Suckling behavior of eland antelopes (Taurotragus spp.) under semi-captive and farm conditions |
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Authors: | Hejcmanov Pavla Vymyslick Pavla Kolkov Karolna Antonnov Markta Havlkov Barbora Stejskalov Michaela Policht Richard Hejcman Michal |
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Institution: | 1.Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, 165 21, Prague 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic ;2.Institute of Tropics and Subtropics, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 129, 165 21, Prague 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic ;3.African Parks Network, Garamba NP, Democratic Republic of Congo ;4.Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamýcká 1176, 165 21, Prague 6-Suchdol, Czech Republic ; |
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Abstract: | Mother–offspring interactions soon after parturition play a key role in the survival of mammals. We investigated the suckling
behavior of semi-captive Western Derby eland (Taurotragus derbianus derbianus) in a 60-ha enclosure covered by dense savanna vegetation in Senegal and farmed Common eland (T. oryx) on an open 2-ha pasture in the Czech Republic. We hypothesized that the basic pattern of suckling bout duration and mother–offspring
interactions would be similar between species, but would vary in response to the environmental conditions and breeding system.
During three calving periods, we observed the suckling of 27 and 23 calves of Derby and Common elands, respectively, between
the ages of 1–5 months, and the interactions between mother and calf before and during suckling. Suckling bout duration increased
with the age of the calves for both elands. However, in Derby elands we recorded longer suckling bouts in male than female
calves and shorter suckling bouts in primiparous mothers than multiparous ones; no differences were found in farmed Common
elands. The animals’ active approach to mother–offspring contact, for example naso–anal contact, and initiation and termination
of suckling, resulted in longer suckling bouts in Derby elands. The results suggest that Derby elands that range over a large
enclosure with dense vegetation cover adjust their maternal behavior in compliance with potential predator risk, facing a
trade-off between nursing and vigilant behavior in the wild. The suckling behavior of farmed elands, on the other hand, reflects
the conditions of captivity without predators and with the small available area enabling permanent visual contact of animals. |
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