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Human-modified food distribution affects aggressive behaviour among elephants

Context
A new study has highlighted how human activities can have ecological effects and impact the social lives of animals.

What is the study?

• Scientists from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an autonomous institution under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, investigated the influence of food distribution within and between group interactions in female-bonded animals such as elephants.
• They assessed data on elephant behaviour from Kabini Grassland and its neighbouring forest. They found that competition between elephant herds is greater in grasslands with an abundance of food compared to forests. 

Findings:

• The findings of their study partly support the predictions of a socio-ecological model, the ecological model of female social relationships (EMFSR) which states that food distribution primarily determines competition (and physical conflict) between and within groups. 
• Increased conflict is expected over abundant and clumped food resources that groups or individuals can monopolise.
• The study shows that increasing resource availability can have opposite effects than intended.
• This is relevant in the context of rapid anthropogenic changes in natural habitats, such as human interference in the social systems of wild populations.

Background:

• Asian elephants show many traits which are thought to be associated with low agonistic competition.
• Their fission–fusion dynamics allow them to flexibly split into small groups and mitigate competition.
• They are not territorial which should lead to infrequent aggression during between-group encounters.

DRDO

Context
DRDO celebrates 66th Foundation Day.