Behaviour of Zoo-Housed Red Pandas (Ailurus fulgens): A Case-Study Testing the Behavioural Variety Index

The red panda is listed as “endangered” in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, due to rapid population decline. Improving our knowledge on biology and ethology necessary enhance its husbandry breeding zoos. Behavioural variety, intended presence a wide array species-specific behaviour, has been considered positive welfare index zoo-housed animals. aim this study was describe behaviour two pairs pandas, one them with an offspring, investigate behavioural variability using Variety Index (BVI). data from zoo-living male–female were collected. A continuous focal animal sampling method used collect individual social behaviours pairs. Forty-eight 30 min sessions per subject carried out. For BVI, list previously reported prepared compared repertoire subjects study. First, recorded, no abnormal reported. percentages time spent different activities (e.g., routine behaviours, exploratory/territorial consumption locomotive maternal behaviours) similar budgets panda, (resting, comfort vigilance) being most performed both Moreover, BVI suggested that each average 73% described previous literature species. In conclusion, studying variety pandas zoos can be useful tool for assessing their well improving species difficult observe wild.