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Le kouprey, bos (bibos) sauveli urbain, 1937; discussion systematique et statut actuel. hypothese sur l'origine du zebu (bos indicus)
Mammalia
Abstract
La validité specifique dn Kouprey ou Boeuf gris du Cambodge, décrit en 1937 par Urbain, a été contested par difflrents auteurs. Les uns le considérent comme un hybride, tandis que d'autres admettent au contra ire qu'il constitue on genre original. Les études ostéologiques aboutissant à des conclusions dia-métralement opposées, selon les critéres adoptés par les tenants de l'une ou l'autre hypothése, cet article se contente de recourir aux arguments apportés par la morphologie externe et I'éologie du Kouprey. L'hypothése de Thybri-dation étant aisément réfutée et celle d'un Statut générique particulier ne paraissant pas justifiée, il conclut que le Kouprey n'est qu'une espéce du sons-genre Bibos au měme titre que le Gaur et le Banteng. II n'y a done pas de raison d'invalider le nom proposé par Urbain. (1) Chargé de Recherches au C.N.R. S. Laboratoire de Mammalogie, Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Paris. (2) Inspecteur des Chasses, Chef des Services de Protection de la Nature du Cambodge. Eaux et Forěts, Phnom-Penh.
... même, Sauvel (1949) indique qu'il est « fin et longiligne », alors que le Gaur est « massif et trapu » et qu'il est capable de courir à 32 km/h, tandis que le Banteng ne dépasserait pas les 25 km/h. Cette impression de légèreté et de vitesse se dégage très nettement lors du visionnage du documentaire réalisé par Charles H. Wharton en 1952 (http://www.arkive.org/).Sauvel, 1949 ; Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). Fanon – Un fanon proéminent est décrit par tous les auteurs qui ont pu voir des koupreys mâles (Urbain, 1937 ; Sauvel, 1949 ; Wharton, 1957 ; Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). ...
... Cette impression de légèreté et de vitesse se dégage très nettement lors du visionnage du documentaire réalisé par Charles H. Wharton en 1952 (http://www.arkive.org/).Sauvel, 1949 ; Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). Fanon – Un fanon proéminent est décrit par tous les auteurs qui ont pu voir des koupreys mâles (Urbain, 1937 ; Sauvel, 1949 ; Wharton, 1957 ; Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). Il s'agit d'un repli cutané qui peut atteindre 40 cm de largeur au niveau du poitrail (Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). ...
... Fanon – Un fanon proéminent est décrit par tous les auteurs qui ont pu voir des koupreys mâles (Urbain, 1937 ; Sauvel, 1949 ; Wharton, 1957 ; Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). Il s'agit d'un repli cutané qui peut atteindre 40 cm de largeur au niveau du poitrail (Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967). Bien que moins développé, il est aussi bien visible sur les femelles. ...
Le Kouprey est un bœuf sauvage, aussi appelé bœuf gris du Cambodge, qui a très probablement disparu depuis les années 1980. Il fut décrit par le Pr. Achille Urbain en 1937 sous le nom scientifique de Bos (Bibos) sauveli, l’utilisation du sous-genre Bibos suggérant des affinités phylogénétiques avec le Gaur et le Banteng, deux bovins sauvages que l’on rencontre encore au Cambodge. Je décris ici le contexte de la découverte du Kouprey, sa distribution géographique au XXe siècle, puis ses caractéristiques morphologiques.
... An adult male shot in Cambodia in 1939 was further described by Coolidge (1940), who considered the species sufficiently distinct to put it in the new genus Novibos. Subsequently, the validity of Novibos was questioned and the kouprey was returned to the genus Bos (Bohlken 1961a(Bohlken , 1961bPfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Groves 1981) or alternatively placed in the genus Bibos (e.g. Geraads 1992). ...
... The analyses indicated that the kouprey is related to both gaur and banteng, confirming previous hypotheses based on morphology (e.g. Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Geraads 1992). Galbreath et al. (2006) sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Cambodian banteng and found a close relation with the kouprey. ...
... They may join females herd to form groups of up to 25 individuals in the dry season (Wharton 1957). The herd is led by an adult female (Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967) similarly to other wild cattle species (Melletti et al. 2007; see also Chapter 20). Fission-fusion patterns have been described in kouprey herds (Wharton 1957). ...
The kouprey (Bos sauveli) is a little-known wild cattle species discovered in the nineteenth century in Northern Cambodia. Probably the first to mention this species was Campbell (1860), who described three species of wild cattle in Cambodia: the gaur, the banteng and a ‘black or blackish grey’ wild ox that frequently occurs ‘on the plains in herds of from 50 to 300 at a time’. Later, Dufossé (1918) gave additional information on the species, mentioned that the kouprey is endangered and suggested prohibiting its hunting in order to preserve the remaining populations. The species, Bos sauveli, was described by Urbain (1937) based on a young male caught in Preah Vihear Province of Cambodia and maintained in captivity at the Vincennes Zoo (France) until the 1940s. Urbain (1937) placed the kouprey with banteng and gaur into the subgenus Bibos. An adult male shot in Cambodia in 1939 was further described by Coolidge (1940), who considered the species sufficiently distinct to put it in the new genus Novibos. Subsequently, the validity of Novibos was questioned and the kouprey was returned to the genus Bos (Bohlken 1961a, 1961b; Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967; Groves 1981) or alternatively placed in the genus Bibos (e.g. Geraads 1992).
... An adult male shot in Cambodia in 1939 was further described by Coolidge (1940), who considered the species sufficiently distinct to put it in the new genus Novibos. Subsequently, the validity of Novibos was questioned and the kouprey was returned to the genus Bos (Bohlken 1961a(Bohlken , 1961bPfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Groves 1981) or alternatively placed in the genus Bibos (e.g. Geraads 1992). ...
... The analyses indicated that the kouprey is related to both gaur and banteng, confirming previous hypotheses based on morphology (e.g. Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Geraads 1992). Galbreath et al. (2006) sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Cambodian banteng and found a close relation with the kouprey. ...
... They may join females herd to form groups of up to 25 individuals in the dry season (Wharton 1957). The herd is led by an adult female (Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967) similarly to other wild cattle species (Melletti et al. 2007; see also Chapter 20). Fission-fusion patterns have been described in kouprey herds (Wharton 1957). ...
... But two years later, he concluded that the three skulls of kouprey preserved in the MNHN collections of Paris are castrated domestic cattle (Bohlken, 1963). All the hypotheses of hybridization were considered as unfounded by Pfeffer and Kim-San (1967), who suggested strong affinities with banteng and gaur, as originally proposed by Urbain (1937). More recent morphological investigations have led to different conclusions ( Fig. 1): Groves (1981) proposed an association with the aurochs (B. ...
... Within Bovina, the kouprey is clearly enclosed with the two other South East Asian Bos species, i.e., banteng and gaur (PP B = 1; BP = 90). Although in contradiction with the conclusions of Coolidge (1940) and Groves (1981), this result is in perfect accord with the view of Pfeffer and Kim-San (1967). In addition, it is consistent with the former designation of these three species as belonging to the subgenus Bibos (Urbain, 1937). ...
... As in most gregarious herbivores evolving in seasonal environments, they developped an important sexual dimorphism (Geist, 1987), which is expressed differently in each species. The three species of the subgenus Bibos may be therefore diagnosed as follows (Coolidge, 1940;Lekagul and McNeely, 1977;MacKinnon and Stuart, 1988;Pfeffer and Kim-San, 1967): (1) both sexes of banteng exhibit a characteristic white rump patch as well as a white band around the muzzle; females are usually brown or reddish brown, whereas the males are blackish brown or blue-black, and their horns are more upright and considerably smaller than in the males; (2) the general coloration of gaur is dark reddish brown to almost blackish brown; males are approximately one-fourth larger and heavier than females, and have a large hump over the shoulders; (3) in the kouprey, the young are brownish, the adult females are a characteristic grey colour, and the old males are a very rich, dark brown. The kouprey is a graceful animal when compared to banteng and gaur. ...
The kouprey is a very rare bovid species of the Indochinese peninsula, and no living specimen has been described for a long time, suggesting that it is possibly extinct. Its systematic position within the tribe Bovini remains confused since the analyses of morphological characters have led to several conflicting hypotheses. Some authors have also suggested that it could be a hybrid species produced by the crossing of the banteng with gaur, zebu, or water buffalo. Here we performed a molecular phylogeny of the tribe Bovini to determine the taxonomic status of the kouprey. DNA was extracted from the holotype specimen preserved in the MNHN collections. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out on a matrix including all the taxonomic diversity described in the tribe Bovini, and 2065 nucleotide characters, representing three different markers, i.e., the promotor of the lactoferrin and two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and subunit II of the cytochrome c oxidase). The results show that the kouprey belongs to the subtribe Bovina, and that three different clades can be evidenced into this group: the first includes the domestic ox, zebu, and European bison; the second incorporates the yak and American bison; and the third contains the kouprey, banteng and gaur. All hypotheses involving hybridization for the origin of the kouprey can be rejected, confirming that it is a real wild species. Molecular datings and biogeographic inferences suggest that the kouprey diverged from banteng and gaur during the Plio-Pleistocene of Asia. In addition, several molecular signatures were detected in the cytochrome b gene, permitting a molecular identification of the kouprey. We propose a conservation project based on a molecular taxonomy approach for tracking the kouprey in Indochina in order to determine whether some populations still survive in the wild.
... But in 1963, he concluded that the three skulls of kouprey preserved in the MNHN collections of Paris are castrated domestic cattle [13]. In 1967, all the hypotheses of hybridisation were considered as unfounded by Pfeffer and Kim-San [14], who suggested strong affinities with banteng and gaur, as originally proposed by Urbain in 1937 [6]. More recent morphological investigations have led to different conclusions: in 1981, Groves proposed an association with the aurochs (Bos taurus primigenius) – the wild ancestor of domestic cattle [15], while the cladistic analyses performed by Geraads in 1992 suggested a sister-group relationship with the clade composed of banteng, gaur, and aurochs with its domesticates [16] . ...
... In 2004, Hassanin and Ropiquet carried out the first molecular study on B. sauveli [17] . By analysing three different markers (two mitochondrial genes, i.e., cytochrome b and sub-unit II of the cytochrome c oxidase, and one nu-clear fragment, i.e., promotor of the lactoferrin), they showed that B. sauveli is closely related to B. frontalis (gaur) and B. javanicus (banteng), as previously proposed by Urbain in 1937 [6] and by Pfeffer and Kim- San in 1967 [14], but the relationships between these three Indochinese species were not resolved. In addition , they listed several nucleotide sites of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyb) gene, which can be used for diagnosing other specimens of kouprey. ...
... One nucleotide signature is found in the Cyb gene for diagnosing this clade: C → T in position 975. This result is in perfect accord with the view of Pfeffer and Kim-San [14] , and is consistent with Urbain, who defined the subgenus Bibos as including the three species of wild cattle found in Indochina [6]. On the one hand, all the six sequences of gaur fall together (PP B = 0.80; BP ML/MP = 67/55), and the monophyly of Bos frontalis is diagnosed by one transition G → A in position 694, and one transversion A → T in position 717. ...
The kouprey (Bos sauveli Urbain, 1937) is a very rare bovid species of Cambodia, which may be extinct in the wild, as no living specimen has been observed for a long time. Here, we describe a complete taxidermy mount, which presents astonishing morphological similarities with the kouprey. The animal was mounted in 1871 at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, where it was referenced as No. 1871-576. It was deposited at the Natural History Museum of Bourges, France, in 1931, where it is still conserved today. To clarify the taxonomic status of the specimen of Bourges, DNA was extracted from a piece of bone taken on the mandible, and two different fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene were independently amplified and sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses show that the specimen of Bourges is robustly associated with the holotype of the kouprey, and that both are related to other wild species of Bos found in Indochina, i.e., banteng (B. javanicus) and gaur (B. frontalis). Because of doubts for sexing the animal, we applied a molecular test based on the PCR amplification of a DNA fragment specific to the Y chromosome. The results indicate that the specimen of Bourges is a male. The comparisons with male kouprey previously described in the literature reveal important differences concerning the body size, general coloration and horns. As these differences involve phenotypic traits that are strongly selected in case of domestication, we suggest that the specimen of Bourges was a domestic ox. This implies therefore that the kouprey may have been domesticated in Cambodia, and that several extant local races may be directly related to the kouprey.
... The kouprey is a mysterious animal with striking characters, including spectacular curving horns and a pronounced dewlap, a pendulous skin at the base of the neck that can nearly touch the ground in some older males. Numerous morphological hypotheses have been proposed for the origin of the kouprey: that it is a species closely related to banteng (Bos javanicus) and gaur (Bos frontalis), two other wild oxen of southeast Asia (Urbain 1937;Bohlken 1961;Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967); a morphologically divergent species placed in a separate genus, named Novibos (Coolidge 1940); a wild species linked to aurochs and domestic cattle (Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Groves 1981); a vicariant population of banteng (Corbet & Hill 1992); a feral cattle ( Wharton 1957;Bohlken 1963); or a hybrid of banteng with either zebu cattle, gaur or water buffalo (Cheminaud 1939;EdmondBlanc 1947;Bohlken 1958). ...
... The kouprey is a mysterious animal with striking characters, including spectacular curving horns and a pronounced dewlap, a pendulous skin at the base of the neck that can nearly touch the ground in some older males. Numerous morphological hypotheses have been proposed for the origin of the kouprey: that it is a species closely related to banteng (Bos javanicus) and gaur (Bos frontalis), two other wild oxen of southeast Asia (Urbain 1937;Bohlken 1961;Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967); a morphologically divergent species placed in a separate genus, named Novibos (Coolidge 1940); a wild species linked to aurochs and domestic cattle (Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967;Groves 1981); a vicariant population of banteng (Corbet & Hill 1992); a feral cattle ( Wharton 1957;Bohlken 1963); or a hybrid of banteng with either zebu cattle, gaur or water buffalo (Cheminaud 1939;EdmondBlanc 1947;Bohlken 1958). ...
