Social behavior and changes in foraging behavior in a gregarious ungulate

Male Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) in Redwood National and State Parks exhibit disrupted foraging efficiency when interacting socially with females, spending more time with their heads up compared to when aggregating solely with other males. This social behavior, characterized by proximity to conspecifics, affects males more than females, suggesting sex-specific ecological differences. The study analyzed 547 focal observations of 4–15 minutes each, measuring head-up time, step length, and foraging path tortuosity in a nonmigratory elk population. While social behavior did not influence step length or path tortuosity, it significantly impacted feeding time, highlighting the complex interplay between social dynamics and foraging efficiency in size-dimorphic ungulates.

Peterson, L. M., & Weckerly, F. W. (2018). Social behavior and changes in foraging behavior in a gregarious ungulate. Journal of Mammalogy. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy129