GPS-basierte Bewegungsanalyse und Verhaltensbeobachtungen zur Gruppendynamik von jungen asiatischen Elefantenbullen (Elephas Maximus) im Zoo Heidelberg

In order to improve the welfare conditions for animals, here with focus on elephants, in zoological facilities, scientific data on their ethology are needed. The Zoo Heidelberg is the first German facility, which keeps a bachelor herd of young elephant bulls. This is due to support the European breeding program (EEP) for Elephas maximus. The separation of young males from their natal family group is a behavioral strategy to avoid inbreeding. After leaving the family group male elephants form loose all-male groups. This juvenile phase is an important time in the life of nearly every social living mammal. During that time they learn relevant social behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the social structure and the group dynamics within the bachelor group of young elephant bulls. Therefore, the social behavior was recorded over a time period of twenty weeks by using the focal animal sampling. In a group of young bulls a lot of motion is expected. To analyze their movements, all four animals where outfitted with a GPS device in an anklet. Within the elephant group a linear rank order was observed. By means of the social behavior different associations and individual characteristics were identified. On the basis of the GPS measurements important information about the elephants’ amount of movement in the Zoo Heidelberg was obtained. These findings conform to the walking rates of their wild conspecifics.

Level thesis:degree_level

master

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Heidelberg

Year

2017

Author dc:creator

• Linti, Frederik

Contributors dc:contributor

• Braunbeck, Thomas

Repository record source_url

http://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/archiv/27899

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de:27899