1. Activity in a hunted and an unhunted herd of Dall sheep
- Author
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Karen K. Laing, Edward C. Murphy, Brian A. Cooper, and Francis J. Singer
- Subjects
Veterinary medicine ,Animal science ,Food Animals ,biology ,Dall Sheep ,Horn (anatomy) ,Foraging ,Herd ,Animal Science and Zoology ,biology.organism_classification ,Ovis - Abstract
In three sampling areas (two unhunted, one hunted), we compared activity patterns of Dall sheep rams (Ovis dalli) of different horn size during the rut. In all three areas rams with horns 3 4 - curled and smaller rams were less frequently seen in ewe bands as the rut progressed. In one area where we documented activity budgets, we observed equivalent budgets for ewes and rams with horns 1 4 - curled . Older rams spent less time foraging than young rams, except that rams with horns 5 8 – 7 8 curled spent less time foraging than full-curl rams late in the rut. Display frequencies of 7 8 - curl rams were similar to those of full-curl rams and considerably higher than those of smaller-horned rams early in the rut. These results suggest that the rut is more energy costly for old rams than for young rams, but that it may be most costly for the next-to-largest horn-curl class rams (e.g. 7 8 - curl rams in unhunted populations) rather than the dominant rams (full-curl and larger). Rams in the next-to-largest horn-curl class in the hunted herd, however, did not acquire the higher display rates (e.g., 3 4 - curl rams had equally low display rates in both the hunted and unhunted herds).
- Published
- 1991
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