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Home range, social behavior, and dominance relationships in the African unstriped ground squirrel, Xerus rutilus

August 1, 1976

A field study of home range, social behavior, and dominance relationships in the African unstriped ground squirrel, Xerus rutilus, was conducted in semi-arid bushland near Kibwezi, Kenya. Ground squirrels lived alone or in small groups in isolated burrow systems and had broadly overlapping home ranges. They were neither territorial or colonial. Home ranges were estimated by visual observation of marked animals and those of males were considerably larger (mean=7.01 hectares (ha); n=4) than those of females (mean=1.37 ha; n-6). A continuum of agonistic behavior ranging from threat to combat is described, although actual combat was rarely observed. Sexual behavior includes a stereotypical tail display by adult males. Dominance relationships, based on 542 observed encounters between marked individuals, include a consistent male dominance over females and a fairly constant linear hierarchy among all individuals with shared home ranges. Similarities in the behavior of African ground squirrels and tree squirrels (Sciurus) are discussed.

Publication Year 1976
Title Home range, social behavior, and dominance relationships in the African unstriped ground squirrel, Xerus rutilus
DOI 10.2307/1379295
Authors Thomas J. O'Shea
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of Mammalogy
Index ID 70119575
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse