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Animal
Keepers'
Forum
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
JANUARY 1984
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Mike Coker JANUARY 1984
Managing Editor: Susan Chan VOLUME ELEVEN
Associate Editor: Alice Miser NUMBER ONE
Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
kYumal foAuni (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the
American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of AKUJDfxC Kce.pc/i/6 ' FoAum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
V/
AMERICAW ASSOaAnON OF ZOO KEEPERS, IWC. NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 66606 \ Votly CtoAk, Admiyii^tAatlvo. SiicAnta/iy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center Front Royal, VA 22630 Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
PAi2J>Td2.VVt l/.Tc.e PAQJilddYit
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
PotXt Kuntzmann, LTnaoln Pcuik
Continuing Keeper Education
Judin StembeAg, Woodland PoAk
Historical Committee
LoAAy SammoAco, Linnotn PoAk
Professional Standards Committee
Coordinator for International Affairs Randy Adolph, St. LouU) Zoo
Research/Grants Committee
FAank Kohn, National Zoological PoAk
Awards Committee
Htkn CAockoA, Vtc.knA6on PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee
Knvtn Conway, hIZP/CRC, FAont Royal Knvtn Conway, NZP/CRC, pAont Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aum, Uoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BnAYiln Fnldman, Topnka Zoo Program Library Mcfee CAockeA, Vtaknuon PoAk Infant Development Stnvn TayloA, Loulsvtlln Keeper Accomodations List OtlvnA Clal{^ny, HntAo ToAonto
Keeper
MoAy SlaybauQh, San Antonio S Vav^
Library Resource /Book Review
Ellnn Lnack, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Cestat ion
HoAy UuAn, San pAanctdco Zoo Diet Notebook
South Flo Alda ChaptnA, Mtaml Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Vtanc Fon^ytn, AizAon Zoological PoAk Data Survey
!. 0AndoA{i{i, Sea Mo Aid ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS ilitfee CoApentoA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, VlAectoA
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P^^HeA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne VllleA6 LoAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShoAplei Vacancy Candy Kao it
M.V. Stone MemoAlal Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo Motional Zoo VetAolt Zoo Lndlanapolli> Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Woodland PoAk Zoo
Joanle Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
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Call For Papers for 1984 Southern Regional
Plans are being made for the 1984 AAZPA Southern Regional Conference hosted by the Little Rock Zoo April 1-3, 1984. Papers addressing animal husbandry, practical veterinary care, animal conservation programs, and ethics, education, apd support organization activities are welcome. Ad- ditional sessions for special interest will be scheduled as necessary. Sens abstract to Anna Patterson, Conference Coordinator, Little Rock Zoo, #1 Jonesboro Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205. A copy of all papers must be turned in prior to presentation.
ZOO AND AQUARIUM LIBRARY NEWS
Mary Rabb, the librarian at the Brookfield Zoo, is willing to send copies of articles to other zoo or aquarium libraries. If you have a problem finding a copy of an article you want, have your librarian contact Mary at the Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513.
There is now a newsletter for zoo and aquarium librarians. For copies, your librarian may contact Kay A. Kenyon, National Zoological Park Library Smithsonian Institution Libraries, Washington, D.C. 20008 (202) 673-4771.
Mike Dee of the L.A. Zoo has volunteered to help identify rare books. If your librarian is contemplating getting rid of some old books or suspects that he/she may have some valuable holdings, have him/her contact Mike for a list of titles. He may be reached c/o 524 Irving Ave., Glendale, CA 91201.
ZOOKEEPERS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE FORMING
Does your zoo use Keepers in its public education efforts? Is your chapt- er involved in public education?
We hope to begin a Zookeeper-Public Education Committee. This would be a separate committee from the already formed Continuing Keeper Education Committee, and would be directed more toward Zookeepers educating the public.
Please send a response if you would like to participate in this committee and a description of your role in public education at your zoo. We would appreciate any literature you could send us on this subject and we will contact you depending on the responses received and the Board's approval. We hope to initiate this committee after the first of the new year.
Please direct responses to: Eileen P. Gerity, Education Coordinator, Van Saun Park Zoo, Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652.
1
Births|^ Hatchings
BRONX ZOO. y^aAQOAQj: P^ixce.
B&H for October 1983 include: Mammals - 0.1 Guanaco, 6.0 Brow-antlered deer, 1.0 Fruit bat, 1.0 Douroucouli, 1.0 Maxwell duiker, 2.0 Bushy-tail- ed jird, 2.0 Minnie Down’s mouse, 2.0 Black-backed duiker, 2.0 Acouchi,
1.0 Hammer-headed bat, 1.0 Sambar, 0.1 Axis deer, 1.0 Yak, 1.0 Slender- horn gazelle; Birds - 1 Golden-breasted bunting, 2 Silver gull, 1 Green wood hoopoe, 1 Superb glossy starling, 1 Red-breasted touraco, 1 Edward lorikeet, 1 Mauritius pink pigeon; Reptiles - 10 Kenyan sand boa, 7 Mojave sidewinder, 7 California kingsnake, 1 Common snapping turtle, 1 Bog turtle and 8 Sinaban milksnake.
ASSINIBOINE PARK ZOO. BoAb Ha^neA
October 1983 B&H include 1 Common marmoset, 1 Triangular-spotted pigeon and 1 Crested bronze-wing pigeon.
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS. ,Sand^ MoheA
B&H for November 1983 include: Mammals - 0.0.1 White-handed gibbon, 1,0 Hunter’s hartebeest, 1.0 Sitatunga, 1.1 Dorcas gazelle, 1.0 Kafue (red) lechwe, 0.0.1 Black spider monkey, 1.1 Thomson’s gazelle, 0.1 Sable ante- lope, 1.0 Addax, 0.0.1 Guinea (Western) baboon; Birds - 0.0.1 Black-necked swan, 0.0.7 Cockatiel, 0.0.3 Fischer’s lovebird, 0.0.3 Black-masked love bird, 0.0.5 Sun conure, 0.0.1 Crested tinamou; Reptiles - 0.0.8 American alligator and 0.0.10 Spectacled caiman.
JACKSONVILLE ZOO Anne E. (jUXgg^nA
The following are the B&H for September, October and November 1983:
Mammals - 0.0.1 Brindled gnu, 0.1 Celebes crested macaque, 0.1 Sitatunga (DNS), 0.0.5 Capybara; Birds - 0.0.1 Peached-f aced lovebird, 0.0.4 Vul- turine guineafowl; Reptiles - 0.0.7 West African dwarf crocodile and 0.0.32 Bahama boa.
MIAMI METROZOO LoU BAuckhelm i
November 1983 B&H include: 0,1 Thomson’s gazelle (died - age 19 days),
0.2 Grant’s zebra, 0.1 Forest buffalo, 0.1 Sable antelope, 0.0.2 Grosbeak i starlings (0.0.2 DNS), and 0.0,2 Emerald tree boa (0.0.2 DNS),
TOPEKA ZOOLOGICAL PARK. ..................................... .AUae ‘
Recent B&H at Topeka include: 1.1 Common eland, 1.0 Siberian tiger (DNS) and 0.0.1 Blue-crowned pigeon (DNS).
2
Coming Events
1984 NATIONAL WILDLIFE REHABILITATORS
ASSOCIATION SYMPOSIUM
February 22-26, 1984 Kalamazoo, MI
For information contact: Kalamazoo Nature Center, c/o Pat Adams, 7000 N. Westnedge Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. (616) 381-1574.
AAZPA GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 4-6, 1984 Grand Rapids, MI
AAZPA WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 18-20, 1984 Sacramento, CA
AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 1-3, 1984 Little Rock, AR
AAZPA CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 15-17, 1984 Omaha, NE
AAZK SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 19-21, 1984 Columbia, SC
Hosted by the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter. Registration fee is $25.00. for members and $30.00 for nonmembers. Contact person at Riverbanks Zoo is Stephen J. Danko. Watch AKF for registration forms and information.
AAZPA NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 21-May 1, 1984 Philadelphia, PA
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103. Watch upcoming issues of AKF for conference hotel site, registration forms and addition- al information. "f-indeA6 Ke.e.peA^, No-Shooo6 WeepeAA”/
3
VANCOUVER-SPECIAL SESSION QN
STAFF TRAINING. PART II
By
JadZe Ste-dnb^^g , Coon-dlnciton. AAZK Eduaat-lo n Comm-lttdd
This article will cover the second part of the presentation on Staff Training given at the AAZPA Confer- ence in Vancouver, B.C., condensed for publication.
There will always be a need for Staff training within an institution:
— for the orientation of new employees.
— for the new Keeper coming into the profession, with or without educa- tion, and no practical experience.
— for experienced Keepers to review and expand their knowledge and skills.
During the past eighteen months, the AAZK Education Committee, comprised of 26 members, has been working on finding out what is currently available regarding Keeper training. To do this the Committee worked on three pro- jects:
Manual Review: this entailed locating and reviewing training manuals and programs being used in Zoos.
Reference Search: collecting data for the development of a bib- liography on captive animal management.
Training Videotapes: a pilot tape on the subject of Safety; a
supplement to the AAZPA Animal Husbandry Training Manual .
The objectives of the manual review were first to determine what was avail- able and second, to help determine supplements that AAZK could provide to the AAZPA Manual. (Copies of several manuals were available for hands-on review in Vancouver) . The AAZPA Animal Husbandry Training Manual was re- viewed by nine AAZK Committee members. In general, it was felt that the manual provided a good basis for any Zoo to develop their own program from, geared to their own needs. Author Jim Ellis had mailed out a follow-up questionnaire on the manual which resulted in some interesting information.
— time was mentioned as a primary factor for not having a training program.
— several zoos mentioned that they were "trying*' to start a program.
— 24 of the 50 respondents had not developed any in-house training materials.
— one Zoo had used the ZPA manual to write their own manual.
(Copies of the AAZK Committee's evaluation and the survey results were distributed. )
The one manual that was written using the AAZPA Manual as a guide was the Metro Toronto, Manual of Zookeeping, by Chris Parker. It is an excellent example of how the ZPA manual outlines can be used. AAZK Committee mem-
4
CKE--VANCOUVER SPECIAL SESSION ON STAFF TRAINING, PART II, Contcnue.d
bers who reviewed the Toronto manual found it to be quite comprehensive. With some rewriting of items that pertain specifically to the Toronto Zoo, the manual would be very useful to the individual as well as to another Zoo. However, their manual is NOT YET AVAILABLE outside of the Toronto Zoo. The possibility of it becoming available for purchase at a future date is being worked on.
A total of 12 manuals, notebooks or guidebooks were reviewed. A chart indicating the major topics covered by each will be published in a future issue of AKF, pending approval of the various Zoos involved.
During the manual review several Keeper training programs were identified; The Santa Fe Community College Biological Parks program (see AKF, September 1983 issue, p. 272); the Moorpark College "Exotic Animal Training and Man- agement Program"; and the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust six-week internship. Animal Management, a British correspondence course offered by the National Extension College, Cambridge, is a self-directed study course. The course was developed at the request of British and Scottish Zookeepers and is reported to be quite comprehensive. Just recently it was learned that overseas students can test on the course and receive certification. Committee member Douglas Richardson, Howletts Zoo Park, has made arrangements with the National Extension College for U.S. students to test at local universities. (See details under "Highlights of Phila- delphia Conference" later in this column.)
One especially interesting program was the Calgary Zoo’s four-year appren- ticeship program. A list of test assignments is posted to give the appren- tice a guide to acquiring the skills and job knowledge (s)he is expected to have. Before moving from one area to another, the apprentice is test- ed by an evaluation team. (A sample of Calgary’s Job Method Training
was available for review.)
Also available was a brief description and a copy of the Woodland Park Zoological Garden’s 1983 Staff Training program and schedule. References used in the WPZG program are; WPZG Employees Notebook which is issued to each new full-time employee and covers personnel information and Zoo pro- cedures on safety and animal health; copies of Murray Fowler’s Restraint and Handling of Wild & Domestic Animals; the WPZG Plant Care Manual; and The Keeper’ s Role in Zoo Animal Health are all available through each of the Senior Keepers as well as the Zoo Library. Plans are underway to develop a structured basic Keeper training program for the Assistant Ke- epers and Keeper Aides.
The AAZK Staff Exchange Program was discussed as another approach to Staff training. Information was mailed to all AAZPA member zoos in August as well as to several other zoos; copies of the mailing were available. The preliminary list of 21 zoos that had registered to date was also displayed.
At this point in the special session, Mr. Simon Hicks, from the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust spoke about their program and answered ques- tions from the delegates regarding the program and funding.
Closing comments were directed toward the realization that Staff training is not an easy task. The key to success is having a commitment and work- ing cooperatively. Delegates were asked to give consideration to how larger Zoos with more resources can help smaller Zoos. It was hoped that everyone would leave the special session both acknowledging and supporting the need for continuing Keeper education and the development of training materials in their institutions. The last fifteen minutes was spent by most of the attendees taking advantage of the opportunity to look at the
5
CKE— VANCOUVER SPECIAL SESSION ON STAFF TRAINING, PART II, ConUnu^d
suitcase full of materials we had brought along for display. Comments were very supportive and appreciative of the opportunity to attend the session.
The information in this two-part series was also presented at the AAZK Conference in Philadelphia during the paper sessions. AAZK delegates had the opportunity to review all the materials mentioned, plus more.
During the past month there have been four requests from Zoos wanting to know about the information presented at the special session; they had not been able to attend. Overall the response to the special session and the subject of Staff training has been very good. It confirms the need to identify and share programs, and materials for the training of Keepers.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE PHILADELPHIA CONFERENCE
Over 50% of the Education Committee members attended the Philadelphia
Conference allowing for several decisions to be made, with Board approval.
— AAZK Keeper Training Videotape on Safety was viewed and approved by the Board and members present. This is the first of a series of training tapes AAZK will be producing. Guidelines for the production and dis- tribution of future tapes was submitted, discussed and approved with some changes.
— Reference Search Project status report was presented. An IBM personal computer was used to compile existing bibliographical information on over 300 references. Goals for the coming year are to enter index data from International Zoo Yearbooks, Animal Keepers* Forum, Zoo Biology, and the AAZPA Newsletter.
— Exhibit Design Form prototype copies were distributed. This project
will require additional development, but promises to be a valuable source of information.
— Animal Management Correspondence Course (see the Sept. 1983 issue of AKF p. 206). We have finally managed to enable those people taking the British Keepers Course to gain certification. It is up to the zoo or the individual to find an establishment like a high school or college that will oversee the final exam. According to Douglas M. Richardson, Howletts Park Zoo, Bekesbourne near Canterbury, Kent,
England — once an individual has located such a proctoring agency, they should write to him at the above address and he will verify the infor- mation with the City and Guilds of London Institute. This is the organ- ization from which an individual will receive certification. He notes that it is probably not necessary to find a test site until one is working on Volume III of the Course.
—Zoonoses, A Keeper's Guide received approval as an Education Committee project. Although there is considerable work to be done, the end re- sult will be a valuable reference.
— Manual Review is taking on a new direction. The Committee is still interested in receiving copies of training materials currently being used in zoos. Ideas and information from this project will be incor- porated into other projects. Permission will be sought prior to using any information.
