roL 74 [As20 gr mass. Pivotal temperature for 1:1 M/F ratio is 29.4°C. (Geist, Dallara, Gordon, Home, and Mutlow, in prep) 366 Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 ^.TtAssu **lk '/mwsp*-. ,v. forest ' TORTOISE PVR^ Aquatic Box Turtle Juvenile Adult Iguana Bearded Juvenile Bearded Hatchling Formula Growth Maintenance Formula Formula ZOO MED LABORATORIES, INC 3650 Sacramento Dr. • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 U.S.A. Phone: 805-542-9988 • E-mail: zoomed@zoomed.com WWW ZOOMED COM NATURAL Grassland Tortoise Food and NATURAL Forest Tortoise Food High fiber, low protein diet just like they get in nature. See the pieces of grass in each pellet. Natural! No artificial colors, flavorings, or preservatives added. Colored corn or wheat based foods should not be fed as a regular tortoise diet, as these types of foods could lead to unnatural shell growth and health problems (i.e. pyramiding). Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 367 26 27 28 29 30 31 IncutetioE Temperature (C^) Figure 2. Temperature Effects on Incubation Duration (1-Way ANOVA: F5, 96=2.63, P =0.028 ) (Geist, Dallara and Gordon, in review) to reproductive success and juvenile fitness but little data on nest environment exist for this species. Secondly, we hope to determine if western pond turtles practice nest philopatry/nest site fidelity. Many turtle species are known to be very discriminating in choice of nest sites and return faithfully to the same nest sites year after year, but little data on this behavior is available for western pond turtles. So far, our four-year study has identified and mapped over 100 turtle nests at the field site and preliminary analysis of nest sites indicates that a percentage of nesting females show philopatric behavior. Each year we get a higher percentage of females marked in previous years returning to 100 90 m 80 70 ss 60 mi S 50 On* 40 30 a 20 xO 10 0 26 27 28 29 30 31 Incubation Temperature (CP) Figure 3. Temperature Effects on Hatching Success (G-Test: G2=16.12, df = 5, p = .007) (Geist, Dallara, and Gordon, in review) 368 Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol 39, No, 8 August 2012 nest, so we continuously add to this database by recording GPS data jfrom each new nest. These data should allow us to identify and characterize a pattern of philopatry. And finally, understanding the role of the thermal environment on embryonic development and phenotype is especially important in reptilian species with TSD. We are continuing to study how incubation temperature and temperature fluctuation effects hatching success, juvenile growth and fitness, and hatchling sex ratios. All of the institutions and individuals involved in this collaborative project have benefitted beyond our expectations. Our veterinary staff has developed expertise in endoscopic procedures on turtles as small as 20 grams or just over the size of a quarter. Volunteers and docents have become adept at discussing native, local conservation initiatives. Zoo staff have developed skills and husbandry techniques to improve the care of neonate chelonians. And several graduate students have successMly completed Master's theses and submitted papers to journals which will add to the growing knowledge of this fascinating turtle. But most important of all, there is renewed interest in this Species of Special Concern, more people are aware of its decreasing numbers, and more pressure is being put on agencies to monitor populations closely so we don't lose the small foothold that the western pond turtle has left in California. B Figure 4A. Clutch Effects on Hatchling Growth (2-Way ANOVA: ¥6,6 = 2.63, P = 0.036) Figure 4B. Incubation Temperature Effects on Hatchling Growth (2-Way ANOVA: F4, 4= 0.50, P = 0.735) Animal Keepers 'Forum, Vol 39, No. 8 August, 2012 369 References Bettleheim, M. R 2005. Marmorata: The Famed Mud Turtle of the San Francisco Market. California History 82(4): 90-106 Ewert, M.A., D.R. Jackson and C.E. Nelson. 1994. Patterns of Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination in Turtles. Journal of Experimental Zoology 270:3-15. Holland, D. C. 1991 . A synopsis of the ecology and status of the western pond turtle (Clemmys marmorata) in 1991. Report to National Ecology Research Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, San Simeon, CA. Holland, D.C. 1994. The Western Pond Turtle: Habitat and History. Report to U.S. Department of Energy Bonneville Power Administration Environment, Fish and Wildlife. Portland, OR. Moyle, P. B. 1973. Effect of introduced bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) on the native frogs of the San Joaquin Valley, California. Copeia 1973:18-22. Spinks, P. Q., Pauly, G. P. Crayon, J. J., and Shaffer, H.B. 2003. Survival of the western pond turtle {Emys marmorata) in an urban California environment. Biological Conservation. 113: 257-267 Pond turtles dig nests in the soil using their urine to soften the ground. Photo by Z. Dallara 370 Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 Juvenile turtles are released at approximately ten months of age and are about the size of a three year-old wild turtle. Photo by J. Bushell Turtles in Trouble by Greg McKinney, Conservation/Legislative Update The Wildlife Conservation Society on 11 April 2012 announced that it will work to prevent the extinction of at least a dozen of the world’s most endangered turtles and tortoises through the development of off-exhibit assurance colonies and reintroductions. In a report presented in February 2011 by the Turtle Conservation Coalition, WCS and others, the world’s most endangered tortoises and fresh-water turtles were identified. The report states that “turtles are much inore at risk of impending extinction than birds, mammals, and amphibians” and warns that “without concerted conservation action, many of the world’s turtles and tortoises will become extinct within the next few decades.” Threats to turtles include habitat destruction and illegal trade. The trade is mainly driven by demand from China where turtles are used in traditional medicine as well as for human consumption. Of the top 25 most endangered turtles, 1 7 are found in Asia, WCS is committed to working with governments worldwide to combat these threats. The 2011 report. Turtles in Trouble can be found at WCS.org through their resources link. Source: Wildlife Conservation Society Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 371 The AAZK Behavioral Husbandry Committee Column Advances in Waterfowl Training and Enrichment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® By Stacy Johnson, Animal Keeper Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, Lake Buena Vista, Florida Abstract “Waterfowl” is a collective term given to the order Anseriformes, consisting mostly of ducks, geese and swans. There are currently over 150 species represented on every continent except Antarctica. Most ducks fall in to the categories of dabblers, divers and perchers. Several species of ducks and swans are represented within the Oasis area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom®. The largest pond houses red shovelers {Anas platalea), red-crested pochards {Netta rufina), common white-eye {Aythya nyroca), rosybill {Netta peposaca), yellow-billed duck {Anas undulata), black-necked swans {Cygnus melanocorphyus), tufted ducks {Aythya fuligula) and plumed whistling duck {Dendrocygna eytoni). Despite the size of this large pond, keepers need to get within close proximity to the ducks to conduct health checks and administer medications when needed. The pond is also an open exhibit, allowing native wildlife (e.g., white ibis and mallard ducks) easy access causing competition for food. To meet these challenges, we implemented four training behaviors: “come”, hand feeding, scale and chute. To further enhance waterfowl management, the waterfowl enrichment program was also expanded to include sinking feeders, floating feeders and variations of food presentation. The investment in waterfowl training and enrichment has also allowed us to obtain weights, reduce capture stress, and engage visitors in our daily husbandry. 372 Animal Keepers ’Forum, VoL 39, No. 8 August 2012 Training All of the waterfowl in the current collection are captive bred, but like most species, they remained elusive to keepers upon our arrival. Therefore, our initial training goal was to desensitize all 22 individuals to the close proximity of keepers. This would help with better management of daily feedings, as well as facilitate physical and behavioral observations. We began the process by pairing the sound of a clicker (in rapid succession) with food. Birds were cued to come to where the keeper was standing in a designated shallow part of the pond. Initially, any movement in the keeper’s direction was reinforced. As the criterion was tightened, closer proximity to the keeper was reinforced and we were able to get close enough to do quick visual assessments of individual ducks. All of the birds quickly learned that the sound of the cue signaled the availability of food and, within a matter of weeks, all ducks were responding to the come cue (the clicker). We hoped that, over time, the birds would be comfortable enough around us to remain in the immediate area for longer periods while eating. Within a few weeks, “Calum” (red crested pochard), “Mallomar” (black-necked swan), “Mr. Snoops” (yellow-billed duck), “Bianca” (rosy-billed pochard), “Tank” and “Titan” (tufted ducks) and “Siren” (red shoveler) all remained in the vicinity of the keeper to eat during the entire feed session. Little did we know that some would become so comfortable with us, they would start pecking at our boots if we did not get food to them fast enough! The birds’ high level of food motivation prompted us to move on to our next goal of hand feeding. Once the ducks were cued to the designated feeding area, the keeper used favorite food items (e.g., Romaine lettuce, krill, finch seed, millet, crickets) to entice birds to approach and take the item from the keeper’s hand. The waterfowl in the collection were fed three times per day. Hand feeding was attempted at each feed. Not surprisingly, many of the ducks either swam away or remained just out of reach. After a few weeks, the most gregarious waterfowl (yellow-billed ducks, black-necked swans, and a rosybill) began to feed from a keeper’s hand. In another two weeks most of the waterfowl in the pond came close enough to quickly grab a bite from the keepers and swim away. After working on this for another month, most of the waterfowl began to establish preferred feeding locations Figure 1. Scale and chute training session set-up location Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 373 near the keeper. However, there were still some extremely shy waterfowl species in the collection, like the common white-eyes, that never attempted to hand feed. An added benefit to this training was that some individuals began to defend their “feed area” from native birds, facilitating the hand feeding sessions. The success of hand feeding enabled us to more closely monitor individual food consumption and allowed medication to be administered to specific individuals. With the group well acclimated to the proximity of keepers and hand feeding, our next goal was to start scale and chute training. We wanted to get monthly weights on all of the ducks to ensure they weren’t being out-competed by native waterfowl