- International Journal of Pure and Applied Zoology (2014) Volume 2, Issue 3

Activity Pattern of Blue Bull (Boselaphus Tragocamelus) in Captivity At Zoological Garden, Kolkata, India

A study was carried out on Blue bull or Nilgai, Boselephus tragocamelus (Pallas, 1766) in the captivity at Zoological Garden, Kolkata during monsoon 2006 to assess their diurnal activity pattern. The activities of the individuals of Blue bull were recorded by using focal animal sample method to determine the time budget of Blue bull in three time periods viz. 09:00 h to 12:00 h, 12:00 h to 15:00 h and 15:00 h to 18:00 h. The behavioral states recorded were feeding, resting, scanning, walking and social (including grooming, aggression, play, fight and submissive). Overall, Blue bull spent their time (Mean + SE) in various activities like feeding (male- 45.83±1.55, female- 45±1.41), resting (male- 31.39±1.33, female-27.87±2.02), walking (male- 14.26±1.19, female-17.59±1.51), social (male- 8.52±1.07, female- 9.54±0.86). Most of the time Blue bull engaged in feeding and resting activities, and no records of fighting activities recorded during the study period. No significant difference found in time spent in basic activities of male and female individuals. Blue bull spent maximum time in feeding during 9:00 to 11:00 h and 15:00 to 18:00 which showed a bimodal pattern; when the temperature was low, while Blue bull spent the greatest amount of time in resting in between 12:00 to 15:00hr. As temperature rose during the daylight hrs, the Blue bull spent more time in resting, rather than feeding

Author(s): Shazia Quasin, Arun Kumar RoyMahato, Koyel Ganguly and Joy Krishna De

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