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Does social facilitation affect suckling behaviour in zebras?

Michaela Levá1, Jan Pluháček2

  • 1Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká, 1176, Czech Republic.

Behavioural Processes
|February 8, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Synchronized suckling in zebras benefits foals by extending nursing duration and reducing maternal termination. This behavior varies between zebra species, potentially reflecting social structures and nursery formation.

Keywords:
EquidsSocial facilitationSuckling behaviourSynchronisation

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Area of Science:

  • Ethology
  • Mammalian Behavior
  • Social Dynamics

Background:

  • Group-living mammals often benefit from synchronized behaviors.
  • Synchronization of suckling behavior in monotocous species is understudied.
  • Understanding social facilitation in mammals provides insights into group dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of synchronized suckling in three zebra species.
  • To determine if synchronized suckling offers advantages to foals compared to non-synchronized suckling.
  • To explore interspecific differences in suckling synchronization and their potential link to social organization.

Main Methods:

  • Observation of 49 foals across three zebra species (Plains, Mountain, and Grevy's zebra) at Dvůr Králové Zoo.
  • Recording and analysis of 5,890 individual suckling bouts, with 1,036 identified as synchronized.
  • Statistical analysis to compare duration, maternal termination, and occurrence probability of synchronized vs. non-synchronized suckling bouts, considering foal number and species.

Main Results:

  • Synchronized suckling bouts were longer and less likely to be terminated by the mother than non-synchronized bouts.
  • The probability of synchronized suckling increased with the number of foals in Plains (Equus quagga) and Mountain zebra (E. zebra).
  • Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi) showed a decreased probability of synchronized suckling with an increased number of foals.

Conclusions:

  • Synchronized suckling appears to provide benefits to foals, aligning with social facilitation theory.
  • Interspecific differences in suckling synchronization likely reflect variations in social organization and the tendency to form nurseries.
  • Findings highlight the adaptive significance of behavioral synchronization in mammalian social systems.