EVALUATION OF SOCIAL AND BREEDING BEHAVIOUR OF CHINKARA (GAZELLA BENNETTII) IN WILD AND CAPTIVITY

M. H. Aziz1, K. M. Anjum1, K. Javed2, K. Samiullah3, Z. Ali4, S. A. Khan1 and S. Suleman1

1Department of Wildlife and Ecology, 2Department of Livestock Production, University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences-Lahore; 3Department of Zoology, Government College University, Faisalabad; 4Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, Lahore
Corresponding author: dr.harisaziz@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Breeding behaviour of Chinkara (Gazella bennettii) is more conspicuous in the wild than captivity where individuals do not achieve enough chance to show normal behaviour. These behavioural changes were observed in wild and captive sites of Punjab province of Pakistan from April 2013 to December 2013. Animals were observed randomly using scan sampling technique. The parameters under study were Vigilance, Resting, Grooming, Defecation/Urination frequency, time spent together Male-Female, Grouping, Alone, Affinitive interaction, Agonistic activity, Mounting frequency and Mounting Number etc. Vigilance was significantly less in the captive population than wild population. Resting was noticed more in the captive population than wild population. Frequency of Mounting occurred more in the wild than in the captivity significantly. Grooming behaviour was non-significantly different between wild and captive population. Results of this study indicate that if captive population is kept with appropriate gender relation in an enclosure and environmental disturbance is minimum the captive Chinkara population can be as productive as the wild population.
Key words: Chinkara, Breeding and social behaviour, Ethology, Wild and captivity.