Study On Activity Rhythms And Behavior Time Budgets Of Wild Red Muntjac (Muntiacus Vaginalis) In Fujian Wuyi Mountain National Nature Reserve Using Infrared Camera Trap

This study monitored the Red muntjac(Muntiacus vaginalis)in Fujian Wuyi Mountain National Nature Reserve from January 1st to December 19th using infrared camera trap technology.During the study period all infrared camera up to 7985 valid working days.The camera took 757 independent photographs(IP)of M.vaginalis.The information carried in each IP was recorded,such as gender,behavior type,activity time,ect..We indentified 844 numbers or times of M.vaginalis individual to study its activity rhythms and behavior time budget,we also explore the behavior of young M.vaginalis preliminary,the results are as follows:In terms of activity rhythms,the M.vaginalis have two obvious peaks in every day(6:00-8:00 and 18:00?19:00),suggesting the deer was a typical crepuscular.Male and female M.vaginalis's rhythm patterns are similar in different seasons,differ only in activity peak number,time of duration and intensity index.Tests showed that neither sex nor season have significant influence on M.vaginalis's daily activity rhythm(P>0.05);The validate of M.vaginalis's ethogram.A total of 15 kinds behaviors were independently validated,7 of them were then identified as primary behavior(foraging,moving,vigilant,grooming,sniffing,breeding and other behaviors).Foraging,moving and vigilant accounted for 36.15%,31.51%and 19.54%,respectively.Other behaviors such as grooming,sniffing and breeding were decreasing in proportion;In terms of gender differences in behavior time budget,the results show that foraging,moving and vigilant are primary behaviors.Mann-Whitney U test showed that there is no significant differences in foraging,moving and grooming between male and female M.vaginalis in four seasons(P>0.05).The vigilant behavior appears to be significant different(P<0.05)only in the spring,with a proportion of time higher in female than that of male.Sniffing and other behavior showed to be significantly different(P<0.05)only in summer,female seems to spent more time on sniffing than male,however other behaviors were on the contrary.Breeding behavior were recorded only in spring and summer,while in summer were more frequent;The female litter peak appeared in 4-8 month,uauslly produce one cub.The behavior of young M.vaginalis give priority to foraging,vigilant,following and the others.The proportion of following exceeds all the other behaviors.We identified 19 mammal species and 28 birds species from the infrared camera result,including the Yellow-bellied Tragopan(Tragopan caboti)and the Chinese Barred-backed Pheasant(Syrmaticus ellioti)who are listed as a category I national key protected species under the Wild Animal Protection Law in China,and the Asiatic Black Bear(Ursus thibetanus),the Yellow-throated Marten(Martes flavigula)and the Sumatran serow(Capricornis sumatraensis),etc.total 6 species,who are listed as category ? species.The Red muntjac(Muntiacus vaginalis),the Chinese Hare(Lepus sinensis)and the Tufted deer(Elaphodus cephalophus),according to the relative abundance index,were ranked as the first three of most abundant mammal.The Silver Pheasant(Lophura nythemera),Yellow-bellied Tragopan(Tragopan caboti),the Greater-necklaced Laughing Thrush(Garrulax pectoralis)and the White-necklaced Partridge(Arborophila gingica)are the three most relatively abundant birds species.