6 
Bulletin of the EANHS28(3) 
revealed a large dead female foetus and a ruptured uterus 
as the foetus was too big to pass through the birth canal. 
In this case only one foetus had developed. Tanga did 
not survive the operation. 
Reproductive inhibition apparently prevented the 
other young females from reproducing. Only one of 
her daughters gave birth at 5 years 5 months of age. At 
that time the other females present ranged from I year 
4 months to 9 years. In the Seattle Zoological Gardens 
a female D. arboreus gave birth to her first litter at 21 
months old (Rachel Lawson, pers comm ). Unfortunately, 
the colony was broken up before the effect of Tanga’s 
death on reproduction in the other females could be 
determined. 
Courtship consisted of: 1 ) close following by male, 
2) the couple approached each other, the male moaning, 
the female with a wail. 3) male resting head on female's 
rump. 4) mounting and thrusts while the female was 
standing. This behaviour was witnessed for periods of 
between two to ten days at a time with intervals of two 
to four weeks. 
Meru was the only adult male present, but some of 
his sons, from the age of five months onward tried to 
interfere with Meru’s mounting and at six months 
mounted their mother with thrusts. 
Conception occurred between two weeks before and 
two months after weaning of the previous litter Post 
partum copulation (up to 30 days after parturition) was 
observed from day 0 to 29 days after. 
Nipples, one pectoral and one inguinal pair, were 
seen to be enlarged about one month before parturition. 
Weight gain by female. Tanga, during pregnancy is 
shown in Fig. 1 , 
Birth intervals ranged between ten and seventeen 
months. 
Except for one case when it occurred between 18.00 
and 20.00 hours, all births occurred between 07.00 and 
13.00 hours during daylight. 
Males ranged between 210 g and 225 g (N = 3) with 
an average of 215 g. Females weighed between 185 g 
and 206 g For the record of the gain in combined weight 
of infants in multiple litters see Fig. 2 and for the average 
weight gain by males and females over time, see Fig. 
3. 
In L3 where birth was witnessed, first suckling 
occurred at ages 12 minutes and 35 minutes. By day 
four each young had established its own preferred teat. 
Of the two pairs— one inguinal and one pectoral— the 
former was preferred over the latter (Rudnai, 1984b). 
Peak time for suckling was 06.00 to 07.00 and 17.00 to 
19.00 hours. 
Weaning occurred at 7 months in LI after which it 
occurred earlier and at varying periods. Weight of young 
at weaning was also very variable (Table 1). 
Table 1 Weaning records for six litters of captive southern tree hyrax 
Litter 
Age (mo.) at weaning Weight (gr) at weaning 
Male Female 
Total litter weight (gr) 
at weaning 
LI 
7 
1250 
1090 
2340 
L2 
6 
900 
822 
1722 
L3 
4 
- 
630 
590 
1220 
L4 (single) 
3 
- 
480 
480 
L5 
5 
914 
833 
1747 
L6 (single) 
3.5 
■ 
575 
575 
Table 2. Record of births by a captive female southern tree hyrax, Tanga 
Litter 
Date 
Sex 
Male 
Female 
LI 
1 June, 1979 
1 
1 
L2 
6 November. 1980 
1 
1 
L3 
17 December 1981 
- 
2 
L4 
16 November 1982 
1 plus one stillborn 
— 
November. 1983 
Assumed miscarriage 
L5 
16 September. 1984 
1 
1 
— 
19 & 24 January. 1986 
2 stillborn 
L6 
28 December 1986 
— 
1 plus one stillborn 

December, 1988 
— 
1 stillborn female 
Total 
10 live births. 5 stillborn. 1 assumed miscarriage 
