Behavioral activities of white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, Link, 1795) in a semi-intensive farming system in Brazil

Oliveira, M.H.V.; Oliveira, J.M.; Domingues, D.H.B.; Hosken, F.M.; Tarôco, G.; Gaya, L.G.; Ferreira, F.N.A.; Martins, E.H.; Malheiros, J.M.; Correia, L.E.C.S.; Vilar, C.S.M.M.; Reis, R.S.

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-11998

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Animal Science and Technology and Inspection of Animal Products • Arq. Bras. Med. Vet. Zootec. 72 (05) • Sep-Oct 2020 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-11998 copy

Behavioral activities of white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari, Link, 1795) in a semi-intensive farming system in Brazil

[Atividades comportamentais de queixadas (Tayassu pecari, Link, 1795) em sistema semi-intensivo de criação no Brasil]

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to describe the main behaviors of white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari) expressed in a semi-intensive production system in Brazil. The behavioral activities of two groups of peccaries allocated in two paddocks were assessed, totaling 17 adult animals and eventual pups in different developmental stages. The animals were visually observed using the ad libitum sampling and scan sample methods during the adaptation and experimental phases, respectively. The animals were evaluated in the morning, afternoon, and at night. The behavioral activities observed by ad libitum sampling comprised feeding, pool contact, moving, staying inside the handling area, resting, mud bathing, mutual rubbing, rubbing, aggression, sexual behavior, copulation, foraging, breastfeeding, sleeping, territorial marking, interactions, birthing, gnawing, and other behaviors. All behaviors observed by the ad libitum sampling method were confirmed in the experimental period by scan sample, except for territorial marking and birthing. The effects of time of day were statistically significant (p <0.05) for eating, pool contact, movement, staying inside the handling area, resting, mud bathing and sleeping. These results contribute to the understanding of instinctive animal habits and to the development of nutritional, environmental and health management protocols that meet the requirements of peccaries.

Keywords:
animal welfare; animal production; conservation; ethology; wildlife

Behavior	Description
Feeding	Food consumption, handling and selection inside or outside the feeder
Pool contact	The animals drink from, walk around and use the masonry pool
Moving	The animals trot, walk or run not always continuously but cumulatively
Staying inside the handling area	The animals stay inside the management area to rest, feed or drink
Resting	The animals recline, maintain a lateral position, sit or stand with their eyes open
Mud bathing	The animals lie in small mud pools
Mutual rubbing	Two animals in opposite directions rub their heads in the flank region by vertical and horizontal movements, stimulating the dorsal odorant gland.
Rubbing	Rubbing faces and/or body parts against objects and surfaces
Aggression	Violent response or reaction that promotes bite disputes, bite threats, submissive or defensive postures, sometimes accompanied by vocalization
Sexual behavior	Sexual positioning with courting, vocalization and unsuccessful riding
Copulation	Mating between males and females
Foraging	The animals revolve the soil
Breastfeeding	Female-pup interactions in breastfeeding attempts
Sleeping	The animals recline or maintain lateral position with their eyes open
Territory marking	The act of rubbing odorous glands along the entire paddock length
Interactions	Animals from one paddock interact with animals from another paddock
Shackle	Animals use the extra shelter by staying or going through the shackle extension
Birthing	Pup birthing
Gnawing	The animals gnaw on tree trunks and/or roots
Other	The animals perform undescribed behaviors

Behavior	N	Time period
Behavior	N	Morning	Afternoon	Night	p-value
Feeding	1350	2.40^a	1.26^b	0.06^c	<0.0001*
Pool contact	478	0.55^b	0.72^a	0.04^c	0.0439*
Moving	4078	3.15^b	6.37^a	1.72^c	<0.0001*
Staying inside the handling area	2763	5.16^a	1.36^b	1.09^c	0.0002*
Resting	7342	8.31^b	8.78^a	3.14^c	<0.0001*
Mud bathing	274	0.17^b	0.59^a	0^c	0.0005*
Mutual rubbing	478	0.53^ns	0.64^ns	0.15^ns	0.4329
Rubbing	163	0.19^ns	0.21^ns	0.04^ns	0.8436
Aggression	71	0.07^ns	0.11^ns	0.01^ns	0.9281
Sexual behavior	71	0.10^ns	0.09^ns	0.01^ns	0.8062
Copulation	70	0.05^ns	0.13^ns	0.02^ns	0.3903
Foraging	2749	3.36^ns	3.43^ns	0.79^ns	0.6489
Breastfeeding	611	0.73^ns	0.69^ns	0.26^ns	0.7626
Sleeping	14483	7.71^b	7.19^c	25.02^a	<0.0001*
Interaction	135	0.16^ns	0.17^ns	0.04^ns	0.9538
Shackle	334	0.08^ns	0.20^ns	0.64^ns	0.2319
Gnawing	197	0.06^ns	0.44^ns	0.04^ns	0.2819
Others	641	0.55^ns	0.96^ns	0.26^ns	0.8813

Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária Caixa Postal 567, 30123-970 Belo Horizonte MG - Brazil, Tel.: (55 31) 3409-2041, Tel.: (55 31) 3409-2042 - Belo Horizonte - MG - Brazil
E-mail: abmvz.artigo@gmail.com

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