Factors affecting captive female giraffe stress response: Male presence, small enclosure, and low temperature
Abstract To improve animal welfare based on suitable social housing conditions, it is important to understand the factors that trigger high-stress responses. Wild giraffes live in a fission?fusion society and males and females are rarely in the same herd for a long period. The captive condition of belonging to a herd with the same individuals […]
Is individual temperament related to behaviors in a social context for a Neotropical parakeet species?
The relations of temperament dimensions obtained in tests traditionally used to assess interindividual differences with long-term behaviors and social rank of animals are poorly understood. Here, our aims were: (a) to investigate the relationships between temperament dimensions obtained through behavioral tests and the social rank of white-eyed parakeets (Psittacara leucophthalmus), and (b) to evaluate the […]
The stress of being alone: Removal from the colony, but not social subordination, increases fecal cortisol metabolite levels in eusocial naked mole-rats
In many social species, hierarchical status within the group is associated with differences in basal adrenocortical activity. We examined this relationship in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), eusocial rodents with arguably the most extreme social hierarchies of all mammals. This species lives in colonies where breeding is restricted to one socially dominant ‘queen’ and her male […]
Behavioral and endocrine correlates of dominance in captive female Jackson’s hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)
For species that form dominance hierarchies, such as group-living ungulates, aggressive interactions can pose a challenge to successful captive management. For example, Jackson’s hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus), a rare antelope of east Africa, can be difficult to maintain in captivity because aggression within female dominance hierarchies can lead to injury and death. We quantified behavioral and […]
Investigating the impact of rank and ovarian activity on the social behavior of captive female African elephants
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20235.abs Over a third of captive female African elephants in North America fail to exhibit normal estrous cycles based on long-term serum progestagen analyses. Why acyclicity occurs is unknown; however, the majority of noncycling females are ranked by keepers as the dominant individual within the group. To investigate the relationship between ovarian cyclicity status […]
Dominance hierarchy in a herd of female eland antelope (Taurotragus oryx) in captivity
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20003.abs The dominance hierarchy of a group of adult female elands (n=10) kept in captivity was followed for 34 months. Outcomes of dominance relationships at the beginning and end of the study were compared. A clear dominance hierarchy existed in the herd. The dominance pattern was complex, but triads were predominantly (95%) transitive or […]
Tail skin temperatures reflect coping styles in rats
This study was carried out to elucidate the predictive value of tail skin temperatures (TSTs) assessed in naïve rats as a non-invasive pre-experimental method of classification of coping style. Male Lewis rats were classified according to tail skin temperatures (TST), and relative size within cage-groups. TSTs were monitored over two-hour periods following exposure to physical […]
The effect of social rank on the physiological response during repeated stressful handling in Zebu cattle (Bos indicus)
Although the order of entry to a handling chute is related to social rank, it is still not clear what the consequences are for Zebu cattle of occupying different ranks when being exposed repeatedly to a stressful handling procedure. Eighteen Brahman cows were observed for 243 h to obtain information on social interactions. From that […]
Corticosterone differences rather than social housing predict performance of T-maze alternation in male CD-1 mice
This study examined the effects of social housing manipulations on bodyweight, corticosterone levels, and performance of T-maze alternation in male CD-1 mice. Males that adopted a dominant social rank were heavier than those that adopted a subordinate social rank. Dominant males also had lower corticosterone concentrations than the subordinates. However, there was little to suggest […]
Time budgets and adrenocortical activity of cows milked in a robot or a milking parlour: interrelationships and influence of social rank
Adrenocortical activity and time budgets in a robotic milking system in two variants of cow traffic (partially forced, free) were compared with a conventional milking system, focusing on the relationships between adrenocortical activity, time budgets, and social rank of the cows. Both groups were housed in identical conditions and consisted of 30 cows each. Within […]