Premium
No Evidence of Social Hierarchy amongst Feeding Badgers, Meles meles
Author(s) -
Macdonald David W.,
Stewart Paul D.,
Johnson Paul J.,
Porkert Jiri,
Buesching Christina
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
ethology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0179-1613
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0310.2002.00807.x
Subject(s) - meles , badger , carnivore , mustelidae , social organisation , dominance hierarchy , dominance (genetics) , hierarchy , aggression , biology , geography , zoology , ecology , sociology , political science , psychology , social psychology , predation , social science , biochemistry , gene , law
Linear or despotic dominance hierarchies are common in carnivore societies. However, in feeding experiments in the field with wild European badgers, Meles meles , we found no compelling evidence for any such hierarchies within badger groups, or even between the members of neighbouring groups. The outcome of dyadic encounters within groups was partly determined by asymmetries in weight and length, but these predictors were readily confounded by ownership. Aggression between members of neighbouring groups during encounters at feeding sites at territorial borders was extremely rare. These rather ad hoc aspects of social organization reinforce the view that badger societies are somewhat loosely structured.