Foraging behaviour and sexual segregation in bighorn sheep

摘要: Like many sexually dimorphic ungulates, bighorn sheep, Ovis canadensis, form segregated groups. Nursery groups include females, lambs and subadult males, while adult males bachelor Previous hypotheses to account for sexual segregation in ungulates have suggested differences energy requirements, predation risk social preferences. I tested the hypothesis that differing nutritional demands, due dimorphism body size, would lead different movement patterns time budgets. If ruminating/foraging schedules differed according females could not synchronize their activities therefore segregate by sex. To test this hypothesis, observed a population of marked bighorns. recorded spent lying, grazing or walking during 8‐14 h focal-animal observations. Initial final location steps taken per minute foraging were also noted. Females more had longer bouts than but did differ numbers foraging. Males lying females. Subadult switched between nursery changed behaviour depending on type group they in. The distance moved was average almost four times greater female male suggest difference budgets make it difficult stay same segregation. © 1998 Association Study Animal Behaviour