Territorial behaviour in certain horned ungulates, with special reference to the examples of Thomson's and Grant's Gazelles

Abstract

An attempt has been made to distinguish between action area, home range, and territory in the Bovidae. The establishing of subjective boundaries is considered to be the most important criterion of territoriality. The existence of such boundaries becomes evident from certain behavioural symptoms; “defence” or better, localized dominance which may lead to intolerance, is one of them.

Not all bovids are territorial. Within the territorial species, there seem to be at least two types: (a) The animals, usually in pairs, may, under favourable conditions, stay in their territories permanently; (b) Only the males are territorial and stay in temporary territories, usually for several weeks or months. This last type is obviously more common in horned ungulates than the first one. Within this second type (b), there are species-specific differences. For example, in Grant's gazelle (Gazella granti), under certain environmental conditions, this type of territoriality is combined with harem behaviour, but in the co-inhabiting Thomson's gazelle (Gazella thomsoni), the females roam through the territories of the males and stay together with the same buck only for a few hours per day.

Even within one and the same species, there can be variations, apparently linked with differences in environmental conditions. This is discussed, using the examples of the Uganda kob (Adenota kobj, the wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), and Grant's gazelle. Finally, there can be differences in the territorial behaviour of the same individual according to the phases of territoriality (beginning, peak, end) which is shown by the example of Thomson's gazelle.