Abstract:
An analysis of the social bohaviour of the roan
antelope (Hi£E.g__tragus eguinus ~quipus Desmarest, 1804)
is presented in this thesis. The study commenced in
Jv..ly, 1967 e A hard of 10 animals in an cmclosurG - 1 ~ 6 kiloso
square and simulating natural conditions - provided ideal
opportunities for inte~sive study: Further observations
were made on free-roaming herds in the main roan h<Jbitat of
the Park i.eo the Lebombo flats north of the Letaba rivere
The basic discipline regulating the interactions
between the members of a herd is the dominance hierarchyo
According to this system the social standing of each
individual in the herd is determined by its degree of
dominance over other herd members" The position amongst
males differs from that of the females insofar as the
dominance - which allows for conditional tolerance towards
other individuals - is replaced by total intolerance amongst
adult males e This rules out any possibility of an amiable
co-existence between adult bullso ~ straight-line dominance
hierarchy is evident amongst the cows o Characteristically
the leadership of the herd is the £unction of the most
dominant cow~
by age mid not
Among the immatures dominunce is determined
sex. Rank positions among f0mal0s remain
unchang0d in the transition from immature to adult.
Dominant individuals assert their dominance over subordinates
by means of the dominance display and low, moderate and
high intensity fightingo Once established, the positions
remain stable~ The dominance hierarchy results in herd
stability,,
