Bachelor Groups Research Articles

Insights into artificial waterhole utilization patterns by elephants and rhinos: Lessons from a South African Nature Reserve.

Artificial water provisioning is a common practice in southern African nature reserves, where different game species exhibit preferences for specific waterhole types. The movement patterns and behaviour of elephants and rhinos are closely linked to water availability, with these mega-herbivores noticeably influencing the environment and other species they interact with at waterholes. Since there is limited research on this topic, understanding preferences for different types of artificial waterholes is crucial, particularly during periods of water scarcity. This knowledge enables reserve managers to effectively manage the numbers and types of waterholes. In this study, we investigate artificial waterhole selection and preferences by elephants and rhinos in the Olifants West Nature Reserve, South Africa. The study area featured various waterhole types, including earth dams, concrete pans, reservoirs, and troughs. By employing camera traps, we analysed visitation frequency, timing of visits, and factors influencing visit frequency. Our findings revealed distinct preferences for specific waterhole types among different social groupings of the study species. Breeding herds of elephants predominantly utilized reservoirs and occasionally visited troughs, while bachelor herds favoured earth dams. Black rhinos showed a preference for earth dams, whereas white rhinos selected troughs and earth dams, with bachelor groups favouring troughs and female rhinos favouring earth dams. The outcomes of this study have significant implications for the development of comprehensive conservation plans in areas where these species reside, and for potential release sites.

Persistent predators: Zooarchaeological evidence for specialized horse hunting at Schöningen 13II-4

The Schöningen 13II-4 site is a marvel of Paleolithic archaeology. With the extraordinary preservation of complete wooden spears and butchered large mammal bones dating from the Middle Pleistocene, Schöningen maintains a prominent position in the halls of human origins worldwide. Here, we present the first analysis of the complete large mammal faunal assemblage from Schöningen 13II-4, drawing on multiple lines of zooarchaeological and taphonomic evidence to expose the full spectrum of hominin activities at the site—before, during, and after the hunt. Horse (Equus mosbachensis) remains dominate the assemblage and suggest a recurrent ambush hunting strategy along the margins of the Schöningen paleo-lake. In this regard, Schöningen 13II-4 provides the first undisputed evidence for hunting of a single prey species that can be studied from an in situ, open-air context. The Schöningen hominins likely relied on cooperative hunting strategy to target horse family groups, to the near exclusion of bachelor herds. Horse kills occurred during all seasons, implying a year-round presence of hominins on the Schöningen landscape. All portions of prey skeletons are represented in the assemblage, many complete and in semiarticulation, with little transport of skeletal parts away from the site. Butchery marks are abundant, and adult carcasses were processed more thoroughly than were juveniles. Numerous complete, unmodified bones indicated that lean meat and marrow were not always so highly prized, especially in events involving multiple kills when fat and animal hides may have received greater attention. The behaviors displayed at Schöningen continue to challenge our perceptions and models of past hominin lifeways, further cementing Schöningen's standing as the archetype for understanding hunting adaptations during the European Middle Pleistocene.

Management of intraspecific aggression in two bull giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. rothschildi).

Maintaining nonbreeding individuals in zoological collections may sometimes necessitate housing bachelor groups. In turn, intact cohabiting males may express increased intraspecific agonistic behaviors, and management intervention may be indicated. Where castration is deemed inappropriate (e.g., future breeding, or anesthesia and surgery-related risk), the immune contraceptive gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is increasingly used as an alternative. When intraspecific aggression (sparring) in two bull giraffes housed as a bachelor pair at Knowsley Safari, UK, escalated in frequency and intensity (despite management interventions), further mediation was warranted to moderate sparring behaviors. The Ex situ Program recommendation was for one giraffe, the (slightly) older, outwardly mature (darker, strong musth) individual, to be treated with the GnRH vaccine Improvac® (Zoetis). To gauge the efficacy of vaccination, behavioral observations were conducted during each vaccination phase to identify changes in the frequency of sparring behaviors. In addition, fecal samples were collected by keepers and sent to Chester Zoo's Endocrine Diagnostic Laboratory for analysis to compare androgen levels between the pre- and postvaccination phases. Testicular atrophy was investigated using both visual inspection and photographic images. The GnRH vaccine Improvac® initially appeared to be associated with reduced aggressive behaviors in the two bull giraffes. Sparring behaviors decreased in frequency after each vaccination phase, although these did not significantly diminish until phase 4. Physiological markers were inconclusive as testosterone concentrations varied throughout the phases, although levels remained low after the fourth vaccination phase. Approximately 8 months following the initial vaccination with Improvac®, the unvaccinated bull exhibited heightened aggression, resulting in physical aggression and injury to the vaccinated bull. As a result, both bulls are now on an Improvac® vaccination schedule, which has enabled them to remain housed together as a bachelor pair.

Nursing institutions' professors' perception and distant education experience during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

The nursing profession represents a demanding and challenging profession with a purpose to keep up with the evolving health-care demands of the population. The purpose of this study is to assess nursing institutions' professors' previous experience about information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their perception of distant education during the pandemic lockdown. This present is a cross-sectional study among participants n = 249 recruited from all academic staff (N = 694) of 23 higher institutes of nursing professions and health techniques in Morocco. The Chi-square test for independence (χ2) and adjusted Z scores were used as a data analysis method to assess the association between the professors' education levels and ICT experience. A significant association [χ2 (1, n = 249) = 19.510, P < 0.001] was revealed between professors' education level and taken training related to ICT in education; significant few professors (16; 9.3%) reported that taken training session [χ2 (1, n = 249) = 8.940, P = 0.003] belonged to the bachelor degree group. In matters of perception, a few proportion (10%) reported that using technology effectively belonged to the bachelor and low education background group. The findings showed that having previous experience in teaching remotely and training related to the ICT was significantly associated with a higher education background. Moreover, professors with higher degrees agreed that distant education could be an alternative to face-to-face course during quarantine.

Relation of individual and social characteristics of behavior in the context of achieving successful adaptation on the example of a bachelor group of a semi-wild population of Przewalski’s horse of the Orenburg Reserve

The article deals with the relationship between the degree of behavioral synchronization and the index of behavioral diversity and morphofunctional features of Przewalski’s horse in the context of their adaptive significance. It is noted that the indicated behavioral characteristics determine the ability of animals to form cohesive social groups, which underlies the defensive behavior of some species of social animals, especially ungulates of open spaces, as well as their resistance to various environmental factors (e.g., insects, temperature effects, etc.). The index of behavioral diversity reflects the animal’s desire to display motivated behavior, i.e. to satisfy the dominant need from the position of the theory of functional systems. Consideration of these indicators is important for successful reintroduction programs of different animal species. In this study, the adaptation of horses to the steppe ecosystems of the Southern Urals was assessed using the example of a bachelor group of a semi-voluntary population of the studied species living on the territory of the site «Pre-Ural Steppe» of the Federal State Budgetary Institution «Orenburg Region Reserves» due to a set of ethological observations. A high level of behavioral synchronization and low values of the behavioral diversity index were recorded in the studied community, explained by morphophysiological adaptation of the species to a long period of feed consumption. A relationship between the above behavioral characteristics and the proportion of different behavioral forms in the studied group of wild horses was noted, indicating effective integration of animals into the ecological niche natural to the species.

Research on Technical Approaches of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms to Simulate Complex Human Interactions in Virtual Reality Environments

Abstract In the era of rapid technological development, the integration of artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology has gradually become a research hotspot. Interpersonal interaction, as an important part of virtual reality, also presents opportunities and challenges. The study builds the virtual interpersonal interaction model using the emotion model and hierarchical emotion as the learning algorithm after exploring the key technology of virtual interpersonal interaction based on the UGC model. Finally, the complex interpersonal interaction in virtual reality is simulated to examine the use of virtual community users and the factors affecting interpersonal interaction in virtual communities. According to the results, the percentage of female users of virtual communities is 14.28 percentage points higher than that of male users. The majority of people aged 18-40 who use virtual communities account for 88.01% of the population. In terms of education distribution, the group of bachelor’s degree holders is the group that uses virtual communities the most frequently, accounting for 66.52%. The study concluded that 8 out of the 11 hypotheses it proposed were valid. Among them, hypothesis 3 and hypothesis 11 were supported by 0.01 significance, and hypothesis 9 had a significance of 0.017, which reached 0.05 significance level.

Assessing Perceived Trust and Satisfaction with Multiple Explanation Techniques in XAI-Enhanced Learning Analytics

This study aimed to observe the impact of eight explainable AI (XAI) explanation techniques on user trust and satisfaction in the context of XAI-enhanced learning analytics while comparing two groups of STEM college students based on their Bologna study level, using various established feature relevance techniques, certainty, and comparison explanations. Overall, the students reported the highest trust in local feature explanation in the form of a bar graph. Additionally, master’s students presented with global feature explanations also reported high trust in this form of explanation. The highest measured explanation satisfaction was observed with the local feature explanation technique in the group of bachelor’s and master’s students, with master’s students additionally expressing high satisfaction with the global feature importance explanation. A detailed overview shows that the two observed groups of students displayed consensus in favored explanation techniques when evaluating trust and explanation satisfaction. Certainty explanation techniques were perceived with lower trust and satisfaction than were local feature relevance explanation techniques. The correlation between itemized results was documented and measured with the Trust in Automation questionnaire and Explanation Satisfaction Scale questionnaire. Master’s-level students self-reported an overall higher understanding of the explanations and higher overall satisfaction with explanations and perceived the explanations as less harmful.

Identifying Potential Super-Spreaders and Disease Transmission Hotspots Using White-Tailed Deer Scraping Networks.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, WTD) spread communicable diseases such the zoonotic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which is a major public health concern, and chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal, highly contagious prion disease occurring in cervids. Currently, it is not well understood how WTD are spreading these diseases. In this paper, we speculate that "super-spreaders" mediate disease transmission via direct social interactions and indirectly via body fluids exchanged at scrape sites. Super-spreaders are infected individuals that infect more contacts than other infectious individuals within a population. In this study, we used network analysis from scrape visitation data to identify potential super-spreaders among multiple communities of a rural WTD herd. We combined local network communities to form a large region-wide social network consisting of 96 male WTD. Analysis of WTD bachelor groups and random network modeling demonstrated that scraping networks depict real social networks, allowing detection of direct and indirect contacts, which could spread diseases. Using this regional network, we model three major types of potential super-spreaders of communicable disease: in-degree, out-degree, and betweenness potential super-spreaders. We found out-degree and betweenness potential super-spreaders to be critical for disease transmission across multiple communities. Analysis of age structure revealed that potential super-spreaders were mostly young males, less than 2.5 years of age. We also used social network analysis to measure the outbreak potential across the landscape using a new technique to locate disease transmission hotspots. To model indirect transmission risk, we developed the first scrape-to-scrape network model demonstrating connectivity of scrape sites. Comparing scrape betweenness scores allowed us to locate high-risk transmission crossroads between communities. We also monitored predator activity, hunting activity, and hunter harvests to better understand how predation influences social networks and potential disease transmission. We found that predator activity significantly influenced the age structure of scraping communities. We assessed disease-management strategies by social-network modeling using hunter harvests or removal of potential super-spreaders, which fragmented WTD social networks reducing the potential spread of disease. Overall, this study demonstrates a model capable of predicting potential super-spreaders of diseases, outlines methods to locate transmission hotspots and community crossroads, and provides new insight for disease management and outbreak prevention strategies.

Gorilla Activities and Social Behavior: Assessing Changes Associated with Absence of Zoo Visitors, Zoo Attendance, Time of Day and Increasing Maturity

In this study we report on associations found between several variables and changes in gorilla behavior. Two groups of gorillas were observed, one was a family group and the other was a bachelor group. The zoo was closed to visitors for two periods during the COVID-19 pandemic which made it possible to document any differences associated with the presence and absence of visitors. We also considered possible changes in behavior in relation to daily zoo attendance, time of day, and increasing maturity of group members. Output variables included six activities and one location which were assessed by instantaneous sampling, as well as level of aggressive and affiliative behavior assessed by recording all occurrences. Hour in which observations were done and successive months in the study, which serves as a measure of increasing maturity of younger gorillas, were the best predictors of activity and location, with each showing significant relationships with three output variables. Absence of visitors during zoo closure was also significantly associated with an increase in time the gorillas were proximate to potential visitor viewing areas. Aggression among the bachelors was lower when the zoo was closed and higher with maturation of the youngest male. Reviewing differences in level of aggression during the two periods of closure shows that decreased aggression among the bachelors was not a result of zoo closure.

Urinary oxytocin and cortisol concentrations vary by group type in male western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in North American zoos.