6
CKE— VANCOUVER SPECIAL SESSION ON STAFF TRAINING, PART II, CoyuUnmd
—Feed Bag is in need of your questions: mail them to the Metro Toronto Zoo AAZK Chapter. Delegates at the Conference provided 10 questions to be answered in future AKF* s .
— Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamentals: An outline for this project was pre- sented to the Committee by Jim Ellis. ZHF would be a book that would incorporate much of what has been worked on to date. The Board and Committee unanimously approved the project. Pat Sammarco has agreed to co-author the book with Jim. This will be an opportunity to collect and publish the experiences of many Keepers and Zoos regarding animal husban- dry in a practical sense. ZHF is expected to take at least two years to complete. You will hear more about this in the near future.
The Education Committee’s first year was very productive. All members are to be commended on their hard work. A complete list of Committee members and the projects in which they are involved will appear in the next issue of Animal Keepers ' Forum.
AAZK STAFF EXCHANGE PROGRAM Help Wanted
The Puget Sound Chapter is in the process of compiling the master list of institutions interested in participating in the Staff Exchange. Decem- ber 1st was the cut-off date and the list will be available after January 1, 1984.
All participating institutions will receive a detailed copy of the master list and a copy will be on file at AAZK National Headquarters. The list will also be published in Animal Keepers ' Forum.
We would like to hear from you if you have:
—already participated in an exchange (problems, highlights, name of participating institutions, duration of exchange).
— —have encountered problems in trying to arrange an exchange.
—have questions about conducting an exchange (see Vol. X, Issue No. 10, pages 303-304 in AKF) that have not been covered.
— -are anticipating an exchange in 1984 (names of institutions, duration of exchange) .
Contact: Elandra Aum, Coordinator Staff Exchange Puget Sound Chapter Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue N.
Seattle, WA 98103
7
USE OF NATURAL TOYS BY SMALL FELIDS
AT THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO
By
[/ateAyio, OJeAneA, ZookeepeA Ullwauke.e. County Zoo, ^Ulwcaikee.^ WI
In an attempt to provide ’’amusement" and to stimulate activity for view- ing by zoo visitors, the keepers at the Milwaukee County Zoo’s Feline Building have experimented with various natural toys for use by the two species of small felids exhibited here: servals jfelAJi 6QAvcit) and cara- cals (FeZls c-OAdccil} .
Included among the more successful toys are rounded pieces of wood, pine cones, and the knotted ends of rawhide bones. These all provide a rolling, ball-like motion when struck, inviting the animal to chase it. Care must be taken to ensure that these toys are large enough to prevent accidental swallowing by the animal, and the pine cones should have scales with smooth edges, not sharp bracts or thorns. At our zoo, we have installed drain covers to prevent clogging should the toy roll near or into the drain opening.
Balls made of tanned sheepskin, with the fleece intact, were also succes- sful toys. Not only could they be rolled about, but because of their light weight and fibrous make-up, these toys could be tossed and caught by even the smallest kitten. Unfortunately for us, the animals enjoyed playing with the sheepskin toys too much; they were reduced to practical- ly nothing in a few hours. Replacing these toys regularly became quite an expense.
Our alternative to the sheepskin toys is rabbit fur. Since we feed rab- bits to both the servals and caracals on a weekly basis, the fur is readily available. A small portion of the rabbit is skinned; the fur is rolled into a ball-like shape and placed in our refrigerator’s freezer section to harden before being presented to an animal. The freezing allows the "ball" to retain its shape for a longer period of time and also prolongs the life of the skin with regard to decomposition.
Rabbit fur toys have proven just as successful as sheepskin without the expense. When our cats tire of playing with the fur, it is often in- gested. If not, care is taken to remove the skin from the cage before it begins to decompose.
All of the toys discussed have been used to alleviate boredom in soli- tary animals, both adults and kittens. Where two or more animals are housed in the same enclosure, a toy is provided for each animal to pre- vent any fighting that might occur over possession of a single toy.
We have also used these toys as a means of enticing an animal out of a shift area into a display cage, or into an unfamiliar area such as a squeeze cage or shipping crate. In the latter case, we usually attach a cord to the toy so that it can be quickly retrieved before the animal catches hold of it.
In conclusion, these various natural toys have not only provided our animals with a safe source of mental and physical stimulation, but have also helped present a more active display for our zoo's visitors.
8
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KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PROJECT SEEKS PARTICIPANTS
By
B. Wayne, Badho-nan Woodland PoAk Zoologldol GaAde.n6 SdoUle,, WA
One of the projects of the Education Committee this past year was the initiation of the keeper training video tape project* The aim of the project was to produce video tapes for beginning keepers that will comple- ment the AAZPA Keeper Training Manual.
It is hoped the varied expertise of AAZK members will be used to produce these tapes. That means we need volunteers! I urge everyone to read the project guidelines below and give serious consideration to partici- pating by producing a training tape:
1) The tapes will be sold to any interested party with the following agreed to in the purchase agreement:
a) the price of each tape will include the cost of the cassette * insured postage, and a small "contribution" of $15“$30. This contribution will vary with the program length.
b) the purchaser agrees not to copy the tape or make the tape avail- able to any person or institution for the purpose of duplication.
c) the purchaser agrees not to use the tape for any commercial pur- pose.
d) should the purchaser decide the program will not be useful to their training system, the undamaged tape may be returned within fifteen days of receipt and the cost of the cassette will be re- funded. The "contribution" will be retained by AAZK as a rental fee, (See page 12 of this issue for Purchase Agreement Form.)
