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BEHAVIORAL COMPARISON IN INDIVIDUALS OF DIFFERENT SEXUAL ABILITY IN GIANT PANDA (AILUROPODA MELANOLEUCA)

1998; Linguagem: Inglês

0001-7302

Liu Ding, Zhang Gui,

Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior

Under the captive condition, some giant pandas become sexually inactive. The main goal of this study is to determine the behavioral differences between sexually active and sexually inactive giant pandas. The behavior of 20 giant pandas ( sexual ratio M∶F =1∶1 ) were observed by using a method of focal sampling in Wolong Nature Reserve from August 1994 to October 1995. The observation was conducted not only during mating season, but also during non mating season. The data showed that during non mating season the frequencies of rubbing anogenital, sniffing and urinating/defecating in sexually active males were remarkably higher than those in the sexually inactive ones, and the frequencies of investigating, sniffing and urinating/defecating of sexually active females were significantly lower than those of the sexually inactive ones. However, during the mating season, the sexually active males showed significantly more rubbing anogenital, bleating and huffing than the sexually inactive ones, besides the trends of increase in urinating/defecating and decrease in grooming in the sexually active males compared with the sexually inactive ones; and the sexually active females showed significantly more barking and honking behaviors than the sexually inactive ones. Therefore, the frequency of scent marking of the males may reveal its sexual ability. The decline of giant pandas′ sexual ability in the captive condition may be due to the loss of learning behavior. These data suggest: 1) Olfactory investigation may relate to sexual activity; 2)The captive inhabitance may be the main reason for the decline in reproductive ability in giant pandas.