August 2014, Volume 41, No. 8 animal Behavior Institute Advance your career & Continue your Proeessional Education onune! Our programs will help you: • Improve the welfare of your animals • Produce quality educational programs for all audiences • Create effective, goal-oriented enrichment • Train animals for husbandry procedures or educational outreach • Prepared balanced, high quality diets • Manage collections to meet conservation goals • And much more! Our small class sizes and professional faculty guarantee you a personal education with the individual attention you deserve. Start today and earn your certificate OR DIPLOMA IN AS LITTLE AS SIX MONTHS! Visit us at www.AnimaiEdu.com Toil free (866) 755-0448 213 ABOUT THE COVER 214 FROM THE PRESIDENT 216 COMING EVENTS FEATURED ARTICLES 218-219 The Relationship between High Lipid Diets, Cholesterol Granulomas and Pancreatitis in Captive Slender-Tailed Meerkat (Suricata Suricatta) Heather Marshall 220-225 Exploring the interactions which occur between captive and free-ranging animals in a zoo setting Kate Robertson ENRICHMENT OPTIONS 226-231 Pizza Boxes, PVC and Packing Paper: Enrichment for an Empty Wallet Jill Brown and Sarah Van de Berg TRAINING TALES 232-234 Patience, Determination, Patience, Flexibility, Patience, Patience, Patience:Training Lessons From A Grevy’s Zebra (Equus grevyi) Kim Downey, Senior Keeper, Antelope Area Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri Perfect Packaged Quality, Value and Convenience! tiff- / iV I rir* Discover what tens of thousands of customers — including cof|merciat reptile breeding facilities, veterinarians, and some of our country’s most respected zoos and aquariums — have already learned: with Rodentpro.com®, you get quality AND value! Guaranteed. RodentPro.com® offers only the highest quality frozen mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and quail at prices that are MORE than competitive. We set the industry standards by offering unsurpassed quality, breeder direct pricing and year-round availability. '•r Order online! www.RodentPro.com It’S quick, convenient and guaranteed! ; , RO. 60x118 ^ V Inglefield, IN 47618-9998 Tel: 812.867.7598 Fax: 812.867.6058 - With RodentPro.com®, you’ll know you’re getting exactly what you order: clean nutritious feeders with exact sizing and superior quality. And with our exclusive shipping methods, your order arrives frozen, not thawed. We guarantee it. E-mail: info@rodentpro.com .COTVl ©2013 Rodentpro.com, He. MICE • RATS • RABBITS • CHICKS • QUAIL AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS MISSION STATEMENT American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. The American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. exists to advance excellence in the animal keeping profession, foster effective communication beneficial to animal care, support deserving conservation projects, and promote the preservation of our natural resources and animal life. About the Cover This month’s cover photo features the first ever giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) born at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on 25 November 2013. The Zoo has exhibited this species in The RainForest since it opened in 1992, but has never had a successful breeding pair of anteaters until now. The baby anteater, Soldado (Brazilian Portuguese for soldier), was named for his “tin soldier-like" marching gate when taking his first steps. He shares an indoor exhibit with mother, various free-flight South American birds, and capybaras. The relationship he has with the capybaras, “grooming" them with his tongue and claws, is enjoyed by all. Soldado’s parents, Pica, a 13-year-old female from the Jacksonville Zoo, and Kutter, a 10-year-old hand-reared male rescued from Suriname, were first introduced in April of 2009. They were originally housed together during the day and were only separated at night in holding for feeding. As time went on, Kutter appeared to be increasingly frustrated with Pica’s lack of interest. The successful birth was a direct result of scientific techniques and daily animal husbandry employed by the Zoo’s Animal Care and Conservation and Science staff members. Together, they developed a plan to monitor Pica’s hormone levels through urinalysis, it was determined that she was not cycling while the male was present. He was moved to another part of the Zoo and Pica soon began to regularly cycle. After her hormonal pattern was established, the male was returned to the exhibit when she was at her peak estrus and breeding was observed on the second attempt. Further hormone monitoring allowed the Zoo to confirm Pica’s pregnancy and make a reasonable prediction on a birth date. ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM TO CONTACT THE AKF EDITOR: Shane Good, Media Production Editor P.O. Box 535, Vaiiey City, OH 44280 330-483-1104 shane.good@aazk.org AAZK Administrative Office American Association of Zoo Keepers 8476 E. Speedway Bivd. Suite 204 Tucson, AZ 85710-1728 520-298-9688 (Phone/Fax) E-maii: Ed.Hansen@aazk.org Chief Executive/Financiai Officer: Ed Hansen MEDIA PRODUCTION EDITOR Shane Good ASSISTANT MEDIA PRODUCTION EDITOR Elizabeth Thibodeaux ENRICHMENT OPTIONS COLUMN COORDINATORS Juiie Harteli-DeNardo, Saint Louis Zoo Casey Plummer, Caldwell Zoo Ric Kotarsky, Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum ATC COLUMN COORDINATORS Kim Kezer, Zoo New England Jay Pratte, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Beth Stark-Posta, Toledo Zoo CONSERVATION STATION COORDINATORS Amanda Ista, Milwaukee County Zoo Mary Ann Cisneros, Disney's Animal Kingdom Animal Keepers' Forum is published monthly by AAZK, Inc. Ten dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publication costs of Animal Keepers' Forum. Postage paid at Tucson, AZ. BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT: Bob Cisneros, San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA 92112-0551 VICE PRESIDENT: Penny Jolly, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000 Kelly Wilson, Detroit Zoological Society Royal Oak, Ml 48067 Deana Walz, The Living Planet Aquarium Sandy, UT 84094-4409 Wendy Lenhart, Philadelphia Zoo Philadelphia, PA 19104 Articles sent to Animal Keepers’ Forum will be reviewed by the editorial staff for publication. Articles of a research or technical nature will be submitted to one or more of the zoo professionals who serve as referees for AKF. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to publish articles as soon as possible. Lengthy articles may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to edit material without consultation unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed, appropriately-sized envelope. Telephone, fax or e-mail contributions of late-breaking news or last-minute insertions are accepted as space allows. Phone (330) 483-1104; FAX (330) 483-1444; e-mail is shane.good@aazk.org. If you have questions about submission guidelines, please contact the Editor. Submission guidelines are also found at; aazk.org/akf-submission-guidelines/. Deadline for each regular issue is the 3rd of the preceding month. Dedicated issues may have separate deadline dates and will be noted by the Editor. Articles printed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AKF staff or the American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Publication does not indicate endorsement by the Association. Items in this publication may be reprinted providing credit to this publication is given and a copy of the reprinted material is forwarded to the Editor. If an article is shown to be separately copyrighted by the author(s), then permission must be sought from the author(s). Reprints of material appearing in this journal may be ordered from the Editor. Regular back issues are available for $6.00 each. Special issues may cost more. FSC MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC* C1 12081 COMMITTEES/COORDINATORS/ PROJECT MANAGERS BY-LAWS Chair - Ric Kotarsky, Tulsa Zoo GRANTS COMMITTEE Chair ■ Shelly Roach, Columbus Zoo BEHAVIORAL HUSBANDRY COMMITTEE Chair - Julie Hartell-Denardo, Saint Louis Zoo BOWLING FOR RHINOS NATIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER Patty Pearthree, Cary, NC ETHICS Penny Jolly, Disney's Animal Kingdom CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Christy Poelker, Saint Louis Zoo AWARDS Janet McCoy, The Oregon Zoo PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Melaina Wallace, Disney's Animal Kingdom Ellen Vossekuil, Utah's Hogle Zoo SOCIAL MEDIA Sean Walcott, SeaWorld San Diego, Project Manager CONFERENCE PROGRAM MANAGER Victor Aim, Oakland Zoo ICZ COORDINATORS Norah Farnham, Woodland Park Zoo Sara Wunder Steward, Busch Gardens Tampa COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE Bethany Bingham, Utah's Hogle Zoo MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Data Transfer Forms available for download at aazk.org AAZK Publications/Logo Products/Apparel available at AAZK Administrative Office/Tucson or at aazk.org AAZK.ORG August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 | 213 FROM THE PRESIDENT “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable." - Kenyan Proverb As I sit here at my desk writing this message, AAZK Bowling for Rhinos is $80,000 away from reaching a significant milestone of $5 million in total funds raised since our national program started back in 1990. Quite possibly, by the time you read this, we will have reached that mark and are well on our way to going beyond $5 million and approximating towards our annual goal of $500,000. Although we are months away from finishing out the year, we may be on our way toward meeting that goal. And as we approach our 25‘^ anniversary of this event, it becomes evident that this is impressive on so many levels; • A national program which has lasted nearly a quarter of a century • A national program which continues to grow, regardless of economic climate (see the graph below) • A keeper-driven program, incorporating over 70 AAZK Chapters • A single Chapter event raised $50,000 in 2014 This united effort from keepers and friends helps provide much needed support for rhino conservation on two continents. $5 million: a united effort and collective feat. We are, like the Kenyan proverb, sticks in a bundle. As an organization, we do great things; as individuals, we make it happen. Congratulations to all! As always, I welcome your thoughts and input. E-mail me at bob.cisneros@aazk.org , I would love to hear from you. '84’ CortW- BFR Historical Funds Raised $481449 214 ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, inc. exploring new ideas premium perfecting exotic nutrition Sign up for our newsletter today at MAZUR1.COM/AAZA14 and be