Diurnal Activity Patterns of Burchelli Zebra (Equus burchelli) in  Captivity at Zoological Garden, Alipore, Kolkata, India

Authors

  • Dr Mousumi Das Assistant Professor, Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar College, Salt Lake Campus, CL Block, Kolkata, West Bengal 700091, India.
  • Roshni Ahmed M.Sc. Student of Zoology with Special paper Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Vidyasagar College, Salt Lake Campus, CL Block, Kolkata, West Bengal 700091, India.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48165/bpas.2023.42A.2.5

Keywords:

Activity Time Budget, Behavioural Pattern, Burchelli Zebra, Focal Sampling, Seasons

Abstract

A study was conducted on the diurnal behavioural  pattern and activity time budget of a captive female  burchelli zebra (Equus burchelli) in the Zoological  Garden, Alipore, West Bengal, India, from 10.00 to 17.00  h between October 2022 to June 2023including winter  and summer seasons by using focal sampling method  with 25,200 minutes of observations. Data were  analyzed by assessing mean time spent percentage for  different activities in different hours and different  seasons. Differences in the seasonal and hourly time  budget were tested using one-way ANOVA, followed  by DMRT. Grazing was dominant with significantly  (P<0.05; DMRT) maximum time spent, followed by  standing, feeding of offered feed, resting and then  locomotion during both the seasons. Between seasons,  significantly higher (P<0.05; DMRT) grazing  (32.72%±0.92), walking (7.58%±0.77) and sleeping (7.18%±0.24) behaviours were observed during summer,  while the other activities during the winter. During  summer, from 12:00-13:00 h, grazing was the lowest,  while resting was most. During winter, resting was  more in the 1st hour of observation. The zebra devoted  2.12% to 2.21% of their time towards vigilance behaviour  which was with higher rate during winter. This  individual-based behavioural study on captive zebra  will be useful for taking a well comprehensive  management plan to ensure its successful in-situ  conservation as well as its welfare. 

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Published

2023-12-23

Issue

Vol. 42 No. 2 (2023): Bulletin of Pure and Applied Sciences-Zoology (Jul-Dec) 2023

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Diurnal Activity Patterns of Burchelli Zebra (Equus burchelli) in  Captivity at Zoological Garden, Alipore, Kolkata, India. (2023). Bulletin of Pure & Applied Sciences- Zoology , 42(2), 252–269. https://doi.org/10.48165/bpas.2023.42A.2.5