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Caro TM. 1987. Cheetah
mothers' vigilance: looking out for prey or for predators?
Behavioral Ecology
and Sociobiology 20, 351-361.
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Free-living cheetah (Acinonyx
jubatus) cubs are killed by a number of predators, thus vigilance in
cheetah mothers may be a form of anti-predator behaviour as well as a means of
locating prey. Mothers' vigilance during the day was closely associated with
measures of hunting but not with measures of anti-predator behaviour. In
contrast, mothers' vigilance at kills was not related to hunting but was
related to anti-predator behaviour. Both forms of vigilance decreased as cubs
grew older. |
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Caro_1987_Cheetah_mothers_vigilance.pdf
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Caro TM. 1989. Determinants of
asociality in felids. In Staden V, Foley RA (eds). Comparative
socioecology: the behavioral ecology of humans and other mammals. Oxford:
Blackwell Press; p 41-74.
|
|
Despite a number of benefits
that could accrue from living in groups, adult members of most felid species
live alone, which suggests that there are considerable costs to living together
for members of this family. The reasons why male felids of most species live
alone, but why male cheetahs and lions live in groups are first discussed. I
then address the more problematic question of why the great majority of adult
female cats do not live together. The idea that females actually live alone for
most of their lives is dismissed. Using data from free-living cheetahs, it is
shown that their companions (dependent cubs) consume a large share of the food
that females acquire, but help their mothers little in catching prey. The review suggests that conditions necessary for sociality
to evolve are absent for virtually all extant felids. |
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Caro_1989_Determinants_of_asociality_in_felids.pdf
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Caro TM. 1993. Behavioral
solutions to breeding cheetahs in captivity: insights form the wild. Zoo
Biology 12, 19-30.
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|
Knowledge of cheetahs'
behavior is increasingly seen as the key to solving the mystery of cheetahs'
poor breeding performance in captivity. In the absence of zoos' maintaining
systematic records of individuals' behavior during introductions, behavior of
free-living animals can be informative. In the wild, most female cheetahs
probably mate with males living in small groups or coalitions; thus, zoos may
benefit from replicating these social conditions. The findings suggest that captive institutions should be less
nervous about housing male cheetahs together and introducing females to groups
of males for purposes of breeding. |
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Caro_1993_Behavioral_solutions_to_breeding_cheetahs_in_captivity.pdf
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Caro TM. 1995. Short-term
costs and correlates of play in cheetahs. Anim Behav 49, 333-345.
|
|
Costs and benefits of play
were investigated by observing cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, cubs in the
wild. Cubs played either after resting or nursing, or while the family was
moving; cubs were never injured during 2600 h of observation, and did not
become separated from their mother during play; and mothers showed few signs of
unease while cubs played. It is argued that energetic and indirect costs of
play were insubstantial. Taking all these potential costs together, overall
costs of play appeared low. Very young cubs showed high rates of locomotor play
suggesting that play may have immediate rather than delayed benefits, possibly
aiding cubs in escaping predation. |
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Caro_1995_Short_term_costs_and_corelates_of
play_in_cheetah.pdf
|
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Caro TM, FitzGibbon CD, Holt
ME. 1989. Physiological costs of behavioural strategies for male cheetahs.
Animal Behaviour 38, 309-317.
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|
In adult cheetahs, Acinonyx
jubatus, some males compete fiercely for access to territories become
residents and encounter females within territories, while others seek out
females in the course of a nomadic existence. This study shows that
non-resident male cheetahs are in poor health compared to resident males based on
examination of their body condition and haematological measures. Non-residents
are both behaviourally and physiologically stressed compared to residents. They
not only spend a lower per cent of time in exposed resting places and more time
alert than residents, but they also have raised cortisol levels, suggesting
behavioural differences associated with their status may contribute to their
poor physical condition. |
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Caro_et_al_1989_Costs_of_cheetah_strategies.pdf
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Durant SM. 2000. Predator
avoidance, breeding experience and reproductive success in endangered cheetahs,
Acinonyx jubatus. Animal Behaviour 60,
121-130.
