Plains Zebras Prioritize Foraging Without Sacrificing Social Bonds During a Severe Drought.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenically induced climate change has significantly increased the frequency of acute weather events, such as drought. As human activities amplify environmental stresses, animals may be forced to prioritize survival over behaviors less crucial to immediate fitness, such as socializing. Yet, social bonds may also enable individuals to weather the deleterious effects of environmental conditions. We investigated how the highly social plains zebra (Equus quagga) modify their activity budgets, social networks, and multimodal communication during a drought. Although animals prioritized feeding and the number of social interactions dramatically decreased in the late drought period, social associations remained robust. We observed age/sex class-specific changes in social behavior, ref

SUBMITTER: Hex SBSW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11710937 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature