Personality and dominance shape core area use and territory-related signalling in a feral ungulate

In adult male Bubalus bubalis from a free-ranging semi-urban population, social engagement personality and dominance are linked to core area size and territory-related signalling frequency.

• Why it matters: Core areas shape resource access and competitor encounters, yet individual differences in spatial strategies under natural conditions remain incompletely explained.
• What they did: Adult males (n=24) were observed for >9,300 minutes to quantify personality, core area size, and territory-related signalling, alongside dominance relationships.
• The result: Social engagement was positively associated with core area size in subordinates (but not dominant males) and with signalling frequency, while activity-maintenance showed no influence; dominant males signalled less frequently than subordinates.

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