Wallowing in animals is comfort behaviour during which an animal rolls about or lies in mud, water or snow.[1] Some definitions include rolling about in dust,[2] however, in ethology this is usually referred to as dust bathing. Wallowing is often combined with other behaviours to fulfil its purpose; for example, elephants will often blow dirt over themselves after wallowing to create a thicker "coating", or pigs will allow the mud to dry before rubbing themselves on a tree or rock to remove ectoparasites stuck in the mud.
Pigs lack functional sweat glands and are almost incapable of panting. To thermoregulate, they rely on wallowing in water or mud to cool the body. Adult pigs under natural or free-range conditions can often be seen to wallow when air temperature exceeds 20 °C. Mud is the preferred substrate; after wallowing, the wet mud provides a cooling, and probably protecting, layer on the body. When pigs enter a wallow, they normally dig and root in the mud before entering with the fore-body first. They then wriggle the body back and forth, and rub their faces in the mud so all of the body surface is covered. Before they leave the wallow, they often shake their heads and body, often finishing with rubbing against a tree or a stone next to the wallow. When indoors and hot, domestic pigs often attempt to wallow on wet floor surfaces and in the dunging areas.[25]
Although temperature regulation seems to be the main motivation for wallowing in pigs, they will still wallow in colder weather. While many have suggested that pigs wallow in mud because of a lack of sweat glands, pigs and other wallowing animals may have not evolved functional sweat glands because wallowing was a part of their behavioural repertoire.[7]
Pigs are genetically related to animals such as hippopotamus and whales. It has been argued that wallowing behaviour and the desire to be in shallow, murky water could have been a step to the evolution of whales and other marine mammals from land-dwelling mammals.[7]
Sumatran rhinocerosedit
Sumatran rhinoceros wallowing
The Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) spends a large part of its day wallowing. When mud holes are unavailable, the rhino will deepen puddles with its feet and horns. One 20-month study of wallowing behaviour found they will visit no more than three wallows at any given time. After two to 12 weeks using a particular wallow, the rhino will abandon it. Typically, the rhino will wallow around midday for two to three hours at a time before foraging for food. Although in zoos the Sumatran rhino has been observed wallowing less than 45 minutes a day, the study of wild animals found 80–300 minutes per day spent in wallows. Captive individuals deprived of adequate wallowing have quickly developed broken and inflamed skins, suppurations, eye problems, inflamed nails, hair loss and have eventually died.[26]
Many deer perform wallowing, creating wallow sites in wet depressions in the ground, eventually forming quite large sites (2–3 m across and up to 1 m deep). However, it has been claimed that only some species of deer wallow; red deer (Cervus elaphus) particularly like to wallow but fallow deer (Dama dama), for example, do not wallow. Even within the red deer species, there is variation between sub-species and breeds in wallowing behaviour. For example, although wapiti do wallow, they and crossbreds are less inclined to wallow than European red deer.[27]
^The Free Dictionary. "Wallowing". Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Dictionary.com. "Wallowing". Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Vestergaard, K.S. and Bjerg, B., (1996). Wallowing behavior in fattening pigs, In: I.J.H. Duncan, T.M. Widowski and D.B. Haley (Eds). Proc. Thirtieth International Cong. International Soc. Appl. Ethol., The Colonel K.L. Cambell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, Ontario, Canada. p. 66.
^Pal, B.C. and Bhattacharyya, A., (1986). Wallowing behavior and wallows used by great Indian one-horned Rhinoceros at Garumara and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuaries, West Bengal, India. Proc. Zoologic. Soc., Calcutta, 35: 79-83
^ abcdMaryland Zoo in Baltimore. "Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus". Retrieved April 16, 2013.
^ abcKlappenbach, L. "Elephants". About.Com. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
^ abcBracke, M. (2011). Review of wallowing in pigs: Description of the behaviour and its motivational basis. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 132: 1-13 doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2011.01.002
^Struhsaker, T. (1967). Behavior of elk (Cervus canadensis) during the rut.[dead link] Z. Tierpsychol., 24: 80-114
^Geist, V. (1982). Adaptive behavioral strategies, In: J.W. Thomas and D.E. Toweill, (Eds). Elk of North America. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. pp. 219-278
^Zhi-Tao, L., Jan-Hua, D., Yan-Ling, S., Zhi-Gao, Z. and Qiong, Z. (2007). Wallowing behavior of Hainan Eld’s deer Cervus eldi hainanus male during the rut and its function in reproduction. Current Zoology (formerly Acta Zoologica Sinica), 53(3): 417-424 [1]
^. 2012. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Mooring, M.S. and Samuel, W.M., (1998). Tick defense strategies in bison: the role of grooming and hair coat. Behaviour, 135: 693-718
^Natur Spot. . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Reinhardt, V., (1985). Quantitative analysis of wallowing in a confined bison herd. Acta Theriol., 30: 149-156
^Cabon-Racyznska, R.M., Krasinska, Z.A., Krasinska, J.M. and Wojcik, J.M. (1987). Rhythm of daily activity and behavior of European bison in the Bialowieze Forest in the period without snow cover. Acta Theriol., 32: 335-372
^Momongan, V.G. and Walde, G.I., (1993). Behavior of the endangered tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis Heude) in captivity. Asia Life Sci. 2: 241-250
^McMillan, B.R., Cottam, M.R. and Kaufman, D.W. (2000). Wallowing behavior of American bison (Bos bison) in Tallgrass Prairie: An examination of alternate explanations. The American Midland Naturalist, 144:X [2] 2016-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
^Soper, J.D., (1941). History, range, and home life of the northern bison. Ecology Monographs, 11: 347-412
^Morris, D. (2005). (PDF). BBC Wildlife. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 12, 2012. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^McHugh, T.S., (1958). Social behavior of the American buffalo (Bison bison bison). Zoologica, 4: 1-40
^Klappenbach, L. . About.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
^Valerius Geist (1998). Deer of the World: Their Evolution, Behaviour, and Ecology. Stackpole Books. ISBN978-0-8117-0496-0.
