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Activity Budget Data Summaries of Wildebeest & Zebras

Ayesha Aslam

102

1263575

November 2nd, 2023

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RESULTS

The graphs below visually represent and compare the amount of time wildebeest and

zebras spent doing a given activity. Starting off with figure 1, the comparison of wildebeest and

zebras grazing is shown. It is clear that zebras spent more time grazing than wildebeest. This is

because 77.92% of the zebras observed were grazing throughout the 4 minute video which was

paused in 20 second intervals. Whereas, 28.50% of wildebeest spent their time grazing. This is

because zebras are hindgut fermenters and broad grazers; they will take in any kind of grass due

to the need of higher intake. Wildebeest are pickier and prefer short grass. In figure 2 it is seen

that 5.64% of wildebeest observed spent time walking and only 2.52% of zebras spent their time

walking. This is due to zebras spending a majority of their time grazing and eating, and as

mentioned before wildebeest are more selective and therefore spend more time walking around

to find their preferred grass. In figure 3 it can be observed that wildebeest spent 19.90% of their

time simply standing, and in comparison zebras spent 17.27% of their time doing the same. It

can be noted that both of the species observed spent similar times standing, due to possibly

stopping in between other activities like grazing or walking. In figure 4, wildebeest spent 44.48%

of their time lying down and zebras only spent 2.28% of their time lying down. Wildebeest are

ruminants and can extract more nutrients from lesser plant material than zebras. Which is why

they can often be found just resting and digesting their food, zebras are found moving around as

they need higher quantities of plant material because they’re hindgut fermenters. Finally in figure

5, this category is used to make up for the amount of either species doing an activity that was not

specifically mentioned or just not being in the frame. Throughout the video observed 0% of

zebras spent doing another activity, whereas 1.48% of wildebeest had been partaking in another

activity. In conclusion it can be stated that zebras spent 78% of their time grazing to get their
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daily nutrient intake, and wildebeest spent 44% of their time lying down to process all the plant

material they had already consumed.

Table 1 below shows the data accumulated during the instantaneous scan sampling and is

organized by species and activities performed.

Grazing Walking Standing Lying Down Other

Species (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

Wildebeest 28.50 5.64 19.90 44.48 1.48

s.e 4.70 1.43 3.28 4.88 0.70

Zebra 77.92 2.52 17.27 2.28 0.00

s.e 3.88 0.64 3.86 1.32 0.00

Figure 1 exhibits the activity budget % of wildebeest and zebras spending time grazing, as seen

above zebras spend much more time grazing than wildebeest do.
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Figure 2 exhibits the activity budget % of wildebeest and zebras walking. Given the data above,

wildebeest spend much more time walking than zebras do.

Figure 3 exhibits the activity budget % of wildebeest and zebras standing. This data allows one

to conclude that wildebeest do spend more time standing, but the difference between the 2 doing

that activity is minimal.

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Figure 4 exhibits the activity budget % of wildebeest and zebras lying down. It is very evident

that wildebeest spend the majority of their time lying down and zebras are more active.

Figure 5 exhibits the activity budget % of wildebeest or zebras who spent their time doing a

non-disclosed activity.