Post date: Feb 22, 2016 3:14:11 PM
Nathan Frumkin's new paper entitled "Inter-annual patterns of aggression and pair bonding in captive American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber)" is now online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21274/full
This study is part of ongoing work by Jordan Karubian (Tulane University) and his students, in collaboration with the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. We found significant consistency across several years, spanning an introduction/removal event, in aggressive behavior of individual flamingos as well as pair -bonding behavior. Contrary to expectations, there was not an obvious effect of the introduction/removal (i.e., rates and overall structure of aggression remained relatively similar across all years). This study also highlights the importance of longitudinal studies and research on captive populations.
Cite as: Frumkin, N. B., Wey, T. W., Exnicios, M., Benham, C., Hinton, M. G., Lantz, S., Atherton, C., Forde, D. and Karubian, J. (2016), Inter-annual patterns of aggression and pair bonding in captive American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber). Zoo Biol.. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21274
Abstract
Because zoos typically house animals for extended periods of time, longitudinal studies can play an important role in evaluating and optimizing animal care and management. For example, information on patterns of aggression and mating behavior across years can be used to monitor well-being, assess response to changes to group composition, and promote successful reproduction. Here, we report on patterns of aggression and pair bonding by American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) at the Audubon Zoo, New Orleans USA across 4 years (2012–2015), a period that included a simultaneous introduction and removal of individuals in 2014. At the population level, overall rates and social network indices of aggressive interactions were relatively stable over the study period, without a strong signal of the 2014 replacement event. At the individual level, flamingos exhibited a high degree of within-individual consistency in levels of aggression initiated (W = 0.530, P < 0.001), and received (W = 0.369, P = 0.042). In terms of pair bonds, females re-paired with the same individuals across years more frequently (between 58% and 100% from year to year) than they switched mates, and no bonds were established between pre-existing and introduced individuals. These findings indicate a high degree of stability in aggression and pair bonding behavior in this population of captive flamingos, at both the population and individual level. Longitudinal studies such as this one provide an opportunity to better our understanding of flamingos and other long-lived, group-living animals along with their management needs, especially in terms of maintaining social cohesion in captivity and improving captive breeding programs. Zoo Biol. XX:XX–XX, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
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