the first to learn about: Latest Product Information • Product Promotions • Tradeshows & Events We know you take them seriously, which is why we take their nutrition seriously. Exotic animal nutrition is our business. For over 20 years, we’ve collaborated with zoo and exotic animal professionals to conduct extensive research to improve nutrition of exotic species. Our products are proven to support the health and longevity of exotic animals. slttER/A,. ©2014 PMi Nutrition International. All Rights Reserved • Full Hollow Logs • Half Hollow Log • Hollow Wood Cylinders • Nesting Boxes The Natural Choice for Animal Enrichment Now finding hollow logs is easy! PayPal l VISA I DISCOVER AiyiERIC^I “lEJ^RESS www.icwoodllc.com ‘ Hollow log is a" man-made tree hollow, the result of a new age milling technology. We have developed an eco-friendly patented technology for creating Hollow Logs from solid log chunks, a healthy alternative to naturally hollowed logs. Natural hollows by 1C Wood LLC; the better choice for natural animal enrichment products. LIKE US ON ICWOODLLC COMING EVENTS Post your upcoming events here. E-mail shane.good@aazk.org September 12-18, 2014 AZA National Conference Orlando, FL Hosted by: Disney's Animal Kingdom, The Seas, and SeaWorld Orlando. For more information go to: aza.org. October 6-8, 2014 3rd International Flamingo Symposium San Diego, CA Hosted by SeaWorld San Diego For more information contact: laurie.conrad@SeaWorld.com. September 8-12, 2014 AAZK National Conference Orlando, FL Hosted by Disney's Animal Kingdom For more information go to: greaterorlandoaazk.org. September 21, 2014 Bird Conservation Alliance Meeting St. Louis, MO Hosted by: American Bird Conservancy For more information go to: http://www. afwaannualmeeting.org/ schedule.html October 6-9, 2014 Orangutan SSP Husbandry Workshop & Conservation Summit Hosted by the Houston Zoo Houston, TX. For more information go to: http://www.houstonzoo.org/ orangutan-husbandry-workshop- and-conservation-summit/ September 10-15, 2014 International Wild Waterfowl Association Conference Salt Lake City, UT For more information go to: http://www.wildwaterfowl.org. October 1-5, 2014 From Good Care to Great Welfare Workshop Detroit, Ml Hosted by: Detroit Zoological Society’s Center for Zoo Animal Welfare For more information contact: czaw@dzs.org October 7-11, 2014 National Conference of the Association of the Zoo and Aquarium Docents and Volunteers (AZADV) Hosted by the Zoological Society of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee County Zoo and Zoo Pride. Milwaukee, Wl. For more information goto: http:// www.zoosociety.org/azadv2014/ October 8-11, 2014 Advancing Bear Care 2014 Brasov, Romania For more information go to: bearcaregroup.org. November 10-13, 2014 ZAA National Conference Gulf Breeze, FL Hosted by Gulf Breeze Zoo For more information go to: December 8-12, 2014 Training and Enrichment Workshop for Zoo and Aquarium Animals Galveston, TX Hosted by Moody Gardens Presented by Active Environments and Shape of Enrichment. For more information contact: doisen@moodygardens.com August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 217 The Relationship Between High Lipid Diets, Choiesteroi Granuiomas and Pancreatitis in Captive Siender-Taiied Meerkat (Suricata Suricatta) Heather Marshall ■ Graduate Delaware Valley College ■ PA for Animal Biotechnology and Conservation ■ Whitehouse Station, NJ Zoos and commercial providers assure that animals’ diets are strictly controlled and adhered to but health complications can still arise and they are tr3dng to resolve and create the most optimal diet for their captive animal species. One animal that commonly has an issue in captivity is the slender-tailed meerkat (Suricata suricatta). For slender-tailed meerkats, the usual high lipid captive diet composition may lead to high serum cholesterol levels, and obesity, raising the risk of major health issues. A combination of lower lipid diets and husbandry techniques can prevent these health issues. To understand what husbandry and diet changes may be necessary, we must first understand how captive diets affect the meerkats body and their nutritional needs. In the wild, slender-tailed meerkats spend ninety-five percent of their time digging and foraging for a wide variety of insects, their larvae, arthropods, and small reptiles or mammals (Dolan et al., 1996). Dolan found twenty percent of the prey bulk was made of small reptiles and mammals, while the main part of the diet, seventy-eight percent was insects. The insects eaten consisted of two main categories; insect larvae and Coleoptera (Dolan et al., 1996). Insect larvae made up thirty-three percent and Coleoptera consisted of about twenty-six percent of the diet (Dolan et al., 1996). Since most of a meerkats’ day is spent performing costly activities such as digging and searching for prey items, these activities thus play a large part in their caloric intake, energetics and energy expenditures. In the wild, meerkats are reported to have an energy intake between 1,320 kJ/day to 1604 kJ/day (315 kcal ME/day to 383 kcal ME/day) (Scantlebury et al., 2002). This high caloric intake in wild meerkats could be due to a need for high thermoregulation at night, and for an energy reservoir to forage the next day. A wild meerkats’ mean resting metabolic rate has been reported to be of 241 kJ/day (Gutzmann et al., 2009), while captive meerkats’ is reported to be 148 kJ/day (AZA Small Carnivore Tag 2011). The (Herpestidae/Eupleridae) Care Manual noted a captive meerkat’s basal metabolic rate is 148 kJ/day. To get the recommended caloric intake of 35 kcal ME/day, the basal metabohc rate of 148kJ/day was divided by 4.184kJ to convert it to kilocalories. This considerably lowered caloric intake is due to captive meerkats living in neutral, temperature-controlled exhibits and because they are not actively foraging for prey items for most of the day. Even with this lowered caloric intake, captive meerkats still encounter health problems such as obesity and high serum cholesterol levels. This is possibly due to eating a diet high in lipids, weU above the AZA recommended caloric intake and that has a dietary fat content based on the domestic carnivore reference values (Naples et al., 2010). In captivity, many meerkats are given a mixture of dry dog kibble, feline diet, fruits, vegetables, and horsemeat or chicken (AZA Small Carnivore Tag 2011). Insects and mice are usually incorporated into the diet as a part of training, enrichment or for extra nutrition (Gutzmann et al., 2009). This diet can be higher in calories and can lead to over-nutrition, causing disrupted metabolic processes and obesity (Moore et al., 2005). “Obesity itself can lead to increased incidence of joint injuries, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes” (Gutzmann et al., 2009). High caloric content is not the only problem with many captive diets. The diets can be high in lipids, like saturated fats, triglycerides and cholesterol, and can cause a wide array of problems. The main concern for meerkats is high lipid diets can predispose them to hyperlipidemia and/or hypercholesterolemia (Sladky et al., 2000). Hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia can result in a few different fatal diseases if not treated soon enough. For example, some slender-tailed meerkats have been found to have meningeal cholesterol granulomas. Meningeal cholesterol granulomas caused by high serum cholesterol levels increases the chances of cholesterol crystals forming in the brain and other tissues and eventually creates cholesterol granulomas (Allan et al., 2006). The cholesterol granulomas that form on the brain usually form in areas with poor lymphatic drainage (Allan et al., 2006). This can cause pressure on the brain or obstruct the flow of cerebral fluid, in turn causing hemorrhaging and inflammation. The accumulation of hemosiderin, cholesterol and hemoglobin at the site of inflammation further increases the pressure on the organ. If the pressure is strong enough, it will start destro3dng tissues (Allan et al., 2006). Allan’s study is not the only case of animals developing cholesterol granulomas from lipid rich diets. It was also found in a study done by Muenchau that rabbits became predisposed to developing cholesterol granulomas in other organs when fed a lipid-rich diet and humans developed hyperlipidemia and cholesterol granulomas on the brain, when put on a lipid-rich diet. There are clinical signs that can be observed before death occurs. These clinical signs are development of bilateral forelimb paralysis and dilatative cardiomyopathy, and are discovered by performing echocardiography on the animal (Sladky et al., 2000). Unfortunately, at that point it is usually too late to save the animal even if the diet is changed to a lower lipid diet (Sladky et al., 2000). The only way to prevent these diseases from occurring is to check the serum cholesterol levels of the animals. The International Species Inventory System (ISIS) notes a captive Slender-tailed meerkats’ serum cholesterol level should be between 139mg/dL to 369mg/dL (Naples et al., 2010). In a study done by Sladky though, it was found cholesterol granulomas could still develop between serum cholesterol levels of 254 mg/dL to 520mg/dL (Sladky et ah, 2000). This range contradicts the ISIS recommended range and gives the possibility the ISIS recommended range is incorrect. It may also be incorrect since the data to create the recommended range may have included captive meerkats with hyperlipidemia (Allan et ah, 2006). This is an important possibility to consider, because if it is true, then the recommended range would need to be revised and could affect the captive diet composition. Another disease caused by hyperlipidemia is acute pancreatitis. Naples found the common risk factors among the affected slender- tailed meerkats were obesity, h5^erlipidemia and a change from a low-lipid cat diet to a high-lipid ferret diet. It should be noted that many of the meerkats in the study had high serum cholesterol levels ranging from 656 ml/dL to 1,026 ml/dL, and hyperlipidemia even if they were not affected by acute pancreatitis (Naples et al., 2009). In four different studies, all of the slender-tailed meerkats had serum cholesterol levels above the recommended ISIS average range of 139 mg/dL to 369 mg/dL (Naples et ah, 2010). Only in Gutzmann’s diet transfer study were the slender-tailed meerkats transitioned from a typical captive meerkat diet to an insectivore diet . In Gutzmann’s study the obese, but otherwise healthy, captive meerkats’ serum cholesterol levels averaged 410 mg/dL (Gutzmann et al., 2009), which is about half the amount of Naples’ serum cholesterol levels. The serum cholesterol levels were able to lowered to 388 ml/dL by switching to a more insectivore diet (Gutzmann et al., 2009). So why did the meerkats in Naples study have such a higher serum cholesterol level and develop acute pancreatitis even after being on a low fat feline diet for 22 months? The most likely reason they developed acute pancreatitis is because they were switched to a dry ferret diet that was as high in crude fat as the original dry feline diet 13 days prior to the first case of pancreatitis (Naples et al., 2009). So even a change to a higher lipid diet for 13 days, even after 22 months, can cause serum cholesterol levels to sk5n’ocket again and cause health issues. All diseases previously described can be caused by high lipid diets and prevented using a diet with a calorie range between 78 kcal ME/day to 114 kcal ME/day, and can be accomplished by making the diet a more insectivorous diet. If this type of low calorie diet became accepted as the recommended diet for slender-tailed meerkats, it may lower serum cholesterol levels. This may help to prevent hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia and all the health issues that can arise from those diseases. This may lower obesity problems through weight reduction from decreased calories, lipids, cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet. The caloric intake of 78 kcal ME/day to 114 kcal ME/day is half of what a wild slender- tailed meerkat needs daily and “may represent a problem in captive animals’ ability to acquire sufficient macro- and micronutrients ...” (Gutzmann et al., 2009) it is also much closer to the AZA recommended amount of 35 kcal ME/day. A change could occur to the captive diets that will make them “more nutrient-dense, without excessive energy” (Gutzmann et al., 2009) to solve this possible problem. Like any diet change, it must be monitored to see if it is effective and the “tracking of the impact of diet... is therefore extremely important” (Naples et al., 2010). This tracking can be done through routine weighing and routine blood sampling to check the blood serum cholesterol levels. Increasing enrichment that promotes digging and foraging behaviors could also help to greatly reduce the animals' weight. REFERENCES Allan, K.J., Waters, M., Ashton, D.G., and J.C. Patterson-Kane. 2006. Meningeal Cholesterol Granulomas in Two Meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Veterinary Record 158:636-637. AZA Small Carnivore TAG. 2011. Mongoose, Meerkat, and Fossa {Herpestidae/ Eupleridae) Care Manual. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring, MD. Dolan, S.P. and D.W. MacDonald. 1996. Diet and Foraging Behavior of Group-Living Meerkats, Suricata suricatta, in the Southern Kalahari. Journal of Zoology 239:697-716. Gutzmann, L, Hill, H., and E. Koutsos. 2009. The Biochemical and Physiological Observations in Meerkats {Suricata suricatta) at Two Zoos during a Dietary Transition to a Diet Designed for Insectivores. Zoo Biology 28:307-318. Moore, B.D., Marsh, K.J., Wallis, I.R., and W.J. Foley. 2005. Taught by Animals: How Understanding Diet Selections Leads to Better Zoo Diets. International Zoo Yearbook 39:43-61. Muenchau, A., and R. Laas. 1997. Xanthogranuloma and Xanthoma of the Choroid Plexus: Evidence for Different Etiology and Pathogenesis. Clinical Neuropathology 16:72-76. Naples, L, Lacasse, C., Landolfi, J., Langan, J., Steiner, J., Suchodolski, J., and K. Gamble. 2010. Acute Pancreatitis in Slender-Tailed Meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 41:275-286. Scantlebury, M., Russell, A.F., Mclirath, G.M., Speakman, J.R., and T.H. Clutton- Brock. 2002. The Energetics of Lactation in Cooperatively Breeding Meerkats Suricata suricatta. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 269: 2147-2153. Sladky, K.K., Daldorf, F.G., Steinburg, H., Wright, J.F., and M.R. Loomis. 2000. Cholesterol Granulomas in Three Meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Vet Pathologies 37: 684. AAZK.ORfi August 2014 { Vol. 41, No. 8 | 219 Exploring the interactions which occur between captive and free-ranging animais in a zoo setting Kate Robertson • Program Animals Staff • Oregon Zoo • Portland, Oregon, USA ABSTRACT Zoological parks are havens for biodiversity, where people are encouraged to have meaningful, close-contact encounters with animals that they may never experience elsewhere in their lifetime. What makes zoos most unlike any other setting in the world, however, is the zoo’s ability to assemble exotic captive animals and native free-ranging animals in one environment, when they would not naturally interact (Adler et ah, 2011). Little knowledge exists regarding the interactions which occur between captive animals and free-ranging wildlife in a zoo setting. The lack of research in this field of study is discouraging, as interactions between captive and free-ranging animals could lead to disease transmission, physical harm, or death (Harmon et ah, 2005). On the contrary, some of these interactions could have positive impacts. For example, sights, smells, and noises of free-ranging animals may provide captive animals with sensory enrichment (Wells, 2009). In order to better understand captive-wild animal relationships, this study aims to identify, categorize, and describe the types of interactions which occur between zoo-housed captive animals and free-ranging, local wildlife in the setting of the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Oregon. To collect this data, a survey was distributed to Oregon Zoo animal care staff. It was predicted that survey results would demonstrate that most interactions occurring between captive and free-ranging animals at the Oregon Zoo would involve killing and/or consumption behaviors. The results of this survey-based study supported the original hypothesis. Fifty percent of interactions recorded involved killing, while 36 percent of interactions were described as predation or consumption. Continued research in this field of study could help us to redefine the way we care for the captive animals in our zoo collections and also the local wildlife that inhabit our zoos. Keywords: captive animal, free-ranging animal, wildlife interactions, zoo INTRODUCTION Zoos are settings in which people can learn about and appreciate wildlife and also where wildlife conservation and research can occur. Zoos are, however, not isolated settings. In addition to the animals included in a zoological collection, many zoos and wildlife preserves also play host 220 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. to local wildlife and thus, interactions between captive, zoo- housed animals and free-ranging animals (hereafter referred to as “wild” animals) may occur. These interactions have not been well researched. One of the few studies that address this issue, by Ross, Holmes, and Lonsdorf (2009), reports that interactions between captive primates and local wildlife typically involved indifference, hunting, killing, and/or predation behaviors. It is thought that most naturally occurring, local wildlife is likely attracted to a zoo setting due to food, habitat, and/or corridor opportunities, but wildlife may also be intrigued by scents and sightings of captive animals (Ross et ah, 2009). of captive-wild interactions, documented by survey responses, would involve killing and/or consumption. Additionally, the author hypothesized that most of the captive species involved in wild-captive animal interactions would be predatory species, rather than prey species. Ultimately, if we know more about the interactions which occur between captive and wild animals in zoo settings we can take precautionary actions to reduce those that may be harmful to zoo-housed animals and/or local wildlife and encourage those interactions that benefit both captive and wild animal groups. METHODS This area of study is of particular interest to zoo staff who are responsible for the care of captive animals such as animal keepers, curators, and veterinarians. While some interactions between captive and wild animals may be inconsequential, others could lead to physical harm, predation, or disease transmission (Harmon et ah, 2005). More often than not, captive predators are the individuals responsible for predation in captive-wild animal interactions, yet some instances have demonstrated that wild omnivores such as raccoon {Procyon lotor) and Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) may consume captive bird eggs and/or hatchlings (Hill et ah, 2008). Furthermore, in more remote zoos like Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in Eatonville, Washington, predation of captive animals by larger wild predators, such as cougar, are not uncommon (Northwest Trek Wildlife Park [NTWP], 2010). Disease transmission is also a major concern when considering captive-wild animal interactions in zoos. For instance, most arthropod-transmitted diseases or ectoparasites are thought to be transferred to captive animals from wild animals which inhabit zoo environments (Adler et ah, 2011). Giant ant-eaters residing at a South Carolina zoo that were infested with fleas, and also thirty-four percent of birds housed at the Bronx Zoo which were infected with West Nile Virus, were thought to have acquired parasites and/or disease from local wildlife (Adler et ah, 2011). Because of the potential risks that wild and captive animals may pose to each other in zoo settings, it is imperative that we gain a better understanding of the interactions which may occur between these two groups. Little, however, has been documented about the types of behaviors that occur between wild and captive animals in a zoo setting. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationships between captive and wild animals by cataloguing and categorizing these interactions in the setting of the Oregon Zoo. Zoos are unique settings where exotic animals, local wildlife, and humans all intermingle in a confined space and thus there are many opportunities for various species, which may never interact in a wild setting, to come face to face (Adler et ah, 2011). While the animal species housed in zoos are numerous and diverse, those wild species which commonly inhabit zoo environments in North America often include species well- adapted to human environments such as raccoon, Virginia opossum, Canada geese, American crow, coyote, as well as many rodent and invertebrate species (Harmon et ah, 2005). Interactions between captive and wild animals could range from a captive primate predating on a locally occurring bird to a captive owl vocalizing in response to a wild owl. In order to better understand captive-wild animal interactions, animal care staff were asked to complete a survey which aimed to record and categorize the types of captive-wild animal interactions they have observed during their career at the Oregon Zoo. It was predicted that the majority In order to study the relationships between captive and wild animals in a zoo setting, a survey was distributed to animal keepers, curators, veterinary staff, and volunteers working in animal care at the Oregon Zoo. The survey was created using a website called Survey Monkey®. Using this website, the survey asked participants to recount and record instances in which they have observed captive animals interacting with wild animals on Oregon Zoo grounds. Survey respondents were encouraged to recount any and all memories of captive-wild animal interactions during their career at the Oregon Zoo, and thus some interactions could have occurred up to 30 years prior to the beginning of this study, and some interactions may have involved animals that are not presently housed at the Oregon Zoo. This unlimited timeframe was allowed with the hope of yielding a diverse and significant collection of information pertaining to captive-wild animal interactions. The survey created for this study consisted of four questions which were designed to provide information about the captive and wild species involved and the type of interaction occurring (Appendix A). First, participants were asked to identify both the captive and wild animal species involved in the interaction. Second the participants of this survey-based study were asked to place the type of interaction occurring into a category. The categories that participants were asked to choose from included predation/consumption, stalking, physical contact, visual observation, vocalization, injuring, killing, and other. Respondents were enabled to select more than one category to describe the interaction which they observed. Finally, participants were asked to provide a brief description of the AAZK.ORG August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 | 221 interaction. Survey participants were encouraged to give two examples of captive-wild animal interactions which had occurred at the Oregon Zoo, but were only required to provide one example. This survey was distributed using an Oregon Zoo e-mail list, designed to reach all persons working in the Living Collections Department and also members of the Portland American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) Chapter. This e-mail list reached a total of sixty-eight Oregon Zoo staff members and animal care volunteers. The survey was initially sent to respondents via e-mail on March 3, 2013 and responses were collected through March 31, 2013. Recipients of this e-mail were provided with a link to the survey (httnV/www.survevmonkev. com/s/ JV8BSQH) and asked to complete and submit the survey once all eight questions were answered. Responses to the survey were collected, recorded, and analyzed using the Survey Monkey website. RESULTS After closing the survey on March 31, 2013, twenty-one of the sixty-eight Oregon Zoo staff and volunteers contacted, completed the survey. This resulted in a total of thirty-nine examples of interactions occurring between captive and wild animals at the Oregon Zoo. Of these responses the majority (82%) of the captive animals involved were carnivores or omnivores. The free-ranging animals involved also tended to be omnivores or carnivores, but were typically smaller in size and at a lower position on the food chain. Captive animals which were most frequently observed in captive-wild interactions included felids, primates, and raptors. Specifically, the captive animals that were most frequently described in captive-wild animal interactions were Great Horned Owl {Bubo virginianus) and Bobcat {Lynx rufus) with each of these two species being observed in four separate interactions (Appendix B). Birds (raptors, songbirds, etc.) and rodents (squirrel, mouse, rat, etc.) were most frequently listed as the wild animals involved in interactions with captive species (Appendix C). Many of the wild species involved in captive-wild animal interactions were unidentified. Appendices B and C detail the complete range of captive and wild animals observed and also the frequency at which each animal species appeared in captive-wild interactions at the Oregon Zoo. While some Other Physical Contact Vocalization Visual Observation Killing Injuring Stalking Consumption Figure 1; Chart demonstrates the frequency with which each category was utilized to describe an interaction between captive and free-ranging animals at the Oregon Zoo. The standard deviation of this data set was measured at a value of 6.8. Figure 2: Assessing the impacts of captive-wild animal interactions on the individuals involved Neutral Interactions 5% interactions described were actually witnessed by animal care staff, others were insinuated based on finding remains of dead animals in the zoo exhibits. The category selected most frequently by respondents to describe the type of interaction occurring between captive and free- ranging animals at the Oregon Zoo was “Killing” (Figure 1). Of those interactions that were described in this way, 90 percent of interactions involved captive animals killing wild animals. The “Predation/Consumption” and “Visual observation” categories were also selected frequently to describe relationships between captive and wild animals (Figure 1). Of all the categories listed for respondents to choose from, “Injuring” was selected least frequently (Figure 1). Only one respondent chose to use the “Other” category to describe the type of interaction occundng between captive and wild animals at the Oregon Zoo. When utilizing the “Other” category, the write-in answer described the interaction between the captive and wild animal as “chasing.” Furthermore, interactions were classified as having positive, negative, or neutral impacts on the animals involved. Negative interactions were those in which harm was inflicted upon the captive species, the wild species, or both species, and included interactions which involved injury or death. Positive interactions were categorized as those that may be considering enriching to the captive species, the wild species, or both species involved. Neutral interactions were considered to be those interactions which had neither a positive nor negative impact on the captive or wild species, or those interactions for which the impact was unknown. Fifty-nine percent of interactions recorded were classified as negative interactions, 36 percent of interactions were classified as positive interactions, and five percent of interactions were classified as neutral interactions (Figure 2). 222 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. DISCUSSION General Conclusions The results of this survey-based study support the hypotheses in two distinct ways. First, the primary hypothesis predicted that most interactions which occurred between captive and wild animals would be categorized by Oregon Zoo staff members as “Predation/Consumption” or “Killing” interactions. The results of the survey support this claim as the “Killing” category was selected most frequently to describe captive-wild animal interactions. This may have been true because the Oregon Zoo houses many large predatory animals in primarily open-air habitats and, thus, there are abundant opportunities for these animals to interact with (to kill or predate upon) outside wildlife. Second, the author also predicted that most interactions between captive and wild animals would involve captive predator species rather than captive prey species. This, too, was supported by the data as 82 percent of the recorded captive species were predatory (either carnivorous or omnivorous), while only 17 percent of captive species were prey animals (herbivorous). This claim was hypothesized primarily because prey species at the Oregon Zoo are carefully displayed in protective exhibits or are too large for local wild animals to approach (elephants, giraffes, etc.), and thus interactions between captive prey species and local wildlife were thought to be less likely to occur. i While 56 percent of interactions recorded were classified as having negative impacts on either the captive or wild animals involved, 36 percent of interactions were classified as positive interactions. For instance, several I descriptions offered by respondents ' reported that captive animals visually observed or engaged in ^ vocalizations with local wildlife, which could be considered enriching to the captive and/or wild species. It would be ^ beneficial to further explore both positive and negative interactions occurring in a zoo setting. By investigating negative captive- wild interactions we can learn how to prevent those interactions which may cause harm to captive and/ or wild animals. Additionally, if we were to continue research on those interactions which were determined to be positive for both captive and wild species, we could develop new enrichment techniques for captive species and ensure the safety of both captive and wild species. Confounding Variables Several factors may have influenced the results of this study. First and foremost the number of respondents and also the amount of data collected was far less than expected. Despite several attempts to gain more participation, including sending reminder e-mails for the survey and asking for participants to fill out surveys in person, responses remained few. With a larger data set, achieved by providing a larger survey network or allowing more time to collect responses, the information collected by this survey-based study may have been more significant. Second, the survey used to collect data was designed so that respondents could select multiple categories to describe the captive-wild animal interaction which they had observed and recorded. This factor may have introduced too many variables into the study and also proved to make analyzing data very difficult and time- consuming. As a result, the only sound method which could be As zoos are becoming more recognized for their work in wiidlife conservation, we must ask ourseives, shouid our conservation efforts aiso address the needs of the iocai wiidlife which inhabit our zoos? used to analyze the data was to compare and contrast how many times each category was selected by a respondent. Thus, it is unclear whether the categorization survey question (Appendix A) provided a sound depiction of which type of interaction was occurring most frequently between captive and wild species. If respondents were only given the option to select one category to describe the interaction, the results may have been far more definitive. However, based on descriptions provided by respondents some interactions may have been very difficult to place into just one category as