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OT - Fallow Deer vocalizations

Subject: OT - Fallow Deer vocalizations
From: "oryoki2000" oryoki2000
Date: Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:33 am ((PDT))
Off topic, but interesting.

The current issue of Smithsonian Magazine (Nov 2008, p. 16) has a note
about Fallow Deer vocalizations.  It turns out that female deer choose
mates primarily on the basis of the males' vocalizations.  In other
deer species, the males have contests of strength and intimidation
(through displays of good physical condition and antler size) to
determine who gets to mate.

The acoustic properties of the male deer calls are related to the
deer's rank in the social hierarchy.  Somehow, the researchers showed
that the females' choice for mating was based more on the quality of
the males' vocalizations than on other factors.  

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich. 
Does anyone have a link to this research online, or know where this
research was published?

--oryoki




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