Preliminary observations of the behaviour in two wild species of equids: Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) and Hartmann’s zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae) kept in socially changed groups at Warsaw Zoo

Abstract

: Preliminary observations of the behaviour in two wild species of equids: Przewalski ’ s horse ( Equus ferus przewalskii ) and Hartmann ’ s zebra ( Equus zebra hartmannae ) kept in socially changed groups at Warsaw Zoo. Investigations were carried out at Warsaw Zoo to examine ge-neral behaviour in two wild equids after social changes. This changes were caused by management procedures. Three Hartmann’s zebra and four Przewalski’s horses were observed for 117 h through out the whole year. Three methods of sampling were used: ad libitum , scan and focal. Abnormal behaviour in these wild equids was not found. There were several significant differences in frequency of behaviour between Przewalski’s horse and Hartmann’s zebra. In both species coordination of behaviour also occured. Social interaction frequency was very low and gave little support for the speculation about social structures in these groups.