FROM INDIVIDUAL TO COLLECTIVE VIGILANCE IN WILD BOAR (SUS-SCROFA)

Vigilance behaviour of captive wild boars at feeding points was investigated using films. Results show that individual vigilance decreased with increasing group size, especially between solitary individuals and groups of 2. Moreover, the collective vigilance was, whatever the group size, below the individual vigilance in solitary animals. The study of the motor variability of vigilance behaviour allows three types of movement to be distinguished. The mean durations of each type vary largely, but are almost constant whatever the group size. On the other hand, the relative proportions of the vigilance acts change according to group size. Although previous studies of vigilance are in keeping with the functional approach of behaviour, these data are interpreted in terms of proximate causation. A mechanism based on allelomimesis is proposed to explain the results.