Aktivitas Berang-Berang Cakar Kecil (Aonyx cinereus) di Kebun Binatang Rahmat Zoo and Park, Desa Bengabing, Pegajahan, Sumatera Utara

Abstract

This study aims to examine the activity patterns of small-clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus) maintained at Rahmat Zoo and Park, Bengabing Village, Pegajahan, North Sumatra. From a biological perspective, the study of daily activity provides important insights into behavioral biology and supports conservation efforts by improving the understanding of species adaptation under captive conditions. Observations are conducted on a male and a female individual approximately one year old over a 14-day period, from 08:00 to 16:00 WIB, using the focal animal sampling method with two minute recording intervals. Activity data are classified into ten behavioral categories and quantitatively analyzed by calculating the percentage frequency of each behavior, which is then presented graphically. The results have shown that the dominant activities of the male otter have been locomotion (36.32%) and resting (35.79%), whereas the dominant activities of the female otters have been locomotion (34.72%) and resting (36.85%). Other observed behaviors included vocalization, feeding, grooming, social interaction, standing, alertness, elimination, territorial marking, begging, and mating, all occurring at lower percentages. These findings demonstrated that the activities of Aonyx cinereus in captivity have been largely dominated by locomotion and resting behaviors and have been influenced by environmental factors and husbandry conditions. This study has provided additional biological information to support management practices and conservation strategies for small-clawed otters in conservation institutions.