BREEDING

A note on the birth of Caracal lynx

at Mysore Zoo Felis caracal

C. D. K R I S H N E G O W D A Director, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, India

A pair of Caracal lynxes Felis caracal was obtained from Rotterdam Zoo where they had been bred on 17 October 1964. They are kept in an enclosure measuring 2.4~ 3.6~ 2.1 m high, with the front of the enclosure covered with weld- mesh.

On 26 April 1965 at 1800 hours they were observed mating. Copulation lasted for about 10

minutes. The female made a low groaning noise during copulation. Afterwards she rolled several times on the ground. When it was noticed that the female’s abdomen was swollen, she was separated from the male, her enclosure covered with bamboo mats to give her privacy, and a wooden box with a narrow opening was placed inside the den. On 3 July it was observed that she had given birth to a kitten, a male, inside the box, after a gestation period of 69 days. It is thought that the birth may have been one week premature. After the birth the female became more aggressive with her keeper.

At birth the kitten’s eyes were shut. After the birth the female ate much less then before. She

remained with the kitten inside the box, except at feeding time. Three days after the birth she started bringing the kitten out of the box at about 1100 hours and again in the afternoon: she would wander round the enclosure for about 15 minutes and then take the kitten back to the box. She did this regularly. On 12 July it was noticed that the kitten’s eyes were open. The kitten gradually learned to walk between 12 July and 26 July, when it was steady on its legs and moved freely with its mother in the enclosure.

The kitten was first observed eating solids (a little soft chicken meat) on 19 August 1965. It was regularly eating meat by 17 September 1965 (i.e. when it was I& months old) and had stopped suckling at the age of 24 months. It was separated from the mother on 3 November 1965.

The female was returned to the male on I November 1965 and they were observed mating at 2000 hours on 18 November. On 27 January 1966 it was noticed that the female had given birth to a kitten, after a gestation period of 69 days. This time the male was left with the family.

Breeding behaviour of the tiger

in Rajasthan Panthera tigris

K. S. S A N K H A L A Director, Delhi Zoological Park, India

SUMMARY births. There is also a second peak period in This paper described the breeding behaviour of September. The observations made in the field tigers and tigresses as observed in the forests of and zoological gardens are compared. They Rajasthan and in zoological gardens. indicate similarity. Study has shown that the

The tiger mates and reproduces throughout gestation period is 93 to 114 days. Generally two the year, but March to June is the peak period for to three cubs are born in one litter and the