Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

A study of southern pudu (Pudu puda) was performed at the zoo Nordens Ark in Bohuslän, Sweden during twelve days in Mars and April 2014. Observations were performed during twilight. Time budget and enclosure use was examined, when the animals had access to the whole enclosure of 1000 m2 or a smaller part of the enclosure of 200 m2.

There was almost no difference in time budget between the two enclosure sizes.

At both enclosure sizes the animals spent most of the time at a place that was hidden from outside the enclosure. The hidden place was situated in the house. Also the rest of the house was a place where the animals spent a lot of time.

The big enclosure part, the part of the enclosure that the animals did not have access to in the 200 m2 enclosure, was more rocky and hilly, which might have been features the animals preferred. Another reason to the preference of the big enclosure part might have been that the animals didn’t have access to that part of the enclosure the whole time and therefor found it more exciting.

The three small shelters in the enclosure were seldom used. The shelter that was used the most was located in the part of the enclosure the animals didn’t have access to when they were in the small enclosure.

The pudus seemed to be affected by not always having access to the whole enclosure, but additional observations are desired to ensure chance didn’t impact on the results.

In the future it would be interesting to do a follow-up to study the animals at different times of the day. It would also be interesting to study enrichments to see if the animals would like to spend more time in other places than the house if the rest of the enclosure was enriched.