The kouprey is a rare and enigmatic forest ox discovered by scientists in Cambodia only in 1937. Numerous morphological hypotheses have been proposed for the origin of the kouprey: that it is a species closely related to banteng and gaur, two other wild oxen of southeast Asia; a morphologically divergent species placed in a separate genus, named Novibos ; a wild species linked to aurochs and domestic cattle; a vicariant population of banteng; a feral cattle; or a hybrid of banteng with either zebu cattle, gaur or water buffalo.
In a recent paper, which gained a lot of media coverage, Galbreath et al . analysed mitochondrial DNA sequences and concluded that the kouprey never existed as a wild, natural species, and that it was a feral hybrid between banteng and zebu cattle.
Here we analyse eight DNA markers—three mitochondrial regions and five nuclear fragments—representing an alignment of 4582 nucleotides for the holotype of the kouprey and all related species. Our results demonstrate that the kouprey is a real and naturally occurring species, and show that Cambodian populations of banteng acquired a mitochondrial genome of kouprey by natural introgressive hybridization during the Pleistocene epoch.
... Asia is home to the largest diversity of wild Bos species, from which the critically endangered and likely extinct kouprey , Bos sauveli, has never been investigated from a genome-wide perspective. Various conflicting hypotheses have previously been suggested regarding its taxonomy and phylogenetic placement, including that it represents a private lineage (Coolidge, 1940;Wharton, 1957), related to gaur Bos gaurus and/or banteng Bos javanicus Bohlken, 1961;Pfeffer and Kim-San, 1967;Geraads, 1992;Hassanin and Ropiquet, 2004), aurochs Bos primigenius (Groves, 1981), or domestic cattle (Bohlken, 1963). Alternatively, other hypotheses argue it may have originated as a hybrid, for example, between B. javanicus and zebu cattle (Edmond-Blanc, 1947;Bohlken, 1958;Galbreath et al., 2006) (but see Hassanin and Ropiquet, 2007a;Galbreath et al., 2007;Hedges et al., 2007), or between B. javanicus and either B. gaurus or water buffalo Bubalus bubalis (Edmond-Blanc, 1947). ...
The evolution of the genera Bos and Bison and the nature of gene flow between wild and domestic species, is poorly understood, with genomic data of wild species being limited. We generated two genomes from the likely extinct Kouprey (Bos sauveli) and analysed them alongside other Bos and Bison genomes. We found that B. sauveli possessed genomic signatures characteristic of an independent species closely related to Bos javanicus and Bos gaurus. We found evidence for extensive incomplete lineage sorting across the three species, consistent with a polytomic diversification of the major ancestry in the group, potentially followed by secondary gene flow. Finally, we detected significant gene flow from an unsampled Asian Bos-like source into East Asian zebu cattle, demonstrating both that the full genomic diversity and evolutionary history of the Bos complex has yet to be elucidated, and that museum specimens and ancient DNA are valuable resources to do so.
... to IUCN/CMC). In the 1964-1970 period, Pfeffer undertook five expeditions to Indochina (each three months long) during which he collected information about kouprey and "took the only reasonable photograph of a wild kouprey" (Kemf 1988; see Pfeffer and Ou Kim-San 1967;Pfeffer 1969). None of the evidence for kouprey since Mellon's time, based on second-hand reports, hearsay, equivocal track identification or trophy horns (found in villages or wildlife markets and which could plausibly date back to Wharton's era) (e.g. ...
... According to the classification of Wilson & Reeder (2005), these six species are Bos taurus, which groups two independent lineages of domestic cattle, that is humpless cattle Bos taurus taurus and humped zebu Bos taurus indicus, gaur Bo. frontalis, yak Bos grunniens, kouprey Bo. sauveli, American bison Bison bison and European bison or wisent Bison bonasus. Morphologists have proposed various hypotheses for the phylogenetic position of banteng within the subtribe Bovina: (1) strong affinities with gaur and kouprey (Urbain, 1937;Pfeffer & Kim-San, 1967), (2) more closely related to gaur (Coolidge, 1940) or (3) kouprey (Bohlken, 1961), (4) sister-group to the clade including bison, yak, kouprey and the aurochs, that is the wild ancestor of domestic cattle (Groves, 1981) or (5) allied with the aurochs and its domesticates (Geraads, 1992). On the other hand, all molecular analyses have concluded to a sister-group relationship between Bo. javanicus and Bo. ...
In a recent paper, Galbreath, Mordacq & Weiler (2006) concluded that the kouprey Bos sauveli was not a natural species, but rather a feral animal derived from hybridization between banteng Bos javanicus and zebu Bos taurus indicus. Here, we analyze two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and subunit II of the cytochrome c oxidase) for all the seven species of the subtribe Bovina, including new sequences for several specimens of banteng, zebu and gaur of Cambodia. Our analyses indicate that mitochondrial sequences of Cambodian banteng are divergent from those of Javan banteng (mean difference =4.27%), but similar to those of kouprey (1.25%). We propose two conflicting hypotheses to interpret these results: (1) the Cambodian and Indonesian banteng belong to two distinct species, and the kouprey derived from Cambodian banteng; (2) all subspecies of banteng belong to Bo. javanicus, but the mitochondrial genome of kouprey was transferred by natural hybridization into the ancestor of Cambodian banteng. Morphological, ecological and ethological characteristics of banteng and kouprey rather support the second hypothesis. However, we need to sequence nuclear markers, and to analyze banteng from Lao, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, to give a definitive conclusion on the taxonomic status of banteng and kouprey.
... frontalis (gaur); (3) Bos grunniens (yak); (4) Bos sauveli (kouprey); (5) Bison bison (American bison); and (6) Bison bonasus (European bison or wisent) (Hassanin & Ropiquet 2004). Morphologists have proposed various hypotheses for the phylogenetic position of banteng within Bovina: (1) strong affinities with gaur and kouprey (Urbain 1937, Pfeffer & Kim-San 1967); (2) a position more closely related to gaur (Coolidge 1940) or (3) to kouprey (Bohlken 1961 ); (4) sister-group to the clade including bison, yak, kouprey and the aurochs (i.e. the wild ancestor of domestic cattle) (Groves 1981); or (5) allied with the aurochs and its domesticates (Geraads 1992). However, in 2004, a molecular study based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers suggested that banteng are closely related to the kouprey and gaur (Hassanin & Ropiquet 2004). ...