|
|
I examine three hypotheses about predator avoidance behaviour: (1)
avoidance increases an individual's reproductive success; (2) avoidance changes
with breeding experience according to one of three described models; and (3)
any reproductive or experience benefits accrued to individuals by avoidance are
reflected in their spatial distribution. These hypotheses were tested on
cheetahs which incur substantial juvenile mortality from predation by two
larger competitors: spotted hyaenas, Crocuta crocuta, and lions, Panthera
leo. To examine avoidance tactics, I played lion and hyaena vocalizations
to individual female cheetahs. Lion avoidance increased with the statistical
interaction between age and reproductive success, suggesting that it may be a
learned behaviour, reinforced by successful reproductive events. This behaviour
translated into a nonrandom spatial distribution of cheetahs with the most
reproductively successful females found near lower lion densities than less successful
females. Hyaena avoidance decreased with the interaction between age and
reproductive success, suggesting that it is diminished by successful
reproductive events, perhaps because a female cheetah switches from avoidance
to using antipredator behaviour as she gets older. Hyaena avoidance behaviour
translated into a spatial distribution with the most reproductively successful
females found near lower hyaena densities than less successful females;
however, younger females were found near lower hyaena densities than older
females.
|
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Durant_2000_Predator_avoidance_and_reproductive_success.pdf
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Durant SM. 2000. Living with
the enemy: avoidance of hyenas and lions by cheethas in the Serengeti.
Behavioral Ecology 11, 624-632.
|
|
Predator avoidance is likely
to play a strong role in structuring species communities, even where
actual mortality due to predation is low. In such systems, mortality
may be low because predator avoidance is effective, and if
the threat of predation is lifted then entire community structures
may be altered. Where competition is intense, then competitor
avoidance may have a similar impact on communities. Avoidance
behaviors have been documented for a wide range of species, but this
is the first attempt to document avoidance behavior within a large
carnivore community. Audio playback techniques are used to examine
the risk perceived by
cheetahs from their two main competitors that are also their main
predators, lions and hyenas. The results from these experiments show
that cheetahs actively moved away from lion and hyena playback
experiments, compared with dummy playbacks where no sound was played. Cheetahs
showed no differences in their responses to playbacks dependent on
their sex or reproductive status, suggesting they were responding
principally to a competition rather than a predation threat.
However, cheetahs were much less likely to hunt after competitor playbacks
than after dummy playbacks, and this resulted in a lower kill rate
after competitor playbacks, demonstrating that the perceived
presence of competitors had a noticeable impact on the foraging rate of
cheetahs. Furthermore, while cheetahs moved just as far following
lion playbacks as after hyena playbacks, they spent significantly
more time looking at the loudspeaker and were less likely to make a
kill after lion playbacks, suggesting that cheetahs perceive lions
to be a greater threat than hyenas. |
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Durant_2000_Avoidance_of_hyenas_and_lions_by_cheetahs_in_the_Serengeti.pdf
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Eaton RL. 1970. Hunting
behavior of the cheetah. J Wildl Manage 34,
56-67.
|
|
The predatory-prey aspects of
four cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) groups were studied in Nairobi National Park,
Kenya, from October, 1966, through February, 1967. Hunt: kill ratios were
applied to direct observation data of 157 hunts and 30 kills. Hunting success
apparently varied with habitat-type prey species, sex and age-classes of prey,
herd size, cheetah group size, and the cheetah's or group's hunting experience.
Cheetah kills appeared to be other than a random sample of prey populations.
There was differential selection in prey of females and juveniles.
|
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Eaton_1970_Hunting_behavior_of_the_cheetah.pdf
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|
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Eaton RL. 1974. Courtship and
Mating Behavior. In The Cheetah - The biology, ecology, and behavior of an endangered
species.Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York. Pp. 107-118.
|
|
Courtship behaviour has rarely
been seen in the wild. Increasingly successful breeding programs in wildlife
parks allow to learn more about courtship and mating requirements. Observations
on social behaviour of cheetahs mainly from Lion Country Safari are presented,
from grooming to courtship and mating are presented.
|
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Eaton_1974_The_cheetah_5_Courtship_and_mating.pfd
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Eaton RL. 1974. Aggressive
Behavior. In The Cheetah - The biology, ecology, and behavior of an endangered
species.Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York. Pp. 119-128.
|
|
In all of the African
literature on wildlife only two observations of fighting between cheetahs have
been reported. In captivity, it was observed that cheetahs are aggressive in a
number of situations and their fighting behaviour is quite stereotyped and
complex. Situations of fighting over food are described.
|
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Eaton_1974_The_cheetah_6_Aggressive_behaviour.pdf
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FitzGibbon CD. 1990. Why do
hunting cheetahs prefer male gazelles? Animal Behaviour 40,
837-845.
