Alex Gross

Social behavior has evolved independently across taxa.  While much is known about the ultimate factors that drive sociality (for instance, territoriality, thermoregulation, predation, and resource availability), less is known of the proximate mechanisms that regulate social behavior.  The spotted hyena has a unique social structure as compared with other social carnivores, which consists of a strict dominance social hierarchy. Alternatively, African lions live in prides lacking a strict hierarchy in its social structure, as males and females share duties, and more egalitarian behavior is exhibited.  This project investigates oxytocin, a neuropeptide largely responsible for social bonding across all mammals, as a potential mediator of social behavior within social hyena groups.  It is hypothesized that following administration of oxytocin, African lions and spotted hyenas will show an increase in tolerance and affiliative behavior, in addition to a decrease in vigilance after administration of oxytocin, when compared to saline and baseline trials.  Tolerance and affiliative behaviors (proximity to neighbor) were significantly increased post intranasal administration of oxytocin in both sets of social species, supporting our hypotheses.  In the face of habitat loss and fragmentation, understanding the unique differences in social behavior in African carnivores is essential in providing sustainable management strategies.  This investigation of the role of oxytocin in social interactions has begun to elucidate differences in affiliative behavior which may allow us to manage wildlife populations more effectively, aiding the future of conservation.