Biological habits of tamaraws (Bubalus mindorensis Heude) in captivity during the dry and wet seasons

The major observations were the following: 1) Feeding was observed to be 23.55 percent of the 24-hour day period. Feeding time was significantly longer (P0.05) during 6:00-10:00 a.m. and 6:00-10:00 p.m. than at any time of the 24-hour day period. There was no significant difference in the length of time spent on feeding during the dry [DS] and wet seasons [WS]. However, the feeding time during WS was slightly longer than during DS. Daytime feeding was significantly longer (P0.05) than nightime feeding. Least feeding time was spent by the tamaraw's from 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.; 2) Rumination was observed to follow after the end of each feeding period. The time spent for rumination was 26.4 percent of the 24-hour day period. There was no significant difference between the time spent for rumination during DS and WS. Most of the ruminations were observed during late afternoon (2:00-6:00 pm) when the animals were mostly wallowing and late at night (10:00 pm-6:00 am) when the tamaraws were mostly lying down. Less rumination was observed to occur during peaks of feeding. In a 24-hour day period, the percentages of rumination while standing, lying down and wallowing were 3.84, 16.82 and 5.81, respectively; 3) Tamaraws were observed to wallow more frequently (P0.05) during daytime than during nighttime; and more often during WS than during DS. Most of the wallowing were observed between 2:00-6:00 pm. There was very minimal wallowing at night and this was apparently performed just to get rid of nocturnal biting insects; 4) Idling was observed to be the most dominant preoccupation of the tamaraws in captivity with 30.62 percent of the 24-hour day period. Most of the idling while standing was observed during the day, whereas, idling while lying down was more frequent during the night; 5) Sleeping was noted to be very minimal (1-6 hours per day) and was longer during night time than at daytime and significantly (P0.01) longer during DS than during WS 6) Walking was observed to be longer during peaks of feeding time, while running, scratching and pawing dirt were noted to be longer at night between 6:00-10:00 p.m. and more often during WS than during DS apparently due to the presence of biting insects during WS; 7) Urination, defecation and drinking were observed to be more frequent during DS and during the day due to high environmental temperature. Most urinations and water drinking during the DS occurred at 6:00-10:00 a.m. period. During the WS urination and defecation had the highest frequency at 6:00-10:00 a.m. period, but water drinking was highest at 10:00 am-2:00 pm. period