圈养大熊猫刻板行为观察及其激素水平测定

STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIOR IN RELATION TO FECAL CORTISOL LEVEL IN CAPTIVE GIANT PANDAS

采用聚焦动物取样(Focalsampling)和连续记录法(Continuousrecording)于2003年3—4月的周六及7月 22—29日9:00—16:00对北京动物园3只成年圈养大熊猫的刻板行为进行了观察,同时在各观察时段采集粪便样品,采 用放射免疫测定法(RIA)测定粪便样品中肾上腺糖皮质激素(Cor)的质量分数w(Cor).结果表明:圈养大熊猫刻板行为 发生频次(次·h-1)高峰期在14:00—15:00,刻板行为持续时间较长的高峰分别在9:00—10:00和15:00—16:00,该时 段与人工投食的时间相吻合.在昼间刻板行为发生的低峰期(11:00—12:00)和高峰期(15:00—16:00),其发生频次和持 续时间所占比例与w(Cor)并无显著相关关系(r=0.5,0.5,0.5,P>0.05,n=3),但在其他时间段两者极其显著相关 (P<0.01).研究结果表明刻板行为的发生是由于环境胁迫所导致的Cor水平上升和不合理的管理方式引起的.

The focal sampling method and continuous recording were used to observe the stereotypic behavior of three captive adult Giant Pandas(Ailurapoda melanoleuca) at Beijing Zoo from March to July, 2003. The observation period was fixed at 9:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays in March and April, and the whole week from 22 nd to 29 th , July. The fecal samples were also collected at the same time of observation and the cortisol level was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) using the Cortisol Kit. The results show that the occurrence frequency of stereotypic behavior reaches its peak at 14:00—15:00 and the proportion of time have two peaks at 9:00—10:00 and 15:00—16:00 in the daytime. There are significant correlations between the occurrence frequency and proportion of time of stereotypic behavior and the fecal cortisol level during the whole observation period in the daytime except for the time when stereotypic behavior falls to the lowest level, i.e. 11:00—12:00, and rise to the peak, i.e. 15:00—16:00. The results indicate that the high cortisol level due to poor enrichment may be one of the causes of stereotypic behavior of captive Giant Panda and the regulation and management may be another main cause for the occurrence of stereotypic behavior.