Giant panda twin rearing without assistance requires more interactions and less rest of the mother-A case study at Vienna Zoo.

ABSTRACT: The giant pandas' (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) reproductive strategy is unique among mammals. Yet there are characteristics of giant panda behaviour we do not fully understand. Probably one of the least understood is the assumption that in captivity virtually all giant panda females rear only one cub when twins are born and abandon the other if given the chance. So far, only two females have raised twins simultaneously, but just with intensive human assistance. This case-study marks the first successful rearing of giant panda twins in captivity entirely by the mother. Using video data for detailed behavioural observations, we provide the first behavioural assessment of a giant panda female raising two cubs simultaneously without direct human assistance or disturbance. We compared the maternal

SUBMITTER: Heiderer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6261581 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature