M6 EPTS students:
Welcome to the Dusit Zoo. I hope this will be an enjoyable and productive exercise.
-Please group yourself into pairs
-Cameras, umbrella, blankets, and pencils will be useful.
Ajarn Andrew Purdy
Background information on animal behavior techniques
1. Ad libitum sampling, often abbreviated as ad lib, records as much information as
possible. It is informal, non-systematic, and often used in field notes. Ad lib sampling
may sound thorough, but because the observer can never keep track of everything that is
going on, the results of these observations will always be biased by the behaviors,
individuals, or situations that most attract the observer's attention. It is therefore hard to
derive reliable, precise and quantitative information based on these observations. Its main
value is in research planning, and in studying rare but fairly obvious behaviors.
2. Focal animal sampling. Here, all occurrences of specified actions of one individual are
recorded during a predetermined sample period (e.g., one hour). The observer also
records the length of the sample period, and the amount of time the focal animal is in
view ("time in"). This method can provide unbiased data relevant to a wide variety of
questions, particularly if animals remain in the field of view.
3. All occurrence sampling. The observer focuses on a particular behavior rather than a
particular individual. For example, one might count the number of alarm calls given in a
group of monkeys. This is a useful method for providing the rate of occurrence of a
behavior (# occurrences per unit time) or for studying the synchrony of behaviors within
a group. The behavior under study should be obvious to the observer, and not so frequent
that recording becomes impossible.
4. Instantaneous or scan sampling. An animal's activities are recorded at pre-selected
moments (e.g., every 30 seconds). It is a sample of states (you are unlikely to catch an
animal "in the act" of doing a behavior classified as an event), and is used to study the
percent of time spent in a certain activity. If the behaviors of all members of a group are
surveyed within a short period of time, we call it scan sampling. This provides data on the
distribution of behavioral states in a group.
Instantaneous or scan sampling is best done with a sample interval as short as possible,
and with behaviors that are very easily identified. The behaviors should ideally be
relatively long compared to the sample interval. It is an excellent method for collecting a
large amount of data on a group of animals.
All observations should be kept in this handout.. You should usually include a sketch
map showing the study site and your position as observer. Pictures with time/date are also
useful
Ad Lib example:
Observer: Ajarn Andrew
Date: 1/7/99 Location: Kenya, Africa
Temperature: 18o-20oC
Wind: light Overcast: 100%
Habitat: Open Savanna
Time: Observation:
13:56 Group of 6 Elephants approaches waterhole all female or young. Largest animal
drinks first
13:57 Male A2 approaches group to 10m. Group moves SSW at slow walk
15:40-16:10 Bayside sand beach and mudflat areas
15:40 Largest male strokes baby with his trunk
15:47 Female B lets out a warning cry as lions approach
Fourth observation background information
What are the causes of abnormal animal Behavior?









Removal from natural habitat
Inability to adequately perform natural behaviors
Enforced idleness, boredom, frustration
Direct control by humans, loss of personal control
Loss of life in normal social group or solitary status
Drugs and medical fertility control
Caging in a totally alien environment
Artificial infrastructure, lighting, predictable diet, unusual noises and colours
Unnatural proximity of other animals and human visitors
Poster Background information
Each group will be making a poster to show the events of the day
Chose one of the first three research exercises to develop into a POSTER. Your choice
may be guided by your interest in the subject and your assessment of the quality of the
data you were able to generate in each exercise.
A POSTER is conventionally divided into several sections including, Introduction,
Hypothesis, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions, References and
Acknowledgements. Each section, except the References, should be presented as a series
of brief narrative statements of key points, data and information. Be prepared to give a
brief (5 - 10 minute) oral explanation of your project using the POSTER as your prop, but
also review your poster to be sure a viewer could understand all the critical and essential
points of your research if he/she were reading it independently.
The sections of the poster should provide the following information.
Introduction: Present in scientific narrative the pertinent background literature for the
study (from class, lecture and your own library research). The length should be about ½-1
page.
Hypothesis: As given in the research exercise.
Materials and Methods: Describe which species you studied, which individuals, how
many animals, their sex and age(if known). Note where they were housed (Dusit Zoo).
Describe the sampling and recording methods you choose. Which behaviors did you
record and why were those behaviors chosen to evaluate the hypothesis?
Results: Results report the outcome of the statistical analyses you performed - that is the
results should be more than simple raw data.
Discussion: Interpret the results in terms of the hypothesis and also in terms of relevant
literature on the topic. You can also suggest what future studies would be useful to
expand the research.
Conclusion: Does your study allow you to make any broader statements about the topic.
In particular have you learned something about why the hypothesis is or is not supported?
References: List all the published references that are cited in your poster just as you
would in a research paper. Give the complete citation in a scientific format.
ACTIVITY SHEET FOR DUSIT ZOO OBSERVATION
REQUIRED - three observations of primates and bird. For each animal, record the
background information sheet and then follow the directions for that particular
observation. Plus one observation of unnatural behavior
BACKGROUND INFORMATION NEEDED FOR ALL ANIMALS






Common name and scientific name of animal:
Country of origin, if given:
Number in habitat or cage of adult males, adult females, youths and babies:
Description of habitat in zoo and/or sketch of habitat/cage:
General description, including size, color, locomotion, vocalization, etc.
Look at faces of each animal and identify distinguishing characteristics, then
designate each animal by letter (example: large male - A)
 FIRST OBSERVATION EXERCISE
Ten minutes ad lib of primates (recording everything you see), then make an ethogram
(see appendix A for an example) with the behaviors you think you might see. Do a ten
minutes scan observation by recording at the end of each minute what each primate in the
cage or enclosure is doing. Please look for the following behaviors:
eating --- nursing baby --- Dominance drinking --- holding baby --threat posture playing --- mating --- charging self-grooming --vocalizing --- grooming other --- huddling --- baring teeth-- climbing
--- touching --- submissive chase --- urinating/defecating --- averting
eyes flight --- scratching --- cowering/hunching sleeping --- playfighting --- retreating resting --- freezing (not moving)
 SECOND OBSERVATION EXERCISE
Do focal sampling of a second primate by choosing one animal of the same group to
observe and recording everything he/she does in detail. If they aren't active enough, after
ten minutes switch to ad lib observation of the whole group in that enclosure. If more
than one person is using the same animal group, each person should observe a different
animal in the group. This observation should last for a total of 20-30 minutes.
 THIRD OBSERVATION EXERCISE
Occurrence sampling for 15 minutes of an emu, ostrich or any other bird.
.
 FORTH OBSERVATION EXERCISE- about 15 minutes
Please take a look of other animals in the zoo and observe them to see if they are
behaving naturally? Unnatural behaviors may include escape reactions, self mutilation,
pacing in the cage because of boredom, over-grooming, and unnatural sexual behavior.
Student’s Name:
Dusit Zoo Lab Worksheet
NO:
Sampling method
Types of
behavior
Uses
ad libitum
states or events
Surveys, rare occurrences, preliminary data
focal animal
states or event
frequency, rate, duration, and % of time
all occurrence
Events
rates; studies on behavioral synchrony
instantaneous and
scan
States
% of time, distribution of behavioral states within a
group
FIRST OBSERVATION- Ad Lib/Ethogram of Primates
DATA SHEET-Black gibbon, Crab-eating Macaque, Orangutan or Chimpanzee
Sampling Technique: ad
lib of ______________
Species: ________________________________________
Date ____________________________________________
Start time ________________________________________
End time __________________________________________
Total time: 10 mins
Temperature ____________________
Ad lib :
Please make a Ethogram for your animal (see Appendix A for ideas) You can make up
our own codes and definition for the behaviors. (You don’t need the exact codes as in
Appendix A)
BEHAVIOR CODE
DEFINITION
Please draw a sketch of your area and where you are located during the Ab Lib
observation
SECOND OBSERVATION- Focal Animal of Primate
Sampling Technique: Focal survey of ___________________
Date ______________________________________________
Start time ________________________________________
End time __________________________________________
Total time: 20-30 mins
Temperature _____________________________________
Time
Activity of Focal Animal
Time
Activity of Focal Animal
THIRD OBSERVATION- Occurrence sampling in birds
DATA SHEET-Ostrich. Greater flamingo, Emu…
Sampling Technique occurrence sampling
Date _________________________________________
Focal animal I. D. ____________________________
Start time ___________________________________
End time________________________ (about 15 mins)
