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How social relationships of female giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) change after calving

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) social structure is described as a fission–fusion society (Bercovitch & Berry, 2009; Shorrocks & Croft, 2009), wherein mother–daughter pairs and specific adult female dyads form strong, continuous social relationships (Bercovitch & Berry, 2013; Carter et al., 2013). Bercovitch & Berry (2013) found that in addition to related individuals, peers are more likely to establish herds than nonpeers. These nonkin relationships may be formed at an early stage through shared membership in a creche (Carter et al., 2013).

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Current knowledge about the social organisation of giraffes

The Etosha Giraffe Research project in Namibia focuses on the social relationships among giraffes, which have previously been described as having little social structure nor strong bonds between individuals (Dagg and Foster, 1976; Le Pendu et al., 2000; Moss, 1976). Giraffes live in a fission-fusion society characterised by frequent changes of associates, with males adopting a roaming strategy to search for widely distributed female groups (Bashaw et al., 2007; Bercovitch et al., 2006; Dagg and Foster, 1976; Shorrocks and Croft,

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The role of nursery group guardian is not shared equally by female giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi)

Giraffe usually give birth to a single calf throughout the year, although some locations report that conceptions are more likely during the wet season (Shorrocks, 2016). Several mother‐calf pairs will gather to form a nursery group in which all calves and their mothers are all together (Foster & Dagg, 1972; Langman, 1977). In general, lactating females spend more time foraging or drinking than nonlactating females (Fischhoff et al., 2007; Hamel & Côté, 2008). Hence, sometimes females in a nursery group

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Giraffe mother–calf relationships in the miombo woodland of Katavi National Park, Tanzania

Both predator pressure and habitat type influence mother–offspring relationship. Giraffe’s herd size and herd composition can be influenced by these two environmental factors. We sought to uncover whether predator pressure and habitat type also have an impact on giraffe mother–calf proximity and time spent together. We studied giraffe mother–calf relationships to compare mother–calf dyadic relationships in dense woodland with those reported in open woodlands. We collected data from three calves (within the first six months after birth) and their mothers

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