Lizards perceived abiotic and biotic stressors independently when competing for shade in terrestrial mesocosms
Hormones such as glucocorticoids and androgens enable animals to respond adaptively to environmental stressors. For this reason, circulating glucocorticoids became a popular biomarker for estimating the quality of an environment, and circulating androgens are frequently used to indicate social dominance. Here, we show that access to thermal resources influence the hormones and behavior of male […]
Comparing movement patterns of satellite-tagged male and female polar bears
Satellite radiotelemetry has provided great insights into the movements and behaviors of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). The diameter of the neck of adult male polar bears exceeds that of their head, however, and radio collars slip off. This has limited collection of movement information to that from radio-collared females. To overcome this difficulty and gather […]
Review of Bird Coloration: Vol. 1, Mechanisms and Measurement; Vol. 2, Function and Evolution
Book review
Movement Patterns and Food Habits of Four Sympatric Carnivore Species in Belize, Central America
not available
Use of space in the domestic fowl: separating the effects of enclosure size, group size and density
An understanding of how confined animals move within the space available to them is essential in the design of effective captive environments that maximize animal welfare. In addition to the obvious effect of enclosure size, other factors such as the number of individuals in the group and their density per unit of area are likely […]
“Right-Trunkers” and “Left-Trunkers”: Side Preferences of Trunk Movements in Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)
In this article, the side preferences of feeding-related trunk movements of free-ranging Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) were investigated for the first time. It is hypothesized that a functional asymmetry of the trunk is necessary to perform skillful feeding movements more efficiently. This might be connected with a corresponding hemispheric specialization. Video recordings of 41 wild […]
Separating the Impact of Group Size, Density, and Enclosure Size on Broiler Movement and Space Use At a Decreasing Perimeter to Area Ratio
The goal of this study was to determine the impact of enclosure size on space use and movement patterns of domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus), independent of group size and density. Research designed to estimate the effects of group size, density, or enclosure size involves inherent confounding between factors, clouding their individual effects. This experimental […]
Exploration as a key component of natal dispersal: dispersers explore more than philopatric individuals in roe deer
Natal dispersal (i.e. movements between the natal range of an individual and its first breeding site) is a complex process which can have profound impacts on population dynamics. In most species, only a proportion of juveniles actually disperse, but few empirical data are available on the factors that drive the decision to disperse. To understand […]
The effect of social buffering on fear responses in sheep (Ovis aries)
Fear in farm animals has been extensively studied because of its close relation to animal welfare. Numerous studies have categorized the behavioral responses of animals to stimuli that can elicit a fear reaction under social isolation conditions. However, farm animals are highly social and therefore these responses could be conditioned by isolation. The objective of […]
The relevance of variations in group size and phenotypic appearance on the behaviour and movement patterns of young domestic fowl
Variations in the group size of laying hens might increase the risk of undesired behaviours with important consequences for the birds’ health and welfare. However, larger groups housed at constant densities also translate into larger enclosures that may increase space efficiency, therefore improving movement opportunities. The effects of group size (GS), phenotypic appearance (PA) and […]