Growth and development of infant giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) at the Wolong Reserve, China
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1996)15:13.3.CO;2-4 From 1991 to 1993 inclusive, seven infant giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) were born at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. Average daily weight gain in the first 6 months for mother-reared infants (n = 5) was 71.3 g/day; for one partially mother-reared and partially hand-reared infant, 41.5 g/day; and […]
Social interactions between captive adult male and infant lowland gorillas: Implications regarding kin selection and zoo management
Abstract Interactions between unrelated and related silverback-infant dyads are compared in an attempt to assess the influence that kinship may have on male parental behavior. Observational data were collected on each member of two silverback-infant dyads, in two separate enclosures at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL. The silverback was the father of the […]
Variation in the parental care systems of mammals and the impact on zoo breeding programs
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430130504.abs The identity of mammalian caregivers, the types of care each may provide to young, and the developmental, ecological, and social factors that influence the amount and distribution of care are discussed. Care is distinguished from use and abuse in terms of the impact on the survival of young. Some effects of the failure […]
Nursing behavior in dam-reared Russian saiga (Saiga tatarica tatarica) at the San Diego wild animal park
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430130404.abs This study was designed to examine the nursing patterns and related behavior of young saiga raised by their dams. Four captive born lambs were observed at weekly intervals during continuous 14 h watches for the first 7 weeks of life. One-week-old lambs were found to nurse at an average rate of 1.1 bouts […]
Reproduction of the Indian wild dog (Cuon alpinus) in captivity
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430110403.abs The reproductive behavior and development of 3 wild-caught and 2 captive-born dholes (Cuon alpinus) was observed at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park during 4 successive mating seasons. Courtship was characterized by frequent urine marking and vocalizing by both sexes, by olfactory inspection of marked spots and of partners’ genitalia, and by the female’s […]
Hand-raising a philippine tarsier, Tarsius syrichta
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430080307.abs An infant female tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) weighing 20 g at birth was removed for hand-raising at 1 day of age. The infant was maintained in an incubator (32°C, 80% humidity), and fed every 2–3 hours for the first 10 days of life. The infant received a varied formula for the first 4 days. […]
Early social experience affects behavioral and physiological responsiveness to stressful conditions in infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)
Abstract Studies on early development have demonstrated the profound effects of early social experience on the behavioral development and physiology of young rhesus macaques. Given these relationships, we hypothesized that rhesus macaques exposed to different nursery-rearing conditions may develop unique biobehavioral profiles. If this is true, the assessment of temperament may allow us to pinpoint […]
Behavioral development of a polar bear cub (Ursus maritimus) in captivity
The difficulty of observing polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the wild has prohibited the gathering of behavioral data necessary to develop a baseline set of milestones for monitoring cub development. This study describes and quantifies previously undocumented trends in behavior observed in a captive cub–information that will be useful both in future comparative studies and […]