圈养小熊猫育幼期行为对幼仔成活率的影响

Effects of Behaviors of Captive Red Pandas on the Cub Survival Rate During the Nursing Period

为全面了解小熊猫母兽在育幼期的行为变化,2019年6—8月,在中国大熊猫保护研究中心核桃坪基地使用高清晰摄像头对在不同圈舍的3只成年雌性小熊猫的行为进行全天24 h监测,采用瞬时扫描法和全事件取样法记录行为,然后分析研究母兽各种行为对幼仔成活的影响。结果表明:(1)小熊猫育幼早期,育幼成功的母兽“汤圆”休息时间最短为(31.66±22.09)%,育幼(包括舔仔、抱抚仔、叼仔、哺乳行为)时间最长(43.55±23.17)%;“黄毛”休息时间(45.46±6.99)%,育幼时间(31.33±12.86)%;“小乔”休息时间最长(51.05±15.31)%,育幼最短(24.98±8.06)%;“汤圆”“黄毛”“小乔”的活动时间分别为(24.79±7.05)%、(23.21±18.28)%、(23.97±11.91)%。非参数Mann-Whitney U检验表明,育幼成功的“汤圆”与育幼失败的“黄毛”在叼仔行为时间(0.08%vs.0.91%)上有显著差异(P<0.05),“汤圆”与育幼失败的“小乔”在舔仔行为时间(29.41%vs.11.78%)上表现出统计学意义上的差别(P<0.05)。(2)育幼中期,“汤圆”与“小乔”在休息、舔仔和哺乳行为上存在显著差异(P<0.05),它们的休息、舔仔和哺乳时间分别是(29.01%vs.48.86%)、(24.32%vs.15.92%)、(1.24%vs.0.10%)。育幼后期,“汤圆”与“小乔”仅在叼仔时间(0.07%vs.0.39%)上有明显不同(P<0.05)。(3)小熊猫母兽育幼2 d时的行为较关键,其出巢频次、出巢时间和抱抚仔时间会影响成活率;此时育幼成败的母兽出巢频次分别是(11 vs.20)、出巢时间分别为(40 min vs.189 min),育幼成败的母兽抱抚仔时间分别占49.10%、5.28%。研究结果为提高圈养小熊猫的繁殖成活率提供了重要的科学信息。

We studied behavioral changes of three separately-caged adult female red pandas(named Tangyuan,Huangmao and Xiaoqiao)during their nursing period.We used high-definition cameras to monitor behaviors for 24 hours each day from June to August 2019.Our study site was at the Hetaoping base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.We quantified behaviors by using instantaneous scan sampling and all-occurrence recording methods.We then focused on analysis of major behaviors that might threaten the survivorship of cubs.Tangyuan(cub survived)spent the least time resting(31.66%±22.09%),and the most time nursing(43.55%±23.17%)during the early nursing period.Nursing behavior included licking cub,holding cub,nibbling cub,and lactating.Huangmao spent 45.46%±6.99%of each day resting,and 31.33%±12.86%nursing.Xiaoqiao spent 51.05%±15.31%of each day resting(the most),and 24.98%±8.06%nursing(the least).The three adults combined were active for 24.79%±7.05%,23.21%±18.28%,and 23.97%±11.91%,respectively,of each day.There was significant difference in time budgets of nibbling cub(P<0.05)between Tangyuan(0.08%)(cub survive)and Huangmao(0.91%)(cub dead),(non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test).And time budgets of licking cub(29.41%)in Tangyuan was significant more(P<0.05)than in Xiaoqiao(11.78%)(cub dead).In the middle period of nursing,for Tangyuan,time budgets of resting(29.01%),licking cub(24.32%),and lactating(1.24%)differed significantly than those of Xiaoqiao(48.86%,15.92%,and 0.10%,respectively).In the later period of nursing,Xiaoqiao spent more time on nibbling cub(0.39%)than did Tangyuan(0.07%)(P<0.05).The behaviors of female red panda is critical factors for survivorship to a cub of 2 days old.At this point,frequency and time of leaving the nest of red panda mothers can affect the cub survival rate.Frequency of leaving the nest of Tangyuan(cub survived)was 11 times,and Huangmao(cub dead)is 20.For Tangyuan,the total time of leaving the nest was 40 minutes,whereas for Huangmao it was189 minutes.Moreover,Tangyuan spent 49.10%of its time holding her cub,whereas Huangmao spent 5.28%of her time holding her cub.Our objective was to describe neonatal care by red panda adult females to improve juvenile survival rates.