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Allo-suckling occurrence and its effect on lactation and nursing duration in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Orkney, Scotland
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dc.contributor.author | Arso Civil, Monica | |
dc.contributor.author | Hague, Emily | |
dc.contributor.author | Langley, Izzy | |
dc.contributor.author | Scott-Hayward, Lindesay | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2021-08-18T09:30:08Z | |
dc.date.available | 2021-08-18T09:30:08Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2021-08-17 | |
dc.identifier | 274879430 | |
dc.identifier | 55fb1577-60f0-4b2b-b518-94cbc108ad61 | |
dc.identifier | 85112785781 | |
dc.identifier | 000686552000001 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Arso Civil , M , Hague , E , Langley , I & Scott-Hayward , L 2021 , ' Allo-suckling occurrence and its effect on lactation and nursing duration in harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) in Orkney, Scotland ' , Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology , vol. 75 , 121 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-021-03051-y | en |
dc.identifier.issn | 0340-5443 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0003-3402-533X/work/98784994 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0001-8239-9526/work/98785583 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0002-8957-1373/work/116598370 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10023/23793 | |
dc.description | This study was funded by Scottish Government (grant number MMSS/002/15). | en |
dc.description.abstract | Fostering and allo-suckling are widespread among pinnipeds, and several hypotheses have been formulated to explain their occurrence. Here, we describe the occurrence of allo-suckling in harbour seals from photo-identification data of females and pups in Orkney (Scotland) during the pupping seasons between 2016 and 2019. We used a generalised linear model framework to investigate the effect of allo-suckling on the duration of lactation (females) and of nursing period (pups). A generalised additive model framework was used to explore how the probability of allo-suckling varied throughout the pupping season, and with changes in mother-pup separation time. Allo-suckling was observed in 31 females, at higher rates (18–37% of lactating females and 18–47% of the pups every year) than those observed in other phocid populations, with 13 females allo-suckling in multiple years. The duration of the pups’ nursing period was not affected by allo-suckling occurrence. However, females in mother-pup pairs where both mother and pup allo-suckled had longer lactation duration than when only the pup allo-suckled, or than in pairs where no allo-suckling was observed. The probability of allo-suckling increased during the pupping season and with increased mother-pup separation time. However, the proximate causes and the consequences on future reproductive output and pup survival remain unknown. | |
dc.format.extent | 14 | |
dc.format.extent | 1827496 | |
dc.language.iso | eng | |
dc.relation.ispartof | Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology | en |
dc.subject | Allo-suckling | en |
dc.subject | Lactation duration | en |
dc.subject | Nursing period | en |
dc.subject | Phocids | en |
dc.subject | Harbour seal | en |
dc.subject | Non-filial | en |
dc.subject | QH301 Biology | en |
dc.subject | DAS | en |
dc.subject | Scottish Government | en |
dc.subject.lcc | QH301 | en |
dc.title | Allo-suckling occurrence and its effect on lactation and nursing duration in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Orkney, Scotland | en |
dc.type | Journal article | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. School of Biology | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling | en |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.1007/s00265-021-03051-y | |
dc.description.status | Peer reviewed | en |
dc.date.embargoedUntil | 2021-08-17 |
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