they involved multiple behaviors. Additionally, only one respondent utilized the “Other” category to describe an interaction between captive and wild animals at the Oregon Zoo. It is unclear whether this suggests that the list of categories provided (killing, injuring, visual observation, etc.) was so extensive that respondents did not need to utilize the “Other” option or if respondents were not inspired to search their minds for another alternative. If the latter possibility is true, it may be possible that some interactions were incorrectly categorized. Lastly, it was evident that knowledge of local wildlife varied significantly between respondents. Some participants in the survey were able to identify an exact species, while others provided vague descriptions of animal species in place of a common species name. Animal identification may have been particularly difficult with . certain interactions which wei’e recorded ^ on the basis of finding animal remains in a captive animal enclosure. Therefore, , it was impossible to catalogue all wild ^ animal species involved in interactions (Appendix C). I Implications for An imal Care Based on the available literature, it is clear that information on the w interactions which occur between captive and wild animals in a zoo setting is severely lacking. Thus, it is imperative that more research be conducted on this subject matter. Information found in studies such as this one can enable us to manage anti-predatory mechanisms, control pest populations, and even identify and control vectors for disease and/or parasite transmission (Adler et ah, 2011). Although the results of this study show that most physical harm occurring in interactions between captive and wild species at the Oregon Zoo is perpetuated by the captive species, harm could also come to the captive species through ingestion of or merely contact with a wild species. For instance, physical harm may befall a captive species in an altercation with a wild species if there is a struggle, or disease may be transmitted to the captive species via consumption (Harmon et al., 2005). The findings of this study demonstrate obvious implications for the care of captive animals, but should zoos not also be responsible for the well-being of native wildlife populations that inhabit a zoo setting if they wish to promote wildlife conservation? With the introduction of large exotic predators, wild animal species residing in a zoo may experience population declines and also disease transmission due to interactions with captive species, especially when considering those diseases which are exotic to a particular environment (Harmon et ah, 2005). Zoos can choose to address local wildlife in many different fashions. Some zoos and wildlife parks build up perimeters and remove food and trash to discourage local wildlife from entering zoo grounds and subsequently interacting with captive AAZK.ORG August 2014 I Vol. 41, No. 8 | 223 animals (Jones, 2012). This is primarily an attempt to protect a zoo’s collection from zoonoses and/or harmful interactions between captive and wild animals (Jones, 2012). For instance, disease can be spread from local wildlife to captive animals due to close proximity or due to sharing food (Adler et ah, 2011). Many zoological institutions which neighbor natural areas have additional concerns about captive-wild animal interactions due to the possibility of outside animals preying upon captive animals (Jones, 2012). At Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in 1998, a male cougar with an established territory adjacent to and possibly including the park’s property repeatedly crossed the park fence boundary to hunt and kill several captive bighorn sheep, mountain goats, one elk, and one white-tailed deer (NTWP, 2010). In response to these events, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park was forced to relocate the cougar and enhance park boundaries to deter similar attacks in the future (NTWP, 2010). In contrast, some zoos take a much more welcoming approach towards local wildlife. The Oakland Zoo in Oakland, California feels it is their responsibility to not only care for the captive animals included in their animal collection, but also to act as stewards of the surrounding land and wildlife (Jones, 2012). As zoos are becoming more recognized for their work in wildlife conservation, we must ask ourselves, should our conservation efforts also address the needs of the local wildlife which inhabit our zoos? Since the modernization of zoological parks and aquariums, which has placed an emphasis on natural habitats, open-air enclosures, and multi-species exhibits, there is more opportunity for captive wildlife to interact with and even live alongside local wildlife (Adler et ah, 2011). While these modifications have drastically improved the psychological and physical well- 224 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM being of captive animals, they also create more risk for disease transmission, accommodating pest populations, and harmful physical interaction between captive and wild animal species (Adler et ah, 2011). Yet, not all captive-wild interactions have negative impacts on the animals involved. Sightings, smells, and noises of local wildlife can provide sensory enrichment for captive animals (Wells, 2009). For example, several survey responses described interactions between a captive western screech owl housed at the Oregon Zoo and a local, free-ranging western screech owl, in which the two individuals vocalized to each other periodically. This interaction provides an excellent example of how engaging with local wildlife can provide captive animals with auditory, and even visual, stimulation. By interacting with local wildlife, a captive owl utilized senses and adaptations she might use in her natural environment and this is the main goal of animal enrichment in zoos (Wells, 2009). It is clear that we can benefit from collecting more information about the relationships between captive and wild species which occur in the zoo setting. With continued research on this topic, we can continue to improve how we manage wild-captive animal relationships by discouraging those interactions that may be harmful and encouraging those interactions which are beneficial or enriching. CONCLUSION Studying local wildlife in zoos presents a great opportunity for public education as the more we know, the more we can share with the public about what it means to live with wildlife. Modern zoos in North America play a major role in educating the public and participating in international wildlife conservation. However, it is difficult to participate in or even encourage international conservation if we fail to address wildlife conservation and American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Appendix B; Captive Species Involved in Captive-Wild Animal Interactions animal welfare at home. Interactions between captive and wild animals in a zoo setting are potentially harmful to those individuals involved, through the transmission of disease, injury, and sometimes predation (Adler et ah, 2011). However, this study also demonstrates that these interactions can benefit the psychological and physical well-being of captive-housed animals through sensory enrichment. Therefore, it is clear that we must continue research on the interactions which occur between captive and wild animals in a zoo setting. Continued research in this field of study would greatly benefit captive animals, wild animals inhabiting zoos, and also the zoological community, by providing us with a better understanding of how to manage captive-wild animal interactions. REFERENCES Adler, P., Tuten, H., and M. Nelder. 2011. Arthropods of Medicoveterinary Importance in Zoos. Annual Review of Entomology, 56:123-142. Harmon, L., Bauman, K, McCloud, M., Parks, J., Howell, S., and J. Losos. 2005. What Free Ranging Animals Do at the Zoo: A Study of the Behavior and Habitat Use of Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) on the Grounds of the St. Louis Zoo. Zoo Biology, 24:197-213. HUl, N., Dubey, J., Vogelnest, L., Power, M., and E. Deane. 2008. Do free-ranging common brushtail possums {Trichosurus vulpecula) play a role in the transmission of Toxoplasma gondii within a zoo environment? Veterinary Parasitology, 152:202-209 Jones, C. 2012. Wild Interlopers Welcome to Share Zoo’s Space, Food. San Francisco Chronicle, p.Cl. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. 2010. Cougar Kills at Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Block Manual. Ross, S., Holmes, A., and E. Lonsdorf. 2009. Interactions between zoo-housed great apes and local wildlife. American Journal of Primatology, 71:458-465. Appendix A: Survey 1. What captive animal species was involved in this interaction? 2. What free-ranging animal species was involved in this interaction? 3. Please categorize this interaction: □ Consumption/Predation □ Stalking □ Injuring □ Killing □ Visual Observation □ Vocalization □ Physical Contact □ Other (please specify) 4. Please describe the interaction which occurred between the captive and free-ranging species Captive Species Involved in Captive-Wild Animal Interaction Frequency of Interaction Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii) 3 Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) 3 Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) 1 Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) 4 Bobcat (Lynx rufus) 4 African Southern Ground Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeteri) 1 Cougar (Puma concolor) 1 Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) 2 Red Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3 American Kestral (Falco sparverius) 1 banner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) 1 Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) 1 Siamang (Symphalangus syndactyl) 1 Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) 2 Black Bear (Ursus americanus) 1 Caracal (Caracal caracal) 2 Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) 1 Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) 1 Allen's Swamp Monkey (Allenopithecus nigroviridis) 1 Galapagos Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) 1 Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) 1 Cheetah (Acinonyx jabutus) 1 Kinkajou (Potos flavus) 1 Francois Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) 1 Purple Sea Urchin (Stronglyocentrotus purpuratus) 1 Appendix C; Wild Animal Species Involved in Captive-Wild Animal Interactions Wiid Species involved in Captive-Wild Interactions Frequency of Interaction Western Screech Owl (Megascops kennicottii) 3 Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) 1 America Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 