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Does socio-ecology drive differences in alertness between wolves and dogs when resting?
Kim Kortekaas1, Kurt Kotrschal2
1Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria; Wolf Science Center, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
Behavioural Processes
|June 3, 2019
Summary
Wolves appear more relaxed than dogs, contrary to expectations. Researchers measured alertness using cardiac output, finding wolves had lower heart rates and higher heart rate variability than dogs.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Comparative physiology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Resting behavior varies across species, potentially due to environmental adaptations.
- Wolves and dogs, sharing a common ancestor, inhabit distinct socio-ecological niches, making them ideal models for studying behavioral differences.
- Wolves typically avoid humans and exhibit different social structures compared to most dogs living in human-influenced environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in alertness between wolves and dogs, hypothesizing wolves would be more alert due to their environment.
- To test if the degree of activation along the sleep-wake continuum (alertness) is greater in wolves than in dogs.
- To explore the influence of socio-ecological factors, including domestication, on animal resting behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Alertness was estimated by measuring cardiac output in both wolves and dogs.
- Experiments were conducted on similarly raised and kept pack-living wolves and dogs.
- Two behavioral conditions were tested: inactive wakefulness (lying, head up, eyes open) and resting (lying, head down, eyes closed).
Main Results:
- Contrary to the hypothesis, wolves exhibited lower heart rates and higher heart rate variability than dogs in both tested conditions.
- These findings suggest that wolves may be less alert and more relaxed than dogs during resting and inactive wakefulness.
- Preliminary results indicate a potential difference in alertness levels, with dogs showing higher alertness.
Conclusions:
- The study's preliminary findings suggest wolves are more relaxed than dogs, challenging the initial hypothesis.
- Higher alertness in dogs compared to wolves may be influenced by their domestication and increased attention to human behavior.
- Differences in socio-ecology, particularly the impact of domestication, could be key drivers of observed variations in resting behavior and alertness between wolves and dogs.
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