1. FOOD PREFERENCE AND BEHAVIOR STUDY OF WHITE
SPOTTED MOUSE DEER (Moscholoa meminna ) IN
CAPTIVITY
AG/AT/2012/3335
B.M.M.WANIGASEKARA

2.  Introduction
 Problem statement
 Objectives
 Materials and methodology
 Results
 Discussion
 Conclusion
 References
Content

3. Introduction
 Sri Lanka is home for three Mouse deer
species
- Moscholoa meminna
- Moschiola Kathygre
- Moschiola spp

4. Scientific Classification of White
spotted mouse deer
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Mammalia
Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Tragulidae
Genus : Moschiola
Species : M.meminna

5. Problem Statement
In zoological garden these animals are confined to artificial
enclosures with a marked deviation from the nature. Perhaps
stereotypic behaviors might be occur and their normal behavior
might be deviate from the natural behavior in captivity
 Due to ease of management these animals are fed with a diet
recommended by veterinarian. Their natural feeding behavior,
nutrition requirements may not fulfilled and animal welfare
problems may occur

6.  By conducting behavior studies their living conditions could
be improved and can minimize animal welfare issues by doing
enrichment programs, habitat enrichments and supplying more
natural food for them according to their need and nutrition
requirements

7. Objectives
 To Study Feeding behavior in captivity
 Food selectivity
 Food preference when fed with normal diet
and natural food
 Feeding behavior as affected by the time
 To study their normal behavior in captivity

8. Experiment 01
 Ethogram was prepared using preliminary
observations of two weeks
 Data was collected 4 times per day in following time
periods to get an idea about their normal behavior
 8.30 am – 9.30 am
 9.30 am - 10.30 am
 12.00 pm – 1.00 am
 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm

9. Experiment 02
Existing diet was separated
 Then each item presented in separate plastic trays
 This method was conducted in the morning and in the
afternoon ( 9.30 am and 1.30 pm )
 Preference was observed using an ethogram

10.  Sour plantain
 Watermelon
 Papaw
 Cucumber
 Salad leaves
 Boiled Chickpea/Maize
 Sweet potato
 Kankong
600g
500g
500g
600g
250g
500g
350g
2000g
Morning diet

11.  Sour plantain
 Water melon
 Papaw
 Apple
 Kangkong
 Sweet potato
300g
150g
200g
250g
5000g
350g
Afternoon diet

13. Experiment 03
 Natural food which they consumed in the wild was
introduced after adaptation period of 1 week
(W.W.A. Phillips, 1935)
 Feeding behavior was observed using an ethogram
 This was conducted for 2 weeks
 Their normal diet was supplied as a control

16. Results and Discussion

17. Objective No.01
 To Study Feeding behavior in captivity
 Food selectivity
 Food preference when fed with normal diet and
natural food
 Timely feeding behavior

18. Food selectivity – Morning diet 01
4.24
1.43
0.48 0.24
5.24
18.09
4.76
12.62
5.24
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
PercentageOFEATING

19. Food selectivity – Afternoon diet 01
1.19 0.95 1.43
0.48
2.85
16.9
10.48
4.29
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Watermelon Papaw Cucumber Salad
leaves
Apple Sweet
potato
Kangkong Other
eating
PercentageOFEATING

20. Food Selectivity – Morning diet 02
6.9
4.52
2.14
0.24
5.71
15.71
9.28
2.86
15.48
4.76
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
PERCENTAGEOFEATING

21. 1.43
0.24
0.71
1.19
3.1
14.57
12.14
5.95
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Watermelon Papaw Cucumber Sour plantain Apple Sweet potato Kangkong Other eating
PERCENTAGEOFEATING
Food Selectivity – Afternoon diet 02

