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Spatial behaviour of the Apennine hare: Are females territorial?
Author(s) -
Lovari Sandro,
Fattorini Niccolò,
Calosi Martina,
Cozzi Francesca,
Gabbrielli Chiara,
Giari Chiara,
Torniai Letizia,
Romeo Giorgia,
Mori Emiliano
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ethology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0179-1613
DOI - 10.1111/eth.13026
Subject(s) - territoriality , home range , zoology , ecology , biology , geography , range (aeronautics) , aggression , demography , habitat , psychology , materials science , psychiatry , composite material , sociology
The spatial behaviour of seven male and five female Apennine hares Lepus corsicanus was studied in a scrub‐wood area of Central Italy, through radiotracking. The median percentage of home‐range overlap was about five times lower between females (< 15%) than between males (75%). Intrasexual aggression was recorded for females, but never for males. No species within the Lepus genus are known to be territorial, whereas we suggest that inter‐individual female intolerance in the Apennine hare may be compatible with territoriality. The Apennine hare is also unusual among hares because it reproduces throughout the year, that is also during food‐poor months, which could have triggered resource defence between females to maximise their reproductive fitness.