Dominance, aggression, and glucocorticoid levels in social carnivores
In social animals, reproductive success is often related to social dominance. In cooperatively breeding birds and mammals, reproductive rates are usually lower for social subordinates than for dominants, and it is common for reproduction in subordinates to be completely suppressed. Early research with captive animals showed that losing fights can increase glucocorticoid (GC) secretion, a […]
Birth and simultaneous rearing of two litters in a pack of captive African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20111.abs Two female African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in a pack of 10 animals at the Bronx Zoo gave birth to litters of nine and seven pups within a 2-day period. Two pups from the litter of seven died before they were 2 weeks old, but the other 14 survived past weaning. Litter size, […]
Paternal care in canids
Paternal care has never been reported as absent in any canid species, and some form of care has been seen in 18 ofthe 36 species in the family. Food provisioning, active defense of the young, and protecting young by remaining at the den as the female forages appear to be the commonest forms of male […]
Using odor cues to elicit a behavioral and hormonal response in zoo-housed African wild dogs
Olfactory enrichment, like odor cues, can positively affect behavior, reproductive success, and stress physiology in zoo-housed species. Our goal was to determine if odor cues were enriching to the African wild dog (AWD; Lycaon pictus), a species with a complex social structure and a highly developed sense of smell. Our objectives were to: (1) examine […]