in the area. In addition, we wanted to introduce an exclusionary device: a chute that could minimize the intrusion of native birds in the feed area. The chute is a very simple design made of box wire (L 96cm x W 43cm x H 42cm) with one hinged side. Figure 2. Baiting ducks to the scale and allowing them to eat food items from it The chute allowed collection animals to swim in, get their food, and swim back out. If a native bird tried to get in, the side could be closed, excluding them from the area. An initial challenge to implementing both scale and chute training was finding a suitable location in the exhibit where both the scale and chute could be introduced. The original feed area was not ideal due to limited space. Once we found a level area near the shoreline for the scale with enough water area for the chute, we introduced another sound cue, a castanet, as the training cue for the start of the sessions. Scale and chute training began with two keepers on the bank, near the shoreline with the small scale (L 32cm X W 28cm x H 3.8cm) and chute (Figure 1). These training sessions were conducted at least once per week. The castanet cue was paired with crickets being tossed into the water. In the first week, none 374 Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 Figure 3. Yellow-billed duck “Mr. Snoops” hand feeding from trainer while stationing on the scale of the waterfowl came closer than five feet from the bank. We reinforced any orientation to the new designated area. It didn’t take long for several of the ducks to begin participating in sessions. Most of the ducks were easily baited to the scale (Fig. 2). Acclimation to the chute worked much the same way, using crickets as reinforcement for any movement toward the chute opening. The swans preferred romaine lettuce to all other items, so this was used for them. Progress to the completed behavior of stepping on the scale and entering the chute was slow. After a period of five months (with 1 to 2 sessions per week), we were able to get voluntary weights on 10 of the 22 birds (including the swans) (Fig. 3-4). All of the collection birds in this enclosure would then eat off of the scale, and many more put at least a foot on the scale. Also, all birds (excluding the swans due to their size) entered the chute and ate within it on the shoreline or hand fed within the chute (Fig. 5-6). Since the chute added some distance between keepers and the ducks, it allowed more elusive species, like the common white- eyes, to participate in sessions. Enrichment Figure 7. Floating grass flat feeder anchored with a brick Taking into account the animals’ natural and individual history, we set our goals to encourage diving. Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 375 dabbling, foraging, vocalizing, and swimming. The waterfowl received enrichment daily, which was rotated throughout the month. From daily observations, the most successful enrichment items were: a sinking lettuce feeder, floating grass flat feeder (Fig. 7), millet, finch seed, cucumber, lettuce, a sinking log lettuce feeder, krill, and sinking ice blocks (Fig. 8) made with enrichment food items. Enrichment was presented in a way that allowed some items to sink, encouraging diving in the deep end of the pond and dabbling in the shallows. A few of the fioating feeders also provided perching areas. These enrichment items also provided social interactions, as all of the collection came over to investigate and interact with the enrichment, each other and keepers. Outcomes and Future Goals The waterfowl training program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom® has grown a great deal in the last few years. The ducks keep surprising Figure 8. Sinking ice block (millet and lettuce) us with their adaptability and motivation, encouraging dabbling While initially wary and reluctant to be in close proximity with keepers, the majority of individual birds now quickly respond to the keepers’ approach, waiting at the shoreline before we even enter the exhibit. We feel training sessions have become enriching for the group. There seems to be an increase in activity and vocalizations just prior to the start of each session. We have also observed the dominance hierarchy of the collection, with certain individuals actually defending the scale and chute from the other birds. We never anticipated having to acquire more chutes and scales to curb this territoriality - a new sign of training success! We have also brought in scale-like platforms (Fig.9) as stationing areas for those ducks that remain on the scale, allowing us to work with other ducks. Figure 9. Hand feeding the black-necked swan “Mallomar” on a dummy scale platform A future goal is to initiate tactile stimulation with some of the birds. For example, desensitizing the fully-flighted black-necked swans to allow tactile stimulation would facilitate routine wing checks. We would eventually like to see this progress to voluntary wing trims. We also hope to work on crate training with the entire collection to increase our husbandry management and decrease stress to the birds through catch-ups. Training the waterfowl and enriching their environment in view of park visitors has enhanced our interactions with them. Keepers are able to share 376 Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 a lot of the natural and individual history of our collection. Some visitors learn for the first time about “dabblers and divers” by watching us implement different enrichment. It also gives us an opportunity to talk about what we do on a daily basis. Visitors learn first-hand about the dedication and patience involved with day to day husbandry and zoo keeping. Finally, this interaction with the public allows us to share our passion for waterfowl, in the hopes that visitors come away with a new appreciation of this diverse, intelligent and fiin group of birds! Discussion We have learned a lot about the waterfowl in our collection, as individuals and as a group. The expanded training and enrichment program seems to encourage more activity in and investigation of their environment. It has also has facilitated our ability to meet daily husbandry needs. Although training waterfowl and enriching their environment may take time and effort, the results can be rewarding. Keepers can now interact with the ducks more than ever, with a new sense of understanding and appreciation. The birds seem eager to continue training, which presents us with the exciting challenge of developing new training and enrichment initiatives for the firture. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Stephanie Smith for her active participation in the training and enrichment program, Dan Calvin for filling in training gaps, the Duck Clutch crew for their helpful ideas. Heather Dunford for starting the chute process, and the Oasis team and managers for all their support and patience through this project. Note: All images are firom Disney’s Animal Kingdom®. This paper was previously presented at lAATE Conference, Feb. 18,2012. Publication data is: Johnson S. 2012. Advances in Waterfowl Training and Enrichment at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In Proceedings of the 20^^ Annual Conference of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (lAATE). February 15-18, 2012 in Bloomington, MN. BHC Comments by Julie Hartell and Kim Kezer^ Column Editors: Thanks Stacy for such a great in-depth article on the behavioral husbandry possibilities of a taxanomic group that doesn’t always get the training and enrichment attention they deserve! We really appreciated how you used the different natural history feeding strategies of this group (divers & dabblers) to develop diverse feeding opportunities for all of the individuals in the group. It is also great to hear how the feeding enrichment initiatives provided more than just dietary and consumptive behavior opportunities; that they facilitated social behaviors and provided varying perching opportunities. Training opens up so many unexpected experiences and surprises when you begin to condition a taxa not usually high on the priority list of animals to train. Recognizing their motivation and ability to adapt to new criteria demonstrates how the approach your team used helped to facilitate the program’s success. You have established a strong foundation for your training which will help you to achieve your long-term goals of crate training, wing checks and trims. Good luck and be sure to share those successes with us as well! Lastly, it is fantastic to hear how this amazing training and enrichment program has created opportunities for you to engage with guests and teach them about these wonderful waterfowl species while also sharing with them the dedication and passion we zoo keepers have for providing the utmost in comprehensive animal care. Thanks for your submission! Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 377 Determining Pregnancy in the Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)'. A Case Study at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park By Leigh Pitsko and Marie Magnuson, Animal Keepers Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, Washington, DC Giant anteater pup. National Zoological Park. Photo by Mehgan Murphy Introduction The giant anteater {Myrmecophaga tridactyla) does not show any obvious physical or behavioral indicators of pregnancy (DeBeauchamp et al., 2005; Patzl et al, 1998; Kusuda et ah, 2010). In reports from zoos around the world, it is not uncommon to hear about “surprise” giant anteater births, where keepers were unaware that the animal was pregnant. An unexpected birth may yield neonate deaths, as the male is recommended to be separated from the female prior to the birth to prevent potential injury to the pup (Patzl et al., 1998). Also, preparations need to be made in advance as the pup may require supplemental feeding or special veterinary care if there are any post-birth complications. I was interested in collecting data during our giant anteater ’s pregnancy to determine if there were any behavioral or physical signs of her pregnancy that could be observed by a keeper during normal husbandry practices. This information could be useful to keepers who are unable to handle or ultrasound their giant anteaters and could be beneficial in preventing unexpected births. 378 Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 Methods The following information (food consumption, activity level, and spotting) was collected daily, beginning when our giant anteaters were introduced for breeding in April 2010, through the birth of their pup in December 2010. The rust-colored spotting is what we believe to be a vaginal secretion that we find in the female anteater’s sleeping crate. Weight was also recorded on a weekly basis. These categories were chosen as they are readily observable by keepers on a daily basis, do not require handling the animal, and they require no special equipment other than a scale. This anteater’s pregnancy was also confirmed via weekly ultrasound as routine practice with this particular animal. Results Food Consumption: This giant anteater (Maripi) is fed a gruel made of ground Mazuri® insectivore chow mixed with water twice a day. Her morning food consumption decreased during the | months where breeding was seen and | then it increased steadily throughout o her pregnancy (Graph 1). At the start i of breeding in April she was consuming | approximately 