During my travels to Kenya a little while back, we came across this deer or impala. Our guide explained that they lived in polygynous herds and younger male impalas challenge the leading males. He further explained that once the male loses, he is forever ostracized by his heard and other herds of females. I understand that the new male would exile the losing male as to prevent any chances of being overthrown but I do not understand why the losing male can't start a new herd/challenge other herds. If i recall correctly, our guide said, they just know which male has already lost.
I'm not sure if the beaten males band together when they encounter each other or remain in solitude for the rest of their lives but from what I recall, it would be the latter.
The picture is one I took of a lone male who presumably already lost a battle. We followed him as he grazed near another herd. The herd was very wary of him and was generally not accepting. Do they also lose any drive to challenge new herds once they had lost?
Thank you so much for the resources sir Arvind! I'll be sure to look into them :)
Dear Laura,
What you are describing is a common behaviour of Impalas. There are two sets of groups: 1. the bachelor herd which consist of males with different ranks-such that the entire herd is controlled by a dominant strong male; 2. a herd with several females and only one dominant male who fight to ensure that his genes are carried to the next generation by mating with all the female in his herd. Over time the dominant male becomes weaker and other strong males from bachelor herds starting him. If the dominant male engage in a strength battle with the other males and lose, then female herd is taken over by the strongest new male. The loser has to find a bachelor herd that will accept him, but on condition that he enters the herd as the lowest member. This means that the loser has to try and climb up the "hierarchy" over time with the hope of taking over the bachelor herd. But since the overthrown male is weak and there are other stronger males in the herd, it might be difficult for it to have another chance to take over the female herds.
Please see the publication by Oliver and others on "territorial behaviour in southern impala rams"
http://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/5505/Oliver_Territorial%282007%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
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