Three subspecies of banteng (Bos javanicus) have been described: B. j. javanicus in Java, B. j. lowi in Borneo, and B. j. birmanicus in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In this paper we provide the first description of the karyotype of the Cambodian banteng. The chromosomal complement of B. j. birmanicus differs from that of B. j. javanicus, which was previously found to be similar to that of cattle, Bos taurus (2n = 60). The Cambodian banteng karyotype has a diploid number of 2n = 56 (FN = 62) and the karyotype consists of 26 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes and two pairs of submetacentric chromosomes. Comparisons with other species of the subtribe Bovina show that the two pairs of bi-armed chromosomes resulted from two centric fusions involving the equivalent of cattle chromosomes 1 and 29, and 2 and 28, respectively. Cross-species fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) with B. taurus whole chromosome paints and satellite DNA I probes was used to identify the chromosomes involved in the translocations, and their orientation. We suggest that Robertsonian translocations (1;29) and (2;28) have been fixed in the common ancestor of Cambodian banteng as a consequence of hybridization with the kouprey (Bos sauveli) during the Pleistocene epoch.
The history of wildlife conservation in Cambodia in the twentieth century reveals the tensions that existed between the Khmer kingdom and international nature conservation networks, colonial or global. Wildlife conservation in Cambodia was not a priority for the French colonial administration. It only regulated hunting. While the global conservation movement was expanding via international conferences, local French administrators managed to obstruct the implementation of a conservation policy. After the Second World War, Western scientists and activists sought to establish reserves, particularly to protect a new species of wild cattle, the kouprey. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), through the notable efforts of Harold Coolidge, succeeded in convincing Prince Sihanouk to adopt such a policy in the 1960s. However, although 12 per cent of the kingdom's land was protected, funding and means for conservation remained largely inadequate. The war put an end to all conservation programmes. The IUCN renewed its efforts in the 1980s successfully establishing a network of protected areas in Cambodia in 1993. The various twentieth-century Cambodian wildlife conservation policies, which all imposed external models, often without prior adequate field studies or involvement of local populations, have failed to prevent emblematic species from disappearing.
We compared the skull of the kouprey with that of the other bovines (the Mishima cattle, yak, banteng and gaur) and investigated the morphological characters of the bovines. A significant difference in DHT, DFS, LFB and GBN were found in the cranium of Mishima cattle. A significant difference in SCL, GLN, GTD, LFB, GBN, LDH(L) and LDH(R) were observed in the cranium of yak. A significant difference in DHT, GBN, GDH(L), GDH(R) and LDH(L) were confirmed in the cranium of banteng. The significant difference in GBN/MFL is admitted among the other bovines. From these results, the Mishima cattle may have small between the tips of the horn sheath, and the width of the skull may be also small compared with the other bovines. The tips of the horn sheath in the kouprey may be broader than those of the other bovines.
Unlike most of the other members of the wild cattle family, the aurochs is extinct. That means that not all data concerning this animal and its life history can be described, and that some aspects will be examined here in a different way than in other wild cattle species. Linnaeus (1758) described domestic cattle under the name of Bos taurus. He mentioned that at the time its wild ancestor was briefly described by the Roman commander-in-chief Julius Caesar under the name of urus (derived from the Germanic word ‘ur’). In 1827, Bojanus made the first osteological research on an aurochs skeleton and gave to this species the name Bos primigenius. Because he thought it came ‘before the Flood’, he added the word antediluvialis. Though the name given by Bojanus is widely used so far, more correctly the name given by Linnaeus should be employed, because he described the species first. The Spanish word for this animal, ‘uro’, comes directly from the Latin word urus. In both the English and the French languages the word ‘aurochs’ comes from the German word ‘auerochs’. For centuries, this latter word was mistakenly used for the wisent (Bison bonasus). Around the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, during which the original aurochs became extinct in Germany, the word ‘ur’ gradually changed into ‘auer’ and ‘auerochs’ (Szalay 1915). When people were no longer aware of the original aurochs its name passed to a related animal, similarly impressive-the wisent. Such a process has been observed in other species too.
Names Genus: Bubalus C. H. Smith, 1827 Species: Tamaraw Bubalus mindorensis Heude, 1888 Names in other languages: French: Tamarau, Tamarao; German: Mindoro-Büffel; Spanish: Tamarao, Búfalo de Mindoro; Italian: Tamaraw Other common names: Mindoro dwarf buffalo. Taxonomy Bubalus mindorensis Heude (1888), type specimen Mindoro Island, Philippines. Despite early debates on its proper taxonomic classification (Everett 1878; Meyer 1878; Bartlett 1878), the tamaraw is classified as a distinct species within the genus Bubalus based on morphological characteristics (Groves 1969; Custodio et al. 1996; Braun et al. 2002; Wilson & Reeder 2005) and genetic analyses (Namikawa et al. 1995; Tanaka et al. 1996, 2000). Steere (1888a) also independently described the tamaraw, placing it in the genus Anoa, but was superseded by Heude (1888). Heude’s type specimen was lost and then rediscovered (Braun et al. 2002) in Xujiahui, China, in the Shanghai Natural History Museum, which acquired the museum Heude founded (Zikawei Museum of Natural History). Subspecies and distribution The tamaraw is endemic to the island of Mindoro, Philippines (Plate 9; Heaney et al. 1987; Custodio et al. 1996). Thought to be previously widely distributed in Mindoro (Everett 1878; Steere 1888b, 1891), by 1949 there appears to have been fewer than 1000 animals left on the island, with an estimated 244 in Occidental Mindoro (Manuel 1957) in at least three areas (Harrisson 1969a). By 2007 the three areas where tamaraw are now thought to remain are in Mounts Iglit-Baco National Park (MIBNP), the Mount Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary and the Aruyan-Malati area (R. M. Boyles, unpublished; J. de Leon, unpublished).
Le Kouprey est un bœuf sauvage du Cambodge décrit sous le nom scientifique de Bos (Bibos) sauveli Urbain, 1937. Je décris ici les controverses autour de son statut taxonomique. L’animal est en effet considéré par certains scientifiques comme une espèce à part entière, parfois placée dans son propre genre (Novibos), alors que d’autres auteurs ne voient en lui qu’un simple hybride issu d’un croisement entre deux espèces sauvages ou entre le Zébu domestique et le Banteng. Chacune des hypothèses est discutée au regard des données morphologiques, écologiques, éthologiques et moléculaires actuellement disponibles sur le Kouprey et les taxons proches.
The 13-globin gene cluster of the domestic sheep (Ovis aries) shows two common haplotypes: the A haplotype, which bears the adult ßA allele (HBBA), and the B haplotype, which bears the adult ßB allele (HBBB) [1, 2]. The chromosomal organization of the A haplotype was found to be similar to that present in goat (Capra hircus) since it shows the same triplication (5’ Er_Ea_NJßI ßc_E[u_Erv_Jßrr_ßn_£v_Evr_ NJß,rr-ßF-3’) of an ancestral four gene set (E-E-NJß-ß) [3]. This set is characterized by the presence of two embryonic genes (e), one pseudogene (NJß), and one adult gene (ß). The expression of the adult gene varies during ontogenic development and under different physiological conditions. The ßc, ßA, and ßF genes are, in fact, expressed during juvenile, adult and fetal life, respectively, and the ßc gene expression is reactivable, at the expense of ßA gene, under particular physiological or experimental conditions such as anemia and hypoxia or the administration of erythropoietin [4-6]. The B haplotype is considered to have diverged from the A haplotype, as the result of a recent deletion from a triplicated locus. In fact, due to the lack of the whole juvenile four-gene set containing the ßc gene, it is duplicated (5’ er srr NJßr ßB Errr-EIV yrßrI ßF-3’) and sheep which are homozygous for the ßB allele do not exhibit the ßB¡ª>ßcswitching
The growth dynamics and morphometry of the horns of mufflon rams from Nordrhine-Westfalia are described and compared with other German and European populations.
