Term of Award

Winter 2002

Degree Name

Master of Science

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Department

Department of Biology

Committee Chair

C. Ray Chandler

Committee Member 1

Stephen P. Vives

Committee Member 2

Bruce Schulte

Abstract

Female Maxwell's duikers (Cephalophus maxwellii) were studied at the Wildlife Survival Center on St. Catherine's Island, Georgia. The objectives were to quantify the effects of housing on activity budgets and progesterone cycling. Four animals were studied across two housing situations: housed individually versus housed in a grouped setting. Behavioral observations revealed no significant change in access to resources, rumination, or repetitive behaviors, once animals were housed together. Fecal samples were collected in order to determine levels of progesterone through radioimmunoassay (RIA). Fluctuations in progesterone levels revealed no clear estrous cycles. Animals showed less variability in progesterone levels and more concordance among animals once introduced into group housing. Identifying activity budgets and estrus in group- versus single-housed Maxwell's duikers will provide critical information in the captive husbandry techniques used to house this species.

Copyright

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