Study of the behavior of Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) in captivity (Puerto Nariño – Amazonas, Colombia)
The behavior of the amazon manatee, which is classified as “vulnerable”, has been poorlystudied. This research constitutes the first ethological study of one Trichechus inunguis. Theanimal concerned was a juvenile male held in captivity and bottle-fed with an artificial milkformula. The manatee was...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia
2000-01-01
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| Series: | Acta Biológica Colombiana |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/actabiol/article/view/26695 |
| Summary: | The behavior of the amazon manatee, which is classified as “vulnerable”, has been poorlystudied. This research constitutes the first ethological study of one Trichechus inunguis. Theanimal concerned was a juvenile male held in captivity and bottle-fed with an artificial milkformula. The manatee was undergoing a long-term rehabilitation process for re-introducing itin to the wild. Ethological records during 149 hours in 2 different sized facilities were collected.Ad libitumobservations were used to describe behavior and events. The 30-minute recordingsessions were divided into 1-minute intervals. The first ethological catalog for this species wasdesigned, including 87 behavior patherns classified into 8 general categories. The studypresents an analysis of each type of activity for both facilities. Activity rhythm and the use ofspace by the manatee were also studied. |
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| ISSN: | 0120-548X 1900-1649 |