Time
Bill to
neck
Head
sway
Bill
fence
Neck
Move
Peck at
stretch
away
Feed
Not
Other
visible
0.3
0.6
0.9
012
0.15
* check the appropriate boxes
FORTH OBSERVATION- Natural or unnatural behavior
Please take 15 minutes and look at the animals in the cages
Please indicate if you see any of the following:
Abnormal Behavior
Animal
Bar biting
Swaying or rocking
Pacing
Circling
Apathy (no response)
Tongue playing
Abnormal sex behavior
Over grooming
Abnormal aggression
Sickness/ feeding problem
How would you rate the animals home (1= poor, 10 = excellent)______________
What could the zoo do to help the animals:_______________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Appendix A – Sample Ethogram of a Marmoset
BEHAVIOR
Agonism
CODE
Frown
FR
Chase
CH
Fight
FI
Attack
AT
Snap bite
SB
Submit
SU
Retreat
RE
DEFINITION
lower eyebrows, furl brow, and turn down corners of mouth while
staring
pursue partner, with one or both animals exhibiting aggression
and/or submission (not play)
grapple aggressively with partner(s), involving biting, clawing, and
wrestling
lunge at or pounce on partner aggressively; may or may not result in
fight
direct a single short, sharp bite at partner
flatten ear tufts and/or facial grimace (partially open mouth with
corners of mouth retracted, exposing lower and sometimes upper
teeth) and/or slit eyes (eyelids half closed)
starting from a stationary position, move at lest one body length
away from another animal within 1 sec of the other animal
establishing proximity (within 10 cm)
Play
Play
PL
Solicit play
SP
Play face
Join play
End play
PF
JP
EP
Social play
SO
two or more animals lunge, grapple, wrestle or chase for at lest 1
sec in absence of aggression or intense submission; play face may
or may not be present
direct play face toward, pounce on, or initiate grapple with partner,
in absence of ongoing play with partner
open mouth without retraction of the lips
Join ongoing play bout between two or more partners
discontinue all social play for _> 3 sec
social interactions involving non-aggressive physical contact with
other individuals; high activity
Infantassociated
behaviors
Climb on
ON
Solicit climb on SC
Climb off
OF
Push off/reject PO
Nurse
End nursing
NU
EN
Other social
behaviors
Sniff/nuzzle
SN
Groom
GR
Sexual solicit
SS
Mount
MO
Initiate huddle IH
Leave huddle
LH
Object steal
OS
Attempt object
AO
steal
Foodassociated
behaviors
Food steal
Attempt food
steal
climb onto any part of partner's body so that all four limbs are on
partner
position body directly above infant and/or pull infant onto body;
may or may not result in infant climbing onto partner's body
voluntary climb off partner's body after having all four limbs on
partner
prevent juvenile from climbing onto body, or rub or otherwise force
juvenile off body
have mouth on female's nipple for _> 1 sec
discontinue nursing posture
orient face against or toward partner, excluding anogenital region
use hands and/or mouth to pick through fur and/or mouth of partner,
excluding anogenital region
stare at partner with ear tufts flattened and eyes slit
climb on partner's back from behind and grip partner around waist
and legs; may be accompanied by pelvic thrusting
establish passive, torso-torso body contact with partner, with both
animals remaining stationary and in passive contact for at least 3
sec
terminate huddle after at least 3 sec of passive, torso-torso body
contact during which both partners remained stationary
Take any non-food object from hands or mouth of partner
attempt but fail to take non-food object from hands or mouth of
partner
ST
Take any food from hands or mouth of partner
AF
attempt but fail to take food from hands or mouth of partner
Share food
SH
New food
NF
eat from a food source from which partner is simultaneously eating
or occupying without removing any food from partner's mouth or
hands
eat from a food source which no other animal is currently holding,
eating from, or occupying
Individual
behaviors
Bristle strut
BS
Scentmark
SM
Genital present GP
Object
manipulation
OM
arching posture and/or strut locomotion
rub or drag anogenital, suprapubic, or sternal region along substrate,
object, or partner
raise tail to expose genitals
sniff, bite, chew, gouge, handle, pounce on, grapple with, or
otherwise manipulate inanimate object, excluding food items and
water bottle, for at least 1 sec
References
http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/marmoset/ethogram.html
http://www.zoothailand.org
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/zoocheck/zcbehaviour01.htm
http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/marmoset/observing.html
http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/marmoset/ethogram.html
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1994/peebles_behavior.html