Behavioral activity of Ursus arctos brown bear in zoo conditions

• Published in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
• Main Author: Moiseeva, T A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: IOP Publishing 2021
• Subjects: Ursus arctos
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/677/5/052068; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/677/5/052068; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/677/5/052068/pdf

Abstract The article is devoted to observing the behavior of brown bears in a zoo using time slicing method. For each of the experimental bears, time budgets were determined - a system of indicators characterizing the distribution of time expenditures by types of use, and their detailed analysis was carried out. It is concluded that in the time budgets of the experimental bears, two forms of behavioral activities predominate: circular walking, which is a form of undesirable behavior in bears and at the same time a way of adapting to the conditions of the zoo, means to throw out the accumulated energy, and lying down is a lack of physical activity, which is most pronounced in a young female. Normal forms of locomotor activity typical of brown bears - standing on their hind legs, scratching on the grate - are less represented in zoo bears. Also, using the Shannon index, the diversity of behavior of the experimental bears was assessed. The greater diversity of behavior in the adult male than in the cubs, the authors associate with the greater adaptation of the adult bear to the conditions of the zoo.