Patterns of Diurnal and Nocturnal Cub-Directed Social Interaction and Guarding Behaviour in Sumatran Tigers

Abstract

Felids are commonly housed in zoological collections worldwide. While aspects of their behaviour are well studied, there remain questions on best practice husbandry including during reproduction and breeding scenarios. In 2016, the Zoological Society of London's (ZSL) London Zoo held a pair of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) for the purpose of breeding. While they are believed to be solitary in the wild, many collections maintain their tigers in pairs, with some keeping pairs together during parturition and rearing periods. The aim of this study was to investigate the social interactions between a male Sumatran tiger and cubs when housed in a shared enclosure. The data were collected using CCTV footage in the indoor enclosure for the tigers. The CCTV footage ran continuously throughout the day and night, allowing a more holistic overview of behaviour. These 24-hour recordings were split into 6 equal hour ranges to calculate behaviour activity budgets and proximity of the male from the cubs. Data were analysed using a Chi-squared test for association to determine differences between individual behaviour. Overall, the male spent longer than expected engaging in guarding behaviour of the cubs. The male also regularly engaged in affiliative behaviours directed towards the cubs. No cub-directed aggression was observed from the male toward the cubs. Overall, this suggests that maintaining a male tiger with its progeny may be feasible as a management approach in some zoological collections, provided the male's personality is compatible, and alternative accommodation is available.

Exploration of Social Proximity and Behavior in Captive Malayan Tigers and Their Cubs

“…The findings from this report suggest that social plasticity between groups may be more common within felids than has previously been acknowledged. Similar to the relationships found by Quintavalle Pastorino et al [ 45 ], the affiliation and tolerance observed between the father and his cubs offer a promising solution for alternative management strategies when housing felids in captivity.…”

“…Like most felids, tigers are known to spend a significant amount of the day inactive, with males typically more active than females [ 44 ]. While the findings of this study contradict such a notion, they mirror those found by Quintavalle Pastorino et al [ 45 ] which suggest the male was more inactive as a result of the female’s vigilance and care of the cubs. However, the male did spend considerably more of his time (12.7%) patrolling than the female which is typical of a male controlling his territory [ 46 ].…”

“…Likewise, although not a focus of this study, individual character and temperament may play a significant role in the plasticity of the parents, so personality assessments may be critical for informing compatibility when socially housing felids [ 35 , 36 ]. It is therefore recommended that future research focus on other typically solitary felids, with multiple assessments of welfare to be conducted on both adults and cubs in order to substantiate the practice of social housing that is already in place in some collections [ 45 ]. While the evidence found in this study may also be attributed to factors such as enclosure design, husbandry practices, and the lack of competition for food, territory, or mates that captivity provides, it can be suggested that species such as the Malayan tiger are capable of group living, potentially in the wild, if only in certain circumstances such as favorable ecological and environmental conditions.…”

Captive Lifestyle of Reptiles in the Tashkent Zoo

“…By carefully managing breeding pairs and sharing individuals between institutions, zoos can maintain healthy populations of endangered reptiles and reduce the risk of inbreeding. This is accomplished by carefully planned breeding initiatives that prioritize preserving genetic variety and viability in zoo animal populations [21]. In order to maintain genetic variety, zoos establish controlled breeding programs for threatened or endangered species [21].…”

“…This is accomplished by carefully planned breeding initiatives that prioritize preserving genetic variety and viability in zoo animal populations [21]. In order to maintain genetic variety, zoos establish controlled breeding programs for threatened or endangered species [21]. The danger of inbreeding can be decreased by using common population management techniques, such as keeping breeding couples or groups for repeated breeding and transfer plans, which enhance mate familiarity and breeding success [22].…”