|
|
Cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, in the Serengeti
National Park kill more Thomson's gazelles, Gazella thomsoni, than
excepted from the sex ratio of the local population. This paper examines
whether behavioural differences between male and female gazelles predispose
males to higher rates of predation. Cheetahs hunting groups of Thomson's
gazelles preferentially selected individuals that were positioned on the
periphery of groups, were further from their nearest neighbours, were in areas
of high vegetation, were less vigilant and were either in small groups or on
their own. As a result, male Thomson's gazelles, which tended to concentrate on
the periphery of groups, had greater nearest-neighbour distances, were less
vigilant and were found in smaller groups, were more vulnerable than females
and were preferentially selected from groups. There was no evidence that males
were more vulnerable because they tended to concentrate in areas of high
vegetation. Overall, gazelles in groups were far less vulnerable to predation
than solitary individuals and the fact that males spent spend so much more time
alone than females was another factor contributing to their high risk of
predation; although solitary males were actually better at escaping chased by
cheetahs than solitary females, the difference in escape ability was not
sufficient to offset the high number of attacks experienced by males as a
result of their more solitary behaviour.
|
|
FitzGibbon_1990_Male-biased_predation_in_gazelles.pdf
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|
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FitzGibbon CD. 1990.
Anti-predator strategies of immature Thomson's gazelles: hiding and the prone
response.
Animal Behaviour 40, 846-855.
|
|
The use of hiding and the
prone response as anti-predator strategies by immature Thomson's gazelle, Gazella
thomsoni, was investigated. Hiding, a behaviour restricted almost entirely
to a decreased probability that infants would be found by cheetahs, Acinonyx
jubatus, at a time when the ability to outrun predators was poor. The
period of transition from hiding to active appeared to be a phase of high
mortality; although no increase in the ability of fawns to outrun predators
with age could be detected, older fawns still spent more time out of hiding,
increasing the probability that they would be spotted by predators. Once
chased, dropping down out of sight and adopting the prone response associated
with a decreased probability of capture. Fawns that dropped down further from
approach cheetahs were less likely to be found than those that dropped down
when the predator was closer. Since fawns that dropped down had mothers that
detected approaching predators further away and more vigilant mothers detected
approaching cheetahs at greater distances, increased maternal vigilance had
direct payoff in terms of increased infant survivorship.
|
|
FitzGibbon_1990_Gazelle_infant_anti-predator_behaviour.pdf
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|
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FitzGibbon CD. 1990.
Mixed-species grouping in
Thomson's and Grant's gazelles. Animal Behaviour 39,
116-1126.
|
|
Thomson's gazelles
and Grant's gazelles in the Serengeti National Park
frequently associate in mixed-species groups. Here
the antipredator benefits of such associations are
investigated. Compared with remaining as a smaller
group of conspecifics, joining Grant's gazelles
to form larger mixed-species groups had several
advantages for Thomsons's gazelles. One advantage
is that they were less vulnerable to cheetahs, one
of their main predators, as a result of improved
predator detection, the lower success rate of cheetah
hunts and the tendency for cheetahs to avoid hunting
larger groups.
|
|
FitzGibbon_1990_Mixed_Species_Grouping_in_Thomsons_and_Grants_gazelles.pdf
|
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|
|
FitzGibbon CD. 1993. Cheetahs
and Gazelles: A Study of Individual Variation in Antipredator Behaviour and
Predation Risk. Physiol Ecol Jpn 29,
195-206.
|
|
The causes and consequences of
individual variation in the anti-predator behaviour of Thomson's Gazelles (Gazella
thomsoni) in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania were investigated. Adult
gazelles showed considerable variation in the level of antipredator behaviour,
particularly in the extent to which they associated with both conspesifics and
Grant's Gazelles (Gazella granti), the positions they maintained in
groups, their vigilance levels in the absence of predators, and the rates at
which they stotted when fleeing from coursing predators. All these factors were
also shown to influence their risk of predation. Causes of variation included
sex, reproductive status, and physical condition. In addition, immature
gazelles, particularly fawns, differed considerably from adults in the
anti-predator strategies they adopted. Unable to outrun the majority of
predators in direct chases, they reduced encounters with predators by spending
most of their time in hiding and dropping down, adopting a prone position, when
chased.
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|
FitzGibbon_1993_Cheetahs_and_Gazelles.pdf
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|
|
Frame GW. 1976. Cheetah
Biology and behaviour.
