A combination of methods (e.g. scan sampling, focal sampling, all-occurrence recording methods), was used to collect behavioral information on 45 forest musk deer at Maerkang Musk Deer Breed Center, Sichuan Province of China. More specifically, we measured the frequency of non-resting behaviors and the intensity of affinitive behaviors. The aim of the study was to assess how gender, group size and social affinity influenced captive musk deer’s activity. The results show significant effect group size and social affinity on activity (P < 0.05), but not gender (P > 0.05) as the activity level of males did not differ from that of females. Indeed, we found that individuals were more active when in groups of smaller size (0.40 ± 0.022, n = 4) as compared to large size groups (0.25 ± 0.021, n = 32); and that activity level increased with social affinity (r = 0.390, P = 0.01), with highly active individuals holding highly social individuals. This study suggests that the individual difference in activity among groups of different in sizes may be used to carry out recommendations on change in herds’ structure and composition aimed at facilitating social cohesion and achieving more efficient management procedure in musk deer herds.

采用扫描取样和焦点动物取样法对四川马尔康林麝繁育场的45头圈养林麝进行行为取样，以其非静息行为的发生率作为活跃性指标，以社会亲和行为的发生强度作为社会亲和度指标，分析圈养林麝活跃性与其性别、圈群密度及社会亲和度的关系。结果表明：圈群密度和社会亲和度对圈养林麝的活跃性有显著影响（P < 0.05），但活跃性雌雄差异不显著（P > 0.05）。与高密度圈群的林麝（0.25 ± 0.021, n=32）相比，低密度圈群中的个体更活跃（0.40 ± 0.022, n = 4）；活跃性与社会亲和度之间显著相关（r = 0.390, P = 0.01），活跃性较高个体倾向于展现高的社会亲和度。建议麝场在进行麝群构建时，充分考虑林麝个体的活跃性差异及与圈群密度的关系，以提高圈群稳定性和驯养生产力。