Aspects of olfaction, social behaviour and ecology of an island population of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Abstract
Olfactory behaviour in the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
has been studied extensively under laboratory and semi-natural
conditions. Results of observations on aspects of the olfactory
behaviour of a free-living population of rabbits are presented. To
facilitate interpretation of these results, considerable
preliminary information about the population was collected. The
study was conducted over a three year period on the Isle of May
off the east coast of Scotland. A total of 326 rabbits were
trapped and marked to permit identification in the field, and data
on sex, age and social status of these individuals was collated.
Data on the overall structure and fluctuations in the population
are presented. The social organisation and home ranges of rabbits
at four study sites throughout the three years are described.
Observations indicate that the social organisation of free-living
populations is more complex and variable than previous
descriptions of semi-natural populations would have led us to
expect.
The reproductive performance of the population was investigated
and intra and interwarren variations are analysed with respect to
warren and group size. Results indicate an inverse relationship
between warren size and reproductive success. The most frequently
observed group composition (2 males, 2 females) was also the most
reproductively successful.
Daily and seasonal activity patterns of different age, sex and
social status classes of rabbits are described.
Olfactory communication was investigated by analysis of the
frequency, daily and seasonal variation, and behavioural context
of odour related activities performed by members of different age,
sex and social status classes. The importance of using appropriate
methods for the sampling of behaviour in field studies of
olfaction is stressed. The present study concentrates on behaviour
related to latrines; chin marking of the substrate and of
conspecifics; enurination and urine squirting; and pawscraping.
The results suggest that different scent products may carry
similar information but analysis of variations in the frequency
and context of odour deposition suggests that the deposition of
scent fulfills a variety of functions.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
Collections
Except where otherwise noted within the work, this item's licence for re-use is described as Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
Items in the St Andrews Research Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.