In
Annual Report 1974-75 of the Serengeti Research
Insitute, Arusha, Tanzania. Pp. 74-87.
|
|
The status of cheetah
in the Serengeti ecosystem is considered good, with
an estimated population of at least 500. The secrecy
of most cheetahs accounts for the apparent scarcity.
In the dry season cheetahs concentrate along the
woodland edge, and around Seronera, where the density
becomes one cheetah per 3 sq.km. - the highest known
density of wild cheetahs anywhere in Africa. Optimum
habitat is lightly wooded or bushed grassland. Cover
is very important for hunting, protection, and shade.
Cheetahs prey on whatever is abundant, small, and
easily caught; at Seronera this is mainly Thomson's
gazelle. Various aspects of behaviour are being
studied; these are grouping, spacing, courtship,
and development of cub play. Aspects of tourist
viewing and management are discussed.
|
|
Frame_1976_Cheetah_biology_and_behaviour.pdf
|
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|
|
Frame GW. 1984. How cheetah
cubs learn to hunt. Swara 6, 8-9.
|
|
Description of the development of the hunting behaviour of cheetah
cubs in the Serengeti plains. Through play and imitation, cheetah cubs learn
how to kill their own prey. At the age of 11 months, they regularly
participated in stalking and chasing gazelles. They separated from the mother
at the age of 13-20 months. Litter mates often stayed together for several
months more. At the age of 23 months, all females were solitary, but the males
stayed together for several years.
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|
Frame_1984_How_cheetah_cubs_learn_to_hunt.pdf
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|
|
Hunter,L.
1998. Early post-release movements and behaviour of re-introduced
cheetahs and lions, and technical considerations in large carnivore
restoration. Proceedings of a Symposium on Cheetahs as Game Ranch Animals,
Onderstepoort, 23&24 October 1998; 82 p.
|
|
Although re-introduction and
translocation have been widely practiced management techniques employed with
large carnivores, post-release monitoring of such attempts in the past has been
poor, particularly of African species. Where such monitoring has occurred,
success has generally been low and frequently, the reasons for failure were not
well understood. Such failures have led many authors to conclude that the
factors affecting success are not well enough understood to justify relocation
as a method for conserving and managing large carnivores. Between March 1992
and April 1994, Phinda released 13 lions and 15 cheetahs sourced from locally
abundant populations in South Africa and Namibia. Here, I attempt to assess the
importance of the first 12 week following release in the process of
re-establishment by released felids. Based on these observations, I include
management and technical recommendations for translocation and re-introduction
project of large carnivores.
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|
Hunter_1998_Post-release_behaviour_of_cheetahs_and_lions.pdf
|
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|
|
Hunter L. 1998. Do male
cheetahs commit infanticide? Cheetah News:4-5.
|
|
Three arguments explaining why
the infanticide in cheetahs was never seen and is not favourable are proposed:
(i) there is no guarantee that the female would remain in their territory after
the loss of litter; (ii) females can conceive, on average, less then three weeks
after losing cubs; and (iii) females can conceive while still with dependent
cubs.
|
|
Hunter_1998_Do_male_cheetahs_commit_infanticide.pdf
|
|
|
|
Hunter L, Skinner JD. 2003. Do male cheetahs Acinonyx jubatus commit infanticide? Trans Roy Soc S
Afr 56(1):79-82.
|
|
Infanticide, in which males kill unrelated juveniles presumably to
advance their genetic contribution, has been documented in many felids, a
notable exception being the cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. Males apparently
always tolerate cubs during encounters between females with litters but
indefinite paternity has confused the issue in previous reports. We observed
cheetah females with cubs interact with known sire and non-sire males, and
infanticide never occurred. Sires and non-sires also did not differ in the
frequency of different aggressive behaviours directed towards females and cubs
during encounters. We suggest that cheetahs are unusual among wild felids in
that males do not kill unrelated cubs and discuss possible reasons why
infanticide does not occur in the species.
|
|
Hunter_&_Skinner_2003_Do_male_cheetah_commit_infanticide.pdf
|
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|
|
Laurenson MK. 1993. Early
Maternal Behavior of Wild Cheetahs: Implications for Captive Husbandry. Zoo
Biology 12(1):31-43.