After 7 to 8 years of age rams have horn lengths of 600 to 900 mm. An influence of latitude of the mufflon habitats is indicated, in that rams from southern populations of the total distribution of this wild sheep species put on more horn growth during their first year of life compared to rams from northern populations and reach already 50 % of the total horn length after 2 years. Rams from more northern populations catch up after the third year and often obtain longer total horn lengths.
The trophy quality of rams in Nordrhein-Westfalia varies greatly. The Bielefeld populations exceeds all others, including rams from C.S.S.R., in the horn growth rates during the first years. Other populations, for instance those from the Eifel Mountains, are of poor quality. The horn growth dynamics of these rams resemble those of rams from the Isle of Korsika.
“Compensating horn growth”, whereby rams, that show poor initial growth make up for it by above-average horn growth in later years, as has been described for American wild sheep, chamois and ibex, could only be demonstrated for a few populations in Nordrhine-Westfalia.
The wear of the horn tip of mufflon rams was investigated. In general, it could be demonstrated that this wear rate exceeds new growth put on at the horn base after the 8th year.
Growth in horn circumference increases on the average to the 5th year. After that a decrease was observed, which, however, even in 10-year-old rams, did not amount to more than a 5 % reduction in horn circumference.
The number of “adornment rings” of “ripples” per annual growth increment decreases with increasing age. A correlation appears to exist between number of such rings and length of the annual increment. There also appears to be a tendency to produce a certain “density of rings” per increment. On the other hand, no tendency could be demonstrated, to produce a certain number of rings per increment, which could have been correlated with “moon phases” or months. The term “monthly ring” instead of “adornment ring” is therefore rejected.
The influence of sex glands on horn growth is discussed. An example is given, where a horn grew into the eye of a ram.
The dispersal patterns of radio-collared Corsican mouflon (Ovis musimon) ewes inhabiting a low Mediterranean massif in the south of France were followed. Despite spatial instability being more marked in winter and spring, females (n = 17) remained on a single home range. The changes in spatial behaviour which appeared in March did not seem to be linked solely to ecological parameters. The use of the spring range was particularly noticeable among the different seasonal ranges since it was characterised by long-distance movements (n = 16, x = 740 +/- 320 m) and the large overall area used (x = 330 +/- 90 ha). The age of individuals had an important influence on space use. With increasing age, spatial patterns became more firmly fixed, which appeared to be linked to a better understanding of the different ecological and social contexts occurring in the population. Some characteristics of spatial behaviour may create certain management difficulties in the introduction or reintroduction of the species. Age and season seem to have a strong effect on the organization of spatial patterns. Managers and hunters should therefore consider the implications of the age of individuals and thus their stage of development, and also of the season, to guide management decisions. For example, disturbance of young individuals must be strictly limited, particularly during the spring and the rut which appear to be important periods in the organization of spatial behaviour patterns.
Zusammenfassung Nach einer kurzen historischen Übersicht wird die heutige Situation des Muffelwildes in den autochthonen Gebieten Korsika, Sardinien, Anatolien und Zypern beschrieben. Zu fordern ist ein besserer Schutz der verschiedenen Mufflonarten in ihren autochthonen Gebieten, die Unterbindung von Kreuzungen mit Haus- und anderen Schafarten und die Erarbeitung von Weisern, die mit Sicherheit die Trophäen von nicht reinrassigen Widdern erkennen lassen.
The argali (Ovis ammon antiqua) assemblages from the Middle Pleistocene site of the Caune de l'Arago (Tautavel, southern France) were studied in terms of zooarchaeology and taphonomy. It is possible to discern palaeobiological information lost during fossilisation, as well as the palaeoethology of the bone collector, by the observation of taphonomic details preserved on the bone assemblages. The observations leave no doubt that both humans and carnivores were involved in the accumulation of argali carcasses in the cave. In some assemblages, the type of bones found in articulation and the gnawing marks observed are characteristic of carnivores. In other levels, the intense fracturing of the major limb bones in relation to their marrow content and mineral density, and butchering marks found on specimens in the earlier levels, are in favour of human accumulation, the modalities of which are discussed. The results suggest that the degree of carnivore activity seems to have been higher in levels M, N and O than in level F.
Although it is widely accepted that populations vary in space and time, defining the spatial scale of population structure relevant for understanding temporal variation or for management and conservation purposes remains a challenge. We studied jointly temporal patterns of social and spatial structures in an introduced population of mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon (Schreber, 1782)) to define the temporal stability of these structures and to uncover the history of the colonization process. We expected social organization to remain stable between years, mouflon to stay sedentary, and colonization to have occurred through a diffusion process. We used yearly censuses performed between 1994 and 2004, and collected information in managers archives and newspapers reporting the presence of mouflon in different areas since its introduction in 1954 in the Bauges mountains, France. Mouflons were divided into male and nursery groups, whose number (1.88 0.31 for males and 7.54 0.58 for nurseries) and composition (7.05 1.25 individuals in male groups; 13.61.41 females, 8.11 0.72 lambs, and 6.51 0.65 males in the nurseries) remained stable over years. The spatial distribution of nursery groups was clustered in five areas, highly correlated between years (p< 0.001), suggesting that the same groups were observed in given areas every year and confirming the sedentary lifestyle of the species. The presenceabsence data of the species since its introduction suggested a colonization by diffusion. We discuss the social and spatial structures of the population and the type of colonization process that could have led to this kind of structure.
We studied the space use of mouflons (Ovis musimon) for more than four years in a population living in low Mediterranean mountains. The different behaviour of ewes and rams, which is related to social and spatial segregation outside the rut, has an effect on spatial use. Depending on the season, ecological or psychophysiological contexts influence the way in which the animals concentrate their activity in their range. The difference in spatial use between sexes is the most obvious during the rut and in winter. During the rut, rams exhibit a high degree of spatial instability while ewes continue as in summer, concentrating their activity in a restricted area. During winter, rams which have returned to their non-rut range exhibit spatial stability while females become more unstable. We suggest that spatial attachment of the two sexes is expressed differently and that the significance accorded by individuals to the psychophysiological and ecological contexts they live play on the significance of space and finally on spatial use.
