Bisoniana XCVII. Rhythm of daily activity and behavior of European bison in the Białowieża Forest in the period without snow cover

Abstract

a b o ń-R a c z y ń sk a K ., K ra siń k a M ., K ra siń sk i Z. A. & W ó jcik J. M ., 1987: R h y th m of d a ily a c tiv ity and b e h a v io r of E u ro p ea n b iso n in th e B ia ło w ie ż a F o rest in th e p eriod w U h o u t sn o w cover. A c ta th e r io l., 32, 21: 335-372 ¡W ith 5 ta b le s & 6 F igs], In 1982-1981, th e a c tiv ity o f E u ro p ea n b iso n B tsou b o n a su s (L in n a eu s, 1758) w a s o b se r v e d c o n tin u o u sly fro m d a w n to d u sk. It h a s b een fo u n d th a t t h e r h y th m of a c tiv ity c o n s'S ts o f m a n y p h ases. T h e fe e d in g , r e stin g , a n d .w .-'k in g a c tiv itie s o f g r o u p m e m b er s a r e h ig h ly s y n-h r o n iz e d , im p ly in g th a t th e g ro u p is a h ig h ly c o n so lid a te d str u c tu r a l u n it o f b iso n p o p u la tio n s. E u ro p ea n b iso n a llo c a te (50.4% o f th e d a y for fo r a g in g , 31.9% fo r restin g , and 7.7°/# fo r m o v e m e n ts w ith o u t fo r a g in g. T h e fo r a g in g tim e is u sed fo r g r a zin g in 95,2% on th e a v e r a g e , b r o w s in g in 2.9J/o', a n d b a r k in g in Li)*/». Y o u n g c a lv e s su c k th e ir m o th e r s s e v e r a l tim e s a d a y fo r 4.2+1.3 m in in th e p e r io d M a y-J u ly. O ld er c a lv e s d r a w m ilk s ig n ific a n tly lo n g e r from A u g u s t to O ctob er, th a t is, 6.7+ 3.4 m in on th e a v e r a g e. W a llo w in g w as m e r e fr e q u e n t in a d u lts th a n in y o u n g a n im a ls, an d a m o n g a d u lts m o r e fr e q u e n t in c o w s th a n in b u lls in w h ic h it w a s in te n s ifie d d u rin g th e r u ttin g p eriod. ¡M a m m a ls R es. In st., P o lish A cad. S c i., 17-230 B ia ło w ie ż a (K CR, M K , JM W) a n d B ia ło w ie ż a N a tio n a l P a rk (Z A K), 17-230 B ia ło w ie ż a , P o la n d ]