FOOD PREFERENCE AND BEHAVIOR STUDY OF WHITE SPOTTED MOUSE DEER (Moscholoa meminna ) IN

CAPTIVITY

AG/AT/2012/3335B.M.M.WANIGASEKARA

Introduction Problem statement Objectives Materials and methodology Results Discussion Conclusion References

Content

Introduction

Sri Lanka is home for three Mouse deer species

- Moscholoa meminna - Moschiola Kathygre - Moschiola spp

Scientific Classification of White spotted mouse deer

Kingdom : Animalia Phylum : Chordata Class : Mammalia Order : Artiodactyla Family : Tragulidae Genus : Moschiola Species : M.meminna

Problem Statement

In zoological garden these animals are confined to artificial

enclosures with a marked deviation from the nature. Perhaps

stereotypic behaviors might be occur and their normal behavior

might be deviate from the natural behavior in captivity

Due to ease of management these animals are fed with a diet

recommended by veterinarian. Their natural feeding behavior,

nutrition requirements may not fulfilled and animal welfare

problems may occur

By conducting behavior studies their living conditions could

be improved and can minimize animal welfare issues by doing

enrichment programs, habitat enrichments and supplying more

natural food for them according to their need and nutrition

requirements

Objectives To Study Feeding behavior in captivity

Food selectivity Food preference when fed with normal diet

and natural food Feeding behavior as affected by the time

To study their normal behavior in captivity

Experiment 01

Ethogram was prepared using preliminary observations of two weeks

Data was collected 4 times per day in following time periods to get an idea about their normal behavior

8.30 am – 9.30 am 9.30 am - 10.30 am 12.00 pm – 1.00 am 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm

Experiment 02Existing diet was separated

Then each item presented in separate plastic trays

This method was conducted in the morning and in the

afternoon ( 9.30 am and 1.30 pm )

Preference was observed using an ethogram

Sour plantain

Watermelon

Papaw

Cucumber

Salad leaves

Boiled Chickpea/Maize

Sweet potato

Kankong

600g

500g

500g

600g

250g

500g

350g

2000g

Morning diet

Sour plantain

Water melon

Papaw

Apple

Kangkong

Sweet potato

300g

150g

200g

250g

5000g

350g

Afternoon diet

Experiment 03

Natural food which they consumed in the wild was introduced after adaptation period of 1 week

(W.W.A. Phillips, 1935) Feeding behavior was observed using an ethogram

This was conducted for 2 weeks

Their normal diet was supplied as a control

Results and Discussion

Objective No.01 To Study Feeding behavior in captivity

Food selectivity Food preference when fed with normal diet and

natural food Timely feeding behavior

Food selectivity – Morning diet 01

Sour p

lantain

Watermelon

Papaw

Cucumber

Salad le

aves

Chickpea

Apple

Kangkong

Other eating

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

4.24

1.430.48 0.24

5.24

18.09

4.76

12.62

5.24

Perc

enta

ge O

F E

ATIN

G

Food selectivity – Afternoon diet 01

Watermelon Papaw Cucumber Salad leaves Apple Sweet potato Kangkong Other eating0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1.19 0.95 1.430.48

2.85

16.9

10.48

4.29

Perc

enta

ge O

F E

AT

ING

Food Selectivity – Morning diet 02

Sour p

lantai

n

Wate

rmelo

nPap

aw

Cucum

ber

Salad l

eaves

Mung b

eanMaiz

eApp

le

Kangk

ong

Other e

ating

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

6.94.52

2.14

0.24

5.71

15.71

9.28

2.86

15.48

4.76

PER

CE

NT

AG

E O

F E

AT

ING

Watermelon Papaw Cucumber Sour plantain Apple Sweet potato Kangkong Other eating0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1.430.24 0.71

1.19

3.1

14.57

12.14

5.95

Perc

enta

ge O

F E

AT

ING

Food Selectivity – Afternoon diet 02

Nutrition composition of the morning diet

    Energy (kcal)

