Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Prey or play : interactions between walruses and seabirds. / Giljov, Andrey; Karenina, Karina; Kochnev, Anatoly.
In: Acta Ethologica, Vol. 20, No. 1, 01.02.2017, p. 47-57.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Prey or play
T2 - interactions between walruses and seabirds
AU - Giljov, Andrey
AU - Karenina, Karina
AU - Kochnev, Anatoly
PY - 2017/2/1
Y1 - 2017/2/1
N2 - Several anecdotal reports indicate that walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) occasionally attack seabirds, which potentially impacts local bird populations. However, the manner in which walruses interact with seabirds and the motivational basis of such interactions have not been investigated. Here, we describe and characterize the behaviour of wild Pacific walruses (O. r. divergens) directed at seabirds in water near the summer haulout in the Chukchi Sea. Although most walruses showed no interest in seabirds nearby, some individuals intentionally approached them both alone and in groups. A total of 74 seabird encounters for 71 individually identified walruses were registered. Behavioural analysis based on detailed observations, photography and video recording showed that the most common types of walrus behaviour toward a bird were approach by surfacing and splash, approach by surfacing and hit and attack from below. Immature individuals initiated 82% of encounters. The motivation to approach a bird was low in adult individuals, with the majority of encounters involving adults initiated by males. Walrus encounters with live birds showed a very low rate of bird kill. Encounters with dead birds were followed by further manipulations with bird carcasses, which included both the consumption of bird soft tissue and object play taking the form of drop–catch behaviour. In addition eight cases of the object-oriented play with a bird carcass in a group of walruses were observed. Object play in wild walruses is reported for the first time. Our results indicate that in seabird encounters, walruses display diverse behavioural patterns, not limited to predatory responses.
AB - Several anecdotal reports indicate that walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) occasionally attack seabirds, which potentially impacts local bird populations. However, the manner in which walruses interact with seabirds and the motivational basis of such interactions have not been investigated. Here, we describe and characterize the behaviour of wild Pacific walruses (O. r. divergens) directed at seabirds in water near the summer haulout in the Chukchi Sea. Although most walruses showed no interest in seabirds nearby, some individuals intentionally approached them both alone and in groups. A total of 74 seabird encounters for 71 individually identified walruses were registered. Behavioural analysis based on detailed observations, photography and video recording showed that the most common types of walrus behaviour toward a bird were approach by surfacing and splash, approach by surfacing and hit and attack from below. Immature individuals initiated 82% of encounters. The motivation to approach a bird was low in adult individuals, with the majority of encounters involving adults initiated by males. Walrus encounters with live birds showed a very low rate of bird kill. Encounters with dead birds were followed by further manipulations with bird carcasses, which included both the consumption of bird soft tissue and object play taking the form of drop–catch behaviour. In addition eight cases of the object-oriented play with a bird carcass in a group of walruses were observed. Object play in wild walruses is reported for the first time. Our results indicate that in seabird encounters, walruses display diverse behavioural patterns, not limited to predatory responses.
KW - Play
KW - Predatory behaviour
KW - Seabirds
KW - Social behaviour
KW - Visual lateralisation
KW - Walrus behaviour
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85004025659&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10211-016-0248-x
DO - 10.1007/s10211-016-0248-x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85004025659
VL - 20
SP - 47
EP - 57
JO - Acta Ethologica
JF - Acta Ethologica
SN - 0873-9749
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 9165771