Is reversing the decline of Asian elephants in North American zoos possible? An individual-based modeling approach
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20054.abs Demographic models are important tools for assessing population status, diagnosing potential causes of population decline, and comparing management strategies that might change population trajectory. The population of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) maintained in North American zoos has been declining for the past decade, and Wiese ([2000] Zoo. Biol. 19:299–309) predicted a continued decline […]
Modelling the emergence and stability of a vertically transmitted cultural trait in bottlenose dolphins
An apparently vertically, socially transmitted foraging specialization (‘sponging’) in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) is observed in two adjacent gulfs within Shark Bay, Western Australia, where sponging has possibly spread from independent innovations. We designed an individual-based model based on empirical data, to investigate the conditions (of learning fidelity and fitness benefits for spongers) under which […]