25% of her morning diet, | which went down to nearly 0% in June when the breeding ended. By the time of birth in December she was eating about 55% of her morning diet. Her evening food consumption did not show any significant changes and remained steady at about 85% throughout the entire period of data collection. Activity Level: For the first three months after breeding, Maripi was more active in the morning and was relatively easy to move for shifting. Approximately two months before the birth, she spent increasingly more time sleeping in the morning and was difficult to wake up for shifting (Graph 2). Her evening activity level did not change as she was always up and moving around in the late afternoon. Jiir r e'. V.i Apr Wa, J .r Jiil Orl Nov Deo Graph 2: Giant Anteater- % Time Sleeping In AM During Pregnancy Animal Keepers 'Forum, Vol 39, No. 8 August, 2012 379 Weight: Maripi’s weight increased steadily following the final breeding date through the time of birth. She weighed about 37.0 kg at the time of conception and went up to 45.0 kg at the time of birth (Graph 3). Spotting: Observable spotting in giant anteaters has been described in previous studies (DeBeauchamp et al., 2005) as well as in the Southern tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyld), which is reported as vulvar bleeding (Kusuda et al., 2010). Almost all breeding occurred within a few days of when we saw the spotting in her crate (Table 1). After the final breeding date, Maripi’s spotting essentially stopped for about 3.5 months. Approximately two months before the birth, Maripi’s spotting was noted almost daily. Table 1. Spotting and breeding in 0.1 giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) April May June Spotting Dates 8, 9, 10, 24 30 10,13 Breeding Dates 9 2,29 12 We also noted that a week before the birth, the spotting changed in color (rusty color became bright red) and there was noticeably more of it in the crate. Maripi’s vulva also got much larger and swollen about a week before the birth, which was also noted in keeper reports fi'om her previous pregnancies. Checking her vulva required lifting up her tail, which may not work for animals that do not allow handling, but it is possibly the biggest indicator of impending birth that we observed. Conclusions Results of this case study reveal that in this particular giant anteater, it may be possible to determine pregnancy based on the following changes in behavior, weight and observable spotting: • A gradual increase in morning food consumption following the breeding period • An increase in sleeping in the morning with difficulty of waking her up approximately two months before the birth • A gradual, steady weight gain of 8kg [17.641bs.] in six months • An almost complete lack of observable spotting for three and a half months, followed by two months of frequent light spotting • Heavier spotting a week before birth, along with a visibly enlarged vulva • This anteater’s gestation period was 178 days, which supports other findings (DeBeauchamp et al, 2005; Patzl et al., 1998). Further data collection is in progress to look at the spotting/ breeding correlation in this animal. 380 Animal Keepers 'Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 Giant anteater pup, National Zoological Park. Photo by Mehgan Murphy Acknowledgements Thanks to Kristen Clark, Rebecca Stites, Karen Abbott, and Tracey Barnes for filling out data sheets and to Craig Saffoe for support and guidance. References DeBeauchamp, J., Hudgins, J., DeCaluwe, H., Kouba, A., Riger, R, and C. Vance. 2005. Monitoring reproductive status in the female giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) by fecal hormone analysis for improved breeding management. J Tennessee Academy of Science. July. Hay, M.A., Bellem, A.C., Brown, J.L., and K.L. Goodrowe. 1994. Reproductive patterns in tamandua (Tamandua tetradactyla). J Zoo Wildl Med 25:248-258. Kusuda, S., Endoh, T., Tanaka, H., Adachi, I., Doi, O., and J. Kimura. 2010. Relationship between gonadal steroid hormones and vulval bleeding in Southern tamandua, Tamandua tetradactyla. Zoo Biology 29:1-6. Patzl, M., Schwarzenberger, R, Osmann, C., Bamberg, E,, and W. Bartman. 1998. Monitoring ovarian cycle and pregnancy in the giant anteater {Myrmecophaga tridactyla) by faecal progestagen and oestrogen analysis. Anim Reprod Sci 53:209-219. Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 381 Design and Constrnction of Scale Holder and Weighing Platform for Hard-to- Weigh Spider Monkeys By Melinda Beam, Primate Keeper III The Palm Beach Zoo, West Palm Beach, FL Providing excellent animal husbandry requires getting regular, accurate weights on the animals under our care. Low weight can signal, among other things, low calorie consumption, high stress, parasites, or digestive problems. High weight can signal high calorie consumption, lack of physical stimulation, fluctuations in hormone levels, or pregnancy. If a change in weight is not noticed until it is severe, it may be too late to address the issue. Some animals, such as spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), can be difficult to weigh due to the potential for damage to the scale as well as potential fear of the scale. With the high cost of scales and the stretched resources of many captive animal institutions, trial and error is not necessarily the best option. With four spider monkeys in my care, I needed to be creative and adapt our current methods of weighing to overcome their unique problems. I developed two separate devices, a weighing platform and a scale holder, that have been effective in getting weights on each of them as well as other difficult-to-weigh primates. At the time I began to test successful strategies