Water (g)

Protein (g)

Fat (g)

Carbohydrate (g)

Fiber (g)

Ash(g)

01. Banana(Cavendish) 564 454.2 7.8 3.6 119.4 10.2 4.8

02 Watermelon 120 468 3 0.5 25.5 1.5 1.5

03. Papaw 200 445.5 4.5 0.5 40.5 6.5 2.5

04. Cucumber 96 572.4 3.6 0.6 16.8 4.2 2.4

05. Salad leaves 0.693 225 5 5 5 5 -

06. Boiled chickpea 1870 50.5 99 25.5 310.5 - 14.5

07. Kangkung 520 1828 58 6 38 44 26

08. Blackgram 75.25 26.5 58 4.75 86.75 65.25 8.75

09. Maize 355 167.25 9.5 10.75 48.5 12.5 1.5

Nutrition composition of the afternoon diet Energy

(kcal)Water (g)

Protein (g)

Fat (g)

Carbohydrate (g)

Fiber (g)

Ash(g)

01. Banana(Cavendish)

282 227.1 3.9 1.8 59.7 5.1 2.4

02. Watermelon 36 140.4 0.9 0.15 7.65 0.45 0.45

03. Papaw 80 178.2 1.8 0.2 16.2 2.6 1.0

04. Apple 564 454.2 7.8 3.6 119.4 10.2 4.8

05. Kangkung 1300 4570 145 15 95 110 65

06. Sweet potato 360.5 257.6 2.45 1.05 85.4 11.2 3.5

Food preference for wild and normal diet

Morning Afternoon0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

28.93

21.3123.45

10.48

Wild Normal

Perc

enta

ge

Common Name Yard bean vines

Blue pea vines

Guvava

Wel penela

Wathu palu

Rose apple

Sweet potato vines

Winged bean vines

Scientific Name

Vigna unguiculata spp

Clitoria ternatea

Psidium guajava

Cardiosprmum halicacabum

Mikania cordata

Syzygium jambos

Ipomea batata

Phosphocarpus tetragonolobus

Wild diet consisted with….

Undupiyaliya

Mukunuwenna

Gotukola

Lovi

Centro

Desmodium triflorum

Alternanthera sessilis

Centella asiatica

Flacourtia inermis

Centrosema pubescens

Objective No.02 To study their behavior under captivity

Daily Activity Budget2

1.3

12

8

3 2.1

0.50.20.0254.297

15.5

0.04 0.003

SleepingSittingRuminatingwalkingStandingOther eatingRunningSelf lickingSelf scratchingLayingEatingMatingParental careStereotipic behavior

Behavior P Value ( Chi square )

Lying 0.028

Eating 0.000

Standing alert 0.499

Ruminating 0.383

Smelling 0.157

Licking 0.006

Walking 0.264

Standing 0.559

Other eating 0.915

Most obvious behaviors vs session

1 2Session

0

5

10

15

20

25Pe

rcen

tage

Feeding Activities

Variation of locomotion, grooming, social andstationary behaviors with the session

1 2Session

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Perc

enta

ge

Conclusion Moschiola meminna has a selective feeding

behavior according to their nutrition requirement

They preferred to eat boiled Chickpea, Mungbean, Maize and Kangkong in the morning diet and also Sweet potato and Kangkong in the evening diet

They desired more natural food from the wild rather than their existing diet proportionately, however statistically not significant

Stationary behaviors are most obvious however their social behaviors are relatively low

SuggestionsA comprehensive study is need to observe

behaviors in night time and distinguish the feeding during day and night

Further studies are need to observe the improvement of body condition and breeding after fed with natural diet

They can be fed with the natural diet to avoid other animal interactions ( Crows & Rats)

ReferencesYapa, A. and Ratnavira, G. (2013). The Mammals of

Srilanka. 1st ed. Colombo: Field ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, pp.623-630.

Duckworth, J. and Timmins, R. (2016). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015. [online] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305 [Accessed 27 Nov. 2016].

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