Data from: Social network dynamics under experimental manipulations of predation risk and food abundance in wild rock hyraxes

Understanding how animals respond to ecological constraints is crucial for
interpreting the dynamics of social networks in the wild. We investigated
how experimentally induced changes in perceived predation risk and food
abundance influence the social behaviour of wild rock hyraxes (Procavia
capensis), using experimental manipulations and a meta-analytical
framework. We used proximity sensors, trail cameras, and observations to
record multiple aspects of social interactions. Elevated predation risk
caused hyraxes to prioritize spatial adjustments over social rewiring,
leading to a slight decrease in sociality and increased social stability
within groups. Bachelor males and adult females exhibited greater
behavioural adjustments, with solitary individuals interacting more with
social groups to mitigate predation risk. In contrast, increased food
abundance led to forced proximity at feeding patches, promoting social
interactions, and clustering within groups. Bachelor males connected
social units without increasing network transitivity. Both manipulations
highlighted that hyraxes preserve group structure and individual social
bonds while exhibiting compensatory social behaviours. Our findings
emphasize the possible role of space use in shaping short-term social
network dynamics and underscore the stability of animal social structures
under mild environmental perturbations. This study also demonstrates the
utility of a meta-analytical approach for disentangling context-dependent
social responses in complex ecological systems.