|
|
Against a background of poor breeding success and cub survival in
captive cheetahs, a knowledge of the early maternal behaviour in the wild may
yield useful information for comparison with the captive situation. This paper
documents the types of lair sites used by mothers to conceal their newborn cubs
in the wild situation, and details patterns of maternal behaviour observed
during this period. Four kinds of lairs were used by cheetah mothers, and the
amount of protection from the elements and predators was assessed for each. Lair
type appeared to have little effect on cub survival. Cubs were concealed in
lairs for 8.2 weeks on average, although larger litters tended to leave lairs
earlier. During this period, cubs were moved to new lairs approximately every
5.6 days. Cubs were left for an average of 9.6 hours while their mothers went
hunting, but mothers virtually always returned to them around nightfall, even
if they failed to catch any prey. Maternal neglect and cub abandonment, which
account for many cub deaths in captivity, are abnormal in the wild, except when
prey is very scarce. Improved husbandry techniques, such as the provision of
multiple, secluded nest boxes, and remote monitoring conditions should promote
breeding success in captivity. In addition, noise and human disturbance should
be minimized.
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Laurenson_1993_Maternal_behavior_in_Wild_Cheetahs.pdf
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|
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Laurenson MK. 1994. High
juvenile mortality in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and its consequences for
maternal care. J Zool , Lond 234:387-408.
|
|
Juvenile mortality in cheetahs
was found to be extremely high compared to other large mammals, with
approximately 72.2% of litters dying before they emerged from the lair at eight
weeks of age. An average of 83.3% of cubs alive at emergence died by
adolescence at 14 months of age, thus cheetah cubs were estimated to have only
a 4.8% chance of reaching independence at birth. The instantaneous rate of
mortality was highest immediately after cubs emerged from the lair. Before
emergence, lion predation was the major source of this mortality, although some
cubs died from starvation after they were abandoned by their mothers, or as a
result of grass fires and inclement weather. After emergence, predation again
accounted for virtually all cub mortality, with lions and spotted hyenas taking
approximately the same proportion of cubs. Overall predation accounted for
73.2% of cheetah cub deaths in this study, with 78.2% of these being killed by
lions. The extent of maternal care, in the form of vigilance and antipredator
behaviour, mirrored cub susceptibility to mortality and, in the case of
vigilance, possibly also starvation. The probability of a cheetah mother
responding aggressively to a predator was found to also depend on the species
of predator. This study highlights the importance of the influence of juvenile
mortality on patterns of parental care.
|
|
Laurenson_1994_Cheetah_cub_mortality_-_maternal_care.pdf
|
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|
|
Laurenson MK. 1995.
Behavioural costs and constraints of lactation in free-living cheetahs. Animal
Behaviour 50:815-26.
|
|
Increased energetic
expenditure during lactation must be met either from metabolic stores or by
increasing food intake. Additional behavioural costs and constraints may be
imposed on those species that conceal their young in a fixed place. This study
examines how wild cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus, alter their behaviour
during lactation and whether denning involved extra costs or constraints.
Females almost doubled their food intake when lactating, although only mothers
with cubs in the lair increased the time they spent drinking. Higher levels of
food intake were achieved by catching a greater proportion of larger prey
items, hunting these at a higher rate and by increasing the success rate of
hunts. Lactating females with emerged cubs increased the proportion of time they
spent observing and hunting relative to time spent resting and moving. When
lactating females had cubs in the lair they were on the move for longer each
day, travelled further, had restricted ranging patterns and tended to make more
kills in the heat of the day than when accompanied by their cubs. These latter
results suggest that the need to find a safe place, near water, in which to
conceal immobile and vulnerable cubs may impose additional behavioural
constraints and costs and lactating females.
|
|
Laurenson_1995_Behaviour_of_cheetahs_during_lactation.pdf
|
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|
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Morsbach D. 1984. The ecology,
behaviour and movements of cheetah on farm areas of S.W.A/Namibia - annual
report 52 p.
|
|
The study area is 120 km NE of
Windhoek with Okahandja in the west and Steinhausen in the east. In 1984, 21
cheetahs were caught and 13 of them marked with radio-collars. 5 cheetahs were
killed on farms, 4 because they had killed livestock and one as a hunting
trophy. By regularly visiting the farmers, a good co-operation could be
established. 44 cattle claves, 33 Boer goats and 11 sheep were killed by
cheetahs. These kills occurred on 10 farms. Preliminary results on ranging
behaviour, home range size and on reproduction and group size are presented.
|
|
Morsbach_1984_Annual_Report_-_Cheetahs_on_farm_areas_of_Namibia.pdf
|
|
|
|
Morsbach D. The ecology, behaviour and movements of
cheetah on the farm areas of S.W.A./Namibia - progress report. 1985.
|
|
Progress report of the cheetah
study that was conducted from 1984-1986 in Namibia. Details on ranging
behaviour, diet and depredation on livestock during the report period are
presented.
|
|
Morsbach_1985_Progress_Report_-_Cheetahs_on_farm_areas_of_Namibia.pdf
|
|
|
|
Morsbach D. The Behaviour, Ecology and Movements of
Cheetah on the Farm Areas of SWA/Namibia.
