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Comparative Sociality of Four Small Marsupial Species in Captivity

Comparative Sociality of Four Small Marsupial Species in Captivity. Lidia Kondratyeva , Olga Ilchenko Moscow zoo. Small Mammals TAG, Small Carnivores TAG & Marsupial and Monotreme TAG Meeting, Hungary, 13-17 of April, 2010. Introduction. « Nocturnal World » Exposition

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Comparative Sociality of Four Small Marsupial Species in Captivity

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  1. Comparative Sociality of Four Small Marsupial Species in Captivity Lidia Kondratyeva, Olga Ilchenko Moscow zoo Small Mammals TAG, Small Carnivores TAG & Marsupial and Monotreme TAG Meeting, Hungary, 13-17 of April, 2010

  2. Introduction • «Nocturnal World» Exposition • 14 enclosures with small mammals. • Small marsupials since 1996.

  3. Vivarium makes possible to: Maintain stable population. Research small cryptozoic nocturnal animals. Introduction

  4. Sugar glider(Petaurus breviceps) Family:Petauridae Genus:Petaurus Area:Australia, New Guinea, Tasmania. Habit of life:nocturnal, arboreal. Gliding ability.Live in family groups. Nutrition:fruits, pollen, invertebrates.

  5. Sugar glider(Petaurus breviceps) Exposition enclosure Cage in vivarium

  6. Feather-tailed glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) Family:Phalangeridae Genus:Acrobates Area:East Australia, North coast of New Guinea. Habit of life:nocturnal, arboreal. Live in colonies. Nutrition: pollen, honey, nectar, gum, insects.

  7. Feather-tailed glider(Acrobates pygmaeus) Exposition enclosure Cage in vivarium

  8. Striped possum(Dactylopsila trivirgata) Family:Petauridae Genus:Dactylopsila Area:North-East Australia, New Guinea. Habit of life: nocturnal, arboreal. Live single or pairs. Nutrition: fruit, pollen, honey, invertebrates, grubs, small vertebrates

  9. Striped possum(Dactylopsila trivirgata) Exposition enclosure Enclosure in vivarium

  10. Grey short-tailed opossum(Monodelphis domestica) Family:Didelphidae Genus:Monodelphis Area:Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay. Habit of life:Nocturnal. Terrestrial. Solitary. Nutrition:small vertebrates, insects.

  11. Grey short-tailed opossum(Monodelphis domestica) Exposition enclosure Cage in vivarium

  12. Grey short-tailed opossum(Monodelphis domestica) All animals in the enclosure are active at the same time Opossum investigates the enrichment device

  13. “Ad Libitum” method Sampling method Scanning method Continuous video recording Practical work Methods Nest-box with a glass wall Monitor Camera

  14. Methods • Day-to-day records. • Animals monitoring . Young opossum with cut fur Opossums joey (10 days) Making tattoo on gliders tail

  15. Sugar gliders – 850 observation hours. Feather-tailed gliders – 56 observation hours. Striped possums – 210 diurnal observations. Grey short-tailed opossums – 640 observation hours. Material

  16. Species parameters • Way of life • Partners relations • Parental behavior • Density autoregulation

  17. Living in groups Solitary Social behaviorWay of life

  18. Species compareWay of life Sugar glider Feather-tailed glider 1. Group - colony. 1. Group – family. 2. Affilative contacts prevail • Not territorial. • No hierarchy. • All animals breed. • Use separate nest-boxes depending on sex and status. • Territorial. • Hierarchy. • Only dominant males breed • All animals use common nest-box to sleep.

  19. Species compareWay of life Striped possum Grey short-tailed opossum • Partly solitary – pair may be formed until pregnancy • Strictly solitary – partners meet only for mating 2. Territorial females 3. Aggression between partners is provoked by female

  20. Species compareWay of life Sugar glider Family Feather-tailed glider Colonial Solitary Striped possum Grey short-tailed opossum Strictly solitary

  21. ♂ ♀ Species comparePair bonds Sugar glider • Evidence of positive relationships: • Affiliative contacts. • Prolonged courtship behavior. • Sharing the same nest for sleeping and coupling.

  22. Species comparePair bonds Feather-tailed glider • Pair bonds were not formed. • Forced couplings were common. • Introduction a new animal in a group could provoke mating behavior. • When males were too numerous the rape led to females’ death. Coupling of feather-tailed glider

  23. Species comparePair bonds Striped possum • Sometimes short-term pair bonds were formed. • Females aggression raised after pregnancy.

  24. ♂ ♀ Species comparePair bonds Grey short-tailed opossum • No affiliative contacts were observed. • Partners used separate nest-boxes. • Females initiated coupling. • Pair bonds never were formed.

  25. Family Colonial Solitary Strictly solitary Species comparePair bonds Stable polygyny pair bonds Sugar glider Temporal group relations Feather-tailed glider Striped possum Temporal pair bonds Grey short-tailed opossum No bonds Pair relations Way of life

  26. Species compareParental behavior Sugar glider Feather-tailed glider Striped possum • One or two offspring. • Long childhood period. • Social learning.

  27. Species compareParental behavior Sugar gliders • Assistance and paternal behavior. • Defense joeys from potential danger. • Social learning. Mother and young Three months old Glider family

  28. Species compareParental behavior Feather-tailed gliders • Only maternal behavior. • “Kindergartens” were formed. • No offspring defense. Females with offspring Grownup glider

  29. Species compareParental behavior Striped possum • Only maternal behavior.

  30. Species compareParental behavior Grey short-tailed opossums 1.Biggest litter size. 2. Short childhood (only two months) 3. No social learning was observed. Female with offspring

  31. Species compareParental behavior Stbl. pair bonds All group members Sugar glider Family Several females in cooperation Temp. group Feather-tailed glider Colonial Mother only during long period Temp. pair bonds Solitary Striped possum Grey short-tailed opossum Mother only till weaning Strictly solitary No bonds Parental behavior Pair relations Way of life

  32. Species compareDensity autoregulation Sugar gliders Max group size - 14 members* Breeding Breeding Pair Decrease in group number Breeding * In our conditions max enclosure size 9m3

  33. Species compareDensity autoregulation Feather-tailed gliders Breeding Max number of group members Breeding Group Decrease in group number or area increase Breeding

  34. Species compareDensity autoregulation Striped possum ♂+♀ ♀- ♂ ♂♀ Breeding No breeding

  35. Species compareDensity autoregulation ♂ Grey short-tailed opossum Litter after separation from mother ♂+♀ Aggression ♂♂♀♀ ♂♂ ♀♀ ♂+♀ Females never breed Breeding

  36. Stbl. pair bonds Temp. group Temp. pair bonds No bonds Pair relations Species compareDensity autoregulation Parental behavior +helpers Loss of young just after pouch leaving Family Sugar glider Cooper. bread. Loss of young just after pouch leaving Feather-tailed glider Colonial Solitary Striped possum Mat-al long No litters Grey short-tailed opossum Strictly solitary Mat-al short No litters Density autoregulation Parental care Way of life

  37. Conclusion Family groups, stable pair bonds, parental behavior+helping, loss of young Sugar glider Colonial, group relations, maternal cooperation, loss of young Feather-tailed glider Solitary, temporary pairs, maternal care, behavioral castration Striped possum Strictly solitary, no bonds, short parental care,behavioral castration Grey short-tailed opossum

  38. Thank you!

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