3 Common Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) 2 Sharp Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 1 Red Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 1 Unknown Avian Species 13 Coyote (Canis latrans) 1 Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) 3 Roosevelt Elk (Cervus canadensis) 2 Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolensis) 6 Unknown Rodent Species 8 AAZK.ORG August 2014 I Vol. 41, No. 8 | 225 AAZK ENRICHMENT OPTIONS Pizza Boxes, PVC and Packing Paper: Enrichment for an Empty Wallet Jill Brown, Animal Keeper Specialist Sarah Van de Berg, Animal Keeper Specialist North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Durham, NC "Yona" the bear plays with some "reused and recycled" Little Tikes®toys Institutions both large and small feel the impacts of a poor economy and often look introspectively for ways to reduce costs. For many organizations, especially smaller ones, a tight budget may lead to animal enrichment programs being severely reduced or even eliminated completely in an attempt to curb expenditures. Toys that can withstand the abuse captive animals deliver are often prohibitively expensive or have surprisingly short lifespans. While some novel objects cannot be easily re-created (like the much loved, and very expensive “30-inch Boomer Ball®”), the behaviors they elicit often can be. By focusing on the purpose of specific types of enrichment rather than the commercially available choices, we have found ways to create engaging and varied enrichment programs for our animals; which range in size from songbirds to cattle. First things first, get acquainted with your neighbors! We, at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC, are incredibly fortunate to be situated right in the middle of a very supportive neighborhood. Thanks to our neighbors, we have routine deliveries of newspaper, cereal boxes, toilet paper and paper towel tubes, and yogurt cups. We’ve also had special deliveries that vary with the seasons: truckloads of watermelons or pumpkins, evergreen trees, stumps, wooden spools, egg crates, deer legs, towels and blankets, and even a two-stall horse trailer. It’s amazing what items people are willing to donate to a local organization. All you need to do is ask. Once you have a small stockpile of items, put your imagination to use. Not every item needs to be complicated to be engaging for your animals. We’ve found for many of our animals, the simplest items become the most entertaining (for both critters and keepers). Below are five different categories of enrichment — Sensory, Food, Toys, Behavioral, Training - and some examples 226 1 ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. Don't miss one issue of your AKF and help save AAZK money in returned/forwarding postage costs! Simply log on to AAZK.org and update your membership information. To download an application or to apply online, please visit AAZK.ORG. AAZK is a nonprofit voiunteer organization (U.S. 501c3) made up of professional zoo keepers and other interested persons dedicated to professional animal care and conservation. MEMBERSHIP American Association of Zoo Keepers Membership with AAZK includes a subscription to Animal Keepers’ Forum and free or discounted admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS Join us in “Saving Tigers One by One” As seen on Animal Planet® “Growing Up Tiger” Learn about Big Cat Management. Internship involves Animal Care Apprenticeship and Public Education. We offer experience that counts towards employment. TIGER MISSING LINK FOUNDATION * TIGER CREEK WILDLIFE REFUGE • Apply at: www.tigercreek.org AAZK.ORG August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 | 227 of items that could be used to satisfy those categories along with a few of our animals who seem to like them. All of the items are things that we’ve acquired for free or were assembled from leftover parts from other projects. SENSORY: SIGHT, SOUND, SMELL, TACTILE, TASTE • Windsocks hung out of reach of animals, but within their sight: Raptors (Megascops asio) (Strix varia) (Buteo jamaicensis), Alpaca (Vicugna pacos), and Wolves (Canis rufus). • Radios playing music quietly: Steer (Bos taurus), Lemurs (Varecia rubra) (Lemur catta), Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata). • Old perfume, animal scents and attractants sprayed lightly on an area of the exhibit or onto another piece of enrichment: Bears (Ursus americanus), Opossums (Diclelphis virginiana), and Wolves. • Small pinches of fur from another animal, sprinkled cooking spices, Astroturf” carpets with the animal’s diet scattered on it, foam noodle covered perches, piles of substrates (mulch, sand, pine shavings, hay): Donkey (Equus africanus asinus). Snakes (Elaphe) (Python regius) (Lampropeltis) (Nerodia fasciata) (Thamnophis), Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). • A clean litter box filled with mulch, sand, water, rocks, or pine shavings: Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo), Box turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), Raptors. • Molasses/syrup/peanut butter/apple sauce dribbled on a toy "Satyrus" the lemur looks for treats in his paper cup. • Dilute juice/Gatorade™/blood popsicles can be made by freezing liquid in yogurt cups or ice cube trays for small animals or in water balloons/rubber buckets/Styrofoam cups for large animals. Warm the container slightly under running water and the popsicle should pop right out. Water balloons can be peeled off and disposed of leaving a solid ball shape. If you use bundt pans, the center hole allows them to be hung up in exhibits): Bears, Wolves, and Goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). FOOD Nearly any existing toy or enrichment item can be modified to dispense food. Take a look at what you’ve got laying around. Most hard plastic balls can have various-sized holes drilled into them as can any paper boxes, PVC pipes, kitty litter containers and large water cooler jugs. They can be laid on the ground or suspended from chain or rope for a different experience. Boxes can be filled with newspaper or with other boxes to increase the challenge. Here are some examples we’ve done of food-based enrichment that are a bit different. • KerPlunk!® game for our Bluejay: o What you need: Paper towel tube, thin wooden sticks (we used the “handles” off long cotton applicators), a whole peanut in its shell. o How to make it: Using a knife, we punched small holes in the sides of the paper towel tube, then we folded one end of the tube in on itself to close it off, dropped in the peanut, inserted the wood sticks across the tube making sure they crossed at various points, and flipped the tube over so the peanut was at the top. In order to “win” the Blue Jay needs to pull out enough wooden sticks to allow the peanut to fall to the bottom of the tube, where he can reach it. We’ve had this tube both suspended from a branch in his cage as well as sitting on the floor. • Paper mache balls: o What you need: balloons, newspaper, flour, water, drying space. o How to make it: Blow up a balloon and tie it closed, mix your water and flour until you’ve got a thin paste, rip your newspaper into strips and start layering them over the balloon, leaving the area around the tied bottom of the balloon uncovered, set the balloon aside to dry. Once it’s dry, hold the bottom of the balloon in one hand and pop it with something sharp. You should be able to pull out the balloon, leaving you with a hollow paper ball to fill with anything you’d like. CAUTION: Many of our animals like to eat the paper mache (rabbits (Lepus curpaeums), pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) and steer), yours might do the same. Nearly any existing toy or enrichment item can be modified to dispense food. Take a look at what you’ve got laying around. 228 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. • Insect dispenser: o What you need: Old clear plastic container (we used an empty cable-tie container), a spare PVC tee joint, some rocks and sand, maybe some glue, bugs. o How to make it: Cut a round hole on the side of the plastic container that’s just big enough to slide the PVC tee into. This hole can be as high or as low on the container as you’d like (ours is about 6” up from the bottom). Insert the center stem of the PVC tee into the hole. Fill the container with sand and rocks until you reach the bottom edge of the PVC tee. Toss some bugs in the top and wait until they randomly wander out the PVC tee. This can be suspended, placed in a large bowl or set directly on the ground. Our duck {Cairina moschata) used this with crickets on a regular basis. o Empty grated cheese container with the lid on work for smaller birds and lizards. • Honey dripper for bears: o What you need; 4” PVC pipe, 2 end caps (1 threaded, 1 permanently affixed), 6 inches of 14 inch threaded rod, length of chain, 2 acorn nut caps for the threaded rod, drill, PVC glue. o How to make it: Glue the solid end cap to one end of the PVC pipe and let dry. Drill a Vs” hole in the center of the solid end cap. On the other end of the pipe, drill a hole on each side of the long PVC that the threaded rod can fit through, this is what the honey dripper will hang from. Put an acorn nut on one side of the threaded rod, then thread on a link of the chain, then put it through the holes you drilled on the sides of the PVC pipe. Once through, thread on the other end of the chain and affix the other acorn nut. Glue on the fitting for the screw cap over the open end of the PVC. Once dry, add some honey (syrup and molasses also work), screw in the cap and hang up in the exhibit. We’ve had great success with this item as long as it’s kept above the bears’ heads. They can knock it around but it’ll only drip honey one drop at a time. Our steer and donkey like this, too; we put apple sauce in it for them. TOYS These are the items that are often more difficult to replicate when you’re strapped for cash. Handled Jolly Balls®, Boomer Balls®, Kongs®, traffic cones and climbing structures are all staple items at the Museum. It can seem impossible at first to create a reusable item like these out of nothing, but it can be done! • Plastic umbrella stands can have holes drilled in the bases and be used as food dispensers, simulating the “Amazing Graze^'^.” Our donkey also likes to grab the top of the stem and throw the umbrella stand across the yard, even when it’s empty. • Trash can lids can be cable-tied together (concave sides facing) making a toy that wobbles like a Weeble®. It can be made more interesting by putting a ball or two inside so it makes additional noise as it moves around. • We once found a Little Tikes® plastic outdoor play set being thrown away