Ranging and parental care of the raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides during pup rearing
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Three pairs of raccoon dogs Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834) were observed by continuous radio-tracking (one 24-h session, once a week) during the first six weeks after parturition. Males spent noticeably more time (40.5% ± 11.7 SD) alone with the pups than females (16.4% ± 8.5 SD). Females had noticeably larger home ranges (95% kernel: 98.24 ha ± 51.71 SD) than males (14.73 ha ± 8.16 SD) and moved much longer daily distances (7368 m ± 2015 SD) than males (4094 m ± 2886 SD) in six weeks postpartum. The raccoon dogs left the breeding den in the 6th week after the birth of the pups. In situ video observation showed that the male carried prey to the den to provide the female and the litter with food. A clear division of labour took place among parents during the period in which the pups were nursed: males guarded the litter in the den or in close vicinity of it, while the females foraged to satisfy their increased energy requirements.
Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 111-119 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Acta Theriologica |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2008 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Bi-parental care, Breeding system, In situ video-recording, Male investment, Telemetry