Not lost in translation: Changes in social dynamics in Bonobos after colony relocation and fusion with another group
Animal welfare is affected by both physical and social environment and these aspects can be particularly critical for cognitively and socially-complex species, such as great apes. We observed a captive group of nine bonobos before (April-June 2021) and after relocation (June-August 2022) and we checked whether and to what extent the transfer would affect their […]
Functions and social consequences of infant–adult male interaction in a captive group of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430080204.abs The functions and social consequences of infant-adult male interaction in a captive group of lowland gorillas were evaluated. The two males repeatedly attempted to interact with the infant, the infant sometimes attempted to interact with the males, and the mother usually interrupted interactions between male and infant. Infant-directed actions by the two males […]
Threat detection: Behavioral practices in animals and humans
In contrast to a perceptible threat that releases freezing, fleeing and fighting, abstract potential threat elicits anxiety and vigilance. The prevalent view is that the larger the animal groups the lower the individual vigilance. Vigilance is a reflection of anxiety, and here we show that anxiety is contagious in grouped social animals. In humans, anxiety […]
Robustness of flight leadership relations in pigeons
Collective animal movements produce spectacular natural phenomena that arise from simple local interactions among group members. Flocks of homing pigeons, Columba livia, provide a useful model for the study of collective motion and decision making. During homing flights, flock members are forced to resolve potentially divergent navigational preferences in order to stay together and benefit […]