87 research outputs found
Selfish Pups: Weaning Conflict and Milk Theft in Free-Ranging Dogs
Parent-offspring conflict theory predicts the emergence of weaning conflict
between a mother and her offspring arising from skewed relatedness benefits.
Empirical observations of weaning conflict has not been carried out in canids.
In a field-based study on free-ranging dogs we observed that suckling bout
durations reduce, proportion of mother-initiated suckling bouts reduce and
mother-initiated suckling terminations increase, with pup age. We identified
the 7th - 13th week period of pup age as the zone of conflict between the
mother and her pups, beyond which suckling solicitations cease, and before
which suckling refusals are few. We also report for the first time milk theft
by pups who take advantage of the presence of multiple lactating females, due
to the promiscuous mating system of the dogs. This behaviour, though apparently
disadvantageous for the mothers, is perhaps adaptive for the dogs in the face
of high mortality and competition for resources.Comment: 3 figures, 1 tabl
Cryptic successors unrevealed even by network analysis: A comparative study of two paper wasp species
Understanding queen succession could be a key contribution to the better understanding of the origins and evolution of eusociality. In order to investigate the nature of organizational changes during queen succession, we analyzed two closely related paper wasp species (Ropalidia cyathiformis and Ropalidia marginata). We compared the effects of in vivo and in silico queen removal on the structure of their interaction networks (the former resulting in queenless colonies with potential queens). We studied several structural measures. There is no major structural difference between full (queenright) and in silico queen-removed colonies but there are major differences between queenless and in silico queen-removed ones. This suggests that queen succession is accompanied by a major reorganization of the society, in Rm but not so much in Rc. We also analysed the centrality ranks of potential queens and found that their positional importance changes a lot during queen succession in R. marginata, as they are processed in the colony. In the queenright colonies of R. marginata, the direction of links is a better predictor of the identity of the potential queen than the strength of links
Where do free-ranging dogs rest? A population level study reveals hidden patterns in resting site choice
Free-ranging dogs (FRDs) in human-dominated areas encounter obstacles such as
noise, pollution, limited food sources, and anthropogenic disturbance while
resting. Since FRDs have survived as a population in India, as in many other
parts of the Global South for centuries, they provide a unique opportunity to
study adaptation of animals to the human-dominated urban landscape. We
documented factors impacting resting behaviour and site preferences in three
states of India, for 284 dogs, leading to 6047 observations over 3 years. 7
physical parameters of the resting sites, along with the biological factors
like mating and pup-rearing and time of day affected their choice of resting
sites. The frequency-rank distribution of the unique combinations in which the
parameters were selected followed a Power law distribution, which suggests
underlying biological reasons for the observed preferences. Further, 3 of these
parameters showed maximum consistency of choice in terms of the sub-parameters
selected, explaining 30% of the observations. FRDs prefer to rest close to
their resource sites within the territory, at a place that enabled maximum
visibility of the surroundings. They chose such sites in the core of the
territory for sleeping. At other times, they chose such sites away from the
core, and were less restive, thus allowing for immediate response in case of
intrusion or threat. They generally avoided anthropogenic disturbance for
sleeping, and preferred areas with shade.Incorporating these aspects into urban
management plans can promote human-dog cooperation and reduce situations of
conflict. We envisage more inclusive urban areas in the future, that can allow
for co-existence of the humans and their oldest companions in the commensal
relationship that has been maintained for hundreds of generations of dogs in
this part of the world.Comment: 2 figures, 2 tables, ES
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