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Scent‐marking in captive red pandas ( Ailurus fulgens )
Author(s) -
Conover Greta K.,
Gittleman John L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.1430080210
Subject(s) - biology , sexual dimorphism , zoology , seasonal breeder , sniffing , sexual behavior , ecology , anatomy , developmental psychology , psychology
Three male and three female captive red pandas ( Ailurus fulgens ) were observed during and outside of the breeding season to examine changes in scent‐marking behavior. Variation in scent‐marking was analyzed with respect to site preferences, sex differences, onset of breeding, behavioral correlates, and environmental factors. Both males and females exhibited significant preferences for particular marking sites, those being prominent points in the enclosures. Males showed significantly higher scent‐marking frequencies than females, except in one enclosure where increased marking behavior was associated with the presence of young. Sexual dimorphism in the pattern of marking was also observed, with males showing a bidirectional mark and females a unidirectional mark. Female marking was greater during the breeding season. Sniffing and number of waddles per mark were associated with scent‐marking. Temperature change was not related to frequency of scent‐marking. These results are compared with scent‐marking behaviors in other species of carnivores and functional explanations are suggested.