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Zhao L, Cheng J, Zeng W, Yang B, Zhang G, Li D, Zhang H, Buesching CD, Liu D. Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) neonates use broadband calls to communicate with their mothers. Integr Zool 2024; 19:277-287. [PMID: 37231635 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Infant call structure should have evolved to elicit maximum maternal attention and investment. Neonates of giant pandas produce three types of vocalizations reported to be vitally important in the context of mother-infant communications. However, how cubs, 0-15 days old, communicate with their mothers to elicit maternal care remains unknown. We analyzed 12 different call parameters of 3475 squawks, 1355 squalls, and 491 croaks from 11 captive giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) neonates from age 0 to 15 days. In playback experiments, we also tested whether mothers could detect ultrasound. Our results show that neonates use broadband calls with ultrasonic frequencies up to 65 kHz to convey information about their physiological needs and to attract maternal care. In playback experiments, we tested if mothers reacted differently to broadband calls (BBC) than to artificially altered calls that included only frequencies <20 kHz (AUDC) or calls that included only frequencies >20 kHz (USC). Playback confirmed that, although adult females responded significantly less often to USC, BBC than to or AUDC, they could detect USC, BBC and generally made appropriate behavioral responses, indicating a potential benefit for neonates to utilize ultrasonic and broadband frequencies. Our findings provide a new insight into mother-infant communication in giant pandas and will be helpful for reducing the mortality of cubs, younger than 1 month old, in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhao
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianbin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Wen Zeng
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Guiquan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Desheng Li
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Hemin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in The Giant Panda National Park, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, 611830, China
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Dingzhen Liu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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