Chronoethologische Untersuchungen an Sandkatzen (Felis margarita harrisoni) im Zoo Osnabrück
Bachelorarbeit
63 Seiten
Erstprüfer: PD. Dr. Udo Gansloßer, Zoologisches Institut und Museum Universität Greifswald
Zweitprüfer: apl. Prof. Dr. G. Purschke, Fachbereich Zoologie, Universität Osnabrück
Zoo Osnabrück
Abstract:
The requirements in the keeping of animals in zoological gardens have strongly changed during the last years. In contrast to a former simple exhibition of the animals, today appropriate keeping to the species and a future-oriented, lasting breeding is given prominence. For the threatened sand cats (Felis margarita harrisoni) this is very important. Less is known about the mating behavior of the shy small cats. Thus, these solitary living animals are often socialized in the zoo. Therefore, for a successful breeding it is important to get to know more about the well-being of the animals in this type of keeping. The Chronobiology is the most significant tool. A sand cat couple was observed in the Zoo Osnabrück for a period of nearly three weeks. As with her wild-living congeners this couple also shows a raised night activity. In this period the male cat shows a raised stereotyped behavior in form of pacing. Both sand cats have similar activity rhythms and the “Mittagssattel” between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. which is typical for small cats. Due to the advantageous enclosure structure the animals can avoid one another and maintain their solitary life-style in spite of pair keeping. A comparison to a former study of another sand cat couple should allow general statements about the keeping of sand cats as a pair and what specific conditions matter.
klumpe-biblio
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