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| Ehlert, T. | |
| Study on the ethology of the Asiatic golden cat (_Pardofelis temminckii_) in captivity using chronoethological methods | |
| 2013 Full Book | |
The objective of this doctoral thesis was to examine the spatio-temporal patterns of behaviour of Asiatic golden cats (_Pardofelis temminckii_) in zoo husbandry by the means of chronoethological methods. Asiatic golden cats are among the felids with the least information and knowledge about them, in their natural habitats as well as in captivity. A total of six Asiatic golden cats (4.2) in two different enclosures at Tiergarten Heidelberg and two Asiatic golden cats (1.1.) at Allwetterzoo Mnster were continuously observed, from the complete data collection 805 recorded days were selected for detailed analysis. The spatio-temporal patterns of activity of the cats were registered in direct observation and indirectly on the basis of 24 hours infrared-time-lapse-video recording. Exogenous factors, which could potentially have an influence on the behaviour of the observed cats were also recorded. This dissertation contains the discussion of the results from seven evaluation periods. The examined Asiatic golden cats were mainly crepuscular and a stimulating effect of the natural day and night cycle on the activity rhythm was often observed. The presence of conspecifics and keepers also functioned as stimuli for some animals. The activity rhythm of the adult cats normally was biphasic, whereas the rhythm of the subadult cats usually was polyphasic and only partly correlated with the day and night cycle. Two subadult cats, which died during the evaluation periods, displayed a deviating monophasic activity rhythm several days prior to their deaths. The total activity of the Asiatic golden cats and especially the patterns of behaviour regarding sleep, rest, locomotion and pacing were analyzed in detail. These four behavioural components had a proportion of circa 70% of the total activity of the cats over the 24 hours day. The average share of sleep totalled 7.8% the average share of the rest amounted to 37.9% and the average share of locomotion was a high as 23.6% over the 24 hours day, whereas an average share of 3.6% of the locomotion was displayed as pacing. Thus, for the eight examined Asiatic golden cats the average share of the non-active behavioural components sleep and rest totalled 45.7% and 23.6% for the active behavioural components locomotion and pacing. Differences between the adult and subadult cats were also determined. Furthermore, among other things a reproductive cycle of about 20 days and an estrus of 6 days, as well as a gestation of 87 days were detected. The spatial patterns of behaviour of the Asiatic golden cats were examined, based on the registration of the three-dimensional use of the inside and outside enclosures. It became apparent that the use of the inside enclosures on ground level was more extensive, when the enclosure size (i.e. amount of space) increased. The spatio-temporal patterns of behaviour of the Asiatic golden cats were affected by different exogenous and endogenous factors. Endogenous factors that had a substantial effect on the spatio-temporal activity patterns of some of the examined cats were jet lag, reproduction cycles, diseases and injuries. Among the exogenous factors, the climatic conditions depending on the season of the year, as well as the presence and absence of persons or conspecifics had a detectable effect on the behaviour patterns of the cats. In particular, the daily routine of the keepers had a demonstrably effect and activity increasing or decreasing correlations were found for all animals. The behaviour patterns of four cats were clearly influenced by the effects of fast days (i.e. no feeding), which resulted, among other things, into a higher potential for aggression towards conspecifics. Furthermore, an increase of activity prior to feeding was determined for two cats at Allwetterzoo Mnster and identified as food-anticipatory activity. The scheduled once a day feeding probably functioned as a zeitgeber. The implementation of environmental enrichment for some of the Asiatic golden cats was separately examined and evaluated during the evaluation period at Tiergarten Heidelberg. The results demonstrated that the provided enrichment, with the objective to stimulate exploratory and comfort behaviour patterns, were in the majority of all opportunities not successful. Predatory behaviour patterns of food acquisition were stimulated in a very small number of cases. Individual behavioural responses to the provided enrichment items were observed. |
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