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dc.contributor.authorShrader, A.
dc.contributor.authorPost, J.
dc.contributor.authorHagenah, N.
dc.contributor.authorBateman, Bill
dc.date.accessioned2017-03-15T22:02:25Z
dc.date.available2017-03-15T22:02:25Z
dc.date.created2017-02-24T00:09:25Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.identifier.citationShrader, A. and Post, J. and Hagenah, N. and Bateman, B. 2013. Is a reduction in the individual vigilance of mothers a key evolutionary driver of group formation in white rhinos? African Zoology. 48 (1): pp. 109-114.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49102
dc.identifier.doi10.3377/004.048.0117
dc.description.abstract

A key benefit and evolutionary driver of group living is reduced predation risk. In white rhinos, groups comprise adult females, their calves and one to six unrelated subadults. Subadults benefit from group living through exposure to novel areas, and protection from territorial males (i.e. 'buddy system'). In contrast, it is unclear whether mothers benefit from group living. To determine if they benefit, or if there is simply no cost, we recorded the vigilance of white rhino mothers in different-sized groups. We predicted that as group size increased, calves would have lower predation risk and mothers would reduce their vigilance. In contrast, we found that vigilance did not decrease as group size increased. Our findings thus indicate that decreased vigilance is not a benefit that white rhino mothers gain from living in groups. Also, costs of group formation are minimal for mothers as their large body size and ability to feed on a wide range of grasses reduces competition with other group members. As a result, we suggest that the benefits obtained by subadults, coupled with the lack of costs to adult females, are the main drivers of group formation in white rhinos.

dc.publisherUniversiteit Stellenbosch * Department of Botany and Zoology
dc.subjectbuddy system
dc.subjectwhite rhinoceros
dc.subjectgroup formation
dc.subjectCeratotherium simum
dc.subjectvigilance
dc.titleIs a reduction in the individual vigilance of mothers a key evolutionary driver of group formation in white rhinos?
dc.typeJournal Article
dcterms.source.volume48
dcterms.source.number1
dcterms.source.startPage109
dcterms.source.endPage114
dcterms.source.issn1562-7020
dcterms.source.titleAfrican Zoology
curtin.departmentDepartment of Environment and Agriculture
curtin.accessStatusFulltext not available


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