^Keck, S. . Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Scott, Julia (2014-05-22). "My No-Soap, No-Shampoo, Bacteria-Rich Hygiene Experiment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
^"The ethology of domestic animals". 2001. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
^Ng, J., S.C.; Zainal-Zahari, Z.; Nordin, A. (2001). "Wallows and wallow utilization of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) in a natural enclosure in Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia". Journal of Wildlife and Parks. 19: 7–12.
^Deer Industry New Zealand. "Wallowing". Retrieved April 15, 2013.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Animals wallowing.
BBC Nature - Elephants videos, news and facts - Video of elephants wallowing
February 16, 2024
wallowing, animals, comfort, behaviour, during, which, animal, rolls, about, lies, water, snow, some, definitions, include, rolling, about, dust, however, ethology, this, usually, referred, dust, bathing, often, combined, with, other, behaviours, fulfil, purpo. Wallowing in animals is comfort behaviour during which an animal rolls about or lies in mud water or snow 1 Some definitions include rolling about in dust 2 however in ethology this is usually referred to as dust bathing Wallowing is often combined with other behaviours to fulfil its purpose for example elephants will often blow dirt over themselves after wallowing to create a thicker coating or pigs will allow the mud to dry before rubbing themselves on a tree or rock to remove ectoparasites stuck in the mud A buffalo wallowing Contents 1 Functions 2 Domestic pigs 3 Sumatran rhinoceros 4 Deer 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksFunctions edit nbsp Nolan warthog Phacochoerus africanus africanus Senegal source source source source source source source source White rhinoceroses Ceratotherium simum wallowing in mud Many functions of wallowing have been proposed although not all have been tested by rigorous scientific investigation Proposed functions include Thermoregulation domestic pigs Sus scrofa 3 great Indian rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis 4 warthogs Phacochoerus aethiopicus 5 elephants family Elephantidae 6 Providing a sunscreen pigs 7 warthogs 5 elephants 6 Male male conflict social behaviour elk Cervus elaphus European bison Bison bonasus 8 9 deer 10 Removal of ectoparasites white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum 11 American bison Bison bison 12 warthog 13 Social cohesion American bison 14 Relief from moulting European bison 15 elephant seals genus Mirounga Relief from biting insects tamaraw Bubalus mindorensis 16 American bison 17 18 tapirs Tapirus bairdii 19 warthog 5 elephants 6 Play in young animals American bison 20 Skin maintenance preventing dehydration hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius 21 Camouflage warthog 5 Scent marking Some animals urinate in a wallow before entering and rolling in it presumably as a form of scent marking behaviour 22 23 Skin microbiome selection Horses 24 Domestic pigs edit nbsp Domestic pigs wallowingPigs lack functional sweat glands and are almost incapable of panting To thermoregulate they rely on wallowing in water or mud to cool the body Adult pigs under natural or free range conditions can often be seen to wallow when air temperature exceeds 20 C Mud is the preferred substrate after wallowing the wet mud provides a cooling and probably protecting layer on the body When pigs enter a wallow they normally dig and root in the mud before entering with the fore body first They then wriggle the body back and forth and rub their faces in the mud so all of the body surface is covered Before they leave the wallow they often shake their heads and body often finishing with rubbing against a tree or a stone next to the wallow When indoors and hot domestic pigs often attempt to wallow on wet floor surfaces and in the dunging areas 25 Although temperature regulation seems to be the main motivation for wallowing in pigs they will still wallow in colder weather While many have suggested that pigs wallow in mud because of a lack of sweat glands pigs and other wallowing animals may have not evolved functional sweat glands because wallowing was a part of their behavioural repertoire 7 Pigs are genetically related to animals such as hippopotamus and whales It has been argued that wallowing behaviour and the desire to be in shallow murky water could have been a step to the evolution of whales and other marine mammals from land dwelling mammals 7 Sumatran rhinoceros edit nbsp Sumatran rhinoceros wallowingThe Sumatran rhino Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis spends a large part of its day wallowing When mud holes are unavailable the rhino will deepen puddles with its feet and horns One 20 month study of wallowing behaviour found they will visit no more than three wallows at any given time After two to 12 weeks using a particular wallow the rhino will abandon it Typically the rhino will wallow around midday for two to three