Sexual segregation reported in many wild ruminants is generally assumed to result from either different habitat choices by adult males and females or 'social factors'. In this framework, we studied group composition and habitat use of mouflon sheep (Ovis gmelini) over an annual cycle in the low-mountain range of Caroux-Espinouse (continental France). The analysis of group composition revealed segregation outside the rut, not only between the sexes, but also between the young (2-3 years) and old rams (≥ 4 years). Moreover, ewes, young rams, and old rams exhibited some differences in patterns of habitat use in the mid-rutting and lambing seaons, but showed similar patterns in winter and summer. These results, juxtaposed with those of studies of interactions and proximity between individuals within groups, suggest that segregation between age-sex classes has a strong social basis in mouflon sheep.
Population subdivision among mouflon sheep Ovis gmelini ewes and ranging behaviour of rams were investigated in the Caroux-Espinouse massif (southern France). Radio-tracking data from 32 ewes and 41 rams monitored in the course of a 10-year study were used to identify female units and to document the movement patterns of males during the rutting period. Cluster analyses, based on the distance between arithmetic centres and on the degree of overlap of locations, were computed. Ewes were found to be partitioned in three or four main units to which they were faithful. Movement patterns of rams were much more variable: half were faithful to a rutting range, overlapping one or more unit(s), and the others were not. We suggest that a combination of social and spatial attachment could explain this ranging behaviour. Females build up their spatial habits following their mothers and, when adults, they occupy the area where they have been reared. Their spatial attachment is consistent with their social preferences for other females. Males balance between antagonistic spatial attachment and social preferences for other males, and differ in terms of spatial behaviour. The genetic implications are discussed.
The archipelago of the lies Kerguelen is a group of volcanic islands in the Indian Ocean roughly equidistant from the Malagasy Republic, Australia and Antarctica. It is formed of around 300 islands amounting to some 7 000 km. The main island alone, usually called “Grande Terre”, covers nearly 6 000 km. Descriptions of the archipelago have been given by Paulian (1953) and Aubert de la Rue (1954). Several attempts have been made to acclimatize animals to these islands. Being entirely without terrestrial mammals they have, during recent centuries, attracted the attention of sealers and whalers, anxious to maintain a supply of fresh meat near their sealing and whaling grounds. At the beginning of this century, various attempts at economic exploitation led to the introduction of some domestic species. More recently, several similar attempts have again been made but these have sprung more from a desire to populate these empty spaces than from any systematic programme of acclimatization. The more recent introductions have extended even to the islands’ streams.
The continuing war in Kampuchea has made it difficult for zoologists to assess the status of endangered species in the remoter parts of the country. Two of the world's rarest mammals, the kouprey and the Javan rhinoceros, may still survive there. The author visited the area in April 1986 and, in interviews with people in two refugee camps on the Thai border, gained the impression that the effects of the war on wildlife were not as drastic as had been expected.
Information from the literature is given on the presence or absence of homosexual behaviour and female-male mounting in 125 species of mammals, both captive and wild. Such behaviour occurs in the male and often female young of many species soon after their birth. It is more common in young, often in play, than in adults. Adult homosexual behaviour is widespread in male and female mammals (recorded in 63 and 71 species respectively), but common in few species. In males it is most likely to be correlated with dominance and thus to occur in species with hierarchies such as terrestrial monkeys and members of the sheep and goat tribe. In females it is often correlated with sexual condition; a female in heat most often mounted another female, and one in heat was next most likely to be mounted by another female. Anoestral females rarely mounted other anoestral females. Females of 43 species mounted males, which often excited them sexually. Captive mammals tended to mount animals of the same sex more often than did wild ones when comparative data were available. Domestic animals also mounted more man did wild ones, with several exceptions. Some phylogenetic groups of animals displayed similar degrees of homosexual mounting, but there was often considerable variation between closely related species. Nor could homosexual mounting be always correlated with the social structure of a group. The four reasons for, or contexts of, homosexual and female-male mountings were social play (in 34 species), aggression (19 species), sexual excitement (36 species), and physical contact—non-play (30 species). This last category included a state of tension, getting attention, greeting, grooming, caressing, reassurance and appeasement. There was some overlap between categories. Homosexual pair-bonds occur in captive mammals and have been observed throughout the year in non-captive female Japanese monkeys.
Behaviour of sheep is complex and poorly understood. It is only within the past 20 years that a concerted effort has been made to elucidate those aspects of behaviour which have most relevance to sheep raising under open-range conditions.
The present report attempts to summarize and review published work on the behaviour and ecology of sheep.
The whole question of the significance of behaviour and the extent to which it is possible to shape it is a field which is open for study. This paper is an attempt to summarize the work on sheep behaviour and on those aspects of physiology which impinge.
Consideration is given to the evolution of Bovids, scope of domestication and world distribution of sheep since these aspects have a major influence on the sheep with which we deal today. Animal requirements for food, water, shelter, protection from predators, and control of disease and parasites have been largely met by man and the forces for selection which operated among the progenitors of domestic sheep have been largely negated. Despite this, genetic selection still goes on.
Behavioural adaptation to a wide variety of environmental and nutritional regimes is a common feature among free-ranging sheep. Reproductive success, a matter of considerable commercial concern is often poor. Lamb survival is of critical importance. Factors involved in neonatal mortality are reviewed in detail.
Finally, the now extensive literature on sheep behaviour, physiology and management is collated in a bibliography with over 150 literature citations.
Social animals gain benefits from cooperative behaviours. However, social systems also imply competition and conflict of interest. To cope with dispersal forces, group-living animals use several peace-keeping tactics, which have been deeply investigated in primates. Other taxa, however, have been often neglected in this field research. Wolves (Canis lupus) with their high sociality and cooperative behaviour may be a good model species to investigate the reconciliation process. In this study, we provide the first evidence for the occurrence of reconciliation in a group of zoo-kept wolves. The conciliatory contacts were uniformly distributed across the different sex-class combinations. We found a linear dominance hierarchy in the colony under study, although the hierarchical relationships did not seem to affect the reconciliation dynamics. Moreover, both aggressors and victims initiated first post-conflict affinitive contact with comparable rates and both high- and low-intensity conflicts were reconciled with similar percentages. Finally, we found that coalitionary support may be a good predictor for high level of conciliatory contacts in this species.
Contents
The onset of puberty was assessed from plasma progesterone profiles for Mouflon (n = 8) and Manchega (n = 7) female lambs born in April. Four Mouflons exhibited their first ovulation at a mean date of 27 November ± 1.4 days, the mean age being 248.5 ± 3.9 days and the mean body weight 23.8 ± 0.6 kg. The remaining four Mouflons, which had a slower growth rate, attained puberty during the autumn of the following year. Five of seven Manchega lambs attained puberty in their first year at a mean date of 5 Oct ± 3.3, the mean age being 185.6 ± 2.6 days and the mean body weight 41.8 ± 2.0 kg. The mean live‐weight at the onset of puberty was 65.1 and 82% (p < 0.05) of adult body weights for Manchega and Mouflons, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that there is a threshold of body‐weight necessary for the attainment of puberty in the first breeding season for spring‐born lambs, which is very different between both Mouflon and Manchega. When body weight was below 23.8 ±0.6 and 41.8 ± 2.0 kg for Mouflon and Manchega lambs, respectively, first ovulation did not occur until the beginning of the next breeding season. The onset of puberty during the second year of life occurred within the specific reproductive seasons for Mouflon (October–April) and Manchega (July–March) ewes, despite minimal further growth.
