Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity
Vol. 24 No. 2 (2023)

Effect of environmental temperature and relative humidity towards postural behavior and activity patterns of female Pongo pygmaeus at Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, Perak, Malaysia

Noramira Nozmi (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam. Jalan Ilmu 1/1, 40450 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia)
Sabapathy Dharmaligam (Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation. Bukit Merah, 34400 Simpang Empat Semanggol, Perak, Malaysia)
Nur Nadiah Md Yusof (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam. Jalan Ilmu 1/1, 40450 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia)
Farida Zuraina Mohd Yusof (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam. Jalan Ilmu 1/1, 40450 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia)



Article Info

Publish Date
08 Mar 2023

Abstract

Abstract. Nozmi N, Dharmalingam S, Yusof NNM, Yusof FZM. 2023. Effect of environmental temperature and relative humidity towards postural behavior and activity patterns of female Pongo pygmaeus at Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, Perak, Malaysia. Biodiversitas 24: 1252-1263. Variation in environmental conditions is known to have impacts on animal behavior. Previous research showed animals adapt to temperature change by altering their behavior and routine or resorting to relocation in order to survive. This study aims to determine the strength of the correlation between the environmental conditions with Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) postural behavior and activity patterns in captivity. Focal sampling was carried out at Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island, Perak, Malaysia, for 93 days from March 2021 until June 2021 among four adult female orangutans. Four postural behaviors were observed, which are sitting, lying, clinging and standing, and four activities were selected, which are resting, feeding, playing and moving. We used RS PRO DT-3893 Vane Anemometer to determine the environmental temperature and relative humidity. The data were analyzed via Mann-Whitney U-test. Orangutans had a longer resting period (p: 0.023) and a lying period (p: 0.002) at high temperatures. The behavioral observation also shows similar findings in resting (p: 0.015) and lying duration (p: 0.001) in lower humidity. The results of this study will enhance our understanding of the behavior pattern of female orangutans in ensuring the effectiveness of enrichment activities in the future. This study will also serve as baseline data of behavioral patterns in response to variations of environmental conditions which is affecting the behavior of orangutans in captivity.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

biodiv

Publisher

Subject

Agriculture, Biological Sciences & Forestry Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology

Description

The Biodiversitas Journal was first published in 2000 by the Department of Biology, FMNS, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia, then in 2006 it was co-published by the Society for Indonesian Biodiversity and that department; since 2017 it was also hosted by Smujo. From 2003-2012 it was ...