Changes in activity of harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) in the spring – summer period in conditions of aviary keeping

Abstract

The results of research on changes in active forms of behavior of two representatives of harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus Erxleben, 1777) in the spring - summer period in conditions of aviary keeping by analyzing its quantitative characteristics have been presented. Material for this paper was gathered within a series of observations on Murmansk Marine Biological Institute's aquacomplex in Polyarny, 2011. Method of "recording individual behavioral manifestations" was used as the main method of observation. The following characteristics have been used as parameters for assessing animal behavior: the mean duration of apnea, the mean duration of animal being on surface, the number of surfacing per minute, the percentage of being underwater and on the surface from the total budget of time, the percentage of being on platform and resting in water from total budget of time. A comparison has been made between the behavior parameters of each animal, and the individual characteristics of their behavior have been described. The gathered data have allowed us to consider possibility of influence of some environmental factors on behavior of harp seals. The impact assessment has been carried out based on the values of the following factors: temperature of water, temperature of air, wind speed, atmospheric pressure level. The statistical analysis has not revealed any significant dependencies between animals' behavior changes and such factors as atmospheric pressure. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient has shown the presence of feedback between the surfacing rate and the water temperature for both animals, and also a positive connection between the mean duration of apnea and water temperature for one animal and the air temperature for other.

Keywords

• harp seal
• aviary keeping
• behavior
• abiotic factors of environment
• physical activity