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Adult-Young Ratio, A Major Factor Regulating Social Behaviour Of Young: A Horse Study, Alice De Boyer Des Roches, Martine Hausberger
Adult-Young Ratio, A Major Factor Regulating Social Behaviour Of Young: A Horse Study, Alice De Boyer Des Roches, Martine Hausberger
Social Behavior Collection
Background: Adults play an important role in regulating the social behaviour of young individuals. However, a few pioneer studies suggest that, more than the mere presence of adults, their proportions in social groups affect the social development of young. Here, we hypothesized that aggression rates and social cohesion were correlated to adult-young ratios. Our biological model was naturally-formed groups of Przewalski horses, Equus f. przewalskii, varying in composition.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We investigated the social interactions and spatial relationships of 12 one- and two-yearold Przewalski horses belonging to five families with adult-young ratios (AYR) ranging from 0.67 to 1.33. We found …