Abstract
Cyclicity in behaviours, including reproduction, in relation to the lunar cycle is widely documented in some phyla, but weak or unknown in Class Mammalia. In this paper we present long-term video surveillance data of wild Eurasian badgers Meles meles, which reveal a strong correlation between reproductive behaviour and the lunar cycle. Squat marking and raised-leg urination, which increase in frequency at times of reproductive activity, showed maxima around day 22 of the lunar cycle (i.e. new moon). These findings were supported by observations of matings, together with published records, which showed significantly higher occurrence in the lunar dark phase (last quarter to first quarter). We propose that the lunar cycle has the potential to act as a regulator of the reproductive cycle in the badger.
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Acknowledgements
We wish to thank N. Rendle and The Wrigley Company for generously supporting this study, and also to P. Dixon and R. McDonald for critically reviewing an earlier version of this manuscript. We are also grateful to an anonymous referee for their valuable comments.
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Dixon, D.R., Dixon, L.R.J., Bishop, J.D. et al. Lunar-related reproductive behaviour in the badger (Meles meles). acta ethol 9, 59–63 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-006-0016-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10211-006-0016-4