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PRELIMINARY OBSERVATION ON THE PHENOMENA OF SOLITARY INDIVIDUALS IN GOLDEN TAKIN (BUDORCAS TAXICOLOR BEDFORDI) IN QINLING MOUTAIN RANGES

ZENG Zhigao,SONG Yanling   

  • Online:2006-06-23 Published:2008-07-07

秦岭羚牛中独栖现象的初步观察

曾治高,宋延龄   

  1. 中国科学院动物研究所, 北京

Abstract: Golden takin (Budorcastaxicolorbedfordi) naturally appearsingroups, but a few individuals of them can be observed as solitary ones. Fifty individuals of solitary takins were tallied from March to November 1996, which werecounted 4.59% ofthe totaltakins observed in the field.Takins ofany sexes andages could be a solitary one, adult males both of old age or in a strong body condition, adult females, sub-adults in both sexes, and even calves were found alone. Solitary ones were more 1ikely to beseen in summer when takins were in heat. Majority of the solitary takins observed in the breeding season was adult males, but solitary adult females could also be found. Both of them were in a very good bodycondition. It was hardly to find group formed only by males in Qinling mountainranges, while it wasseenquiteoften in the subspeciesofTibetan takin (B. t .tibetana). We strongly suggested that some adult males in a good body condition would likely be alone in breeding season when they moved between groups andtry to get moremating opportunities. They would be aggregated in groups again after the breeding season was over. Animals which were ill or weak might be leftalone if they could not keep up with groups when they made a move of feeding or escaping. Solitary takin could be found in any season and in any kinds of habitat. Most solitary ones in old age were often found in areas of lower elevation. Twomales were collared in the study area(M1 and M2). M2 wasold and alone. Ml was strong and associated in a group. Time budget of the two radio-collared takins inJuly indicated that active rate of M1 and M2 was not significantly different in the 24 hours period, butit was differentat night for the two takins.Active signals could be received at day and night for M1, but M2 was very active in the day time andalmost spent allthe time onresting at night.

Key words: Golden takin(Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi), Solitary takin, Activity rhythm

摘要: 在群栖的秦岭羚牛种群中,存在着少数单独活动的羚牛, 称为独牛。野外见到独牛50只次, 占见到羚牛总数的4.59 %。独牛中有老年雄性个体、青壮年雄性个体、雌性个体、亚成体和幼仔。在繁殖季节独牛出现的次数最多, 其中大部分是雄性个体, 也有雌性个体。与羚牛的四川亚种不同, 在秦岭亚种中很少见到公牛集群的现象。羚牛种群中独牛的形成主要与繁殖有关, 同时还与疾病及防御迁移有关。独牛在不同季节、不同生境内均可见到 , 绝大多数老年独牛活动区域的海拔高度低于集群的羚牛活动的高度。老年独牛在离群活动后,其活动节律与群体中的雄牛有一定的差异, 这种差异在夜间的活动时间和活动率方面表现得更加明显。

关键词: 羚牛, 独牛, 活动节律