Sexually differentiated decision-making involves faster recruitment in the early stages for the Tibetan antelopes Pantholops hodgsonii

Abstract

Abstract Group-living is widespread across diverse taxa, the mechanisms underlying collective decision-making in contexts of variable role division are critical for understanding the dynamics of group stability. While studies on collective behaviour in small animals such as fish and insects are well-established, similar research on large wild animals remains challenging due to the limited availability of sufficient and systematic field data. Here, we aimed to explore the collective decision-making pattern and its sexual difference for the dimorphic Tibetan antelopes Pantholops hodgsonii (chiru) in Xizang Autonomous Region, China, by analysing individual leadership distribution, as well as the joining process, considering factors such as calving stages and joining ranks. The distinct correlations of decision participants’ ratio with group size and decision duration underscore the trade-off between accuracy and speed in decision-making. Male antelopes display a more democratic decision-making pattern, while females exhibit more prompt responses after calving at early stage. This study uncovers a partially shared decision-making strategy among Tibetan antelopes, suggesting flexible self-organization in group decision processes aligned with animal life cycle progression.