and we scooped it up for our bear cubs and baby goats to play on. It’s gotten a little sun bleached, but many years later it’s still around and waiting for our next batch of excited babies to play on. "Jaybird" checks out his homemade KerPlunk® toy. "Lightning" the donkey plays with an old umbrella stand. "Mimi" the black bear enjoys an ice block. "Scout" and his cricket feeder. August 2014 1 Vol. 41, No. 8 | 229 AAZK.ORG • Old metal troughs that no longer hold water are staple climbing structures in our bears’ holding yards, and the ones that still hold water are often used in the summer. • Jolly Balls® that have lost their handles have been chained together and hung up for our steer to knock his horns into. • A 1 5-foot long piece of leaky garden hose had holes punched in it and plastic chains attached to make a kind of curtain that we could string across a yard. • Any lidded plastic container can be filled with dry beans or balls and sealed shut making rattles. We have tiny ones made out of pill containers for ferrets and chinchillas {Chinchilla lanigera) as well as a larger one made from a cement mixing container for our steer. • PVC pipe that is attached to a fence and can be spun around, allowing a small child’s toy that’s safely enclosed inside the pipe to “Moo.” • Fire hose can be woven into Frisbees® and hammocks for all sorts of animals. We have hammocks for ferrets, lemurs and bears and a Frisbee® for our Donkey. BEHAVIORAL This kind of enrichment is about letting an animal do what it’s naturally inclined to do. Here are a few ways we accomplish that: • Stumps: Our neighbors drop them off or we get them from fallen trees on grounds. They are climbing platforms for goats, part of our training sessions for bears and lemurs, natural scratching surfaces for our alpacas, a place to scent mark for our woodchuck, a convenient keeper step-stool for that “just out of reach” place, and so much more. We make 6-foot-tall piles of stumps in our steer yard nearly every morning so we can watch him knock them all down when we let him out. The pigs roll them around their yard, the lemurs sit on them and sunbathe, the opossum will lick them and rub his face on them until he’s soaking wet; there is no replacement for a good stump. The best part? When you’re done with them, you can simply toss them out into the woods! • Pumpkins can be stacked up into the autumn equivalent of snowmen to be tackled by bears or head-butted by hoofstock. • Large round hay bales have been brought into the bear yard for some really hilarious bear antics and then later redistributed in the yard for the bears’ winter bedding. Ours are leftover from an autumn seasonal event. • Scrub brush heads: you can hide food in them or just leave them as is. The muskrats {Ondatra zibethicus) will extract food from them and the ferrets will dig through the bristles. They can be mounted on fences or boards for hoofstock to rub and scratch on, as well. • Fake sheep: o What you need: a box for the body, wool or some kind of prey animal fur, a paper mache ball or a box for the head, cardboard tubes for the legs and neck, markers or paint for decoration. o How to make it: Anyway you’d like! We’ve made tiny ones for the muskrats and woodchuck {Marmota inonax) and huge ones for the wolves. They’ve been completely covered in wool sometimes and others have been little more than a cardboard box with a sheep drawn on it. The level of detail is up to the creator. "Gus" relaxing on a donated Christmas tree. "Iris" dives face-first into this donated bag looking for treats. "Zoe" the turtle seems to have an appreciation for nature photography. "Henry" takes a field trip, but we aren't sure which species is watching the other more closely is this photo! 230 I ANIMAL KEEPERS’ FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. They’re almost as much fun to make as they are to watch a wolf tear apart. • Going on walks: Almost all of our animals are given some level of supervised free-roam exercise time daily. Exercise is important for captive animals’ physical and mental well-being. It’s not just the outdoor animals that get to run around in the mornings, the animals that live indoors have exploration schedules, too. Some get supervised outdoor walks, others stay inside but are allowed to explore areas they normally don’t have access to, via exercise balls, playpens or direct keeper supervision. TRAINING The operant conditioning program at the Museum is still relatively new. All of our large animals are well-versed in behaviors that help us care for them on a daily basis and we’re now beginning to incorporate medical procedures into our daily training. While we do not choose to teach our animals to perform for our guests’ entertainment, we do have a few animals that learn new behaviors quickly, requiring us to sometimes train a behavior that is “just for fun.” Even those behaviors that are not strictly husbandry related are of great value to both the keepers and the animals. Operant conditioning allows for a closer inspection of an animal’s behavior or general health and the bonding time it creates can be invaluable in an emergency or stressful situation. Even if your animals only know “target” you can be confident knowing that you, at the bare minimum, have a tool that can move an animal from its current location to a more desirable one. Even reptiles and fish can learn to target with consistent training. Enrichment doesn’t need to be a burden on your department’s budget. Often times, it’s as much fun to prepare as it is to watch the animals interact with. Enrichment can be as simple as a ball of newspaper or as complicated as a PVC puzzle feeder. It can be as tough as teaching a Blue Jay to come when called or as easy as snuggling a rabbit while he sleeps. As long as you can keep your enrichment varied and unpredictable, you’ll be bettering the lives of your animals. EXTRAS Below is a list of items not explicitly mentioned in this paper; all are things we’ve been donated from our community and have been used at the Museum. • Starch packing peanuts/packing paper- loose or in a big pile, great for diggers. • Holey logs- drill various-sized holes in small logs to hide food in, great for dexterous animals. • Bamboo chimes- lengths of old bamboo poles chained across a piece of scrap wood and hung up; our steer knocks his head into them. • Recycling bin beds- Durable, washable containers that our education animals like to make beds in. We like the stackable kind with a low front edge so our little animals can access them easily. • New mop heads for cereal stringing- string 0-shaped cereal onto the strings of a new cotton mop, favorite of our lemurs. • Play keys- old keys that no longer open locks are put on a padlock and hung up, lots of animals investigate these, but they’re a favorite rubbing spot of the goats and alpacas. • Desk organizers with strings threaded through- a puzzle feeder. It’s mainly for our lemurs but the Blue Jay is pretty good with it too. • Applesauce cup feeder- small applesauce cups with holes punched in the center of the bottom, then strung up on a single small rope with knots to keep the cups separated. The songbirds and lemurs use this the most. • Bubbles- regular kid-safe bubbles. The alpacas will chase them around the exhibit. They also chase butterflies... • Dry erase markers on tank glass, chalk drawings inside exhibits- We mainly draw for our turtles to make their lives a little more colorful. • Calendar pictures laminated- We hang these up like backdrops behind reptile tanks and change them weekly. • Supervised animal interaction or visual contact from safe distance or through barriers- Some of our animals are allowed visual interaction as long as none show any signs of stress. Other animals are allowed direct contact with one another under supervision. Ex: the duck, pigs, and goats all run around the farmyard together in the mornings. • Fabric gift bags- Small fabric bags make great puzzle feeders for our lemurs. • Old t-shirts, sweatshirts, towels- They make cozy beds for smaller animals. Each facility has its own requirements for enrichment and processes involved in getting items approved. While these simple ideas have worked for us at the Museum, they may not work with other facilities’ standpoints of what enrichment should be. Enrichment should always be re-evaluated for effectiveness and safety over time, whether it’s a paper bag or a complicated puzzle feeder; just because it worked great once doesn’t mean that same animal won’t get into trouble the next time. We hope that these ideas spark keepers’ imaginations to help enrich the lives of the animals in their cai’e, especially in smaller facilities where daily enrichment may be just in its starting phases. • Phone books- some animals shred them, some will pick food out from in between the pages, others use them for bedding. Bears, Pigs, Woodchuck, Owls. • Milk crate goat climbing structure- make a pyramid out of crates and secure them with cable ties, great for smaller goats and non-chewing climbing animals. We added some pieces of rubber stall mats to the top so the goats’ feet didn’t get stuck in the holes of the crates. • Browse- vet-approved wild foliage, a favorite of hoofstock and rodents. AAZK.ORG August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 231 AAZK TRAINING TALES Patience, Determination, Patience, Flexibility, Patience, Patience, Patience: Training Lessons From a Grevy’s zebra (Equus grevyi) By Kim Downey Senior Keeper, Antelope Area Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri Author training with zebras “Tecalli" and “Eve" Photo by Erin Haycraft Where you can share your training experiences! TRAINING TALES EDITORS Jay Pratte, Henry Doorly Zoo Kim Kezer, Zoo New England Beth Stark-Posta, Toledo Zoo Patience, determination, and flexibility are all important qualities to have as an animal trainer. If you have ever worked with ungulates (or an equally challenging group of animals), you’ve probably learned these lessons well. My teacher over the last several years has been a 22-year-old female Grevy’s zebra named Eve. Eve has been involved in an operant conditioning program since 2007 and in 2011 1 took over the role as her primary trainer. Eve’s training is challenging for many reasons. Like many ungulates, zebras can be very sensitive to changes in their environment. This includes events such as the presentation of new objects (training tools), differences in routine, etc. Eve also has occasional seizures which can sometimes affect her interest in training sessions and she periodically engages in stereotypic behaviors. Like many training programs, there have been ups and downs and bumps in the road, and some of the lessons I’ve learned are shared below. BACK TO