Activity patterns of the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in North East Germany

Title:

Activity patterns of the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in North East Germany

Creator:

Zoller, Hinrich and Drygala, Frank

Identifier:

https://cdk.lib.cas.cz/client/handle/uuid:90944fa1-f037-4b06-8579-8bb0f5525a48
uuid:90944fa1-f037-4b06-8579-8bb0f5525a48

Subject:

monogamy, circadian activity, breeding behaviour, and winter dormancy

Type:

article, model:article, and TEXT

Description:

To study annual and circadian activity proportion and activity allocation during the pup rearing period we analysed VHF telemetry-based data from the invasive, socially monogamous raccoon dog in North Eastern Germany. Proportions of active fixes for 26 adults indicate a mean annual activity level of 58.3 %. There was no difference between males and females in mean annual activity or in the mean activity in each of the different seasons. A mean winter-activity level of 47.0 % ± 32.4 active fixes indicates that raccoon dogs did not hibernate; however, they became less active as the temperature decreases in winter. There were clear differences in the proportion of active fixes observed in the biological seasons, with the highest activity level (70.3 %) during the pup rearing period. Circadian activity rhythm, sampled on a daily basis, indicates that raccoon dogs were mainly crepuscular and nocturnal with a mean activity level of 86.8 %. The mean diurnal activity level across the seasons was 32.4 %, ranging from 15.0 % in winter to 56.6 % during the pup rearing period. Allocation of active fixes for 24-h continuous observations during the first six weeks after parturition showed that males were mostly inactive, resting with the pups in the den, while females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements. This point to a clear division of labour between parents, during the pup rearing period.

Language:

English

Rights:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
policy:public

Source:

Folia zoologica | 2013 Volume:62 | Number:4

Harvested from:

CDK

Metadata only:

false