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Ethology Of The White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) In Captivity In Colonche Parish In Santa Elena Province

Abstract:

This study aims to identify the behavioral patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in captivity at the deer conservation and intensive breeding center in Colonche-UPSE in the province of Santa Elena. Four animals were selected for the study as female, male, fawn and fawn, duly identified; the animals were evaluated through periodic observation during 29 days in four schedules from 12h00 to 6h00, 9h00 to 12h00, 13h00 to 17h00 and 18h00 to 23h00 with a total of 8 hours daily, records were kept of the frequency and duration of behavioral patterns per second for the variables of the study: alert, affiliative, feeding (balanced and pasture), self-care, drinking, elimination behaviors, alert rest, total rest, tail movement, pelvic limb movement, repetitive movement, shaking, transfer, reproductive and epimelic. As a result, the principal activity performed by the male deer was feeding 243.70” and self-care 94.8”. The female was alert rest at 1028.6” and repetitive movements at 88.6”, unlike the fawns that emphasized total rest at 642.3” and elimination behaviors at 20.9”, the schedule with the highest movement activity by all animals was 9h00 to 12h00 with the variables feeding 347.7”, tail movement 20.5” and affiliative 70.7”, the behavioral behavior in the outstanding reproductive patterns is licking with 14.6” in males and 17.0” in females, with a P>0.05, unlike the activities such as genital sniffing 7.3” in males, 4.4” in females mating attempt 0.6” and Fleming reflex 4.5” in males that have highly significant differences P<0.001. Therefore, it is concluded that the activity patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in captivity are directly related to the sex and age of the animal and that they change their crepuscular habits for daily activities.