Do friends allonurse more often?

Nikola Süsserová

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This diploma thesis investigated allonursing in captive giraffes (Giraffa cemalopardalis) and tested what could influence this behavior with the special focus on the social bonds between the adult females. The social preferences between giraffes were tested according the inter-individual distances and social interactions.Research on my study has been carried out in Prague Zoo and Olomouc Zoo. During observation of nursing was observed 1445 suckling attempt (944 non-filial offspring, 65.32%) and 382 successful nursing bout (174 non-filial offspring, 45.54%)Also was observed 2741 interactions between individuals; 2512 interactions were friendly, 68 interactions were agonistic and 161 maternal interactions. The average inter-individual distance was 9.03 m, distance between two adult females was 9.1 m. Inter-individual distance between adult female and offspring was 8.93 m. It was found out that nursing duration was longer when female nursed filial-calf and also when female intiated the start of nursing, when the offspring terminated the nursing the nursing duration was likewise longer. The females preffered the relative offsprings. Our hypothesis has been confirmed only partially.Number of interaction between females as well as the average distance did not influence the allonursing behavior. Females did not preffered the offspring of females with closer bonds. The hypothesis has not been confirmed.

Keywords

nursing, allosuckling, social bonds, maternal care, giraffe

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 27. 4. 2017

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Markéta Gloneková, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / Wildlife Management in the Tropics and Subtropics