Publications by authors named "Rosie Handford"
Article Synopsis
- Female African elephants communicate their reproductive status not only through urine chemicals but also by changing their posture and behavior, especially when they are sexually receptive.
- Research over 28 years in the Amboseli population shows that parous (previously given birth) females sometimes display "simulated" oestrus behaviors even when not truly receptive, particularly in the presence of female relatives new to oestrus.
- While several theories were considered for this behavior, it's suggested that parous females may be helping relatives by modeling appropriate mating behaviors rather than gaining personal reproductive benefits.
