Flexibility in the social behavior of captive female capybaras (Mammalia, Rodentia)

Abstract

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) lives in stable groups composed of adult males and females with their young. The species shows flexibility in social organization in response to short-term environmental changes, but apparently does not show flexibility in social behavior. To gain insights into mechanisms underlying changes in social relationships, we analyzed the social dominance hierarchy of five captive capybara groups, composed of four to 13 adult females kept in outdoor paddocks ranging from 400 to 4500m². In addition, we evaluated the effects of group size and space allowance on two complementary properties of social structure: linearity and steepness. Captive female capybaras exhibit a linear social dominance hierarchy. There was also more predictability in the dominance success- hierarchical steepness - in the dominance hierarchy with a decrease in the space per individual. This variability in response to changing circumstances shows flexibility in capybara's social behavior.

Keywords: Aggressive behavior; Applied ethology; Social behavior; Social structure.