ABOUT PALLAS CAT
Pallas cats in zoos

Since Februry 2007, Pallas' Cat has been studied in the Leningrad zoo. The object for observations was a manul named Synok (Sonny) born in April 2006. Between February and April 2007, the data about the mating habits of the animal were collected. Since July and up until present time the manul is observed monthly (10 hours a day 3 days in a row) to record the animal's daily activities and how they change depending on the time of the year and other factors.

Alina Baranova, a 4th year Soil and Biology student of the Vertebral Zoology Department of the Saint-Petersburg State University, tells about her ward:

'During the last 3 months, I watched Synok once for the 1 day, and twice for 3 days. At the latest observation (November 5th-7th, 2008) I was astonished to see that some behavioral patterns I used to notice before are now consistent and appear in reply to very distinctive stimuli. Synok raises his upper lip, revealing the fangs; the animal does it very frequently, causing the whisker to tremble. At the same time, the tip of his tail is twitching (sometimes like a rattle of a rattlesnake, sometimes swaying in different directions). Once in a while this behavior is accompanied by 'Maur!' or 'Mrau!' noises. I have seen similar behavior when watching young immature males born this spring, but those make hissing and meowing sounds all the time when there is a human near their cage.

On this stage of the project, if I was to explain such behavior, I'd say the manul displays territorial agression. Synok got aggravated by by any man who approached his cage and started talking (maybe it's a reaction to a deep voice?). Some women (mostly the zoo employees whom Synok knew) also got him angry: the manul arched his back, hissed and bared his teeth, following them with his eyes as they went along the cage. When the observation was performed on his 'hungry' day, Synok was more sharp, reacted in this way more often (raised the upper lip), showed his predator nature by dashing around or sneaking up on a pigeon on the floor.

It is possible that the behavior is also affected by the weather. In colder days days the manul is more active, he moves more and his reactions are faster. However, this guess should be confirmed by the observations during the winter season.'

In future, the comparative analysis of the collected data will be performed. This will allow us to know more about manul's behavior (innate reflexes and instincts can show themselves in captivity). Thus, the results of the work conducted in the zoos will help to reveal the secrets of manul's lifestyle, which are very hard to spot in the wild.

Contact: Alina Baranova earth99@yandex.ru

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