A review of interspecific social play among nonhuman animals
BROOKS, H.J.B. & G.M. Burghardt. A comparative review of interspecific social play among nonhuman animals. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XX(X) XXX-XXX, XXXX.- Few species play socially with another species, hereafter called interspecific social play (ISP). ISP involves reading and responding appropriately to social cues of other species, often taxonomically remote, and has implications for perception, communication, […]
TACTILE RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT IN CAPTIVE ANTILLEAN MANATEES (Trichechus manatus manatus)
Tactile signals are essential for Antillean manatee communication and survival because they facilitate interactions with conspecifics and the environment. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about tactile signal usage. This study aimed to assess captive Antillean manatee tactile and social responses to two stimuli presented as environmental enrichment (i.e., an infant model and a simple floating […]
Communication from the Zoo: Reports from Zoological Facilities of the Impact of COVID-19 Closures on Animals
Zoos engaged in a range of communication types with prospective visitors during the temporary closures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to (1) investigate social media reports and public responses to zoo-animal-related posts over a one-year period during COVID-19 lockdowns; (2) understand the use of reporting language in news articles concerning animal responses […]
A System for Monitoring Acoustics to Supplement an Animal Welfare Plan for Bottlenose Dolphins
Animal sounds are commonly used by humans to infer information about their motivations and their health, yet, acoustic data is an underutilized welfare biomarker especially for aquatic animals. Here, we describe an acoustic monitoring system that is being implemented at the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program where dolphins live in groups in ocean enclosures in […]
Body language: Its importance for communication with horses
Body language is important for communication between individuals. Body language is based on the fact that the thought of performing a known action, alone, will activate the motor neurons used for the action, resulting in a slight contraction of the involved muscles. These contractions are called intention movements and signal what the sender will do […]
Vocal buffering of the stress response: exposure to conspecific vocalizations moderates urinary cortisol excretion in isolated marmosets
For many species, the presence of a significant social partner can lessen the behavioral and physiological responses to stressful stimuli. This study examined whether a single, individually specific, signature vocalization (phee call) could attenuate the physiological stress response that is induced in marmosets by housing them in short-term social isolation. Utilizing a repeated-measures design, adult […]
Stress-related acoustic communication in the domestic pig (Sus scrofa)
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Contrasting coloration in terrestrial mammals
Here I survey, collate and synthesize contrasting coloration in 5000 species of terrestrial mammals focusing on black and white pelage. After briefly reviewing alternative functional hypotheses for coloration in mammals, I examine nine colour patterns and combinations on different areas of the body and for each mammalian taxon to try to identify the most likely […]
Vocal communication in African Elephants (Loxodonta africana)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20251.abs Research on vocal communication in African elephants has increased in recent years, both in the wild and in captivity, providing an opportunity to present a comprehensive review of research related to their vocal behavior. Current data indicate that the vocal repertoire consists of perhaps nine acoustically distinct call types, “rumbles” being the most […]
Estrous state influences on investigative, aggressive, and tail flicking behavior in captive female Asian elephants
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20181.abs Females of species that live in matrilineal hierarchies may compete for temporally limited resources, yet maintain social harmony to facilitate cohesion. The relative degree of aggressive and nonaggressive interactions may depend on the reproductive condition of sender and receiver. Individuals can benefit by clearly signaling and detecting reproductive condition. Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) […]