1-30. 1986.
|
|
The document is the progress
report of the research project on the behaviour, ecology and movements of the
cheetah on farm areas in Namibia for the period between November 1985 to
October 1986. Estimation of the number of cheetahs on farmlands, based on basic
information on the species' movements and density, is between 2000 and 3000,
remarkably less than the number of about 6000 that was estimated through
questionnaires and personal communications. From this study it was found that
the average loss of cattle due to cheetah predation is three to four calves per
farm per year. The few farmers which actually did keep good written records of
all calf births and mortalities, had almost always much less losses due to
predation by cheetahs. Recommendations include the increase of the cheetah's
economic value for farmers, the establishment of reservoir areas that must
include a number of farms and where the farmers must agree that a calf loss of
3 to 4 calves a year is acceptable, and an intensive, fulltime study to make an
accurate conclusion of the stock losses. Annexes figures of the movements of
the studied cheetahs are given, as well as tables indicating their home range
area estimations, stock losses on farms, and departmental permit records for
the cheetah between 1980 to 1986.
|
|
Morsbach_1986_Cheetahs_on_farms_areas_of_Namibia.pdf
|
|
|
|
Schaller GB. 1968. The hunting
behaviour of the cheetah in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. E Afr Wildl
J 6:95-100.
|
|
Eighty-nine per cent of 136 cheetah kills in the Serengeti
National Park consisted of Thomson's gazelles, the most abundant and readily
available species in the size category (60 kg or less) preferred by the cheetah. Fifty-four per cent of the
Thomson's gazelle kills were subadult; among the adults all age classes were
represented. One female cheetah captured 24 Thomson's gazelles in 26 days, a
killing rate of 10kg/day. The actual food intake of this female was about 4
kg/day. The hunting success of cheetah pursuing large subadults and adult
Thomson's gazelles was about 50 per cent. The hunting methods - including the
various means of approaching prey - are described as are the typical ways of
killing and feeding. Twelve per cent of the cheetah kills were appropriated by
lions and hyaenas.
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|
Schaller_1968_Hunting_behaviour_of_cheetah_-_Serengeti_NP.pdf
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|
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Wielebnowski NC, Ziegler K,
Wildt DE, Lukas J, Brown JL. 2002. Impact of social management on reproductive,
adrenal and behavioural activity in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). Animal
Conservation 5(4):291-301.
|
|
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) held ex situ can provide an important
resource for obtaining new biological information that usually cannot be
gleaned from free-living individuals. However, consistent captive propagation
of the cheetah, a prerequisite for establishing a self-sustaining population,
has not been accomplished so far. This study examined the effect of a husbandry
regimen commonly used in ex situ facilities on female cheetahs. Although
generally solitary in the wild, zoos frequently house cheetahs in pairs or
groups. Using non-invasive hormone monitoring and quantitative behavioural
observations, we studied the impact of such enforced social conditions on
behaviour and ovarian/adrenal activity. Eight female cheetahs were evaluated
for two consecutive 6-month periods, first while maintained in pairs and then
as individuals. Subsequently four females were regrouped into two new pairs and
monitored for another 6 months. Females in five of six pairings demonstrated
prolonged anoestrus and displayed agonistic behaviours. After pair separation
all females rapidly resumed oestrous cyclicity. Females in the sixth pair
continued cycling throughout the year while consistently displaying affiliative
grooming and no agonistic behaviours. Faecal corticoid patterns varied
significantly among individuals, but appeared unrelated to behavioural or
ovarian hormone patterns. Thus, data appear to indicate that same-sex
pair-maintenance of behaviourally incompatible female cheetahs may lead to
suppressed ovarian cyclicity. This suppression appears linked to agonistic
behaviours but not to any particular adrenal hormone excretion pattern. Results
clearly demonstrate the value of applying knowledge about in situ social
behaviour to ex situ management practices. Conversely, however, non-invasive
hormone monitoring conducted ex situ may help us to identify physiological
phenomena of potential relevance for future in situ studies.
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Wielebnowski_et_al_2002_Reproductive_suppression_in_the_cheetah.pdf
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