for weighing them, we had five male spider monkeys being housed in off-exhibit enclosures, four black-handed spider monkeys {Ateles geoffroyi geoffroyi) and one Mexican spider monkey {Ateles geoffroyi vellerosus). Each was singly housed in close proximity to the others, and each was at a different stage with their scale training. Only one monkey. Mercury, was willing to sit on the scale, but even he, if excited or upset, would pick up and drop the scale, risking breaking it. The other four monkeys, Poquito, Himie, Brock, and Oren, were not anywhere close to sitting on the scale, and weights on them were obtained only when they were sedated for an exam. Based on observations with enrichment and during training sessions, I determined the likely challenges for each monkey individually. I identified the two most challenging cases and aimed to find a solution for them first, with the hope that the methods used could also be applied to get weights on the other two. Case 1 : Poquito, the Mexican spider monkey, refused to train on the floor. He would sit on the ground when no one was close but would not sit down across from a keeper for any reason. He would, however, train with a keeper on an elevated platform. He was frequently aggressive with enrichment when first presented with it, so he was likely to be aggressive with the scale as well. I needed to come up with a secure device to hold the scale and weigh him in an elevated location. Case 2: Brock consistently trained on the floor but was always very aggressive when shifted over to 382 Animal Keepers 'Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 his newly cleaned and enriched bedrooms, throwing everything around a time or two to see what busted open before he sat down to forage through the remnants. He would likely break the scale, so I needed to develop a method to fully secure the scale on the floor. Case 3 (less challenging): Himie consistently trained on the floor and was not aggressive with enrichment, but showed intense fear of the scale. He had been presented with the scale during multiple training sessions and was very scared by it, keeping far away from it and making fearful vocalizations. I needed to come up with a way to make the scale less frightening. Case 4 (less challenging): Oren consistently trained on the floor and was not typically aggressive with enrichment but showed strong avoidance of the scale, hopping over and around it before completely disengaging himself from the training session altogether. I needed to develop a way to make the scale appear less intimidating and foreign. After some brainstorming, I designed a scale holder for Brock (Figure 1). To increase the likelihood of success, I needed the scale to sit securely in the exact location where Brock typically stations for training sessions. Incorporating the dimensions of the scale and the space that would be used for weighing, I was able to determine the dimensions needed for the scale holder. It would be constructed completely of 1.3 cm (1/2”) thick black plastic. It would have a fiill lip around and over the edges of the scale to prevent it from being grabbed or manipulated in any way. Next, I had to make sure the entire holder could not be moved, so I figured out a method for it to come out under the door of the bedroom and down into the gutter, which runs along the outside of all of the bedrooms, and across its entire width. This worked to fully secure the scale holder and to protect the scale itself. The final product can be viewed in Figure 2. 59 cm 17.8 ctn Figure la. Top view of scale holder design. 43.2 cffi 1 1 59 cm 14 cm 17.8 cm Figure lb. Side view of scale holder design. Figure 2. Scale holder with scale set up in one of our off-exhibit holding bedrooms. Photo by Melinda Beam. Next, I developed a weighing platform with removable lips for Poquito (Figure 3). I measured the scale and added an inch to each side for the base of the platform. The base was constructed of two-by-fours and covered in 1.3 cm (1/2”) thick black plastic. Eight 5.1 cm (2”) Animal Keepers 'Forum, Vol 39, No. 8 August, 2012 383 58.4 cm Enclosure Wall Figure 3a. Top view of the weighing platform design. 5.1cm 5.1cm 7.6 7.6 cm 58.4 cm Figure 3b. Side view of the weighing platform design. by 7.6 cm (3”) pieces of plastic were cut. Six pieces were drilled together in pairs to form an “L” shape that was then drilled on to the platform to act as a lip to prevent the scale from being lifted or knocked off. The remaining two pieces were drilled together through the mesh wall of the enclosure just before weighing to fully secure the scale. The final product can be viewed in Figure 4. The scale holder was a success with Brock during the very first training session it was introduced (Figure 5). He attempted to pick it up and flip it with no success. He did not want to station on the scale and avoided it after accepting that he could not move it. He was refocused on a training session that involved only maintenance behaviors he consistently gave on cue. As he got in the training routine, he followed cues that involved touching and eventually sitting on the scale. Soon, he realized there were no negative results from touching or sitting on the scale and he was willing to station on it. Once desensitized to the scale, he has maintained that level of comfort ever since, and we are now able to get frequent weights on him. The scale holder has also been successful for getting weights on Himie and Oren. Himie, however, was first desensitized to the scale when it was on a weighing platform built for him. The weighing platform was a success for Poquito during its maiden voyage as well (Figure 6). Poquito, like Brock, first showed aggression toward the scale, attempting