Evaluating how primates in human care function within their social environment is important for understanding and optimizing their management and welfare. The neuroendocrine hormone oxytocin is associated with affiliation and bonding, suggesting it can be used to evaluate the affiliative nature of social groupings. When paired with cortisol concentrations, social stressors can simultaneously be assessed, providing a more complete picture of primate social environments than if measuring either hormone independently. Here, we measured both oxytocin and cortisol in urine within a large subset of male western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla; n = 71) living in North American zoos. Both endocrine measures were compared between social group types, with an emphasis on comparing bachelor and mixed-sex groupings to understand how these broad management practices affect male gorillas in zoos. Oxytocin concentrations were greater in bachelor group males than mixed-sex group males and singly housed males, providing physiological evidence that males in bachelor groups form comparatively stronger affiliative relationships than males in other group types. Cortisol concentrations did not differ between bachelor and mixed-sex group males and males in both group types had lower cortisol concentrations than singly housed males. These results indicate that males are similarly capable of coping with group-specific social stressors, and single management may expose males to additional stressors for which further study is needed. These data contribute to a larger body of research highlighting the value of bachelor groups from both a population management and individual welfare perspective.

Impact of alternating overnight housing conditions on welfare measures in a bachelor group of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla).

Spatial parameters and design of overnight housing spaces can have significant influences on both nocturnal and diurnal behaviors of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in captivity. This is especially true for bachelor groups, as adult males have demonstrated a greater tendency to separate from conspecifics overnight. Additionally, previous studies have suggested that the social needs of individuals in bachelor units may shift over time. The bachelor unit at the Detroit Zoo is managed in a unique hybrid strategy in which the group is housed socially for three nights (either indoors or indoors with outdoor access), then separately on the fourth. A 2016 study of this group (n = 3) suggested that individuals had better welfare following social overnight housing as compared to solitary overnight housing. We aimed to reassess how overnight housing conditions affect individual welfare several years later. We revised a previously developed qualitative behavioral assessment tool that included 13 behavioral items spanning both positive and negative indicators of welfare. Animal care staff completed the assessment and collected a fecal sample every day for each gorilla for a period of 3 months. We used Kruskal-Wallis tests to analyze variation in behavioral items and FGMsbetween conditions. We then used generalized linear mixed modelsto identify whether overnight housing condition or other potentially confounding variables were driving observed variation in welfare indicators. We found significant variation demonstrating significantly better welfare indicators after being housed separately as compared to being socially housed indoors overnight. Although separate housing appears to be the ideal condition for this group at this point in time, if seasonality permits, social housing with outdoor access may be a feasible alternative to consistent overnight separation for these gorillas.

Collaborative assessment as a learning tool for social work students

ABSTRACT Despite the body of evidence demonstrating learning gains in both knowledge and engagement for higher education students, social work educators appear to have been slow to incorporate collaborative assessment in undergraduate and graduate courses. This is disappointing given collaboration is an important practice skill and is a common graduate attribute required by accreditation bodies. In this exploratory study, the learning gains and experiences of a group of Bachelor and Masters level Social Work students are explored. In addition, the experiences and opinions of the academic staff involved in administering the assessment are analyzed to inform design and implementation considerations. Results show that, on average, students improved their results on the assessment by around 9% when completed collaboratively. Both staff and student participants saw collaborative assessment as an effective and engaging learning strategy. Positive results are seen not only in grade performance but also in classroom dynamics with students practicing some core social work skills, including clear articulation of ideas, effective listening, negotiation, and managing conflict.

Genomic tools reveal complex social organization of an invasive large mammal (Sus scrofa)

A comprehensive understanding of sociality in wildlife is vital to optimizing conservation and management efforts. However, sociality is complicated, especially for widely distributed species that exhibit substantive behavioral plasticity. Invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa), often representing hybrids of European wild boar and domestic pigs, are among the most adaptable and widely distributed large mammals. The social structure of wild pigs is believed to be similar to European wild boar, consisting of matriarchal groups (sounders) and solitary males. However, wild pig social structure is understudied and largely limited to visual observations. Using a hierarchical approach, we incorporated genomic tools to describe wild pig social group composition in two disparate ecoregions within their invaded range in North America. The most common social unit was sounders, which are characterized as the association of two or more breeding-aged wild pigs with or without dependent offspring. In addition to sounders, pseudo-solitary females and male-dominated bachelor groups were observed at a greater frequency than previously reported. Though primarily composed of close female kin, some sounders included unrelated females. Bachelor groups were predominantly composed of young, dispersal-aged males and almost always included only close kin. Collectively, our study suggests social organization of wild pigs in their invaded range is similar to that observed among wild boar but is complex, dynamic, and likely variable across invaded habitats.

