Walrus General Behavior Study Defining Stereotypical Swimming Patterns for Optimal Pool Use by Capti

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Walrus General Behavior Study Defining
Stereotypical Swimming Patterns for Optimal Pool
Use by Captive Pacific Walrus Osborn Laboratory
of Marine Mammal Science New York
AquariumWildlife Conservation Society

• June August, 2003
• Director of Research - Diana Reiss
• Post Doctoral Research Scientist - Heidi Lyn
• Research Assistants - Medora Pashmakova, Lauren
  Klein, Rebecca Franks, Margaret Stanton, Berrak
  Miraboglu, Deborah Blumenthal, Amanda Reed

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Starring...
Ayveq, Kulu, Uupa, Nuka
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Stereotypical Behavior in Perspective

• Wide-ranging carnivores in closed environments
  (zoos, aquariums, laboratories.)
• Pacing, excessive grooming, cage-biting,
  repetitive behavior without significance.
• Why is it cause for concern?
• - dulling of instincts
• - reproductive failure
• - unhappiness

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Project Goals

• To determine a baseline ethogram (a code of
  behavior) of walrus behavior
• To identify stereotypic patterns of behavior for
  each walrus
• - specifically swimming patterns
• To determine if individual swimming patterns are
  complementary for optimal use of pool space

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Project Methodology

• Walrus behavioral ethogram developed
• Four weeks of observation conducted
• Each walrus observed for 3 hrs. per week, from
  each window twice per week for 1.5 hrs. during
  pre, post and non-feed times
• Each walrus observed for a 15 minute period of 20
  sec intervals
• Behavioral and environmental data collected
• Analysis of data to determine behavioral patterns
  or trends

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The Pool Top Level
public
rock
rock
public


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The Pool Bottom Level
observation windows (open to public)
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Swim Patterns using a clock face for qualifying
direction.
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Swim Patterns many possible routes
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Swim Patterns repetitive for each subject...
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...but are they distinct for each walrus?
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Project Results

• Definite trends
• Each walrus maintained his/her own unique pattern
  - exhibited daily and cumulatively.
• Use Chi-Squared analysis to determine
  significance and histograms to visualize the data.

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Questions to ponder

• How do these patterns relate?
• Distinct or similar?
• Stay out of each others way to optimize pool
  space?

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Stay Tuned!