PROTOCOL AND ETHOGRAM FOR COLLECTING DATA ON REGURGITATION AND REINGESTION (R/R) IN CAPTIVE GORILLAS

Dr. Kristen Lukas, Curator of Conservation and Science
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way, Cleveland, OH 44109
Phone: (216) 635-3314
Fax: (216) 661-3312
E-mail: kel@clevelandmetroparks.com
Updated: March 2003

Publications/Presentations: Lukas, K.E., Hamor, G., Bloomsmith, M.A., Horton, C.L., and Maple, T.L. (1998). Behavioral effects of removing milk from the gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) diet at Zoo Atlanta. American Journal of Primatology, 45(2), 193.

Behavior Sampling
Subjects will be observed during the post-meal period of the PM Indoor meal. Two types of data collection methods will be employed. Short (5-minute) focal sessions will be conducted on all subjects during which instantaneous point sampling at 15-second intervals will be conducted (see attached Ethogram and Data Sheet). In addition, all-occurrences of R/R attempts, R/R bouts, stealing regurgitant from another, and staring within close range at a regurgitating gorilla will be recorded for the focal animal. All-occurrences of agonistic behavior within the focal’s social group will also be recorded.

ETHOGRAM Lukas, 2003
R/R IN CAPTIVE GORILLAS
FOCAL: INSTANTANEOUS POINT SAMPLING (30-SECOND INTERVALS)

Feeding
Feed-CH Feeding on chow
Feed-FG Feeding on forage mix (Cheerios, shredded wheat, raisins, etc.) or on leftover produce
Feed-HY Feeding on hay
Drink Drinking water or nursing from mother

Pre-R/R
Clear Clearing a space by moving hay or other materials away or just behaving as though clearing a space (may not actually be moving anything away, but still sweeping area with hand)
Head Shaking head left to right
Stom Twisting, grabbing, pulling, or otherwise touching stomach
Bend Standing up and bending over
Other Any other stereotypic pre-R/R behavior (i.e., rocking back and forth, lifting leg, etc.)

Regurgitate
RR Mouth Individual regurgitates food into mouth, without ever expelling contents into hand or onto another substrate
RR Hand Individual regurgitates food into hand
RR Floor Individual regurgitates food and expels it onto the floor or any other substrate other than the hand

Reingest
Mouth Usually follows RR Mouth; individual reingests food that was regurgitated into the mouth OR is still chewing regurgitated food
Lick Individual licks regurgitant directly from a substrate other than the hand
Hand Individual licks regurgitant from the hand, either after regurging into hand or after swiping regurgitant off substrate with hand

Undesirable Behaviors
Feed RR Individual eats another animal’s regurgitated food (regurger may still be present at site or not); may have to look carefully to detect presence of regurgitant on floor
Copro Coprophagy; eating feces
FcsMp Feces Manipulation; touching, smearing, or otherwise manipulating feces (except eating)
Other UB Any other undesirable behavior, such as hair-plucking (esp. Ivan) or self-clasping (esp. Katie)

ETHOGRAM Lukas, 2003

R/R IN CAPTIVE GORILLAS

Other Behaviors
SDB Self-Directed Behavior; autogroom, scratching, picking nose/teeth, etc.
ObjExam Object Exam; actively touching, playing with, sniffing, or otherwise engaging with an object (excludes passive touching of object)
Nest Nest-building; carrying or manipulating nesting material; building nest
OthAct Any other active behavior not listed (i.e., walking, climbing, solitary play, etc.)
Inactive Individual is sitting or lying passively, not really doing anything

Social Behaviors
Soc Play Social Play; individual is engaged in play with another animal (includes wrestling, play-biting, tickling, hand-clapping, chasing, and invitations to play, etc.); often accompanied by open-mouth play face or laughing
Affiliative Any other social behaviors that are non-aggressive, such as social grooming, social examination of another by staring (within arm’s reach) or touching, etc.
Agonistic Any social behaviors that are aggressive, such as aggressive vocalizations to another (cough-grunt, bark, scream, etc.), displaying (tight-lip face, quadrapedal stance, lunging, head divert, etc.), or active fighting (wrestling, hitting, etc.)

ALL OCCURRENCE DATA
On Focal:
RR Attempt Individual exhibits pre-RR behaviors (see above), bends over, but no food comes up; individual may try again while bent over or move on to something else
RR Bout Individual successfully ejects previously ingested food from the mouth
Feed RR Individual steals or eats another individual’s regurgitated food; note initials of “stealer” (individual eating the other’s regurgitation) and “regurger” (individual who had regurgitated the food)
SocEx RR Social Examination of another individual engaged in RR; individual is staring at a regurgitator as the regurgitator is engaging in RR; most often refers to a youngster (Charlie, Kashata, Kudzoo, Olympia) watching an adult RR; note initials of “observer” and “regurger”

For Whole Group:
Agonistic Definition same as above; note initials of “initiator” of agonistic behavior, and if known, the “recipient”