Comparison of social relationship among reticulated giraffes and gravy zebras in a mixed-species community between antepartum and postpartum

Abstract

Mixed-species exhibition under which multiple species are housed in a same enclosure provides various advantages in zoos. However, mixed-species exhibition may impaired animal welfare in some situations such as delivery and nursing. This study evaluated social relationship of typical combination of mixed-species exhibition in Japanese zoos, reticulated giraffes Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata and gravy zebras Equus grevyi, and investigated the influence of birth of a newborn zebra on the social relationship within and between species. The subjects were three giraffes and one (before birth) and two zebras (after birth) housed in Kyoto City Zoo, Japan. We recorded their social behavior, nearest individuals, and distance between each pair of individuals and compared these parameters between before and after birth. In these two observation periods, affiliative behavior between species was observed, indicating that they had favorable relationship. But a specific pair of individuals increased agonistic behavior, suggesting that delivery of a newborn zebra changed the social relationship between giraffes and zebras negatively. These results suggest that mixed-species exhibition provides social stimulation to subject animals; however, aggressive incidents should be monitored carefully at delivery and during nursing.