2) All collected "contributions" will be placed in a special account and made available and used specifically for payment of future AAZK keeper training tape production.
3) Funding for future video tapes will be restricted to;
a) cost of video tape
b) the cost of renting video hardware,
NO money will be provided for the purchase of video hardware or payment of person (s) or institution(s) for services or time render- ed in conjunction with the video tape production.
4) Because the intent is to complement the AAZPA Keeper Training Manual, funding priority will be given the following topics:
a) Sanitation and Pest Control
b) Feeds and Feeding
c) Animal Restraint and Handling
d) Safety-note that though the pilot project is a program on safety, it deals with a systematic safety approach to zoo keep- ing and development of the proper attitude. It does not address specifics .
Again, other topics will be considered, but the above will have funding priority.
The AAZPA Keeper Training Manual should provide a very good source around which to build a program, but do not feel obligated to follow its form exactly. It is intended only to provide guidelines.
10
KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PROJECT SEEKS PARTICIPANTS,
Application for funding support can be made in the following manner:
1) Write a detailed script. Include comments on what type of shots you plan on using for each scene. This will insure that there is enough information to fairly evaluate the application.
2) Include an expected budget and clearly state the exact amount you wish granted.
3) Make three (3) copies of the script and budget information. Mail two (2) copies to:
B. Wayne Buchanan
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
5500 Phinney Avenue N,
Seattle, WA 98103
Mail the third copy to:
Jim Ellis
General Curator/Professional Specialist Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo 3000 N.W. 83rd Gainesville, FL 32602
Applications will be reviewed by myself, Judie Steenberg, and Jim Ellis. We will make every effort to do this as quickly as possible.
I'd also like to refer you to the article "So You Want To Be A Star" in the December 1983 issue of AKF. It has some helpful hints on making such a training tape.
Additionally, Jim Ellis has a full studio available and may be able to assist in editing, credits, and voice over work. Contact Jim or me if you desire more information.
BROOKGREEN GARDENS GOOD CHOICE FOR POST-REGIONAL TRIP
Sabmutto-d by Connie. Cloak Che.e.kwood BotavU-cal GaAden6 Nashville., TM
I recently attended a conference at Brookgreen Gardens just south of Myrtle Beach, SC. It's a beautiful place, and one I think keepers would be interested in knowing about. It's unique in being a sculpture garden, with over 400 pieces ranging from small bronzes to huge marble statues, the great majority being of animals. The gardens are beautiful with hundreds of huge live-oaks. Part of the Garden's property is a wildlife sanctuary and there is a small collection of captive native animals, including a one-half acre area of cypress swamp enclosed under a 70-foot mesh tent and containing several species of heron, ibis, and small ducks. Adjoining the gardens is Huntington Beach State Park, with camping facil- ities and magnificent bird-watching habitat in a salt marsh. The whole area is an oasis of wild land in an area rapidly being overrun by luxury hotels and condos. Keepers going to the AAZK regional in Columbia this spring, or to the 1985 national in Miami, might want to put Brookgreen Gardens on their itinerary.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE NOW AVAILABLE
Entitled Zoo Keeper Safety, An Atti tude Adjustment, this first tape at- tempts to create a safety attitude and presents a systematic safety approach to the job of zoo keeping. All proceeds generated from the sale of training tapes will be used to finance production of future training tapes.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PURCHASE AGREEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE BUYER
1) The tape may not be duplicated or made available to any person or institution for the purpose of duplication.
2) The tape may not be utilized for any commercial purpose,
3) Should the buyer decide the tape will not be useful to their training program, the undamaged tape may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a partial refund--$10 for BETA and VHS, $18 for 3/4 inch.
I, the undersigned, accept responsibility for the restrictions listed above.
NAME: _(TYPE OR PRINT)
SIGNATURE: DATE:
ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION:
SHIPPING ADDRESS:
ZIP
TELEPHONE: ( )
TAPE TITLE:
FORMAT: BETA VHS 3/4 INCH
$25.00 $25.00 $35.00
Make checks payable to: "AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PROJECT".
Mail to: B, Wayne Buchanan
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103
12
SeAg^o Oya/izon^ P. Aqa, , M. Sc,
Animal MuJyujtlom^Z
H2XA0 JoAowto loo, ToAonto, OvutaAlo, Canada
Q. ....my question concerns our cuban anoles and a giant toad. They are both fed a diet of crickets only. The anoles are not putting on weight and the toad’s skin darkens and flakes off quite often. How often and how many crickets should these animals get, and should their diets be supplemented with something else?
SubnuXte.d by Bath Foi{^, Ultt MoantcUn loo, Inc., Roanoakc, PA.
A. 1) The problems you describe can indeed be caused by dietary deficienc- ies, but there are some basic husbandry requirements that should be checked. Both species are tropical and require a warm, humid environ- ment. Both species also require a day temperature of about 80-85®F for proper digestion and assimilation of food. Amphibians must have access to water at all times. The skin condition you describe, assum- ing it is not a fungal problem, might be a shedding problem resulting from a dry atmosphere or the inability to burrow in the substrate. Most amphibians shed weekly so that a build-up of skin is not normal. The skin is important in oxygen exchange and water uptake so you must en- sure that it is in good condition.
