Mother–offspring relationships in donkeys
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
1998 |
Authors: |
Jane M. French |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
companion animal, donkey, motherroffspring bond, social relationships, weaning |
Abstract:
The social relationship between female domestic donkeys (jennies) and their offspring was explored by observation of their spatial relationship. The donkeys were kept together for life and the ages of the offspring at the beginning of the observation period ranged from a few hours to 13 yr. There was a gradual change in the jenny–foal spatial relationship in the foal’s first year reflecting the foal’s increasing independence. The offspring’s sex made no difference to this relationship. Jennies stayed very close to their newborn foals but thereafter approached them less frequently and had an overall tendency to move away. The foals responded by moving towards their mothers and so maintaining contact. Older foals were less persistent in following their mothers. In this study, jennies moved away most persistently from their 10-month-old foals. In unconfined conditions, this would begin the process of weaning. Since older foals are also often observed to be some distance away from their mothers, this also allows for the possibility that they can become separated by some external event. Under conditions of domestic management, e.g., unlimited resources, confinement and reproductive inactivity, jenny and offspring do not separate at weaning and their spatial relationship reverts to the close relationship seen between jennies and young foals. This is due mainly to a change in the jennies’ behaviour from leaving to approaching and, to a lesser extent, to an increased frequency of approach by the offspring. The result is a pair of adult donkeys that stay very close together and are equally active in maintaining contact. This close relationship may provide some benefits. One potential benefit is an immediately available and willing grooming partner. Another is the potential for the pair to develop a coalition for future support, for example, in accessing resources and mutual protection.