Aspects of the communication and feeding behaviour of captive leopards (Panthera pardus)
| dc.contributor.advisor | Smit, G. N. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Kok, O. B. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Van Wyk, Guillaume | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-06-28T06:03:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-06-28T06:03:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2003-11 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation (M.Sc. (Wildlife))--University of the Free State, 2003 | |
| dc.description.abstract | 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 The study on the captive leopards was conducted on the farm Masequa in the Soutpansberg district in the Soutpansberg Arid Mountain Bushveld. Field observations on five hand-reared leopards (Panthera pardus) were limited·to four adjacent leopard proof enclosures of 1.5 to 33 ha in size located in prime leopard habitat. An observational study on visual, auditory and olfactory communication of the leopards was conducted. Being a solitary animal, tactile communication is virtually absent in adult leopards, being mostly restricted to cub-cub and parent-cub interactions. Visual communication is discussed with regard to 11 facial expressions and 13 tail positions. A total of 14 vocalisations were identified (11 analysed on sonograms), that were used in the context of agonistic encounters, social interactions and mating behaviour. Olfactory signals apparently involve urine, faeces and g!andular secretions. Combinations of all three communication methods are common. It was found that leopards possess an extensive and complex array of communication methods for intra and interspecies communication. Five Body Conditions (BC) for leopards, divided in classes ranging from 1-5 were identified, where a rating 1 represented a good condition and 5 a poor condition. Selected prey species were offered to leopards in body condition 2 to 3 (hunting condition). The number of days they fed on the various carcasses as well as their behaviour and consumption were observed and values calculated. Carcasses were divided into nine carcass segments (CS) and the fat, crude protein, ash and dry material of a male impala divided into the various carcass segments classes, were determined. Feeding sequence (FS), which started at the hind intestines, were correlated with the fat percentages of the different carcass segments. In contrast, the feeding sequence was not correlated with the decreasing crude protein content of the various carcass segments. A Prey Unit (PU) was defined as a female impala (Aepyceros melampus) with an average live mass of 41 kg of which 30.75 kg is available for actual consumption. Similarly a Predator Unit (PRU) was defined as an adult, non-lactating female leopard (Panthera pardus) of 35 kg with an average daily food consumption requirement of 3.0 kg per day. From these criteria, substitution values of other predator and prey species in terms of PRU and PU were calculated. Equations were compiled from which the predator carrying capacity of a restricted area (e.g. game ranch) can be calculated for leopard. The daily feeding requirement in kg of a leopard can be calculated as follows: FR= M x SNF x LF. Explanation for symbols used: FR - feeding requirement of leopard; M - mass (kg) of leopard; SNF - sex nutritional factor based on sex with substitution values (0.0807) for male and (0.0855) for female; LF - consumption by lactating or non-lactating female, as determined by equation [1+(%/100)). The percentage value is substituted with the difference in daily consumption (kg) of a lactating female as contrasted to a non-lactating female. By means of equation Bl = M x HBV x Y x LF x SI, the impact of leopard on herbivore biomass can be calculated. Explanation for symbols used: Bl - impact of leopard on herbivore biomass; M - mass (kg) of leopard; HBV - herbivore consumption value substituting with 0.105; Y - 365 days; LF - lactating or non-lactating female as discussed above; SI - quantifies the impact of scavengers with equation [1 + (X/365)), where X represents the number of days prey was stolen from a leopard by scavengers. Depending on environmental factors, the average number of days a leopard will feed on a carcass can be calculated with equation NDF = MP x SN x SX x LF. Explanation for symbols used: NDF - Number of days feeding; MP - mass (kg) of prey; SN - season values with summer (0.2461538) and winter (0.2721088); SX - sex values where a female represents (1) and a male (0.5707559); LF - lactating or non-lactating female as discussed above. A management model for ecological sustainability in the third trophic level is introduced, which incorporates all ecological components consisting of grazer, browser, prey and predator units. With this model ecological and economical impact and sustainability can be calculated with the basic procedures discussed. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | 𝑨𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒔 Die studie op luiperds in gevangenskap is uitgevoer op die plaas Masequa, Soutpansberg distrik in die Soutpansberg Ariede Berg Bosveld. Veldwaarneming op vyf handgrootgemaakte luiperds (Panthera pardus) was beperk tot vier aangrensende luiperdwerende kampe van 1.5 tot 33 ha, gelee in natuurlike luiperdhabitat. Veldwaarnemings van visuele, akoestiese en olfaktoriese kommunikasie van die luiperd was gedoen. As alleenlopende dier is kommunikasie deur middel van fisiese aanraking feitlik afwesig in volwasse luiperds en beperk tot welpie-welpie en ouer-welpie wisselwerking. Visuele kommunikasie is bespreek met betrekking tot 11 gesigsuitdrukkings en 13 stertposisies. Altesaam 14 geluide was ge'identifiseer (11 geanaliseer met sonogramme), wat gebruik was in die konteks van antagonistiese ontmoetings, sosiale wisselwerking en paringsgedrag. Uriene, mis en klierafskeidings is blykbaar betrokke by olfaktoriese kommunikasie. Kombinasies van al drie kommunikasiemetodes kom algemeen voor. Luiperds beskik oor uitgebreide en komplekse kommunikasiemetodes vir intra- en interspesie kommunikasie. Vyf Liggaamskondisies vir luiperds word beskryf en is verdeel in klasse van 1-5 waar 1 'n goeie kondisie en 5 'n swak liggaamskondisie verteenwoordig. Geselekteerde spesies is aangebied vir luiperds in liggaamskondisies 2 tot 3 (jagkondisie). Die aantal dae wat die luiperds op die verskillende karkasse gevoed het, asook hulle gedrag is waargeneem en waardes bereken. Karkasse is verdeel in nege karkas segmente en die vet, ru- prote·ien, as en droe materiaal van 'n impala ram wat onderverdeel is in die verskillende segmente, is bereken. Voedingsvolgorde beginnende by die derms, stem ooreen met dalende vet persentasies van die verskillende karkas segmente. In teenstelling het die voedingsvolgorde nie ooreengestem met die ru-prote'ien inhoud van die verskillende karkas segmente nie. 'n Prooi Eenheid (PU) is gedefinieer as 'n rooibok ooi (Aepyceros melampus) met 'n lewendige massa van 41 kg waarvan 30.75 kg beskikbaar is vir benutting. Soortgelyk is 'n Predator Eenheid (PRU) gedefinieer as 'n volwasse, nie-sogende luiperdwyfie (Panthera pardus) van 35 kg met 'n gemiddelde daaglikse voedsel befhoefte inname van 3.0 kg per dag. Vanaf die gestelde normes, is vervangende waardes van ander predator en prooi spesies in terme van PRU en PU bereken. Vergelykings is saamgestel waarvan die roofdier drakrag bereken kan word om 'n luiperd op 'n beperkte sisteem (bv. wildsplaas) te ondersteun. Die voedingsbehoefte in kg van 'n luiperd per dag kan bereken word met die vergelyking FR= M x SNR x LF. Verduideliking van afkortings: FR - voedingsbehoefte van 'n luiperd; M- massa(kg)vanluiperd;SNF-voedingsbehoeftegebasseeropgeslagmetwaardes (0.0807) vir mannetjies en (0.0855) vir wyfies; LF - benutting van sogende of nie- sogende luiperdwyfie wat bereken word met vergelyking [1+(%/100)). Die persentasie word vervang met die verskil in daaglikse voedsel inname (kg) van 'n lakterende wyfie teenoor 'n nie-lakterende wyfie. ie impak van luiperds op die herbivore se biomassa kan bereken word met die vergelyking Bl = M x HBV x Y x LF x SI. Verduideliking van afkortings: Bl - impak van luiperds op die biomassa van herbivore; M - massa (kg) van luiperd; HBV - herbivoor benuttingswaarde met vervangingswaarde 0.105; Y - 365 dae; LF - vervanging van voedsel inname van 'n sogende of nie-sogende wytie soos reeds bespreek; SI - kwantifisering van die impak van aasdiere met die vergelyking [1 + (X/365)) waar X die aantal dae voorstel wat aasdiere 'n luiperd se prooi steel. Die gemiddelde aantal dae wat 'n luiperd op een karkas kan voed, afhangende van omgewingsfaktore, kan bereken word met die vergelyking NDF = MP x SN x SX x LF. Verduideliking van afkortings: NDF - aantal dae van voeding op karkas; MP - massa (kg) van prooi; SN - seisoenswaardes met somer (0.2461538) en winter (0.2721088); SX - geslag waardes waar 'n wyfie (1) en 'n mannetjie (0.5707559) verteenwoordig; LF - vervanging van voedsel inname van 'n sogende of nie-sogende wyfie soos reeds bespreek . 'n Bestuursmodel vir ekologiese volhoubaarheid in die derde trofiese vlak word voorgestel met inagneming van alle ekologiese komponente bestaande uit gras-, blaar-, prooi- en roofdier eenhede. Met bogenoemde model kan die ekologiese en ekonomiese impak van luiperds asook volhoubaarheid bereken word. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.sponsorship | The National Research Foundation (NRF) | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/9869 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Abstract in other languages 𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘢𝘯𝘴 | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Leopard (Panthera pardus) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Communication | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Visual | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Auditory | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Olfactory | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Feeding behaviour and sequence | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Nutritional requirements | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Prey and predator units | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Predator capacity | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Ecological and economical sustainability | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Aspects of the communication and feeding behaviour of captive leopards (Panthera pardus) | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |