Predator harassment is an anti-predator behaviour that may increase a harasser’s risk of predation but decrease the potential for predation for other members of a group. The Cape ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) is a facultative cooperative breeder from southern Africa that harasses venomous snakes. The objective of my study was to examine predator harassment to determine: 1) whether predator harassment was part of alloparental care by comparing harassment behaviour among age and sex classes; 2) how individuals adjusted their behaviour against different snake species; 3) whether olfaction was used in discrimination of snakes; and 4) if individuals possessed venom resistance against venomous snakes. I found that females with juvenile offspring harass snakes longer and more intensely than other individuals, suggesting that predator harassment was a maternal behaviour. Squirrels increased harassment, inspection and vigilant behaviours with risk when exposed to both live snakes and snake odours suggesting they can use olfaction to discriminate snake predators. I also found no venom resistance in Cape ground squirrels concluding the cost of envenomation was significant.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MANITOBA/oai:mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca:1993/9223 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Phillips, Molly A. |
| Contributors | Waterman, Jane (Biological Sciences), Hare, Jim (Biological Sciences) Lingle, Susan (University of Winnipeg) |
| Publisher | Toxicon |
| Source Sets | University of Manitoba Canada |
| Detected Language | English |
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