| Filed observation on reproductive tactics and breeding behavior of male golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi) was conducted from June to October 2002 in Foping National Nature Reserve, where is located on the south slope of the middle ranges of Qinling Mountain, geographically situated between 32o32′-33o43′ N., 107o40′-107o55′ E., Shaanxi province, China. Radio-tracking and direct observation approaches were employed in this projection. Five golden takins, one aged adult male, two adult male, one adult female, and one sub-adult female, were immobolized and collared with radio-transmitter in May 2002. The transmitter can emit fast and slow speed signals. The transmitter emitts fast speed signal of 74/min when animal is in action, Otherwise gives slow speed signal of 52/min. With the help of radio-transmitters we were able to locate the radio-collared golden takins to track and record their action and behavior. At the same time, we also recorded the behavior of takins (adult males and adult females) whenever we saw in the field in the period of reproduction in the study area. The results of this research projection are given in the following: 1. There are two different reproductive tactics in the male golden takin. One tactic is that the hierarchy of social rank of adult male takins in the group, in or before the reproductive period, has been set up through the fighting among the aged-adult male takins. The higher rank takin owns the prior of privilege of reproduction. So they are following the females until females are in the oestrum. The other tactic is that the solitary takin (adult male takin) looks for the group including the female takins in the oestrum, following and entering the group, fighting for the copulative privilege with males in the group in order to gain the chance of mating. 2. The reproductive period of takin is from June to September every year. According to the records, the takins are active during periods of 6:00am～8:00am;10:00am～12:00am;18:00～20:00, specially more frequently active in 6:00am～7:30am and 18:00～19:30. The main active behavior in the daytime are feeding and walking (about 68.72%), following the resting (about 20.82%), and the lowest is courtship and copulation (about 10.46%). 3. The copulative beand may selectively enter the group including the oestrous females. The percent of successfully entering of solitary male is 77.8% and the failing is 22.2%, the ratio of success to failure access 4:1. Possibility of solitary takins gaining the copulation is perhaps higher than the retaining the group. According to the record, the solitary male takins are mostly stronger and in optimal reproductive age.5. Intensive fighting between the intruder male takin and the one who has been in the group is inevitably occur when the intruders manage to obtain the reproductive chance. The ratio of winner to loser for the solitary males is 92.8% to 7.2%. The winners are usually stronger and bigger in body size than the beated males in-group. 6. Female takins in groups mate with the winners after fighting finally. Female selection may indict by this phenomenon, however it needs to be convinced by further studies.
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