Resource defence and dominance hierarchy in the boto (Inia geoffrensis) during a provisioning program

L C Pinto de Sá Alves; A Andriolo; Mark Orams; A de Freitas Azevedo

doi:10.1007/s10211-012-0132-2

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Resource defence and dominance hierarchy in the boto (Inia geoffrensis) during a provisioning program

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Resource defence and dominance hierarchy in the boto (Inia geoffrensis) during a provisioning program

L C Pinto de Sá Alves, A Andriolo, Mark Orams and A de Freitas Azevedo

Acta Ethologica, Vol.16(1), pp.9-19

2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-012-0132-2

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Abstract

Amazon River dolphin

artificial feeding

Central Amazon

Anavilhanas National Park

agonistic behaviour

Aggression is often utilised in intraspecific competition to establish and maintain dominance hierarchies in social mammals. Here, we determine if aggressiveness in conditioned botos (Inia geoffrensis) during interactions with humans under provisioning is influenced by the presence or absence of food rewards and if provisioning leads to the establishment of a dominance hierarchy among these generally solitary animals. Mean values of bites among the botos for sessions in which food rewards were delivered were significantly higher than sessions in which no food reward was delivered. No significant difference exists between the mean number of bites per individual during feeding sessions, but the mean number of bites increased significantly with time when animals were not fed. Supplant behaviours were used as a non-harming alternative to bites. The botos' provisioning is a case of instrumental conditioning, in which the conditioned botos expect to receive food from tourists, increasing competition among the animals when they are not fed. The provisioned botos exhibited an almost linear dominance hierarchy. Bites and supplant behaviours were used more frequently by dominant botos to prevent subordinates from obtaining food provisions. Interactions brought about by provisioning are likely to be harmful to the botos and potentially dangerous to humans. © 2012 Springer-Verlag and ISPA.

Details

Title: Resource defence and dominance hierarchy in the boto (Inia geoffrensis) during a provisioning program
Authors: L C Pinto de Sá Alves (Author) - Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A Andriolo (Author) - Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Mark Orams (Author) - AUT University, New Zealand
A de Freitas Azevedo (Author) - Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Publication details: Acta Ethologica, Vol.16(1), pp.9-19
Publisher: Springer
Date published: 2013
DOI: 10.1007/s10211-012-0132-2
ISSN: 0873-9749
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; USC Business School - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450616202621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Behavioral Sciences; Zoology

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