Frontiers of Agriculture in China >

2009 , Vol. 3 >Issue 3: 300 - 303

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11703-009-0055-5

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Behavioral patterns of captive alpine musk deer: sex-specific behavior comparisons

  • Lin LU 1,2 ,
  • Peishi YAN , 1,2 ,
  • Xiuxiang MENG , 3 ,
  • Jinchao FENG 3 ,
  • Hongfa XU 3 ,
  • Qisen YANG 3 ,
  • Zuojian FENG 3
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  • 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
  • 2. Department of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
  • 3. College of Life and Environment Sciences, Central University for Nationalities, Beijing 100081, China

Received date: 15 Feb 2009

Accepted date: 15 Mar 2009

Published date: 05 Sep 2009

Copyright

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to document the behavior of captive alpine musk deer and to determine if daily behavior patterns varied between females and males. From August 2002 to January 2003, focal sampling was used to observe 32 adult captive alpine musk deer (13 female and 19 male) at Xinglongshan Musk Deer Farm (XMDF), Xinglongshan National Nature Reserve, Gansu Province. Results indicated similar behavior patterns for males and females, with only two out of 12 recorded behaviors showing significant sex differences. In comparison to females, males rested for a longer duration and exhibited tail pasting more frequently. This study also provided the first recording of tail pasting by female musk deer.

Key words： alpine musk deer (Moschus sifanicus); behavior pattern; captivity; sex difference

Cite this article

Lin LU , Peishi YAN , Xiuxiang MENG , Jinchao FENG , Hongfa XU , Qisen YANG , Zuojian FENG . Behavioral patterns of captive alpine musk deer: sex-specific behavior comparisons[J]. Frontiers of Agriculture in China, 2009 , 3(3) : 300 -303 . DOI: 10.1007/s11703-009-0055-5

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant Nos. 30770286, 30811120554). Previous versions of the manuscript also benefited from comments by anonymous reviewers.

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