Activity Cycle and space utilization in captive Dendrohyrax arboreus

Abstract

The activity cycle of a captive group of Dendrohyrax arboreus comprising an adult male, an adult female and two juveniles showed them to be more active during the daylight hours than nocturnally. Activities of the siblings were closely synchronized, but showed no close relationship to the mother's cycle. The animals spent most of their time on the upper level of their enclosure. The data support the view that D. arboreus is arboreal and solitary in its natural habitat. The nocturnal habits of some wild D. arboreus populations may represent a shift in activity pattern in response to hunting pressure by man.