Pre-Service Primary School Teachers’ English Language Professional Development: Teachers’ Learning Motivations and Developments

English language teaching is one of the requirements for many Bachelor of Education programmes in Taiwanese education colleges and universities. In Taiwan, English language is considered one of the general education requirements (usually eight credits) for all undergraduate students. Although additional English language courses are not required for graduation, many universities require final-year students to achieve satisfactory grades on the TOEIC (The Test of English for International Communication) exam for graduation. The purpose of this study is to understand the motivations and reasons for the decision of a group of Bachelor of Education (Primary) students to study additional English courses beyond their curriculum. An online-based semi-structured interview tool was employed to recruit and collect data from 20 participants in the School of Education at a Taiwanese university. In line with the Social Cognitive Career and Motivation Theory, two themes were captured: 1) preparation for the TOEIC exam and 2) career promotions and opportunities. This study provides ideas for programme managers, department heads, and government departments for English language training beyond university requirements. Also, the outcomes indicate that exams played important roles in learners’ motivations, particularly in English language learning.

Grouping behaviour and activity patterns of impala (Aepyceros melampus) in a nutrient –rich and a nutrient-poor savanna in Tanzania

African savannas are broadly categorised into nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor according to soil nutrient availability and precipitation. Soil nutrients limit plant growth in the nutrient-rich savannas, leading to little plant biomass of high nutrient concentrations. In the nutrient-poor savannas soil nutrients are depleted before plant growth ceases, resulting in large production of nutrient-poor plant biomass. Impala (Aepyceros melampus), are medium-sized antelopes occurring in both savannas, but they face feeding challenges in the nutrient-poor savannas because of high energy requirements. Activity patterns of impala are well studied, but few studies compared savannas with differing soil nutrients and animal communities. I used the scanning methods to study impala activities in a nutrient-rich savanna, the Serengeti National Park, and a nutrient-poor savanna, the Mikumi National Park in Tanzania, during the wet and dry seasons. Impala are gregarious and mixed feeders, utilising grasses during the wet season, switching to browsing during the dry season, making them good candidates for comparing savannas and seasons. The impala formed bigger groups in Mikumi during the wet season splitting during the dry season. Grazing time was higher in the wet season than in the dry season in Serengeti, but did not differ between the seasons in Mikumi. Browsing time was longer in Mikumi than Serengeti during the dry season, and longer in Serengeti than Mikumi during the wet season. Resting time was longer in Serengeti than Mikumi during the wet season, while walking time was longer in Mikumi than Serengeti during the dry season. Family groups spent longer time resting than bachelor groups in both sites. The study shows obvious differences in grouping and activity patterns of impala between the sites and the seasons. Further studies are recommended to explore the influence of savanna and season on grouping behaviour and activity patterns of herbivores.

An Investigation of the Sociality and Behaviour of Captive Polar Bears Housed in Bachelor Groups

An Investigation of the Sociality and Behaviour of Captive Polar Bears Housed in Bachelor Groups

Survey of current group demographics and management practices of bachelor groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) across North America.

Recommendations for the successful management and maintenance of bachelor groups of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in zoological settings have been an increasingly prevalent focus within the zoological community. Over the past two decades, studies have examined the impact of various environmental factors on the stability of bachelor groups, proposed management strategies for bachelor groups, and compared behavioral trends between bachelor and mixed-sex groups. These studies have clearly demonstrated that bachelor groups are complex social units that require specialized management approaches. In this study, we aimed to assess the extent to which bachelor group management across North American zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums aligns with established recommendations. We distributed a comprehensive survey broadly encompassing habitat and housing, aggression and wounding, group demographics, feeding, and training to the 22 zoos housing bachelor groups as of 2019. We received completed surveys from 19 zoos, representing a total of 21 social units and 59 individual gorillas. We used descriptive statistics to represent the range of current management strategies across the surveyed population and ANOVAs to assess significant variation in key demographic variables. Our results demonstrate that a majority of zoos have adopted the best practices for the formation of social groups established by Stoinski et al. in 2004. However, there is much less standardization across zoos in protocols surrounding training and feeding. Additionally, important variables in the assessment of wounding, such as time of day and location, are often unknown or not observed by animal care professionals. We highlight these two areas as being of particular focus in developing and adhering to consistent protocols across institutions.

