Abstract

VENTURIERI, Bianca  and  LE PENDU, Yvonnick. Padrões de atividades de caititus (Tayassu tajacu) em cativeiro. Rev. etol. [online]. 2006, vol.8, n.1, pp.35-43. ISSN 1517-2805.

Activity patterns in captive collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu). Wild populations of collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) present a predominantly diurnal activity pattern in the tropics. In captivity, this pattern may be modified, mainly because of handling conditions. Captive animals generally adapt their behavior to factors such as schedule of food supply, pen maintenance, and handling conditions. We here describe the main activities of captive collared peccaries. Data were collected in two types of pens: five experimental pens of 3x12m and one larger enclosure of 18X25m. Behavioral observations were conducted using focal animal sampling, during the day, in 302 sessions lasting 10 minutes. During the night, 638 records were collected using scan sampling. The peak activity periods occurred from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. The main resting period occurred between 8:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. The predominant activities were observation and locomotion, performed intermittently throughout the diurnal period. Feeding occurred mainly in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., just after the animals were fed. The temporal distribution of male and female activity during the day differed from one another. Social interactions and olfactory investigations were more frequent in piglets than in juveniles and adults and occurred more often in small pens than in the larger enclosure. The relative frequency of different types of interactions differed with sex, age and enclosure. The present findings may provide information for the improvement of raising methods of collared peccaries, and may thus indirectly contribute to the conservation of the species in its natural environment.

Keywords : Activity patterns; Collared peccary; Tayassu tajacu; Intensive breeding-system.

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