Determining behavioral proxies of preference: mate choice and the New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)

Reintroduction breeding programs are a key conservation strategy that can be more successful when breeding pairs are determined through mate choice. The vulnerable New England Cottontail (NEC) (Sylvilagus transitionalis) has lost much of its historic range, prompting the establishment of a program to release zoo-bred rabbits to bolster declining populations. To improve offspring production, a mate choice experiment tested the preference of 8 females with 3 males in a pen that allowed visual and olfactory contact with all males simultaneously. The length of time, frequency of visits, female urine markings, number of barrier investigations, and female proximity to each of the males were recorded as potential mate preference proxies. Females were then paired with each of the 3 males during the breeding season (n = 24 pairings). The rate at which females visited males during the preference test trials was positively correlated with the occurrence of mounting behavior. Compared with males least visited during the preference trial, females were 2.5 times more likely to produce offspring with males that they visited the most. Visit frequency during a preference test trial can therefore be used as a proxy for female preference in future breeding seasons. This study highlights the significance of incorporating mate selection into breeding programs and contributes to our understanding of NEC ecology.