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Academic Journals, New York, International Journal of Zoological Research, 2(6), p. 120-130, 2010

DOI: 10.3923/ijzr.2010.120.130

Academic Journals, New York, International Journal of Zoological Research, 1(5), p. 16-26, 2008

DOI: 10.3923/ijzr.2009.16.26

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Integration of Two Newly Formed Couples of Canis lupus baileyi at Two Zoos in Mexico

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

The study was done to determine when social integration occurs in newly formed Mexican gray wolf couples. Two wolf pairs, at Zacango Zoo (ZZ) and Leon Zoo (LZ) respectively, were observed daily from the time they were put together until 15 days after the breeding season was over. Social behavior frequencies were split out in five periods: Anterior, Previous, During, After and Posterior to the breeding season. The Binomial test was used to analyze the social interactions between the pairs and the differences between genders. During the reproductive season both couples showed a significative increase in neutral behaviors-mainly by the females, all disappearing in the After period. In both groups, males were on the defensive and playful behavior, aggressive behavior was displayed almost exclusively by the bitches. Again, this last behaviour decreased in the After-breeding period. In conclusion, neither playful nor aggressive behavior observed indicate that wolves had socially integrated, since as in neutral interactions, these behaviors were only shown During the reproductive season and then disappeared afterwards.