Spotted hyena aggression demonstrates how facultative siblicide can be triggered by environmental factors. Siblicide is a behavior most common among birds (Mock and Parker, 1997) in which one or multiple siblings target the youngest because this sibling is the weakest and easiest to take advantage of, allowing more resources and energy to be directed toward the most fit off-spring. Smale L(1), Holekamp KE, White PA. Spotted hyenas also engage in facultative siblicide. Siblicide in the spotted hyena: analysis with ultrasonic examination of wild and captive individuals. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 62, no. As cases of siblicide in twin spotted hyena litters have only been observed in populations that forage on low or fluctuating levels of prey (Hofer and East 1997; Golla et al. The spotted hyena (Crocuta ... has been observed as either obligate or facultative in mammals. Many cases have been studied where the eagle chicks are observed pecking the younger sibling over 1,000 times within the first three days of their life. Hunting group size, hunting rates and hunting success were monitored over a seven‐year period among members of one large clan of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta ) inhabiting the Masai Mara National Reserve, in south‐west Kenya.Prey availability varied seasonally in this study area, and hyenas tended to hunt whichever prey species were most abundant during each month of the year.
As a result, siblicide victors achieved a long-term growth rate similar to that of singletons and thus significantly increased their expected survival. 31 Lougheed, L. W. & Anderson, D. J. "Siblicide in Serengeti spotted hyenas: a long-term study of maternal input and cub survival." Hyena cubs are born with their eyes open and with developed teeth, ... 29 Anderson, D. J. We are attempting to determine whether siblicide in hyenas is an obligate, sex-biased phenomenon that is unique among vertebrates, as suggested by Frank et al (1991). Spotted hyena cubs // Source: Wikimedia Commons While this seems harsh, siblicide often helps increase the reproductive success of future generations. Siblicide in the spotted hyena: Analysis with ultrasonic examination of wild and captive individuals.
Although clutches of two eggs are frequently laid, obligate siblicide eliminates the younger hatchling before it reaches the age of independence. While it is possible that in this study deaths occurred in the first week of life prior to video probing of burrows, probes and sightings of litters … Litter sizes and compositions differed little between wild and captive hyenas. Hofer, Heribert, and Marion L. East.
Frank et al. ... previous studies asserting that spotted hyenas exhibited obligate siblicide turned to …