Intrasexual Competition and Mate Choice in Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

摘要: Rocky Mountain bighorn (Ovis canadensis canadensis) rams employed three distinct mating tactics. When tending, defended single estrous ewes. In coursing, forced copulations with ewes, and, in blocking, sequestered ewes from more dominant rams. Ewes utilized a traditional area when tended, attempted to escape this blocked, and resisted coursing ram attempts force copulations. Between-year variation the dispersion of about tending strongly influenced consort probably success Thus, ewe spatial predictability during estrus — achieved by clustering tended resisting blocking appears be an important mechanism mate choice species. apparently did not gain material or risk-related benefits That such males provide “good genes” is attractive remaining possibility.