Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1988

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Life Sciences

Major Professor

J. L. Gittleman

Committee Members

Gordon Burghardt, Rich Saudargas, Michael Pelton

Abstract

Captive populations of red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) are barely replacing themselves and thus there is an immediate need for detailed study of the behaviors involved in reproduction in this species. This study dealt with two aspects of reproduction in red pandas, scent-marking during the breeding period, and maternal care and neonatal development in the nestbound stage. Data were collected at the Knoxville Zoological Park. Three male-female pairs were observed for the scent-marking study. Individuals of both sexes showed significant preferences for scent-marking particular locations, especially prominent points, in each enclosure. Males scent-marked more and in a different fashion than females, although female marking was greater in this study than in previous reports. Females were found to increase marking frequency during the breeding period. However, males were not observed to increase scent-marking, perhaps because outside of breeding male marking behavior was considerably frequent. Certain behavioral features were associated with scent-marking behavior. For example, the number of waddles (defined as each anogenital motion) was positively correlated with duration of scent-marking; and individuals of each sex preferentially sniffed marking areas of the other sex. A single female red panda and her cub were observed for the maternal care study. In addition, data on three females from the National Zoological Park, Washington, D.C., were analyzed in relation to nest attendance. All females were shown to significantly decrease the amount of time spent in the nest after their cubs' first month of life. Temperature was shown to have no effect on nest attendance. Maternal grooming bouts remained at consistant, low levels through the cub's nestbound stage and this may have facilitated cub defecation. Female-cub resting bouts were found to increase with cub age. In terms of nursing behavior, the amount of time the female spent in the nest had no significant effect on the duration of nursing; nursing periods were frequent and of short duration; and, no teat preference or milk facilitation behavior was exhibited by the cub. Calls between the female and cub seemed to function in establishing contact between the pair and were similar to those reported for raccoons (Procyon lotor). Play behavior was observed in two forms: solitary object play and mother-cub social play; however, both forms occured only in low frequencies. Similar to other carnivores, substantial increases in the rate of cub weight gain were achieved with milk supplements. Cub emergence was observed at 74 days of age. Lengthy maternal grooming bouts prevented the cub from leaving the nest prior to this. These results were discussed in relation to the problems generally inherent in captive studies and to the problems specific to this study. Scent-marking and maternal care were further discussed in relation to the solitary social structure and feeding strategy of the red panda. A solitary lifestyle seemed to effect scent-marking behavior in several ways; these included pathway-dominated marking patterns (also characteristic of species feeding on widely dispersed resources such as bamboo), sex-specific olfactory investigation, high frequency marking during breeding, and site-sharing between members of the opposite sex. These factors may enable the marks which are deployed to be more easily intercepted and interpreted; a primary concern for a solitary species such as the red panda. In conclusion, maternal care and neonatal development in red pandas may be effected by a solitary social system and a folivorous diet. Energetic constraints stemming from a low nutrient diet (bamboo), and a maternally based parental care system were hypothesized to influence slow growth rates in the cub; decreases in maternal nest attendance, and a low incidence of play behavior.

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