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Object-horning in goitered gazelle: agonistic or marking behaviour?
1Key Laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China; Institute of Zoology, Kazakh Academy of Sciences, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan.
Behavioural Processes
|December 25, 2013
Summary
Goitered gazelle males use object-horning primarily as a threat display during territorial disputes and rutting season. This behavior also serves to advertise scent marks, indicating intense agonistic displays and marking intentions.
Area of Science:
- Ethology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Mammalogy
Background:
- Object-horning is a behavior observed in various ungulate species.
- Its function, particularly in relation to scent marking and agonistic displays, requires further investigation.
- Goitered gazelles inhabit arid environments and exhibit distinct social behaviors during rutting periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of object-horning in goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa).
- To determine the relationship between object-horning, scent marking, and territorial behavior.
- To compare object-horning patterns in goitered gazelles with those of other gazelle species.
Main Methods:
- A 6-year observational study of goitered gazelles in Kazakhstan.
- Recording instances of object-horning and associated behaviors (territorial conflicts, scent marking).
- Analysis of shrub selection for object-horning and correlation with marking behaviors.
Main Results:
- Object-horning was predominantly performed by adult males as a threat display during territorial conflicts, especially during the rut (November-December).
- Object-horning was frequently linked with preorbital and urination-defecation marking, serving to advertise scent mark locations.
- Goitered gazelle males selected abundant and palatable shrubs for object-horning, and this behavior occurred at a high frequency, comparable to scent marking.
Conclusions:
- Object-horning in goitered gazelles is a multifaceted behavior with both agonistic and marking functions.
- The high frequency and association with scent marking suggest a more vigorous and aggressive rutting behavior compared to tropical gazelles, possibly linked to a shorter rutting period.
- Object-horning plays a significant role in the communication and territorial strategies of goitered gazelles.
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