Feeding behaviour affects nursing behaviour in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii)
Equids spend more than half of the day feeding. Lactation is a very demanding form of maternal investment. In an environment such as a zoo, where no grass but several feeding sites are present, conflict between suckling behaviour of the foal and feeding behaviour of the lactating mother should occur. We observed 20 foals of […]
A Case of Adoption and Allonursing in Captive Plains Zebra (Equus burchellii)
Although allonursing (allowing non-filial offspring to suckle) can be a costly behaviour, it has been reported for many mammals including ungulate species. However, such behaviour is very rare in equids. This is the first report on adoption and allonursing in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii), recorded in the Dvu˚ r Králové Zoo, Czech Republic.We observed […]