BASICS Over the course of my career as a zoo keeper, I have gained knowledge and skills used in operant conditioning by training with a variety of species. However, this was my first experience with a Grevy’s zebra. Before I began my training program with Eve, I observed several sessions with Eve and her previous trainer so that I could learn more about her repertoire of behaviors, the verbal and hand cues given, and the criteria she was expected to meet for each behavior. This was extremely helpful information to have before taking over as her primary trainer. The first thing that I did with Eve was establish a positive relationship. She is fairly food- motivated which helped in building trust. I experimented to see which food items she liked the most, which I could use in smaller portions, and which I should save as special treats. Using some of her favored food items and continuous reinforcement during training sessions helped our relationship immensely. Having this type of positive relationship also helped to shorten her response time between the time a cue is given and when she completes a behavior. Over time. Eve has become faster and more reliable during training sessions. I also looked closely at what might have been causing her to lose interest during training sessions. The few behaviors she knew were fairly solid so I wondered if her sessions were not challenging enough. I introduced a couple of new behaviors to see how she would respond and was pleased when she caught on quickly. Other factors I considered that could be affecting her interest in training sessions were herd dynamics, facility design, and medical issues. Some of the other zebras in the herd tend to be more assertive than Eve and prevent her from participating in sessions by standing in front of her and blocking access to the trainer. I would often shift these zebras away from Eve for a short time while conducting a session or bring some treats or hay with me to keep the other zebras occupied. Many times I also opted to shift Eve into a behind-the-scenes area to conduct sessions because there were very limited options for training in the habitat. Training in the habitat required me to stand in a planter area above the zebras and I found that Eve responded more positively when behind-the-scenes and at the same level as the trainer. Finally, on days when Eve would have a seizure I would take that into account and observe her behavior before deciding to conduct a session. 232 I ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc. My advice to all of the trainers out there is to keep good training records! Keeping a journal has been helpful for me, especially in the beginning of my training with Eve. It allowed me to look back and evaluate when things went well, to note the length of time and number of sessions it took Eve to learn a new behavior, and to keep track of any factors that may be causing a session to be less productive. These records will also be a helpful resource for others who work with Eve. ASK FOR HELP The Antelope Area at the Saint Louis Zoo has ten keepers and six different daily routines; every three months we rotate through these routines. So, the animals we train are not always those in our daily care. My coworkers have been a great resource for information and I have found it helpful to have their objective eyes to see and ears to hear what is happening with the zebra herds even when I am not scheduled for that routine. I also try to have coworkers watch training sessions a couple of times a month. They can see things that I am not seeing and give good advice and suggestions. The Saint Louis Zoo also has an internal committee called the Animal Training Forum. This committee is made up of representatives from all of the animal departments. Each month the Animal Training Forum meets and discusses issues related to training and training concepts. Keepers are invited to attend and share the successes and challenges of the animals they care for and receive ideas and feedback from other members of the Forum. On several occasions I have brought zebra training challenges to the Forum and received advice and suggestions from objective trainers. GET CREATIVE For many years, we have been collecting fecal samples from our female zebras three times per week for hormone analysis by our Research Department to diagnose and monitor pregnancy and for research purposes. I wondered if the hormone data we were compiling might provide additional information about Eve that would be useful in her training program. I was interested in whether she was less likely to perform well during training sessions while she was cycling. Our Director of Research also suggested that I standardize the training sessions by limiting each session to a certain amount of time (I chose five minutes). After each five minute session I would be able to evaluate how much time Eve was engaged in the session and how much, if any, time she was engaged in stereotypic behaviors. That way I could be more impartial in my approach. Instead of saying “she was worse today” or “today was a really good session” I would have actual numbers to compare. After standardizing the training sessions, it was easier to determine whether there was any correlation between training success and hormone data. Although interesting, after comparing Eve’s hormone analysis data to her training session performance data for several months, no correlations between the two were identified. It was worth a try! In another attempt to be creative in my approach with Eve, I used her herd mate “Tecalli” as extra motivation. Tecalli arrived at the Saint Louis Zoo in 2010 and from the beginning was friendly with her keepers. I thought she would be an excellent candidate for an operant conditioning program and received approval to be the primary trainer with her. After Tecalli was introduced to the herd. Eve and Tecalli became close herd mates, which ended up being beneficial for both of their training programs. I was able to train with them in the same stall or adjoining stalls. During sessions when Eve was not very motivated, I focused my attention on Tecalli instead. Hearing the bridge and seeing Tecalli receive rewards for participating was often enough to My coworkers have been a great resource for information and I have found it helpful to have their objective eyes to see and ears to hear what is happening with the zebra herds even when I am not scheduled for that routine. AAZK.ORG August 2014 |Vol.41,No.8 | 233 encourage Eve to engage in a session. Seeing the progress Tecalli has made in her training program has also helped me to learn more about training Grevy’s zebras and has given me new ideas about how to approach Eve and her sessions. LOOKING AHEAD Progress with Eve has been slow but visible, which is encouraging. Looking ahead, I have more ideas to keep us both motivated in sessions. One of these is to continue to work on new behaviors. I have also started to utilize a secondary trainer who will help maintain established behaviors and eventually train new behaviors. Introducing the herd to a new habitat will also provide an opportunity to conduct training sessions without having to shift Eve into a behind-the- scenes habitat. Over the past few years. Eve and I have learned a lot from each other and these lessons have been a valuable tool in improving my training skills. I’m sure that in the years to come. Eve will have many more lessons to teach me! BHC Comments by Beth Stark-Posta: Many of the articles in this column illustrate the training steps within a training project. Here the author offers some complimentary information for trainers to consider outside of the training plan. We often note that there is a motivation to every behavior but do we truly consider what that motivation is? Do we ever really know for sure? How does a particular stimulus affect the animal’s response to a request during a training session? We, as trainers, can gain considerable insight by first knowing the natural history of the species. A little research can go a long way in terms of knowing breeding cycles, ages of sexual maturity, signs of and typical reactions to stress, socials structures and behaviors, and overall daily activity budgets. While this information might not be incorporated into the training plan per se, it often comes in handy during training sessions. I commend Ms. Downey for looking at so many potential motivators and how they might affect training success. As the title suggests, successful animal training takes patience and flexibility. A written training plan can help trainers organize their thoughts and can aid in training sessions by making sure the training steps make good logical sense for both the trainer and the animal. Of course this plan might change; steps might be added, deleted, or modified. Understanding animal behavior - both at the species and at the individual level can play a large role in how we, the trainers, shape the plan and ultimately on training success and on the welfare of the animal. Thank you for offering us some helpful hints on helping to make our training projects more successful! Lyon Technologies Inc. is the official North American Distributor of the Grumbach Incubator GmbH. One of the world’s most trusted and innovative incubators. With their low temp variation, automatic humidity controls, and digital thermometer and hygrometer, these units are a precision instrument designed to give you the best hatch rates possible. For More Information and Free Catalog: www.lyonusa.com 1888-LYON-USA Lyon Technologies is a leader in the design and manufacture of animal health care equipment including intensive and critical care units, incubation, and anesthesia and oxygen therapy; providing solutions to customers in over 100 countries since 1915. ASSOCIATION like US on facebook Follow us on Linked Q Of ZOO KEEPERS facebook.com/lyontechnologies AMERICAN ASSOCIATION of ZOO KEEPERS 8476 E. Speedway Blvd. Suite 204 Tucson, AZ 85710-1728 U.S.A. “Dedicated to Professional Animal Care” ll^l facebook.com/AAZKinc [ ] ©AAZKinc SMfTHSONIAM UBRARSES 3 9088 0 783 5182 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Berea, OH Permit #333 *************AUT0**3-DIGIT 200 P1 T7 Librarian Smithsonian Institution Library Nhb 25MRC 154 PO Box 37012 Washington DC 20C13-/012 Central Nebraska Packing, Inc. offers; Classic & Premium Frozen Carnivore Diets « ALSO AVAILABLE • HORSE SHORT LOINS / HORSE & BEEE BONES MEAT COMPLETE WITH TAURINE (RAW MEAT SUPPLEMENT FOR ALL CARNIVORES) BROOD ALL INFRA-RED HEATERS MEMBER: AZA I AAZV I AAZK 877.900.3003 | 800.445.2881 P.O. Box 550, North Platte. NE 69103-0550 info@nebraskabrand.com • nebraskabrand.com FELINE & SENIOR FELINE I BIRD OF PREY I CANINE I SPECIAL BEEF FELINE