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Comparison of the social systems of primates and feral horses: data from a newly established horse research site on Serra D’Arga, northern Portugal.
Abstract: Horses are phylogenetically distant from primates, but considerable behavioral links exist between the two. The sociality of horses, characterized by group stability, is similar to that of primates, but different from that of many other ungulates. Although horses and primates are good models for exploring the evolution of societies in human and non-human animals, fewer studies have been conducted on the social system of horses than primates. Here, we investigated the social system of feral horses, particularly the determinant factors of single-male/multi-male group dichotomy, in light of hypotheses derived from studies of primate societies. Socioecological data from 26 groups comprising 208 feral horses on Serra D'Arga, northern Portugal suggest that these primate-based hypotheses cannot adequately explain the social system of horses. In view of the sympatric existence of multi- and single-male groups, and the frequent intergroup transfers and promiscuous mating of females with males of different groups, male-female relationships of horses appear to differ from those of polygynous primates.
Publication Date: 2017-06-05 PubMed ID: 28585062DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0614-yGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examines the contrasting social systems of primates and feral horses to understand aspects of their group dynamics and male-female relationships. The study found that primate-based theories insufficiently explain horse social behavior, particularly in terms of group dichotomy and intergroup transfers.
Objective
The research aims to scrutinize the social systems of primates and feral horses, focusing on the factors that determine the single-male/multi-male group dichotomy. Researchers conducted a field study on a population of feral horses in Serra D’Arga, Northern Portugal, to enhance the understanding of horse societies, which are less studied compared to primate societies.
Methodology
The researchers collected socio-ecological data from 26 groups of feral horses, totalling 208 individuals. These horses were observed and analyzed to understand their social behavior, focusing particularly on the dynamics of single-male and multi-male groups.
Findings
The research findings contradicted the hypotheses derived from primate societies, suggesting that they were inadequate to explain the social dynamics of horse societies. Findings include:
- Feral horse groups could exist in both single-male and multi-male forms, all living harmoniously within the same environment.
- Frequent intergroup transfers were common among the horse population studied, especially in the cases of female horses.
- Females didn’t adhere strictly to their original groups but indulged in promiscuous mating with males from different groups.
Implications
The research showed that the male-female relationships in horses differ from those in polygynous primates. The group dynamics of horses appear to be more complex and varied than previously assumed. The results highlight the necessity of independent and specific studies for different animal societies, rather than broadly applying theories derived from primate societies. This study has significantly contributed to the less-explored field of horse sociobiology.
Cite This Article
APA
Ringhofer M, Inoue S, Mendonça RS, Pereira C, Matsuzawa T, Hirata S, Yamamoto S.
(2017).
Comparison of the social systems of primates and feral horses: data from a newly established horse research site on Serra D’Arga, northern Portugal.
Primates, 58(4), 479-484.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-017-0614-y Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan. monamie.ringhofer@gmail.com.
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.
- Université Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris, France.
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan.
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
- Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan.
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. hirata.satoshi.8z@kyoto-u.ac.jp.
- Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan. shinyayamamoto1981@gmail.com.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Horses / physiology
- Horses / psychology
- Male
- Portugal
- Primates / physiology
- Primates / psychology
- Social Behavior
Grant Funding
- core-to-core CCSN / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- JSPS-U04 / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- KAKENHI No. 15H01619 / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- KAKENHI No.15H05309 / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- KAKENHI No.17H05862 / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- MEXT No. 16H06283 / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
References
This article includes 11 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Nomoto K, Tajima J, Kikusui T, Mogi K. Long-term monitoring of huddling behavior in mice using online image processing. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2024 Mar;44(1):285-291.
- Schubert CL, Ryckewaert B, Pereira C, Matsuzawa T. Garrano Horses Perceive Letters of the Alphabet on a Touchscreen System: A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel) 2022 Dec 12;12(24).
- Maeda T, Sueur C, Hirata S, Yamamoto S. Behavioural synchronization in a multilevel society of feral horses. PLoS One 2021;16(10):e0258944.
- Maeda T, Ochi S, Ringhofer M, Sosa S, Sueur C, Hirata S, Yamamoto S. Aerial drone observations identified a multilevel society in feral horses. Sci Rep 2021 Jan 8;11(1):71.
- Shimada M, Suzuki N. The Contribution of Mutual Grooming to Affiliative Relationships in a Feral Misaki Horse Herd. Animals (Basel) 2020 Sep 3;10(9).
- Anderson JR. Responses to death and dying: primates and other mammals. Primates 2020 Jan;61(1):1-7.
- Matsuzawa T. Horses and nomads in Mongolia. Primates 2019 Sep;60(5):383-387.
- Mendonça RS, Ringhofer M, Pinto P, Inoue S, Hirata S. Feral horses' (Equus ferus caballus) behavior toward dying and dead conspecifics. Primates 2020 Jan;61(1):49-54.
- Matsuzawa T. Horse cognition and behavior from the perspective of primatology. Primates 2017 Oct;58(4):473-477.
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