Abstract:

Aims: The research on the behavior of captive animals holds significant scientific value in improving animal welfare, optimizing management strategies, guiding the conservation breeding of endangered species, and revealing environmental adaptation mechanisms. The captive golden snub-nosed monkeys, as a first-class national protected wildlife, currently lacks systematic behavioral studies on its behavior spectrum at different age stages based on individual identification. This research will provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the environmental enrichment level, infrastructure configuration, and food supply of golden snub-nosed monkeys in captivity. 

Methods: This study observed and recorded the behaviors of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys at the Guizhou Forest and Wildlife Park from October 2022 to December 2023. Based on the current population status of this species in captivity, the study systematically recorded and analyzed the behavioral manifestations of the target individuals, attempted to establish the behavioral spectrum of golden captive snub-nosed monkeys, and used the posture-act-environment (PAE) coding system to classify and code the behaviors observed, and drew some behavioral diagrams. At the same time, the time allocation characteristics and behavioral rhythms of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys were analyzed. 

Results: The constructed PAE behavioral spectrum documented 20 postures, 99 actions, and 69 behaviors in captive golden snub-nosed monkeys, which were grouped into 11 categories: foraging, feeding, intimacy, thermoregulation, rest, movement, abnormality, reproduction, parenting, mating, and others. Overall, daily activity budgets and rhythms across age classes showed that resting was the dominant activity, followed by movement, feeding, grooming, play, and aggression. Significant age-related differences were observed: adults exhibited more resting, whereas young individuals showed higher frequencies of movement, feeding, and play. During feeding peaks, resting decreased and movement increased. Outside feeding peaks, movement frequency declined before noon, rose gradually until the second feeding peak, and then decreased again. Grooming and play peaked at midday, while aggression and other behaviors remained relatively stable throughout the day. 

Conclusion: This study systematically documented the daytime behaviors of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys, developed a standardized PAE-based behavioral classification system, and analyzed their behavioral time allocation and rhythms. The results indicate that their activity patterns align with the species’ typical energy-saving strategy while reflecting adaptive adjustments to captive feeding conditions. The PAE system offers a quantitative and repeatable method for primate behavioral research, enhancing the objectivity and comparability of observations. These findings provide a scientific basis for improving captive management and support future behavioral welfare assessments and behavioral ecology studies of wild populations.

Key words: golden snub-nosed monkey, ethogram, PAE coding system, time allocation, activity rhythm