Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Different animals across the globe display a diverse amount of social structures but it’s not clearly understood why some animals choose to live solitary and some in pairs or groups. There are many clear advantages with hunting in groups, communal nursing and defending territories. In some families of the Canidae individuals from previous litters tend to stay in the family group and help to raise the new pups and provision both the pups and breeding female with food. These individuals may benefit from this by indirect fitness. They can continue to learn from their parents and still be provisioned with food and shelter by not dispersing their first year. There is also a theory that these individuals may thrive to acquire the alpha-status in their territory to benefit from the higher quality resources. This study aims to investigate what advantages the jackal (Canis- adustus, aureaus & mesomelas), bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis) and the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) has with their social structures. It is presented in this study that different species of Canidae benefit from different social structures in multiple ways that may depend on their choice of food and habitat, and they all have one thing in common, their helpers.