Herding mechanisms to maintain the cohesion of a harem group: two interaction phases during herding

In animal groups, individual interactions achieve coordinated movements to maintain cohesion. In horse harem groups, herding
is a behavior in which males chase females from behind; it is considered to assist with group cohesiveness. However,
the mechanisms by which the individuals move to maintain group cohesion are unknown. We applied novel non-invasive
methods of drone filming and video tracking to observe horse movements in the field with high temporal and spatial resolution.
We tracked all group members and drew trajectories. We analyzed the movements of females and found two phases
of interactions based on their timing of movement initiation. The females that moved first were those nearest to the herding
male, while the movement initiation of the later females was determined by the distance from the nearest moving female, not
by the distance from the herding male. These interactions are unique among animal group movements and might represent a
herding mechanism responsible ...