We estimated survival probabilities over a 9-year period for an introduced population of Mediterranean mouflon (Ovis gmelini), applying capture-recapture models to resighting data from individually marked animals. Survival was high and constant among lambs, yearling males, and adults of both sexes, and we were unable to detect senescence among old animals. Survival of female yearlings varied widely among years. No difference in survival probabilities between the sexes was detected, indicating that the survival costs of sexual selection were low in this dimorphic species. We suggest that these results may be explained by a lack of limiting conditions on this study site. An outbreak of keratoconjunctivitis during the rut of 1993 caused a marked fall in annual survival for both sexes. Among males, this decline was constant for all ages (approximately 23%), but for females the impact of the disease varied in relation to age, with young ewes particularly affected. Otherwise, the population appears to be sta
We analysed nursing and suckling behaviour in the mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) in a captive herd. The suckling frequency, average duration and success rate were found to decrease with lamb age, particularly during the first few weeks. After an initial increase, the frequency of unsuccessful suckle attempts remained virtually constant at significantly high levels for 2 months, after which it decreased until the end of the observation period. Suckling actions towards strange mothers were small in number and unsuccessful in every case. After the 2nd week, suckling was always terminated by the mother.Application of multivariate analysis revealed the occurrence of three distinct phases during lactation, namely: (1) 1–14 days, which ensured lamb survival; (2) 15–74 days, which marked the beginning of weaning and development of the mother-infant conflict; (3) 75–160 days, interpreted as a relaxation of the conflict though the final weaning was not reached.
The population of mouflons (Ovis musimon) inhabiting the Kerguelen archipelago shows marked density fluctuations with periodic winter die-offs. Compared with two European populations, parental care of Kerguelen mouflon females is low at peak population density, when resources are depleted. Mean suckle duration did not differ markedly between Kerguelen and European ewes. In contrast, Kerguelen mothers' suckling frequency was lower, and the overall suckling time was also reduced. In the Kerguelen population females rejected most suckling attempts and ended more than 90% of suckling bouts even within the first few days of a lamb's life. Parental care decreased as ewe age increased, with a decline in both suckling frequency and total suckle duration. As a result, lambs of old females devoted much of their time budget to grazing.
The first three papers in this series (
[9],
[10] and [11]) studied the basic craniology of the genus Bos using B. taurus as an example; the fourth paper (Grigson 1978) concluded that B. primigenius and B. taurus form a continuum. The present paper examines absolute size, proportional relationships, sagittal profiles, cranial angles and non-measurable characters of B. indicus, and notes similarities to and differences from B. taurus and B. primigenius. It suggests that B. indicus may be more closely related to B. namadicus, but evidence for this will be more fully discussed in the last paper of the series (Grigson, in prep.). The occurrence of neotenic characters in B. indicus is discussed.
Balancing energetic requirements is a complex process governed by the current condition of the animal, its physiological state, and by the local environment. In response to these factors, animals are expected to adapt their activity patterns. Based on continuous monitoring of 14 GPS-collared animals in southern France, we studied how environmental conditions and reproductive life-cycle periods shape the monthly activity patterns of free-ranging female mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimonOvis sp. (Blyth, 1841)). More specifically, we analyzed total daily activity, diurnal activity, length of activity bouts, and number of activity bouts. We performed multivariate analyses to account for the relationship between several intercorrelated explanatory variables and monthly activity variables. Mouflon decreased their daily activity, diurnal activity, and length of activity bouts during the hot summer months. Such changes might allow animals to reduce thermoregulation costs. The resulting higher activity in winter compared with summer indicates that summer is the most limiting period for large herbivores in Mediterranean area. Both the number of active bouts and the daily activity increased during spring, when females have access to increased food quality, which ensures a faster digestion, and when they may face high energetic requirements owing to reproduction.
Although many mouflon Ovis gmelini musimon populations have been introduced to continental southern and central Europe, little is known about their reproductive output. Based on post-mortem analysis of 344 harvested females, the variation in reproductive performance was investigated in three wild populations: two located in the French Alps and one in the south of France. Examination of tracts indicated a high pregnancy rate (> 80%) for females ≥ years old. We found that a significant proportion of female lambs were pregnant in the Alps, c. 1 year earlier than generally reported for first reproduction in the mouflon, whereas female lambs did not conceive in the southern France population. Pregnant female lambs and yearling females always bore a single foetus. Among pregnant females ≥ years old, twinning occurred less often in southern France (2.5%) than in the Alps (10.8% and 20.7%). The data required to relate body mass and reproductive output of ewes at individual level were lacking, but female lamb–ewe body mass ratio was used to test that the population with high reproductive output should have the highest ratio. As expected, the index was higher in the Alps than in southern France, suggesting between-population differences in the quality of the local environment. Differences in growth pattern and birth timing of lambs, or different tactics of maternal care could also have influenced the female lamb–ewe body mass ratio. Crossings between wild and domestic sheep during the recent history of these populations and differences in environmental conditions might have interplayed to shape age at first reproduction and twinning rates.
Investigations on the reproduction of mufflons were conducted in 4 regions of eastern Germany. Data were collected from direct observations of animals in enclosures, as well as from a partly accustomed wild population and from pregnant animals. The rutting season occurred during the first 10 days of November, the lambing season in the beginning of April. The gestation period was about 153 days. Summer births are the result of early puberty, while twin births or autumn births are mainly produced by adult animals in good condition.
The proportion of male sheep was slightly higher, though there is evidence that the sex ratio is dependent upon age and environmental factors. The proportion of animals within the hunting allowance is high — at least 80 % of the female population present on April 1. No evidence of significant pre-, peri-, and postnatal reductions were observed. A large number of female lambs can be expected in thriving populations. Regulation by shooting a higher proportion of lambs as well as overage sheep is necessary to maintain a productive population structure. The hunting season for female mufflons should end no later than January 31. Females giving birth in autumn need not be shot, though their lambs should be removed.
We studied the effect of predation risk on grouping pattern and whistling behaviour in a free-ranging mouflonOvis aries Linnaeus, 1758 population in Sardinia. Direct observations were carried out from July 2005 to June 2007 (n
groups=881,n
mouflon=3477). In our study site, the rut occurred in October and November, when social sexual segregation disappeared, while lambing peaked in April. Groups with lambs (mean ± SE: female groups with lambs 4.98 ± 0.23, mixed groups 6.49 ± 0.29) were larger than male groups (2.01 ± 0.10) and female groups without lambs (2.77 ± 0.11), especially during the lambing season. This reflected the anti-predator tactics adopted by mothers so as to benefit from the dilution effect. Also male aggregations increased in size during the lambing season, as a consequence of the gradual decrease of rutting activities and consequently of male-male aggressiveness. Among the anti-predator tactics adopted by mouflon, whistling behaviour seemed to be a warning signal directed to predators and not to conspecifics. This was because whistling was shown by smaller aggregations only, regardless of group type, presence of lamb and habitat occupied. Smaller groups cannot profit from the dilution effect and therefore may be more motivated to signal the predator that it has been spotted.
