Wronski, T, Bierbach, D, Klein, M, Sun, P and Plath, M (2016) Welfare of captive breeding stock for reintroductions into Saudi Arabian National Parks: assessment of aggressiveness and dominance hierarchies in true gazelles (Gazella spp.) using social network analysis. In: Diaz, J, (ed.) National Parks: Biodiversity, Management and Environmental Issues. National Parks: Biodiversity, Management and Environmental Issues . Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY, pp. 91-126. ISBN 978-1-53610-155-3

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Abstract

Populations of true gazelles [Gazella arabica, G. dorcas (‘G. saudiya’) and G. marica] on the Arabian Peninsula have suffered dramatically from hunting and poaching, habitat degradation, and competition with livestock. Several captive breeding facilities are devoted to the conservation of those taxa, and captive breeding stock is regularly used for reintroductions into National Parks, or for the restocking of declining populations. A prerequisite for successful reintroductions, however, is a natural behavioral repertoire of individuals identified for reintroduction campaigns. This highlights the need for behavioral studies in captive breeding groups to (a) identify potential aberrant behavior and (b) to test if breeding conditions bring about increased stress levels due to abnormally high aggressiveness. In this study, we exemplify the utility of social network analysis for the investigation of aggressiveness and social dominance hierarchies in different breeding groups of gazelles at the King Khalid Wildlife Research Center. At the same time, we tested several a priori hypotheses on the potential role of female horns in predicting their network position, as female horn development varies dramatically not only between different taxa but also within breeding groups. For example, the ‘female competition hypothesis’ assumes bovid females to use their horns in competition with other female group members, while the ‘andromimicry hypothesis’ assumes horned females to mimic the male phenotype, thereby raising the threshold for male aggression against adolescent male offspring and enabling their male offspring to leave the group at a later stage. We built reciprocated, weighted networks from socio-positive and socio-negative interactions between female group members. Tests of the ‘female competition hypothesis’ assumed horn length to predict individuals’ network position. Several network parameters calculated from socio-negative behaviors were predicted to correlate with inter-individual variation in horn length within, or variation in mean horn length between groups, but no such pattern was uncovered. However, we found support for predictions derived from the ‘andromimicry hypothesis’ in that network parameters calculated from socio-positive behaviors (network strength and reciprocated network strength) decreased with increasing mean (group-level) horn length. Females could mimic the phenotype of their juvenile male offspring not only morphologically (by developing horns), but also on a behavioral level, leading to male-like behavior and including reduced socio-positive behavior. Our study demonstrates pronounced behavioral variation in overall aggressiveness and dominance stratifications among the examined groups of gazelles, with no indication for any obvious shift towards an aberrant form of dominance stratification (like extremely biased and continued socio-negative behavior being directed at few subordinate individuals). Levels of aggressiveness appeared to range well within those found in natural populations, altogether highlighting the suitability of stock from this particular breeding facility for the restocking of National Parks.

Item Type:	Book Section
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Biological and Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	Nova Science Publishers
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	20 Mar 2025 10:35
Last Modified:	20 Mar 2025 10:35
Editors:	Diaz, J
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/25925

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