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The first report of urine overmarking of pro-oestrus female dung by a male white rhino

The first report of urine overmarking of pro-oestrus female dung by a male white rhino Although observed in other Perrisodactyla, urine overmarking in white rhinos has not been described. Using a single opportunistic sighting, we were able to collect two dung samples from one oestrous female white rhino; one unmarked and one overmarked with male urine. Because of the behaviour of both the male and the female, we suggest that the female was in pro-oestrus. We hypothesised that the function of overmarking by the male was for oestrus concealment (i.e. odour masking), as observed in horses. Because dung from oestrous female white rhinos emits a higher proportion of alkanes than non-oestrous dung, we expected the proportion of alkanes emitted from oestrous dung to decrease after overmarking. In contrast, we found that after overmarking the proportion of alkanes emitted increased. We suggest that the function of urine overmarking in white rhinos could be to conceal all signals of reproductive condition, so that neither oestrous nor non-oestrous signals are recognisable, or that a signal is added to indicate that the female has been mated. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Zoology Taylor & Francis

The first report of urine overmarking of pro-oestrus female dung by a male white rhino

Marneweck, C; Jürgens, A; Shrader, AM
African Zoology , Volume 54 (3): 5 – Oct 4, 2019
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The first report of urine overmarking of pro-oestrus female dung by a male white rhino

Abstract

Although observed in other Perrisodactyla, urine overmarking in white rhinos has not been described. Using a single opportunistic sighting, we were able to collect two dung samples from one oestrous female white rhino; one unmarked and one overmarked with male urine. Because of the behaviour of both the male and the female, we suggest that the female was in pro-oestrus. We hypothesised that the function of overmarking by the male was for oestrus concealment (i.e. odour masking), as observed...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2019 Zoological Society of Southern Africa
ISSN
2224-073X
eISSN
1562-7020
DOI
10.1080/15627020.2019.1635911
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Although observed in other Perrisodactyla, urine overmarking in white rhinos has not been described. Using a single opportunistic sighting, we were able to collect two dung samples from one oestrous female white rhino; one unmarked and one overmarked with male urine. Because of the behaviour of both the male and the female, we suggest that the female was in pro-oestrus. We hypothesised that the function of overmarking by the male was for oestrus concealment (i.e. odour masking), as observed in horses. Because dung from oestrous female white rhinos emits a higher proportion of alkanes than non-oestrous dung, we expected the proportion of alkanes emitted from oestrous dung to decrease after overmarking. In contrast, we found that after overmarking the proportion of alkanes emitted increased. We suggest that the function of urine overmarking in white rhinos could be to conceal all signals of reproductive condition, so that neither oestrous nor non-oestrous signals are recognisable, or that a signal is added to indicate that the female has been mated.

Journal

African Zoology – Taylor & Francis

Published: Oct 4, 2019

Keywords: Ceratotherium simum; odour masking; oestrus concealment

References

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