A rare fight in female plains zebra

Ilya R. Fischhoff; Siva R. Sundaresan; Heather M. Larkin; Marie Jeanne Sellier; Justine E. Cordingley; Daniel I. Rubenstein

doi:10.1007/s10164-009-0183-7

A rare fight in female plains zebra

Ilya R. Fischhoff, Siva R. Sundaresan, Heather M. Larkin, Marie Jeanne Sellier, Justine E. Cordingley, Daniel I. Rubenstein

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe a fight between two female plains zebra (Equus burchelli). Plains zebra are ungulates with stable social groups known as harems. Female aggression rarely escalates to the level we observed. The fight immediately followed the birth of a foal to one of the females. The initiating female repeatedly kicked and bit the mother, who reacted aggressively and by guarding her foal. We present hypotheses on the causes underlying this rare event.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	201-205
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Ethology
Volume	28
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-009-0183-7
State	Published - Jan 2010

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Animal Science and Zoology

Keywords

Abnormal behavior
Agonistic behavior
Equidae
Equus burchelli
Female-female aggression
Infanticide
Parturition
Ungulates

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title = "A rare fight in female plains zebra",

abstract = "We describe a fight between two female plains zebra (Equus burchelli). Plains zebra are ungulates with stable social groups known as harems. Female aggression rarely escalates to the level we observed. The fight immediately followed the birth of a foal to one of the females. The initiating female repeatedly kicked and bit the mother, who reacted aggressively and by guarding her foal. We present hypotheses on the causes underlying this rare event.",

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author = "Fischhoff, {Ilya R.} and Sundaresan, {Siva R.} and Larkin, {Heather M.} and Sellier, {Marie Jeanne} and Cordingley, {Justine E.} and Rubenstein, {Daniel I.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgments We thank the Ministry of Education, Government of Kenya for permission to work in Kenya. We are grateful to Ol Pejeta Conservancy and its staff for allowing us to work there and providing field support. For hosting and supporting us during this work, we thank Princeton University, McMaster University, Mpala Research Center, Denver Zoological Foundation, and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. We gratefully acknowledge funding from the US National Science Foundation (IIS-0705822, CNS-0205214, IBN-9874523), Pew Charitable Trusts, and Teresa Heinz Environmental Scholars program.",

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doi = "10.1007/s10164-009-0183-7",

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AU - Sellier, Marie Jeanne

AU - Cordingley, Justine E.

AU - Rubenstein, Daniel I.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments We thank the Ministry of Education, Government of Kenya for permission to work in Kenya. We are grateful to Ol Pejeta Conservancy and its staff for allowing us to work there and providing field support. For hosting and supporting us during this work, we thank Princeton University, McMaster University, Mpala Research Center, Denver Zoological Foundation, and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. We gratefully acknowledge funding from the US National Science Foundation (IIS-0705822, CNS-0205214, IBN-9874523), Pew Charitable Trusts, and Teresa Heinz Environmental Scholars program.

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KW - Abnormal behavior

KW - Agonistic behavior

KW - Equidae

KW - Equus burchelli

KW - Female-female aggression

KW - Infanticide

KW - Parturition

KW - Ungulates

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A rare fight in female plains zebra

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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