Vigilance efficiency and behaviour of Bohor reedbuck Redunca redunca (Pallas 1767) in a savanna environment of Pendjari Biosphere Reserve (Northern Benin)

This study was performed to gain more knowledge about the Bohor reedbuck time budget and vigilance in a savanna habitat. Detailed data on the time-budget were collected through focal animal observation technique to determine whether the time budget activities of Bohor reedbuck was affected by vegetation cover and to test if herd size, position in herd, the age and sex affect vigilance efficiency. We fit generalized linear mixed-effect models to assess how herd size, sex, animal position in the herd and age affected individual time allocation to vigilance behaviour.  The most parsimonious model, averaging clearly showed how vigilance behaviour among Bohor reedbuck was strongly affected by age, sex, the total herd size and animal position in the herd accounting for the lowest Δ value of Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Vigilance and feeding behaviour occupied the largest percent of Bohor reedbuck daylight time budget. Herd size effects were significant on different behaviour categories only when the Bohor reedbuck was observed in sympatric association. Our findings support the herd size effect hypothesis only in sympatric grouping system. However, further study is needed to investigate the possible sex-specific functions and targets of vigilance behaviour with respect to the herd direction in the field.

Source de publication: Mammal Study (in press)

Contacts du ou des auteurs: Chabi A. M. S. DJAGOUN (dchabi@gmail.com), Bruno A. DJOSSA (djosbruno@yahoo.fr), Guy. A. MENSAH, Brice A. SINSIN