Your Anolis lizard, being aboreal, prefers to lap water from leaves so it should be misted daily, preferably in early morning so that it can dry out before lights off in the evening. Dehydration is a com- mon problem with arboreal lizards and it usually results in poor ap- petite. Most amphibians and reptiles eat a large variety of food- stuffs in the wild. It would be advisable to provide some variety in their diets. Try your toad on earthworms, pinkies, mice, crickets, mealworms, and flies. Your lizards will eat mealworms, crickets, flies, moths, and pinkies.
B. Johnson
2) As already mentioned and also well stated by Frye (2), there is no single course of action to be taken when one is faced with a captive reptile that refuses to eat or presents the problems you describe.
The entire captive environment, husbandry practices, and feeding pro- gram should be considered as a whole and must be carefully assessed.
Unfortunately it is very difficult for anyone to set up or to recommend a balanced diet for a reptile or amphibian, particularly for species that will only accept live prey food. First, because neither their quantitative nor their qualitative nutrient require- ments have been established, our knowledge of their natural feeding habits is incomplete. Under captive conditions we are limited to only a few prey food items (mealworms, crickets, earthworms, etc.), and the published data regarding the chemical (or nutrient) composi- tion of these foodstuffs is incomplete and sometimes even controver- sial.
13
FEED BAG, Continued
At this point the best I can do is to try to provide you with an "educated guess." From a qualitative standpoint, we will assume your Anolis and toads have the same basic nutrient requirements as birds and mammals. In other words, they do require a dietary source of amino acids (protein), energy (fat and/or carbohydrates), vitamins, and minerals. With this in mind I have no doubts that your diet of crickets only is extremely deficient and consequently inadequate. For example, from the data presented in the table below you can see that crickets have very low calcium levels in addition to an imbalance in the calcium:phosphorus ratio (0.1 ; 1.0). Continual use of such a diet will produce a Secondary (nutritional) Hyperparathyroidism Syndrome .
|
MEALWORMS (3) BRAN BRAN+ ONLY SUPPL. |
CRICKETS ADULTS (3) |
MICE 1-DAY OLD (1) |
EARTHWORMS (1) |
WAX MOTH LARVA (1) |
|||
|
Dry matter |
1 |
40.41 |
35.77 |
29.63 |
18.81 |
- |
- |
|
Protein |
% |
55.90 |
55.50 |
73.45 |
63.47 |
_ |
- |
|
Fat |
% |
27.16 |
26.25 |
12.96 |
19.62 |
- |
- |
|
Fiber |
% |
5.96 |
5.98 |
8.32 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Ash |
% |
4.94 |
4.65 |
5.27 |
10.00 |
- |
- |
|
G. energy |
Kcal/g |
6.23 |
6.11 |
5.62 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Calcium |
1 |
0.07 |
0.39 |
0.09 |
1.72 |
0.95 |
0.03 |
|
Phosphorus |
% |
0.86 |
0.95 |
0.90 |
1.66 |
0.95 |
0.39 |
|
Magnesium |
% |
0.23 |
0.27 |
0.11 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Potassium |
% |
0.92 |
0.95 |
1.16 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Manganese |
ppm |
14. |
- |
31. |
- |
- |
- |
|
Copper |
ppm |
16. |
- |
22. |
- |
- |
- |
|
Zinc |
ppm |
152. |
- |
244. |
- |
- |
~ |
|
Ca:P |
0.08:1 |
0.41:1 |
0.1:1 |
1.03:1 |
1:1 |
0.08:1 |
(1) : Allen, M.E., and O.T. Oftedal, (1982) . Calcium and Phoshorus levels in live prey. AAZPA Regional Proceedings.
(3) : Metro Toronto Zoo data.
Again, looking at the data presented in the table, Bob’s recommenda- tion to provide variety in the diet is a logical and practical ap- proach. By offering a variety of prey-food items there will be a better chance of providing a more balanced diet, i.e. the calcium deficiency in crickets will be compensated by the calcium level in mice and earthworms, and the same may be applicable for other nutri- ents as well. Also, I think that it would be advisable to supplement each of the food items before offering them to your animals. This can be accomplished by "dusting" them with a vitamin-mineral powder and a source of calcium (calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate, lime- stone etc.) Even though this approach is not perfect, still it will provide an additional source of nutrients to your animals.
It would also be advisable to keep your mealworms on a supplemented food substrate (i.e, wheat bran + vitamin-mineral powder + source of calcium) . With this method calcium content can be increased (see table) , and presumably the vitamins and minerals ingested by the worms will be retained in their digestive tracts, increasing their overall nutritional value. A similar approach can be used to increase the nutritional value of crickets and earthworms.
