Potential effects of GPS collars on the behaviour of two red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) in Rotterdam Zoo

Abstract

GPS collars are frequently used to study the (behavioural) ecology of species. However, such collars can cause behavioural changes and can have negative physiological effects on the individuals wearing them. A pilot study to obtain data on behavioural and physiological effects of GPS collars on the target species would therefore be recommended, especially when it concerns rare or endangered species. The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a small carnivore endemic to the mountains of Central Asia that is currently classified as endangered. There is a lack in knowledge on the species ecology which could be enhanced by a study using GPS-technology. As a pilot study, the two adult red pandas in Rotterdam Zoo were observed before and after fitting a GPS-collar, to determine possible behavioural effects of wearing a collar. Although the study did not take place under ideal circumstances, indications of both behavioural, e.g. increased shaking behaviour, and physical, e.g. abrasions, effects of the collar were found. Even though our results were only based on two individuals, our findings stress the need for pilot studies in controlled environments before GPS collars to ensure safety of the study species and validity of the collected data.

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

“…Information on enclosure use was also recorded, focusing on whether the red pandas were on the ground, or if they were using elevated areas of the enclosure, such as trees and branches. The ethogram of the study is reported in Tables 1 and 2 (maternal behaviours) and was prepared based on preliminary observation of the subjects and on previous studies of the red panda [14][15][16][23][24][25][26][27]. For each subject, forty-eight 30 min sessions were carried out, for a total of 1440 min per subject (96 sessions, 2880 min per pair).…”

“…Moreover, the order in which each subject was observed was counterbalanced over sessions to ensure that observation of each individual was uniformly distributed over the whole observation time. [14,16,[23][24][25][26][27].…”

“…To investigate the behavioural variety in the red pandas of the study, we used the method described by Spiezio and colleagues (2018) [7]. After having examined the existing literature, we prepared a list of species-specific natural behaviours (belonging to the wild behavioural repertoire of the species) collected by previous researchers on the red pandas that included exhaustive ethograms of the species [14][15][16][23][24][25][26][27]. The list prepared for the current study included 24 behaviours that were grouped into 5 classes according to behavioural function (Table 3).…”

“…Behaviours have been grouped in five main groups and the number of behaviours per group were used to develop indices of the red panda behavioural variety. The possible score for each group is calculated starting from the number of behaviours that have been previously collected in the red panda [14,16,[23][24][25][26][27].…”

Sensitivities of mammals to capture and tagging: faster recovery in human-disturbed landscapes

“…In captive scimitar-horned oryx Oryx dammah, Stabach et al [67] showed elevated stress hormone levels for up to 5 days and behavioral changes (e.g., increased headshaking) for up to 3 days in collared individuals. Van de Bunte [73] found that collared red pandas Ailurus fulgens in captivity reduced daily activity levels and food intake compared to non-collared individuals. In free-ranging red deer Cervus elaphus, Becciolini et al [7] found increased movement rates and avoidance of their center of activity for up to 10 days, likely reflecting recovery from effects of the deployment procedure.…”