Animals, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 14(24), С. 3601 - 3601

Опубликована: Дек. 13, 2024

In recent decades, it has become apparent that during parturition events in a number of social mammals, support behaviours from group mates can be directed to parturient females (and their newborn neonates). Such behaviour been documented diverse taxa, across non-human primates, Elephantidae, Cetacea, and Chiroptera, living range organisations, matrilineal groups cooperatively breeding multi-male, multi-female groups. Since sociality, association with parturition, demonstrated confer several health benefits human mothers neonates, here, we also consider the potential adaptive significance for other, non-human, mammals. If appropriate environments reduce female’s dystocia risk improve her responsiveness neonate following successful birth, then impacts peri-parturient environment may ultimately have far-reaching on mother–neonate dyad’s fitness. This seems logical sequela since condition at birth establishment strong maternal-neonate bond are often most critical factors influencing mammalian offspring survival independence. The principles kin selection alliance enhancement serve explain fitness individuals who thus selective advantage conferred those exhibiting such behaviours. Older, multiparous appear hold particularly important role assistance they provide mates, given greater level experience these events. Furthermore, an influence horizontal information transfer within group. particular, long-lived, cognitively advanced mammals (e.g., Cetacea), witnessing events, early responses, maternal care, engaging allomaternal care young neonates essential nulliparous females’ normal development. prepare them own parturition-related survivorship first-born offspring. Thus, is vital better understanding gained importance salient features births improving outcomes both mother highly species. aim this commentary assemble our current interconnected themes. We suggest future, insights through observation domestic non-domestic species, by wide interdisciplinary stakeholders (including zookeepers, wildlife tourism guides, breeders animals, indigenous people, ethologists), will enhancing rarely witnessed, yet life event.

Язык: Английский