We analysed space use, habitat selection and activity patterns in female mouflons using radio tracking during lambing. During
the birth period, mothers increased their home ranges to reach birth places suitably covered by Mediterranean scrubland. During
lactation, mothers used Mediterranean scrubland more than non-mothers. Mothers decreased the use of meadows precisely when,
according to a grass quality index, productivity of meadows was highest; this was likely due to the lack of concealment for
lambs that would, thus, be vulnerable to eagle attacks. Accordingly, females are argued to adopt anti-predator tactics during
lactation, trading high-quality foraging meadows for safer scrubland that provides good concealment for lambs. Despite the
high temperatures recorded during the day in this period, lactating females showed greater activity levels, due to their need
to meet greater energetic demands for lactation. This effort by mouflon mothers in such a poor environment as the Sardinian
accounted for their lower productive success than in other European populations.
We recorded the behaviour of five free ranging female mouflon sheep (age 3–5 years) from February to May 1995. The area of study is situated in the northeast of Germany (52°59′N, 13°50′E). For continuous data collection we used a new storage telemetry system called ETHOSYS. The activity and feeding behaviour of every single sheep was recorded every second by an electronic device implanted in a collar around the sheep's neck. This device has a storage capacity of 22 days. Whenever animals visit a special "link-station" (e.g.a salt lick), the recorded data is transferred from the collar to the station. ETHOSYS is suitable for the long-term recording of behaviour in free ranging ungulates. The daily activity of sheep was found to be between 8 to 11 hours, including 6 to 8 hours for food intake. Significant seasonal influences in behaviour could only be shown by the whole sample. On the individual basis these changes were slightly different.
The natural light-dark-cycle was the dominating timesetter for the animals. For the 24-hour patterns we found the main activity periods occurring at dawn and dusk. The temporal reference point for the animals was the nautical twilight (sun 12° under the horizon). With the exception of April, the proportional shares of the motor activity and the food intake were just as high during the night as in daytime (in relation to the actual hours of light and darkness). In late winter we found two nightly periods of activity (February/March), which fused into one period with the decreasing length of hours of darkness in May. In connection with the lambing period of the observed sheep, which was between 25.3.–2.4.1995, there were extreme changes in the behaviour rhythms of all animals. The correlation between the changes and the real influencing factors (abiotic and biotic) are discussed in the paper.
We studied the behaviour of free-ranging female mouflon sheep (age 3-5 years) in the period periparturition. The study area is situated in the north-east of Germany (52°59′N, 13°50′E). For continuous data collection, we used the storage-telemetry-system ETHOSYS. Activity and foraging behaviour of five females were recorded every second by electronic sensors integrated in a collar round the sheep's neck (weight 300 g). Whenever the animals visit a special ‘link-station’, installed at a combined saltlick/feeder station, the recorded data are transmitted from the collar to the station and then to a laptop. In addition, we recorded continuously the presence of sheep at the saltlick using a camera-system, including a daylight and an infra-red camera.
Activity of female mouflon ranged from 8 to 10 hours daily during late winter. The animals spent the major part of that time feeding (70-80%). The sheep visited the saltlick every two to three days regularly. However, from late March to early April, every animal stayed away from the ‘link-station’ for about two weeks. This meant spatial isolation from social companions. When returning, these sheep were accompanied by a lamb. Parturition was assumed to take place during 2-3 consecutive days of markedly decreased activity. In the night from the first to the second day of this period, we found a unique activity pattern observed in all sheep. A short activity bout during the second half of the night was interpreted as the exact time of lambing. Spatial and temporal changes in behaviour during parturition are discussed with regard to other wild ungulates as well as domestic animals.
Contents
The methods of assisted reproduction commonly used in domestic animals are currently being applied to non‐domestic species. This is because of the limitation of maintaining the genetic variability in the wild, as it occurs in wild ruminants of the Mediterranean Basin. Despite the apparent progress of the technology, success of the offspring to grow and become healthy adult individuals has remained low in wild species. Difficulties usually arise from insufficient information about basic reproductive biology, such as the seasonal changes in ovarian and testicular activity. Directional adaptive evolution involves development of specie‐specific physiological reproductive patterns to cope with various environmental factors. Thus, species originating and living at the same latitude display different reproductive strategies to entrain the breeding activity at an optimal time of the year. The aim of this paper was to present current knowledge on reproductive physiology of Mediterranean wild ruminants as a basic prerequisite for the successful use of assisted reproduction methods. Special emphasis is given to seasonal endocrine changes, ovarian cycles and testicular activity of Iberian wild ruminants, together with the role of social interactions on the regulation of these events.
— Kouprey-oksen, Opdaget 1933-37 er det en slags urokse ? Naturens V erden
- F W Braestrup
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— Coups de feu dans la jungle. Chasses indochinoises. La Toison dOr
- J Fraissb
FRAISSB, J., 1955. — Coups de feu dans la jungle. Chasses indochinoises. La Toison dOr, Paris. FRECHKOP, S., 1955. — In : 6 88, P. P., Traiti de Zoologie, 17 (1) : 621-629.
A study of wildlife in India — Essai de classification naturelle des Cavicornes (Bovi-dae) (en russe) Travaux de l
- G B Schaller
SCHALLER, G. B., 1967. — The deer and the tiger. A study of wildlife in India. University of Chicago Press, Chicago et Londres. SOKOLOV, I. I., 1953. — Essai de classification naturelle des Cavicornes (Bovi-dae) (en russe). Travaux de l'Institut de Zoologie, Ac. Sc. U. R. S. S., 14. Moscou-Le*ningrad. URBAIN, A»» 1937 a. — Le Kouprey ou Boeuf gris cambodgien. Bull. Soc. Zoo/. de France, 62 : 305-307. — 1937 b. — Le Kouprey ou Boeuf sauvage du Cambodge. Mammalia, 1 : 257-258. — 1939. — Note compllmentaire sur le Boeuf sauvage du Cambodge (Bos (Bibos) saiweli Urbain). Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat., 11 : 519-520.
— Les bovins sauvages et domestiques du sud indochinois Etude zootechnique de l'&evage et de l'exploitation de bovins du Sud-Indochinois en Cochinchine
- R Vittoz
VITTOZ, R., 1933. — Les bovins sauvages et domestiques du sud indochinois. Etude zootechnique de l'&evage et de l'exploitation de bovins du Sud-Indochinois en Cochinchine. Bull. Econ. de VIndochine (docem-bre 1933).