Relationship between behavioral diversity and musk secretion of captive forest musk deer

Abstract

Behavioral diversity can comprehensively quantify the behavior characteristics of animals, according to the food intake and physiological responses of forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), periods of musk secretion were divided. In order to elucidate relationship between behavior diversity and musk secretion of forest musk deer, from May 1st to July 31st 2016, behavior of 57 male forest musk deer in the Sichuan Maerkang Musk Deer Breeding Center were observed and recorded by focal sampling and the all-occurrence recording method. According to the age, the musk deer can be divided into subadults, adults and the elderly. Then, the characteristics of musk secretion in each period and the relationship between age and musk secretion were analyzed by calculating the behavior diversity index (BDI) combined with food-intake monitoring by single factor analysis of variance and correlation coefficient method. Results indicated that BDI of subadults (n=38) before musk secretion was significantly higher than that of the elderly (n=14, P 0.05). After musk secretion, BDI of the elderly (n=49) was significantly lower than that of subadults (n=84, P 0.05). In the early period of musk secretion, BDI of the elderly (n=14) and subadults (n=38) as well as BDI in the later period of musk secretion for the elderly (n=49) and subadults (n=84) were significantly lower (P < 0.05), of which those with medium BDI produced more musk (n=4, n=28) in the 2 periods. In the mid-secretive period, BDI (n=71) of musk deer increased with the age, and individuals with low BDI produced more musk (n=3). Thus, BDI of captive forest musk deer for the entire musk secretion period could be used as a prediction index of musk production, which, in turn, could be utilized in musk deer farming and musk production practices.