Diurnal changes in the frequencies of howl, the loudest rut call of male sika deer (Cervus nippon), were studied in Nara Park, Nara City, western Japan, and in Kinkazan Island, northeast Japan. In Nara Park, the howl was recorded from September to March during the year, with the highest number in November and peaks in frequency near the sunrise and sunset with smaller peaks at night. In Kinkazan Island, surveys were carried out from the end of August to the beginning of November, with the howl being significantly abundant in the beginning and middle of October and it reaching peaks near the sunset. The population density was approximately 440 animals/km² in Nara Park and 140 animals/km² in Kinkazan Island. The highest frequency of howl was 26 times/hour in Nara Park and 12 times/hour in Kinkazan Island. Dividing the highest frequency of howl in Nara Park and Kinkazan by their respective population densities, the ratios were 0.06 times/hour/animals/km² for Nara Park and 0.09 times/hour/animals/km² for Kinkazan Island, with the ratio for Kinkazan being 1.5 times higher than that for Nara Park, which has a lower population density.

Acute mortality syndrome was the cause of death in a captive giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). This syndrome was induced by relatively long-term negative energy balance. In this study, we monitored blood compositions, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS) and food intake to assess the nutritional status of a captive giraffe using husbandry training. Blood parameters were similar to the reported values in previous studies. The mean BW was 906 kg and mean food intake was 16.7 kg/d (as-fed basis). The BW and BCS changed according to the seasonal changes in food intake. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and blood urea nitrogen concentrations were increased when the giraffe increased its food intake, BW and BCS, suggesting that these blood compositions can be used as an index of giraffe nutritional condition. Whereas, blood non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration did not show clear relationship between BW and BCS.