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Less is more: social learning of predator recognition requires a low demonstrator to observer ratio in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

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Abstract

Reintroduction programs for conservation purposes suffer from low post-release survival of captive-bred animals, especially so with fish reintroductions. High mortality is most often due to weakened antipredator skills, which could be enhanced through direct experience with predators and social learning. As yet, the relative efficiency of these learning methods has not been tested, and the significance of the factors determining how efficiently antipredator responses are transmitted socially from experienced (“demonstrator”) to predator naive (“observer”) individuals is largely unknown. Using hatchery-bred stock of the endangered Saimaa Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), we show for the first time that: (1) contrary to theoretical predictions, acquired predator recognition was only socially transmitted from predator-experienced to predator-naive fish in groups with a smaller proportion of experienced than naive individuals, and that (2) socially acquired avoidance of the predator odors was as strong as in those fish conditioned with a combination of odors and predator exposure. We conclude that using social transmission procedures in training fish for reintroduction programs may provide considerable ecological, economical and ethical advantages.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Moilanen and M. Koskinen for assisting in the observations, C. Brown and M. Fowler for the comments on an earlier draft, and Saimaa Fisheries Research and Aquaculture for excellent facilities. We thank the Finnish Ministry of Education, Oskar Öflund-Foundation (to S.V.), Nordic Council of Ministers, and the University of Helsinki Research Funds for funding.

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  1. Integrative Ecology Unit, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI 00014 , Finland

    S. Vilhunen, H. Hirvonen & M. V-M. Laakkonen

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  1. S. Vilhunen
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  2. H. Hirvonen
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  3. M. V-M. Laakkonen
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Correspondence to S. Vilhunen.

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Communicated by J. Krause

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Vilhunen, S., Hirvonen, H. & Laakkonen, M.VM. Less is more: social learning of predator recognition requires a low demonstrator to observer ratio in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 57, 275–282 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-004-0846-x

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