Some remarks on the birth of a

Father David’s ,

Elaphurus davidianus Milne Edw.

by

C. van Doorn

Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde

and

E.J. Slijper

Zoölogisch Laboratorium, Universiteit van Amsterdam

normal with At the Royal Zoological Gardens “Blijdorp” at Rot- birth in head-presentation as is Ungu-

lates onward the fawn terdam May 6th 1958 a Father David’s Deer gave (SLIJPER, 1959). From 19.00

birth female calf. the first of this the later of to a It was young was expelled gradually. During stages

three old doe. this the mother was down and year period lying more doe She made sound with the of the During the days before the day of birth the more. no exception

several times the buck. of the molar teeth. At 19.42 about three was seen leaping upon Ex- gnashing of the fawn perience with other has taught that such quarters were expelled (Fig. 3). behaviour the 19.45 the doe the fawn may be regarded as an indication that At rose suddenly, slipped of time of delivery is approaching. On the day of birth out and the umbilical cord ruptured. This way

the doe refused her food has been observed in birth to be usual with as terminating appears Ungu-

other . down often, lates with Father many She lay very (SLIJPER, 1959), although notably which gnashed her molar teeth and made movements with David's Deer two cases have been reported in

her head towards the mother stood the final of the the belly and the udder, the ears up during stage

flattened the she from and the fawn fell the to neck, as if was suffering expulsion phase on ground K0benhavn and cramps. One had the impression, however, that the (Communications of S. ANDERSON,

of the back until the E. C. With other expulsion young was kept APPLEBY, Edinburgh). Ungulates home and the door of the stable well this of birth is often keeper went was as way terminating very

Giraffes and closed. Apparently a great number of mammals pre- seen and with some species (for example

fer birth their in the to be the usual to give to young quietest part Lamas) it even seems way. of the space of 24 hours. For most mammals this The expulsion phase of the above described birth is the but lasted and minutes. This is in evening or the night, bats very frequently for an hour 45 ac- give birth during the day which is their time of rest cordance with the average time observed in Ungu- birth (SLIJPER, 1959). A postponement of birth until all lates and all other mammals that give to has been observed and well is quiet frequently in zoological comparatively big developed young (V2—2 gardens. In natural surroundings the Ringed Seal hours with the exception of Equidae where the

(Phoca hispida Schreb.) and other Seals are said to expulsion phase is shorter as a rule (5—20 min.); be able birth if the In mammals with small and not to postpone as long as 10 days SLIJPER, 1959). very weather is very bad (KRUMBIEGEL, 1947). so well developed young the expulsion phase usually

The first of labour connected with the be much signs ex- lasts about 15—20 minutes although it can

of the observed 18.00. At shorter the of pulsion young were at (1—3 min.). According to opinion 18.10 the bladder amniotic was already protruding Miss GIJZEN (1958) the expulsion phase of Ungulates

The amniotic fluid and would be much if the distinctly. was transparent very prolonged are the forelegs were clearly visible (Fig. 1). During the observed by man or if they are disturbed in any other next minutes the stood and down often the in The 80 up lay way, as is case zoological gardens.

has been observed in other shortest duration of birth with Giraffes alternatively, as many reported by hoofed mammals. The amniotic bladder broke before Miss GIJZEN, however, is 20 minutes, and several

19.00 when the snout of the fawn visible drawn-out births been from was lying long have reported

the It that this where there disturbance on forelegs (Fig. 2). meant was a zoological gardens was no 74 C. VAN DOORN AND E. J. SLIJPER

all. On one of the few occasions when a the cord distance of about at very Ungulates ruptures at a birth natural could be observed 1—3 from the of the in surroundings cm belly newborn. Mr. E. H.

of Indian 1953 and TONG of has (birth an Elephant; see NICHOLA, Whipsnade Park, Dunstable, who a

lasted for hour of births of DERANIYAGALA, 1955), it an and a large experience Father David's Deer, half. that birth informed that all he Consequently it appears in any case kindly us in cases observed the with animals who have and well cord of these animals close the big developed young ruptured very to with animals who have umbilicus. Suidae lasts much longer than young In Pinnipedia, and Hippopota- that small at birth. midae the cord at of whole are very may rupture any place its

The most remarkable facts observed at the birth length, in , 's and Giraffes the distance of the Father David's the of the from the umbilicus between Deer were length may vary 10 and 40 cm umbilical cord and the where but all other place it was ruptured. (SLIJPER, 1959), in such a

As can be seen from the table given by SLIJPER long distance is quite unusual.

(1959), in all Ruminants the length of the umbilical Immediately after birth the doe licked the fawn cord varies between 20 and 45% of the length of until it was dry. She removed the remains of the

This accordance with foetal and the newborn. is entirely in a membranes ate them. When licking the

of Father David's described of the newborn the doe the case a Deer by HAMIL- belly came upon um-

and HARRISON where the of the bilical cord. She took her mouth and TON (1951) length it in ground it

between the molar cord amounted to 30 % of the length of the newborn. teeth. Such behaviour has never

the been described literature and observed Although in present case no exact measurements in was never of the cord could be estimated It normal Car- made, its length was by us in any . is quite in

in to be approximately 70% of that of the fawn. nivores, many Rodents and Primates who eat the

umbilical cord when the afterbirth. The It is not quite clear whether the great length of they eat the cord caused the other remarkable fact, the of the afterbirth not observed in the viz. appearance was place where it ruptured. This happened at a distance present case. It was not found next day so it had

been doe. of approximately 50 cm from the umbilicus of the apparently eaten by the

unusual because in young, a very place, normally

REFERENCES

Deraniyagala, P. E. P., 1955: Some Extinct Elephants, Krumbiecel, I., 1937: Notizen zur Biologie einiger Säu- their Relatives und Grönland. Zool. and the two Living Species. Ceylon Na- getiere von Spitzbergen Garten

tional Museum Publ. Colombo. N.F. 9, p. 214. GIJZEN, A., 1958: Quelques observations concernant la NICHOLA, C. W., 1953: AdministrationReport Department

naissance et la croissance des Girafes au jardin zoologi- Wild Life Colombo, Ceylon.

d'Anvers. Mammalia 112. E. 1959: Die Geburt der In: Hand- que 22, p. SLIJPER, J., Säugetiere. Hamilton, W. J. and R. J. Harrison, 1951: Placentation buch der Zoologie (Kükenthal) Bd. 8, Berlin, de Gruyter.

in Père David's Deer. Nature 443. Will in 1959. 167, p. probably appear