Small Carnivore
This ethogram covers the behavioral patterns of small carnivores, including species such as meerkats, mongooses, foxes, weasels, and genets. It examines key behaviors related to foraging, hunting, social interactions, communication, locomotion, and territoriality. The ethogram provides a structured framework for documenting species-specific actions, aiding in comparative behavioral studies across different environments and ecological contexts.
Alone movement behaviour: Animal walking or swimming more than 1 body length away from another animal.
Social movement behavior: Animal walking or swimming within 1 body length away from another animal.
Social Interactions: Active social interactions with another animal, including play, other affiliative behaviours, sexual or agonistic behavior.
Resting: Stationary on land or in water, eye(s) half or fully closed, minimal head orientation movements.
Environmental exploration: Animal is investigating or playing with part of the environment, either alone or with other animals.
Enrichment engagement: Animal is investigating or playing with an enrichment object or activity provided by the caretakers (including caretakers themselves).
Foraging: Animal is consuming food (or drinking water) either from the environment or provided within enrichment items, either alone or with other animals.
Anticipatory behaviour: Animal directs its eyes and sometimes orients its body towards an area, usually where caretakers appear, or where a gate usually opens, and/or towards people walking around outside the enclosure. Does not include any anticipatory pacing (this is defined within pacing behaviour).
Route-tracing: Animal walks or swims in the same route for 3 laps or more, where it doesn’t vary from the pattern. Observe the animal completing 3 laps of the route, and then start recording it as route-tracing.
Abnormal Repetitive Behaviour (ARB): Behaviour that is repetitive, invariant, and doesn't seem to have a function. Record from first instance if a known ARB for that animal, otherwise start after 3 repeats.
Other behavior: Any other behaviour not listed.
Out of sight: Animal is not visible.