22. Nutrition composition of the
morning diet
Energy
(kcal)
Water
(g)
Protein
(g)
Fat
(g)
Carbohydrate
(g)
Fiber
(g)
Ash
(g)
01. Banana(Cavendish) 564 454.2 7.8 3.6 119.4 10.2 4.8
02 Watermelon 120 468 3 0.5 25.5 1.5 1.5
03. Papaw 200 445.5 4.5 0.5 40.5 6.5 2.5
04. Cucumber 96 572.4 3.6 0.6 16.8 4.2 2.4
05. Salad leaves 0.693 225 5 5 5 5 -
06. Boiled chickpea 1870 50.5 99 25.5 310.5 - 14.5
07. Kangkung 520 1828 58 6 38 44 26
08. Blackgram 75.25 26.5 58 4.75 86.75 65.25 8.75
09. Maize 355 167.25 9.5 10.75 48.5 12.5 1.5

23. Nutrition composition of the afternoon diet
Energy
(kcal)
Water
(g)
Protein
(g)
Fat
(g)
Carbohydrate
(g)
Fiber
(g)
Ash
(g)
01. Banana
(Cavendish)
282 227.1 3.9 1.8 59.7 5.1 2.4
02. Watermelon 36 140.4 0.9 0.15 7.65 0.45 0.45
03. Papaw 80 178.2 1.8 0.2 16.2 2.6 1.0
04. Apple 564 454.2 7.8 3.6 119.4 10.2 4.8
05. Kangkung 1300 4570 145 15 95 110 65
06. Sweet potato 360.5 257.6 2.45 1.05 85.4 11.2 3.5

24. Food preference for wild and
normal diet
28.93
21.31
23.45
10.48
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Morning Afternoon
Percentage
Wild Normal

25. Common Name
Yard bean vines
Blue pea vines
Guvava
Wel penela
Wathu palu
Rose apple
Sweet potato vines
Winged bean vines
Scientific Name
Vigna unguiculata spp
Clitoria ternatea
Psidium guajava
Cardiosprmum halicacabum
Mikania cordata
Syzygium jambos
Ipomea batata
Phosphocarpus tetragonolobus
Wild diet consisted with….

26. Undupiyaliya
Mukunuwenna
Gotukola
Lovi
Centro
Desmodium triflorum
Alternanthera sessilis
Centella asiatica
Flacourtia inermis
Centrosema pubescens

27. Objective No.02
 To study their behavior under captivity

28. Daily Activity Budget
2
1.3
12
8
3 2.1
0.5
0.2
0.02
54.297
15.5
0.04 0.003 0
Sleeping
Sitting
Ruminating
walking
Standing
Other eating
Running
Self licking
Self scratching
Laying
Eating
Mating
Parental care

29. Behavior P Value
( Chi square )
Lying 0.028
Eating 0.000
Standing alert 0.499
Ruminating 0.383
Smelling 0.157
Licking 0.006
Walking 0.264
Standing 0.559
Other eating 0.915
Most obvious behaviors vs session

30. 1 2
Session
Eating 12.94 19.27
Other eating 2.72 2.61
Drinking 0 0.72
Ruminating 9.39 8.55
0
5
10
15
20
25
Percentage
Feeding Activities

31. Variation of locomotion, grooming, social and
stationary behaviors with the session
1 2
Session
Locomotion 13.44 15.83
Grooming 3.67 1.67
Social 2.61 3.33
Stationary 49.99 50.11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Percentage

32. Conclusion
 Moschiola meminna has a selective feeding
behavior according to their nutrition
requirement
 They preferred to eat boiled Chickpea,
Mungbean, Maize and Kangkong in the
morning diet and also Sweet potato and
Kangkong in the evening diet
 They desired more natural food from the wild
rather than their existing diet proportionately,
however statistically not significant

33. Stationary behaviors are most obvious
however their social behaviors are relatively
low

34. Suggestions
A comprehensive study is need to observe
behaviors in night time and distinguish the
feeding during day and night
 Further studies are need to observe the
improvement of body condition and breeding
after fed with natural diet
 They can be fed with the natural diet to avoid
other animal interactions ( Crows & Rats)

35. References
Yapa, A. and Ratnavira, G. (2013). The Mammals of
Srilanka. 1st ed. Colombo: Field ornithology Group of Sri
Lanka, pp.623-630.
 Duckworth, J. and Timmins, R. (2016). The IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species 2015. [online] IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species. Available at:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305 [Accessed 27 Nov. 2016].

36. THANK YOU