Antipredator strategy of female goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa Guld., 1780) with hiding fawn

In ungulates, predation is often a major cause of infant mortality and likely plays an important role in shaping maternal care strategies that favor progeny survival. The anti-predator strategies of ungulates can be broadly categorized into two groups, hiding infants and following infants. We studied the maternal behavioral strategies of goitered gazelle, which is a typical representative of a hiding species. We found that shortly after birth, goitered gazelle mothers (1) stayed at the greatest distances from their hiding fawns; (2) spent the shortest amount of time together with their fawns, and then only for suckling (during the active phase) which was also the longest inter-suckling intervals (during the hiding phase); (3) kept twins separated in different hiding places and suckled them individually one after the other; (4) changed fawns' hiding places after every active period, travelling with them during the whole suckling bout; (5) oriented their body and muzzle most often toward their hiding young during the fawn's hiding phase; and (6) demonstrated the highest level of vigilance during their approaches to their hiding fawns. The anti-predator strategy of goitered gazelle females was similar to that observed in some North American (Antilocapra americana, Odocoileus hemionus and Odocoileus virginianus) and Eurasian (Dama dama and Capreolus capreolus) ungulate species that also demonstrate hiding behavior. Females of these species live on different continents with disparate environments and different predatory threats, but share anti-predator strategies, which are likely the result of convergent evolution in Bovids and Cervids.