Field observation of male infanticide in the American mink (Neovison vison)

Date

2013

Authors

Garcia Diaz, P.
Lizana, M.

Editors

Advisors

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Type:

Journal article

Citation

North-Western Journal of Zoology, 2013; 9(2):438-440

Statement of Responsibility

Pablo García-Díaz and Miguel Lizana

Conference Name

Abstract

Infanticide is becoming an issue of great interest among mammalogists and so are the forces driving infanticidal behaviour in territorial carnivores. Here we report a case of male-driven infanticide in the American mink. The victimized female defended her two cubs against a male. After several violent encounters, the male wounded the female, and then it was able to kill the offspring. The male later copulated with the female, thus we suppose that the case is more related to sexual selection than intraspecific aggression. Nonetheless, the female died before the potential parturition, and owing that female mink breed once per year, there are some pitfalls in the interpretation of this case. © NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2013.

School/Discipline

Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Access Status

Rights

©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2013

License

Grant ID

Call number

Persistent link to this record