Individual distance
Individual distance (or individual distance ) is a term from behavioral biology . This is understood to be the distance to individuals of the same species that is tolerated without evasive or aggressive reactions. Individual distance is mainly used for so-called distant animals (numerous species of birds, e.g. swallows , many species of fish and most ungulates ), which usually avoid direct body contact. The individual distance is species-specific, but also depends on circumstances such as the time of year and day, ranking or courtship . There can also be differences in the individual distance between mated and unmated animals, males and females, or between old and young animals. In some situations such as mating, brood care or fighting, the individual distance can also drop to zero.
For a comparable phenomenon in humans, see Intime Zone .
literature
- Herder Lexicon of Biology. Spectrum academ. Verlag, 1994, ISBN 3-86025-156-2 .