FIRST REPORTS ON THE CAPTIVE BREEDING ANDMORTALITY OF BLACK SWAN (Cygnus atratus)IN PAKISTAN

摘要

Captive breeding is one of the pre-eminent practices to warrant the future survival of animal andbird species. This study is a first-time report with a ong-term analysis of the breeding account and mor- tality rates of Black Swan at the first National Park in Pakistan i.e., Lal Suhanra National Park, Baha- walpur, established in Pakistan under the Punjab Wildlife Act 1974. We obtained the reproduction and mortality data of captive Black Swans from the park management logs from 2008-20009 to 2016- 2017. During the nine years (2008-2009 to 2016- 2017), breeding output was significantly higher than the mortality rate, especially in cygnets. The results show that the species breeds three times in a year, and the breeding months include December-January, April-May, and October-November. These seasonal variations in breeding and mortality may be due to environmental factors, including climatic condi- tions, potential management protocols, and disease outbreaks. Further studies are suggested to thor- oughly investigate all factors that affect the popula- tion of Black Swans in captivity so that proper man- agement can be carried out for their conservation and protection.