Sexual behavior and ethogram of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus)

Abstract Understanding and knowledge regarding basic sexual behavior constitute a logical starting point for captive breeding of the endangered Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus, ABB) in the Republic of Korea. This study was therefore undertaken to create an ethogram for the sexual behaviors of ABB, and to describe the time budget of the relevant behaviors. To create an ethogram, 6 adult ABB (3 females, 3 males) in captivity were observed using the internet protocol cameras for three years without recording, and a pair of male and female ABB were observed similarly with a recording system for two different years to collect the time budget data. We confirmed 23 distinct sexual behaviors, and established, for the first time, an ethogram for sexual behaviors in ABB, including duration of individual behavior. Total sexual behavior was mostly observed between 11:00 and 13:00 hours, between 16:00 and 18:00 hours and more frequently during the 1st week of July. Mean duration of courtships were 7.9 ± 3.5 min (when the courtship advanced to mating) or 15.2 ± 9.1 min (when the courtship did not advance to mating), mean duration of matings were 20.1 ± 9.6 min (when shivering, indicating ejaculation, was included) or 11.1 ± 4.0 min (when shivering was not included), and mean refractory duration was 1,206.3 ± 858.2 min. These data could be applied by veterinarians and other biologists engaged in breeding the endangered bears in captivity. Furthermore, these data may be the basis for theriogenology studies in bears.