The behaviour and evolution of cache protection and pilferage

Food-storing animals hide food in times of abundance and rely on memory to recover those caches several days if not months later when supplies are scarce. This review focuses on the different models that have been proposed to explain the evolution of food caching, specifically those models that desc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal behaviour 2006-07, Vol.72 (1), p.13-23
Main Authors: Dally, Joanna M., Clayton, Nicola S., Emery, Nathan J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animal cognition
Animal ethology
Animal memory
Biological and medical sciences
Food
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
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Summary:Food-storing animals hide food in times of abundance and rely on memory to recover those caches several days if not months later when supplies are scarce. This review focuses on the different models that have been proposed to explain the evolution of food caching, specifically those models that describe how food caching might have evolved in an environment of cache pilferage. We discuss the use of cache protection behaviours in cachers, and the success of these behaviours in bringing about a reduction in cache theft, before looking at the behaviours of prospective thieves that facilitate cache pilferage. Finally, we consider the insights these behaviours give us into the cognitive abilities of food-storing animals.
ISSN:0003-3472
1095-8282
DOI:10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.08.020