hours at a time before foraging for food Although in zoos the Sumatran rhino has been observed wallowing less than 45 minutes a day the study of wild animals found 80 300 minutes per day spent in wallows Captive individuals deprived of adequate wallowing have quickly developed broken and inflamed skins suppurations eye problems inflamed nails hair loss and have eventually died 26 Deer editFurther information Self anointing in animals Ungulates nbsp A deer wallowMany deer perform wallowing creating wallow sites in wet depressions in the ground eventually forming quite large sites 2 3 m across and up to 1 m deep However it has been claimed that only some species of deer wallow red deer Cervus elaphus particularly like to wallow but fallow deer Dama dama for example do not wallow Even within the red deer species there is variation between sub species and breeds in wallowing behaviour For example although wapiti do wallow they and crossbreds are less inclined to wallow than European red deer 27 See also editPersonal grooming Mineral lickReferences edit The Free Dictionary Wallowing Retrieved April 15 2013 Dictionary com Wallowing Retrieved April 15 2013 Vestergaard K S and Bjerg B 1996 Wallowing behavior in fattening pigs In I J H Duncan T M Widowski and D B Haley Eds Proc Thirtieth International Cong International Soc Appl Ethol The Colonel K L Cambell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare Ontario Canada p 66 Pal B C and Bhattacharyya A 1986 Wallowing behavior and wallows used by great Indian one horned Rhinoceros at Garumara and Jaldapara wildlife sanctuaries West Bengal India Proc Zoologic Soc Calcutta 35 79 83 a b c d Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Common Warthog Phacochoerus africanus Retrieved April 16 2013 a b c Klappenbach L Elephants About Com Retrieved April 16 2013 a b c Bracke M 2011 Review of wallowing in pigs Description of the behaviour and its motivational basis Applied Animal Behaviour Science 132 1 13 doi 10 1016 j applanim 2011 01 002 Struhsaker T 1967 Behavior of elk Cervus canadensis during the rut dead link Z Tierpsychol 24 80 114 Geist V 1982 Adaptive behavioral strategies In J W Thomas and D E Toweill Eds Elk of North America Stackpole Books Harrisburg Pennsylvania pp 219 278 Zhi Tao L Jan Hua D Yan Ling S Zhi Gao Z and Qiong Z 2007 Wallowing behavior of Hainan Eld s deer Cervus eldi hainanus male during the rut and its function in reproduction Current Zoology formerly Acta Zoologica Sinica 53 3 417 424 1 White rhinoceros 2012 Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved April 15 2013 Mooring M S and Samuel W M 1998 Tick defense strategies in bison the role of grooming and hair coat Behaviour 135 693 718 Natur Spot Warthog Phacochoerus aethiopicus Long legged fast and not at all defenceless Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved April 15 2013 Reinhardt V 1985 Quantitative analysis of wallowing in a confined bison herd Acta Theriol 30 149 156 Cabon Racyznska R M Krasinska Z A Krasinska J M and Wojcik J M 1987 Rhythm of daily activity and behavior of European bison in the Bialowieze Forest in the period without snow cover Acta Theriol 32 335 372 Momongan V G and Walde G I 1993 Behavior of the endangered tamaraw Bubalus mindorensis Heude in captivity Asia Life Sci 2 241 250 McMillan B R Cottam M R and Kaufman D W 2000 Wallowing behavior of American bison Bos bison in Tallgrass Prairie An examination of alternate explanations The American Midland Naturalist 144 X 2 Archived 2016 02 25 at the Wayback Machine Soper J D 1941 History range and home life of the northern bison Ecology Monographs 11 347 412 Morris D 2005 Face to face with big nose PDF BBC Wildlife Archived from the original PDF on January 12 2012 Retrieved April 15 2013 McHugh T S 1958 Social behavior of the American buffalo Bison bison bison Zoologica 4 1 40 Klappenbach L Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius About com Archived from the original on April 15 2013 Retrieved April 16 2013 Valerius Geist 1998 Deer of the World Their Evolution Behaviour and Ecology Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 0496 0 Keck S Elk Cervus Canadensis Archived from the original on June 17 2011 Retrieved April 15 2013 Scott Julia 2014 05 22 My No Soap No Shampoo Bacteria Rich Hygiene Experiment The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2020 08 18 The ethology of domestic animals 2001 Retrieved April 15 2013 Ng J S C Zainal Zahari Z Nordin A 2001 Wallows and wallow utilization of the Sumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis in a natural enclosure in Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve Selangor Malaysia Journal of Wildlife and Parks 19 7 12 Deer Industry New Zealand Wallowing Retrieved April 15 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category Animals wallowing BBC Nature Elephants videos news and facts Video of elephants wallowing Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wallowing amp oldid 1178870966, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
