Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Forming mixed‐species herds is a common antipredator behaviour of many African herbivores. Here, we quantify the degree to which the common warthog uses herding behaviour as a strategy to potentially reduce risk. We found that warthog occurred in mixed‐species herds ~50% of the time and that total herd size of mixed‐species herds was significantly larger than single‐species herds. We observed that impala—a preferred prey species for several carnivores—were warthog's most common heterospecific herd mate. Finally, within mixed‐species herds, warthog orientated themselves so that they were most commonly found to be surrounded by heterospecifics by 180°.
Source: African Journal of Ecology
DOI: 10.1111/aje.13349
Institutions: University of North Dakota, University of Mpumalanga
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: South African National Parks
OpenAlex ID: W4405026189