Verhaltensbeobachtungen an Goldschakalen (Canis aureus) im Zoo Osnabrück mit dem Schwerpunkt auf soziale Interaktionen und Paarungsbereitschaft.

Bachelor of Science-Arbeit

75 Seiten

Erstprüfer: PD. Dr. Udo Gansloßer, Zoologisches Institut und Museum Universität Greifswald
Zweitprüfer: apl. Prof. Dr. G. Purschke, Fachbereich Zoologie, Universität Osnabrück
Zoo Osnabrück

Abstract:

Nowadays the roles of zoological gardens are mainly the Conservation and the coordinated breeding programs of threatened species as well as raising awareness for the vulnerability of nature resulting in a better understanding and conservation of Ecosystems. This thesis deals with several behavioural observations on golden jackals (Canis aureus) in the zoo-logical garden of Osnabrück with emphasis on social interactions and the reproductive be-haviour. The aim is to understand these two very important social aspects and the special needs of these animals to improve breeding and their wellbeing in captivity. It is based on Wandrey’s “Contribution to the study of social behaviour in captive golden jackals (Canis aureus)” from 1975. This is one of very few studies which were written to understand the social behaviour of golden jackals held in captivity. Therefore actual observations are a necessity to comprehend the behaviour of jackals in captivity. A group of three jackals consisting of two females (born in captivity) and one male (wild born) were observed for four hours a day on 41 observation days. A focus observation method was used and the collected data was statistically analysed by using the Friedman Test on the social interac-tions and the Wilcoxon Test to analyze the preferences of the reproductive mate of the male jackal. Significant differences in the social behaviour as well as in the preferences for the reproductive partner were observed including the first recorded copulation in captivity of these individuals.

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