to pick it up and pull on it. Once he realized he could not damage the scale, his attention was refocused on a training session incorporating only maintenance behaviors he consistently presents. He was rewarded heavily when he made advancements in touching the scale. Once he realized there were no negative results fi'om touching or sitting on the scale, he was willing to station on it. Like Brock, he has maintained the same level of comfort with the weighing platform and the scale, allowing us to weigh him at more frequent intervals. Figure 4. The weighing platform with the scale in it, set up in Poquito ’s bedroom. Photo by Melinda Beam. A weighing platform, similar to Poquito ’s but with slightly different dimensions, was designed to fit Himie’s bedroom and was effective in desensitizing him to the scale. He typically trains on the floor, so during the following training session the scale was placed in the scale holder. He had to be desensitized to the scale again since it was on the floor but was comfortable with it again within one training 384 Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 Figure 5 (left) Brock sitting on the scale within the scale holder. Figure 6 (center) Poquito being weighed using the scale on the weighing platform. Figure 7 (right) The scale holder and scale with the front attachment removed, positioned in one of Oren’s bedrooms with the door left open. Photos by Melinda Beam. session. Oren took two training sessions with the scale holder to get him to station long enough to get an accurate weight, but significant progress was made within the first session. Due to Oren’s lack of aggression towards the scale, it was able to be used with the front attachment, the piece which goes down into the gutter to fully secure the scale, removed. (Figures 7 and 8) These two devices were effective in combating four different problems with weighing monkeys that had seemed too difficult to weigh for a very long time. Weighing them regularly will give us early notice to any fluctuations in weight that could indicate a health concern. Both the scale holder and the weighing platform can be adapted to other physical environments and for other scale sizes to effectively weigh a variety of species. The scale holder has already been successfully adapted and used to weigh an additional spider monkey located at our spider monkey exhibit that we had not been able to weigh due to severe aggression towards the scale. The weighing platform design has been adjusted to our squirrel monkey enclosure to provide a more consistent and sturdy weighing surface. Figure 8. Oren being weighed using the scale holder with the front attachment removed. Photo by Melinda Beam. I’d like to thank Frank Garcia, a member of our maintenance staff, for his assistance in the construction of the scale holder and weighing platforms. Special thanks also to Tamara Loeffler, primate run intern, for her assistance in first implementing the weighing platform and scale holder and Kelly Marcoux, swing keeper, for continued participation in implementation of the weighing platform and scale holder. Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 385 STATION Are Waribashi worth it? The Threat of Disposable Wooden Chopsticks By Lauren Augustine and Kenton Kerns, Animal Keepers Smithsonian National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008 Have you ever considered the conservation threat of disposable chopsticks or Waribashi as they are known in Japan? These small wooden utensils are an environmental disaster, and the threat is moving to North American forests. Disposable chopsticks are made largely from old growth forests that are clear-cut in the search for the perfect straight-grained wood. Poplar, spruce, birch, (1,2) and aspen (3,4) are the most commonly used species in disposable chopstick production. China produces roughly 63 billion chopsticks a year (5) half of which are used in China, and of the other half, 77% goes to Japan, 21% percent to South Korea and 2% to the United States (2). This equates to approximately 3.8 billion trees felled annually in China for disposable chopsticks (2). In 1997, a moratorium in China on domestic tree cutting forced the Chinese to rely heavily on their neighbor, Russia. Timber-rich Russia was the perfect place for the Chinese to acquire lumber until the Russians raised their export tax from 5% to 25% (6). As a result of this tax hike in 2007, disposable chopstick prices are increasing in China. 386 Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol 39, No. 8 August 2012 To combat the massive deforestation in China, a push has been made by conservation groups to utilize reusable or washable chopsticks. In 2006, the “Bring Your Own Chopsticks” movement (BYOC) was developed in parts of Asia (1), helping raise public awareness and eventually galvanizing legislative action. In 2007, China imposed a tax on wooden chopsticks (2,7). In 2008, the Beijing Olympics committee banned disposable chopsticks during the torch relay (5). In 2010, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued a warning about impending government restrictions to disposable chopstick manufacturers (1). This problem is not confined to Asia; it has historically and is now currently encroaching on the United States and Canada. Chopstick production in the USA and Canada has become more profitable for local and foreign businessmen after a 2006 Chinese export tax caused a noticeable price increase for the Japanese (2). One Georgia company exports two million disposable chopsticks to China every day (6). This small town in Georgia was not the first to capitalize on the global chopstick business. In 1985, a company in New Mexico manufactured and exported