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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Methods of Pairing and Pair Maintenance of New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) Via Behavioral Ethogram, Monitoring, and Interventions

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Removal experiments indicate that subordinate stallions are not helpers.

Wayne L Linklater¹, Elissa Z Cameron, Kevin J Stafford

¹Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. wayne.linklater@vuw.ac.nz

Behavioural Processes

|February 23, 2013

Summary

Removing subordinate stallions from feral horse (Equus caballus) harems reduced aggression towards mares. Dominant stallions defended harems alone, suggesting limited control, not cooperation, explains multi-stallion bands.

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Area of Science:

Ethology
Behavioral Ecology
Animal Behavior

Background:

Multi-male mating systems, such as those found in feral horse (Equus caballus) harems, present complex social dynamics.
Theories explaining male-male relationships in these groups include cooperation (mutualism, reciprocal altruism) and competition (reproductive concessions, limited control).

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally test hypotheses explaining the function of multi-stallion bands in feral horses.
To investigate the roles of subordinate stallions in harem defense and their impact on mare harassment.

Main Methods:

Temporary removal of subordinate stallions from two multi-stallion feral horse harems during the breeding season.
Monitoring harem composition and quantifying rates of stallion aggression (intra-band, inter-band, and towards mares) and stallion-mare proximity before, during, and after removal.

Main Results:

Harems remained defended by dominant stallions in the absence of subordinates.
Stallion aggression towards mares significantly decreased when subordinate stallions were removed.
The presence of subordinate stallions was directly linked to increased mare harassment.

Conclusions:

Cooperative hypotheses are not well-supported by these findings; dominant stallions did not require subordinate assistance for harem defense.
The limited control hypothesis, potentially involving mate-parasitism, offers a better explanation for multi-stallion bands, though its limitations require further study.
Further replication of these experiments is recommended to solidify these conclusions.