Biologically Inspired Design: A Case Study on Furniture Design Experiences of Interior Architecture Students

This study represents the furniture design course outputs of a group of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Bachelor’s Degree students, working on biologically inspired designs. The aim of the study is to put forward an alternative inspiration-transformation-design process by briefly touching the notion of biomimicry; and by this means to raise the awareness of biological inspiration sources in furniture design. Study reveals the conceptual and final product design suggestions of 38 senior class students. Two essential processes were followed in the study; solution-driven design process and problem-driven design process. Findings showed that there have been some common features and differences between these two processes, in terms of finding the starting point and approaching the final design decisions. In both processes, it was seen that the last steps -principle application- involved a particular process, compared to the other steps in each process. Research and analysis based actions, seen in initial steps, gave place to sketching, design development and the usage of professional notions in the final steps. It can also be said that in both processes, the first steps involved the preparation stages regarding the design inputs, whereas in final steps a transform of information regarding the design output can be observed. These two linear processes were thought to be connected with two essential methods; inductive method and deductive method. Within this scope, 38 design ideas were put forward and suggestions were made regarding the processes.

Bachelor groups form due to individual choices or environmental disrupters in African striped mice

In several mammal species, bachelor groups occur as a regular life history stage between dispersal and becoming the breeding male of a multifemale group. How such groups come into existence and how males that choose this strategy differ in life history traits from other males is rarely investigated. Males of the socially flexible African striped mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio , have been historically reported to adopt one of three alternative tactics: small group-living philopatric males, intermediate solitary roaming males or large group-living territorial males. Here, we describe for the first time, bachelors as a fourth male tactic. A long-term study on 13 generations of striped mice revealed two types of bachelor groups: (1) kin bachelor groups formed when all females disappeared, probably due to predation, and (2) nonkin bachelor groups formed by unrelated males that originated from different groups. Whereas kin bachelor groups occurred more frequently during the nonbreeding season, nonkin bachelor groups were most common in the breeding season and had a shorter tenure, since most of these males soon switched to the solitary roaming tactic or the territorial breeder tactic. Importantly, we found that nonkin bachelors were heavier and older than kin bachelors and that they did not differ from solitary roaming males in body mass and age. We therefore identified two different forms of bachelor groups, small kin bachelors whose female group members disappeared and larger nonkin bachelor groups showing traits of an alternative reproductive tactic. Both types of bachelor groups differed in multiple traits, demonstrating that it is important to follow the life histories of individuals to understand the mechanisms leading to alternative tactics. • We describe bachelor groups as a fourth male tactic in striped mice. • Kin bachelor groups form when all females disappear. • Nonkin bachelor groups are formed by unrelated males from different groups. • Both types of groups differ in body mass, age and seasonality of occurrence.

Predator–Prey System: Bachelor Herding of the Prey Imposes Ecological Constraints on Predation

Bachelor herd behavior is very common among juvenile animals who have not become sexually matured but have left their parent groups. The complex grouping or schooling behavior provides vulnerable juveniles refuge from predation and opportunities for foraging, especially when their parents are not within the area to protect them. In spite of this, juvenile/immature prey may easily become victims because of their greenness while on the other hand, adult prey may be invulnerable to attack due to their tricky manoeuvring abilities to escape from the predators. In this study, we propose a stage-structured predator–prey model, in which predators attack only the bachelor herds of juvenile prey while adult prey save themselves due to small predator–prey size ratio and their fleeing capability, enabling them to avoid confrontation with the predators. Local and global stability analysis on the equilibrium points of the model are performed. Sufficient conditions for uniform permanence and the impermanence are derived. The model exhibits both transcritical as well as Hopf bifurcations and the corresponding numerical simulations are carried out to support the analytical results. Bachelor herding of juvenile prey as well as inaccessibility of adult prey restricts the uncontrolled predation so that prey abundance and predation remain balanced. This investigation on bachelor group defence brings out some unpredictable results, especially close to the zero steady state. Altogether, bachelor herding of the juvenile prey, which causes unconventional behavior near the origin, plays a significant role in establishing uniform permanence conditions, also increases richness of the dynamics in numerical simulations using the bifurcation theory and thereby, shapes ecosystem properties tremendously and may have a large influence on the ecosystem functioning.