disposable chopsticks to Japan (8) and, in 1987, a small town in Minnesota was doing the same (9); several cities in Canada have had similar businesses (4). Many of these initial chopstick factories failed due to inefficient machinery (10). With new machinery from South Korea and recent tax hikes on Chinese chopsticks (11), the United States is in a position to increase its disposable chopstick manufacturing. The company in Georgia is doing so well exploiting its sweet gum and poplar trees it is already considering expanding to other states including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia, West Virginia, Michigan, and Oregon (6). With the deforestation for the production of chopsticks comes the loss of critical animal habitat and sounds a major alarm for already declining worldwide amphibian populations. Nearly one- third (32%) of the approximated world’s 6,300 amphibian species have been classified as threatened with extinction (12). Of these, the collaborators of a new conservation initiative, “Chopsticks for Salamanders” have chosen salamanders as the flagship species for this initiative. Caudates, or salamanders and newts, utilize both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, both of which are affected by deforestation. Increasing run-off, raising ground temperatures, and disrupting vernal pools are just a few ways deforestation effects salamander habitat (13). The Appalachian Mountains are home to the highest diversity of salamanders in the world. These mountains range from Canada to Alabama and are home to 14 percent (14) of the approximated 618 species of caudates in the world (12). Although two thirds of this region’s land is publicly owned, a large portion is still unprotected and in the hands of private land owners (15). This habitat is vital to a plethora of species, and is currently threatened by mountain top removal (16), encroaching development (15), pollution (14) and intensive logging (15). The old growth Appalachian forests could be targeted for chopstick production in the future as the disposable chopstick industry has targeted the United States and Canada in the past. This is vital habitat for salamanders, a group of vertebrate whose populations are already in decline from other threats such as Chytridiomycosis and climate change. This article hopes to not only discourage the use of wooden disposable chopsticks but also raise awareness about the uses of our dwindling resources. Disposable chopsticks are an unnecessary commodity that, much like the plastic bag, has an environmental-friendly counterpart. Disposable chopsticks cost approximately two cents a pair for restaurants and reusable chopsticks cost around $ 1 . 1 7 a pair. However, reusable chopsticks have a life span of about 130 meals, making them cheaper in comparison (2). What can you do? Bring your own chopsticks (BYOC) when dining out! Talk to your local restaurant owners about changing over to reusable/washable chopsticks. Taking a stand against disposable chopsticks now can save vital habitat not only in Asia and Russia but in the United States and Canada as well. For more information on this topic, please visit Chopsticks for Salamanders (ncaazk.org/ chopsticksforsalamanders). an up-and-coming conservation initiative that hopes to raise awareness about the effects of disposable chopsticks while raising money for salamander conservation, education, and research. Animal Keepers’ Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August, 2012 387 References Gardner, D. K. 2010. China’s fight against disposable chopsticks. Los Angeles Times. articles.latimes.coni/20 1 0/aug/l 5/opinion/la-oe-08 1 5-gardner-chopsticks-20 1 008 15. August 15. Nuwer, R. 2011. Disposable chopsticks strip Asian forests. NY Times. October 24. Karliner, J. 1994. God’s little chopsticks. Mother Jones. ^q^X/OcX. Stirling, J. 1997. CCMC furthering aspen as a commercial species in BC: CCMC is a pioneering company making exclusive use of high-quality aspen. Logging and Sawmilling Journal, Dec 1996/Jan 1997. Spencer,!. 2008. Banned in Beijing; Chinese see green over chopsticks. Wall Street Journal. February 8. Smith, A. 2011. Georgia’s hottest export; Chopsticks. CNN Money, monev.cnn. com/20 11/1 2/02/smallbusiness/ georgia chopsticks/index.htm. Accessed Apr. 10, 2012. Empringham, K. 2012. The Challenge of Chopsticks. Ecobloglist. ecoactionteams.ca/ pub/blog/?p=1577. Accessed Apr. 10, 2012. Anonymous. 1985. New Mexico exports chopsticks. Business America (State Export Series) 8(23): 1. April 29. Anonymous. 1987. Japanese buy USA chopsticks, USA Today. October 13. Anonymous. 1989. Chopstick factory closes after picking up big debt. Wall Street Journal. July 20. Straussman, M. 2011. China’s hunger for chopsticks gives Georgia town a lift. CBS News. September 26. AmphibiaWeb. “Species Numbers” amphibiaweb.org/amphibian/speciesnums.html Accessed April 10, 2012. Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Books, Washington DC. Gratwicke, B. (ed). 2008. Proceedings of the Appalachian Salamander Conservation Workshop. lUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group: Apple Valley MN. Kilpatrick, J., Weakley, A., and T. Massengale. 2004. Southern Appalachian conservation assessment. Open Space Institute. Lindsey, R. 2007. Coal controversy in Appalachia. NASA Earth Observatory Newsletter. 388 Animal Keepers ’Forum, Vol. 39, No. 8 August 2012 AAZK Membership Application (Please Print) □ Check here if renewal Membership includes a subscription to Animal Keepers ’Forum. Your membership card is good for free or discounted admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. To apply online, please visit www.aazk.org. 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