Seasonal Variations in Behavioral Activity Patterns of Antilope cervicapra in Captivity
Seasonal Variations in Behavioral Activity Patterns of Antilope cervicapra in Captivity
Anqash Ayyub1, Shabana Naz1*, Sajida Arooj1, Ibrahim Alhidary2,
Rifat Ullah Khan3 and Gianluca Pugliese4
ABSTRACT
The study aimed to observe the behavioral activity patterns of blackbucks in response to seasonal changes. Over a period from August 2022 to May 2023, a herd of 20 blackbucks, consisting of 4 bucks, 11 does, and 5 fawns, was monitored at the Wildlife Breeding Center, Gatwala, Faisalabad. The observation spanned three consecutive days for each season, with sessions from 6:00 am to 10:00 am, during which behavior was recorded at 30-minute intervals. This cycle was repeated every four hours for three subsequent days, covering each of the four seasons. Behavioral activities, including resting, feeding, ruminating, sleeping, sitting, foraging, walking, running, standing, and various others, were documented using binoculars, the naked eye, and a camera (Sony DSC-W800). Results indicated that blackbucks predominantly engaged in feeding and sitting during autumn, while winter saw increased sitting, resting, and foraging. In spring, they spent more time resting, feeding, ruminating, sitting, and foraging. Summer activities were centered around resting and sitting. Furthermore, doe blackbucks exhibited longer durations of resting, feeding, ruminating, sleeping, sitting, and foraging compared to bucks and fawns. While bucks and fawns generally displayed similar activity levels, fawns exhibited a higher tendency for sleeping.
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