hand-reared compared to wild-reared, but there was no similar effect for mothers. Clutches produced by females copulating with different males were more likely to be fertile than those from repeated copulations with one male, which in turn had a higher probability of fertility than those from a single copulation. The likelihood of multiple copulations and mates increased with female:male adult sex ratio, perhaps as a result of mate guarding by females. Parental kinship, copulation experience and age all had negligible associations with clutch fertility. Conclusions These results provide a rare assessment of factors affecting fertility in a wild threatened bird species, with implications for conservation management. The increased fertility due to multiple mates and copulations, combined with the evidence for mate guarding and previous results of kākāpō sperm morphology, suggests that an evolutionary mechanism exists to optimise fertility through sperm competition in kākāpō. The high frequency of clutches produced from single copulations in the contemporary population may therefore represent an unnatural state, perhaps due to too few females. This suggests that opportunity for sperm competition should be maximised by increasing population densities, optimising sex ratios, and using artificial insemination. The lower fertility of hand-reared males may result from behavioural defects due to lack of exposure to conspecifics at critical development stages, as seen in other taxa. This potential negative impact of hand-rearing must be balanced against the short-term benefits it provides.

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“…Alternatively, SNA can be used to provide evidence of change following intervention 30 . Such monitoring is critical in captive populations, as the promotion of healthy social relationships are important if high-standard living conditions are to be maintained 26 , 31 . As there are many interaction types (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual personality predicts social network assemblages in a colonial bird

McCully

Rose

2023

Sci Rep

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Animal personalities manifest as consistent individual differences in the performance of specific behavioural expressions. Personality research has implications for zoo animal welfare, as it can further our understanding of how captive individuals may differ in their resource use and provide insight into improving individual and group social health. For group living species, personality may enable assortment based on similar behaviour and influence an individual’s interactions with conspecifics (e.g. social support). This research aimed to document how personality traits (aggressive, exploratory, submissive) influenced the social network structure of highly social animals in a captive environment. Data were collected from separate flocks of captive Caribbean (Phoenicopterus ruber) and Chilean flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) to identify relationships between birds and examine opportunities for social support. The flocks associated non-randomly, and in both cases, personality was a substantial predictor of network structure. Personality also predicted key elements of Caribbean flamingo social role (degree, betweenness and average association strength) conflict outcome, and propensity to provide social support, however these patterns were not replicated within the Chilean flamingo network. While both species appear to assort by personality, the broader relationship between personality and social role may vary depending on species and context.

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Does the social network structure of wild animal populations differ from that of animals in captivity?

Cited by 6 publications

References 63 publications

Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature

Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature

Hidden impacts of conservation management on fertility of the critically endangered kākāpō

Individual personality predicts social network assemblages in a colonial bird

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