Effect of Hormonal and Temporal Factors on Captive Female Manatee (Trichechus Manatus Latirostris) Behavior

Activity patterns, spatial use and reproductive hormones of nine adult-female captive manatees at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (HSWSP) were studied from January 6 to August 10, 2003. This study probed two main topics: 1) activity pattern and spatial use of the facility by manatees over three times of day and three seasons (winter, spring and summer), and 2) correlation between manatees behavior and reproductive hormone concentrations collected via fecal samples. Activity patterns and spatial use of the manatees were affected by provisioned food availability over the day and natural vegetation over the study period. Five manatees had estrous cycle patterns. Two individual behaviors, blowing bubbles and inverted posture, and the level of interaction were positively associated with the

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis (open access)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Biology

Year dc:date.available

2004

Author dc:creator

• Horikoshi, Chifuyu

Contributors dc:contributor

• Alan Harvey
• David Rostal

• ETD
• Manatee
• Behavior
• Activity
• Spatial use
• Reproduction
• Hormone
• Feeding
• Manatees

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/690

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1690