14
FEED BAG, Contlnatd
With respect to your question of how often and how much food should be offered to your animals, apparently there is a general concensus among zoo people that these types of animals need only to be fed two or three times per week. This recommendation makes sense if we consider their lower metabolic needs compared to birds and mammals who need food on a daily basis. Despite this fact, considering your present problems I would recommend you to start feeding your toads and Anolis daily and on a free-choice basis. Try offering alternate sources of food in order to stimulate their appetites. At the same time you should keep an accurate record of the amounts of food offer- ed and consumed. Weigh your animals before you start the new feeding program and continue to weigh them on "a weekly or bi-weekly basis, and at the same time record all possible observations regarding changes in activity, food preferences, physical condition, etc. This infor- mation will provide you with sufficient data to re-evaluate your feed- ing program and set up a more adequate one in the future, without the risk of ending up with obesity problems. Additional information will be sent to you by mail.
5. OycUtzim
Note: Bob Johnson is a curator-in-training at the Metro Toronto Zoo.
His main area of interest is amphibians and reptiles.
(2) Frye, F.L. 1981. Biomedical and Surgical Aspects of Captive Reptile Husbandry. Veterinary Medicine Publishing Co., Edwardsville, Kansas 66111.
There has been some concern and hesitation from zoo keepers about submitting their questions to this new column, which explains its interruption since it was initiated in August. Apparently this hesitation derives from the fact that many people, for obvious and understandable reasons, would like to remain anonymous. Because of space limitations sometimes it will not be possible to fully answer a particular question. In order that additional information can be forwarded to the relevant individual it is requested that the person’s name and address or institution be included with the question. Those who wish to remain anonymous in Animal Keepers* Forum may do so by request. I hope that in future this column will be a regular feature in AKF, You may submit questions to: S. Oyarzun, c/o Metro Toronto Zoo, P.O. Box 280, West Hill, Ontario, Canada MlE 4R5,
Information Please
The elephant keepers at the Topeka Zoo are reviewing elephant commands from different zoos throughout the United States. Your input would be appreciated and will be put to substantial use. Please send your list of commands to: Kirk Graver, Topeka Zoological Park, 635 Gage Blvd,, Topeka, KS 66606.
For an upcoming conference presentation on Timber Wolves I would appreciate any information in the following areas: Handraising Techniques, Reintro- duction of handraised young to existing pack, and all available information on zoos that have received timber wolves as ’’orphan wildlife”. Send in- formation to Diane Weinhardt, Lincoln Park Zoo, 220C North Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
15
LING-LING SHOWS POTENTIAL FOR RECOVERY
Worried panda watchers issued a collective sigh of relief when medical tests, performed December 8 showed that Ling-Ling’s serious kidney ailment can be attributed to a bacterial infection. Although the prognosis is still guard- ed, this type of condition is more amendable to treatment than the other kidney diseases which were being considered and it offers some hope that re- covery is possible.
A medical team from Children's Hospital National Medical Center, consisting of nephrologists, radiologists, and an anesthesiologist joined the NZP vet- erinary staff in conducting a highly specialized examination on the anes- thetized panda. A variety of blood tests were performed to pinpoint the cause of Ling-Ling’s anemia, and the team used an ultrasound machine to getjl a picture of her kidneys. Then they used a laprascope to visualize one hid-i ney and to aid in getting a biopsy of kidney tissue. Each test contributed :] to the guardedly optimistic prognosis. Antibiotic therapy will now be in- ; tensif ied and Ling-Ling will be treated and carefully followed in an at- tempt to bring the kidney infection under control and to reverse the anemia.^
LAB TESTS REVEAL HSING-HSING IS PANDA CUB'S FATHER
Laboratory tests conducted on giant panda tissue samples have revealed ,
that the sire of the panda infant born at the National Zoological Park :
in July 1983 is Hsing-Hsing, the resident male.
The paternity of the baby panda, which lived only three hours before j!
dying of a respiratory infection, had been in question. In March 1983 ij
Ling-Ling, the National Zoo’s female panda, mated once with Hsing-Hsing, j but when no further breeding occurred Ling-Ling was artificially insemin- ’ ! ated with semen from the London Zoo’s male panda, Chia-Chia. j
Blood and skin samples taken from the Washington pair, from the male in | London, and from the deceased infant were analyzed at the National Insti- ' tutes of Health laboratories in Bethesda, MD. According to the NIH report, I genotype comparisons indicate that the "London male is excluded" and could j- not be the father. 5
The new information will have no immediate effect on the National Zoo’s jl giant panda breeding plans. National Zoo scientists will continue to be L prepared to use artificial insemination as a back-up to natural mating .1 during Ling-Ling’s annual spring breeding season.
Hsing-Hsing, who in years past had not bred with Ling-Ling even though the pair showed strong sexual interest, is now documented as one of the handful of proven giant panda sires.
Christen Wemmer, acting director of the National Zoological Park, ex- pressed his thanks to the staff of the National Institutes of Health and extended special thanks to Drs. Stephen O’Brien and David Goldman, who ,‘j worked on the project. Wemmer added, "The sophisticated laboratory tech- | niques that allow for the tracking of animal kinship links holds great jl potential for enabling successful genetic management in endangered species^ breeding programs."
In other news related to the world-wide effort to breed the giant panda in captivity, the zoo world was saddened to learn of the death on October 23 of Shao-Shao, the nine-year-old female in Madrid, Spain. She was the first panda to have successfully conceived by artificial insemination out- side of China, and the first to have delivered a litter as a result of AI. One of the twin cubs survived and is now one year old. "This is a real tragedy for giant panda captive breeding," said NZP panda researcher Devra Kleiman,
who noted that Shao-Shao was one of only three breeding females r outside of China. "She probably was one of the very few captive-born ani- J
mals to reproduce successfully."
