APPLIED ETHOLOGY
IMPROVES THE
BREEDING OF
SEMI-CAPTIVE BLACK
RHINOS IN ZIMBABWE
(Diceros bicornis)
H. Randle* &
M.Kiley-Worthington**
Occasional Paper 29. 2010
Copyright: Eco-Research Centre
ISSN: 1367 2045
*School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Newton Abbot,
Devon, TQ12 6NQ, U.K and
**Eco Research Centre & Department of Experimental Psychology,
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
ABSTRACT
This study examined the lack of breeding in a herd of seven black rhino in
Zimbabwe, kept under armed guard while browsing in a nature reserve
during the day and penned at night. Despite all the four females showing
behavioural signs of oestrous, three failed to reproduce. The maintenance
and social behaviour of the rhinos was recorded for xxx hrs. Whilst the
maintenance activity displayed by the herd was typical of wild rhino, the
distances between individuals were low: between 5m and 15m and some
paired associations were evident. All individuals interacted more socially in
the pen than when out browsing in the day (P<0.05), Individuals could be
divided into predominantly initiators of contact: performers, or those to
whom behaviour was directed: receivers, but this did not change when
they penned. Penning the rhino at night increased aggression particularly
of the breeding female. Thus it was concluded that the 'non breeding'
females were inhibited from reproducing by enforced proximity to other
individuals including the aggressive breeding female. A simple physical and
social improvement for the management of these rhino involving individual
penning at night so that all could not be threatened or aggressed by the
others resulted in pregnancy within 1 year for each female. All 3 'non
breeding' females produced live young within 2 years. The lesson to be
learnt from this study is that it is essential to ensure that the species live
in socially acceptable conditions if captivity is desired in captive
environments. Since black rhino are solitary or live in very small groups,
thrusting 4 females together in an enclosed space at night was a
sufficiently unacceptable social environment to prevent 3 of 4 females
from breeding.
Keywords: Applied Behaviour; Captivity; Breeding; Reproduction: Black
Rhino.