Rutting Behavior Of The Red Goral In Captivity

Although the red goral (Naemorhedus cranbrooki) was discovered in 19 century, it was named late in 1960s. Most of the study of the wild red goral was descriptive. Even the study of captive red goral was not sufficient, which focused mainly on the nutrition, reproduction, life history and other biology aspects. The behavioral study of the red goral was almost absent.Reproductive behavior is vital to the survival and growth of either individual and population. This study focuses on 1) What are the red goral's behavior patterns during rutting season; 2) What factors affect the red goral's rutting behavior; 3) How is the relationship between the red goral's rutting behavior and sex hormone. The study will fill the bank in the study of the red goral's rutting behavior in captivity. According to the research results in other ungulates and the pre-observation in this study, three hypothesis are raised: (1) Sexual experiences have certain effect on the rutting behavior that is the frequency of rutting behavior in male red goral which has no sexual experiences is higher than that in male red goral which has sexual experiences; (2) The sexual ratio has certain effect on the rutting behavior that is the frequency of rutting behavior in one male with two female is higher than that in one male with several female (n>4); (3) The frequency of rutting behavior will increase before the female enter estrus condition. Thus two experiment groups were arranged. One is that target animals were divided into male red goral with or without sexual experiences, the other is that one male with two female and one male with several female (n>4). The study was conducted in Breeding Center in Shanghai Zoo from September to November in 2004 and from September to October in 2005. Focal animal scan sampling was used to record behavior data. The software Observer and the Pison Workabout produced by Nolus company were used to collect data. During the observation in 2005, the faecal samples of the red goral were also collected. And RIA was used to test the concentration of sex hormone.A total of twenty-three qualitatively distinct behavior patterns was observed. Males showed a more extensive repertoire (18 patterns, 15 performed only by this sex) than did females (10 Patterns, 6 performed only by this sex). Five behavior patterns were performed by both female and male. The "Bite tail" was the unique behavior of male red goral. During the observation "Smelling and licking" was the behavior most used...