AI Article Synopsis
- Researchers documented a rare case of allonursing in captive plains zebras at Dvůr Králové Zoo, where a lactating mare adopted an orphaned foal.
- The mare regularly nursed both her biological foal and the adopted foal, but displayed less tolerance for suckling attempts from the non-filial foal.
- Suckling bouts were shorter when nursing both foals simultaneously, but the mare did not show a preference for her biological foal over the orphaned one.
Article Abstract
Although allonursing (allowing non-filial offspring to suckle) can be a costly behaviour, it has been reported for many mammals including ungulate species. However, such behaviour is very rare in equids. This is the first report on adoption and allonursing in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii), recorded in the Dvůr Králové Zoo, Czech Republic. We observed a case of adoption of an orphaned foal by a lactating mare, who then regularly nursed two foals (filial and non-filial). The allonursing mare rejected more suckling attempts, terminated suckling bouts more often, and had a shorter suckling bout duration than other mares. When nursing both foals at the same time, the suckling bout lasted for less time than when nursing a single foal, regardless of whether it was filial or non-filial. The allonursing mare apparently did not discriminate between the filial and non-filial foal.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.beproc.2010.11.003 | DOI Listing |
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