This document summarizes a study on the behavioral ecology of stray dogs in urban areas. It discusses how stray dogs have adapted to urban environments physically and behaviorally. The study aims to characterize the basic ecological variables and behaviors of two groups of stray dogs inhabiting areas with different resource availability. Observations of the dogs' activity patterns, time budgets, aggressive behaviors, and group hierarchies are presented. The document outlines the future directions of conducting a comparative study to better understand how resource availability impacts stray dog behaviors and social structures.

1. Woh
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WhatWhere
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2. What ?

3. What?

4. The Behavioral Ecology of Stray Dogs
(Canis familiaris)
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8. - Urban animals and man are related in a number of ways –
for better or worse.
- Their ecology and behavior prove to be an indicator of stress,
pollution and environmental deterioration.
- One such animal species is the Canis familiaris,
the domestic dog
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9. - Scott (1967) and Fuller (1965) concluded that dogs could have
only been domesticated from the wolf when humans first
started to live in large groups
- Therefore human selection and habitation are theorized to be
the main factors to have created the species
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10. - Stray dogs are all around.
- These dogs are by and large diurnal, tolerant to human
intervention and being distinct morphologically can be tagged
and tracked
- This makes the Canis familiaris an ideal model system to study
the urbanization of otherwise wild animals.
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11. - Good alibi for evading hostel curfew.
- Inspired by Jack London’s writings.
- Wil provide a platform to launch myself as a behavioral
ecologist.
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14. - Reviewing the existing literature
- Identifying some of the unanswered/open questions
- Laying the groundwork needed for further studies, i.e.
characterizing the basic ecological variables
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15. Study zone

16. Subzones selected for the study

17. Preliminary observations: Dog activity

18. Preliminary observations: Dog groups

19. natural selection
physical adaptations behavioral adaptations

20. natural selection
physical adaptations behavioral adaptations
morphological physiological social social
trait selection trait selection structure organization

21. minimally
required
area
food
distribution
food
density
predation
pressure
ecological
factors
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

22. minimally
required
area
food feeding
distribution strategy
food
density
anti-
predation predation
pressure strategy
ecological behavioral
factors responses
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

23. minimally
required
area
food feeding group
distribution strategy cohesion
food
density
group size
anti-
predation predation
pressure strategy
ecological behavioral group
factors responses characteristics
social
structure
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

24. minimally
required
area
food feeding group group
distribution strategy cohesion composition
food
density
group size
anti- patterns in
predation predation migration genetic
pressure strategy patterns relatedness
ecological behavioral group
social organization
factors responses characteristics
social
structure
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

25. minimally
required
area
food feeding group group
distribution strategy cohesion composition
patterns in
food social
density behavior
group size
anti- patterns in
predation predation migration genetic
pressure strategy patterns relatedness
ecological behavioral group
social organization
factors responses characteristics
social social
structure organization
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

26. minimally
required
area
food feeding group group
distribution strategy cohesion composition
patterns in
food social
density behavior
group size
anti- patterns in
predation predation migration genetic
pressure strategy patterns relatedness
ecological behavioral group
social organization
factors responses characteristics
social social
structure organization
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

27. minimally
required
area
food feeding group group
distribution strategy cohesion composition
patterns in
food social
density behavior
group size
anti- patterns in
predation predation migration genetic
pressure strategy patterns relatedness
ecological behavioral group
social organization
factors responses characteristics
social social
structure organization
Schaik & Hooff, 1983

28. Food distribution and food density

29. - Selected the two populations/groups for study
- Characterized the resource contexts (roughly)
- Catalogued the members of the groups
Figure. Study populations: Population on Pashan-Sus Road (left), Panchvati Housing Society (right)

30. resource Pashan-Sus Panchvati
contexts Road Hou. Soc.
quantity high low
quality high low
distribution scattered clumped
predictability low high
Predicted group compositions…
- Fission and Fusion in PSR group.
- Better coat condition and health in PSR group (ambiguous)
- Female matrilineal alliance in PHS group

31. resource Pashan-Sus Panchvati
contexts Road Hou. Soc.
quantity high low
quality high low
distribution scattered clumped
predictability low high
group composition
sex ratio* 4/18 3/2
demography # 21/3 3/2
coat-condition $ 6.4/10.0 (2.4) 5.5/10.0 (2.6)
overall health $ 7.9/10.0 (1.3) 7.5/10.0 (1.3)
*females/males #adults/juveniles $mean score

32. resource Pashan-Sus Panchvati
contexts Road Hou. Soc.
quantity high low
quality high low
distribution scattered clumped
predictability low high
Predicted patterns in behaviour…
- Movement of individuals in search of food in PSR group
- Presence of more or less all the individuals at the site for
most of the time in PHS group

33. Number of Dogs
1
3
2
6
9
7
0
4
5
8
0:02
1:02
2:02
3:02
4:02
5:02
6:02
7:02
8:02
9:02
10:02
11:02
Dog Attendance
12:02
13:02
14:02
15:02
16:02
17:02
18:02
19:02
20:02
21:02
Pashan-Sus Road group
22:02
23:02
Number of Dogs
1
3
2
0
0.5
1.5
2.5
3.5
0:02
1:02
2:02
3:02
4:02
5:02
6:02
7:02
8:02
9:02
10:02
11:02
12:02
13:02
14:02
15:02
16:02
17:02
18:02
19:02
20:02
21:02
22:02
Panchvati Hou. Soc. group
23:02

34. resource Pashan-Sus Panchvati
contexts Road Hou. Soc.
quantity high low
quality high low
distribution scattered clumped
predictability low high
Predicted patterns in behaviour…
- Larger fraction of time devoted to foraging in PSR group
- Larger fraction of time devoted to relax and wander around
in PHS group

35. Activity budget
Monitoring Monitoring
Wandering Wandering
Foraging
Foraging Relaxing Relaxing
Pashan-Sus Road group Panchvati Hou. Soc. group

36. resource Pashan-Sus Panchvati
contexts Road Hou. Soc.
quantity high low
quality high low
distribution scattered clumped
predictability low high
Predicted patterns in behaviour…
- Defensive aggression in PHS group

37. Aggressive behaviours
- Instances of defensive behaviour in Panchvati group
- Absence of such behaviour in Pashan-Sus Road group
- Insufficient data to make claims

38. Some interesting observations…
- Hierarchy between the groups
A
B
Health of Dogs
C
Time (20:00 to 02:00 hours)
- A possible correlation with temporal quality and quantity of food

39. Some interesting observations…
- Presence of a sneaker group
- Plutonic interactions (love, play etc.)
- Accruing urination

40. Future directions…
- Determine group hierarchies
- Contrast behaviours in mating and non-mating seasons
- Explore…
All as a comparitive study for two contrasting resource contexts
(resource contexts yet to be defined precisely)

41. Student Winvestigator
Madhur Mangalam
Cool Guide
Dr. Deepak Barua
Cool Co-Guide
Dr. Priya Iyer
Thanks

42. WoofWoof !
Woof
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46. i Start to i Finish
May 2011 – March 2012
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50. IISER Pune
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54. Student Winvestigator
Madhur Mangalam
Projected Guide
Prof. Mewa Singh
Cool Guide
Dr. Deepak Barua
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Who