— NZP MeiOA Re^QXLie.
16
Publications Available
jThe Endangered Species Technical Bulletin is once again available to the general public. The Wildland Management Center is making annual subscrip- tions available at cost. The subscription, $12.00 annually, is based on a minimum of 2,000 subscribers. An "Insert”, containing feature articles, short news items, book reviews and announcements of meetings and conferenc- es, has been added to the reprinted material. To subscribe send name, address, telephone and organization affiliation along with a check for $12.00 (made payable to University of Michigan) to: Endangered Species Technical Bulletin, Wildland Management Center, School of Natural Resourc- es, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
TURTLE TRUST TURTLE BOOK is scheduled for publication early this year.
It will contain 500 plus pages of information, range maps, 300 plus illustrations and will include the work of many author’s personal exper- iences with turtles. A solid tool designed particularly for those inter- ested in captive breeding. The format is loose-leaf to allow for updates. Each species is discussed on one sheet. If ordered during January 1984, the price is $35.00; the price will rise to $50.00 on 1 March 1984.
Direct order inquiries to Turtle Trust, Westport Point, MA 02791.
WANTED. .
Single man to travel eleven months out of the year with on educational exhibition of exotic felines OR birds. Must be a truck driver with commercial license, able to work with the public, keep accurate records, lecture and participate in television and radio appearances.
Salary $150.00 per week plus living quarters and
bonuses.
Contact:
Two weeks paid vacation the first year. Mr. or Mrs. D.H. Luce Rt. 3. Box 410 Trenton. Florida 32693
Telephone: (904) 463-7292 or (904) 463-6121
17
Legislative News
CompZte.d by Conway :
L2,gAjilatlv<i Coon^dlvLoton. j
TWO FLORIDA MAMMALS LISTED AS ENDANGERED IN EMERGENCY RULE |
An emergency rule listing as Endangered two small mammals known only from f one area in the Florida Keys was published by the USFWS on 21 September > and took effect immediately. The Key Largo woodrat {hio^otoma {^toM^dancL [
6maJdyi) and Key Largo cotton mouse PeA.omy-6C.ii6 g066ypXn.ii6 wCEapotacO-ta] |
are jeopardized by the loss of their forest habitat to residential and [ commercial development. An emergency determination was necessary to al- J low full consideration of the welfare of these animals and their habitat | during consultation on a Federal construction loan that could result in , accelerated habitat loss. During the 240-day life of the emergency rule, , the Service will proceed with development of a permanent listing. j
Both woodrat and cotton mouse subspecies are endemic to Key Largo, in f
Monroe County, Florida. Currently, they are found only on 1,150 acres >
in the northern section of the key where they depend on tropical hard- (
wood hammocks for their survival. With their floristic affinities to f
the West Indies, these hammocks support a rich biota, including many rare plant and animal species. Many of the tropical hardwood hammocks in the [ U.S., which reach the northern limits of their range in the southern pen- [ insular Florida, have been lost to development, and this habitat type is one of the most limited and jeopardized ecosystems in Florida. The ham- \ mocks of north Key Largo represent some of the best remaining tracts, but they are the proposed site of a large number of residential tracts. f A section of new water pipeline now extends into the area, and is expect- i ed to accelerate the pace of residential, commercial, and recreational development. Such intensive development in the Florida Keys generally results in destruction of the hardwood hammock ecosystem, even if indivi- I dual large trees are left in place. The Key Largo woodrat and cotton i
mouse are both considered by the State of Florida as Endangered, but their! habitat is not protected under State law. '
On 19 May, 1980, Dr. Stephen R. Humphrey of the Florida State Museum j
petitioned the USFWS to add the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse to ,
the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Species. The petition includ- ■ ed a status report prepared under contract to the Florida Game and Fresh i Water Fish Commission. On 28 July, 1980, the Service published in the ^ PC-dcAat R2.g-t6tCA a notice of petition acceptance and status review, and announced its intention to propose listing the two rodents.
In June 1983, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) requested f immediate consultation with the Service on a proposed loan to the Florida ; Keys Electric Cooperative for construction of a substation that would provide increased delivery of electricity to northern Key Largo. Such consultation is required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act [ because the REA is a Federal agency whose action may affect two federally i listed species in the area, the Threatened Schaus swallowtail butterfly ; [pap-ltio aAAJ)todma6 poncC.aniL6] and the Endangered American crocodile {CA0C0dylLL6 aciVtiU)] . The proposed electricity delivery system, which could serve up to 6,000 new residential units, would probably have even greater adverse effects on the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse, which prior to the emergency rule were not federally listed.
If the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse were not on the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Species, their welfare could not initially be given full consideration during the REA consultation. If instead these two mammals had been only proposed for listing, REA would have been re- quired under Section 7(a)(4) of the Act only to informally "confer"
18
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, Cowtlniidd
on actions that are likely to jeopardize their continued existence, and the Service would have made recommendations to reduce any adverse effects Upon a final listing, the REA would have been required to reinitiate con- sultation if the action may affect the species. This could have resulted in delays and increased project costs.
Effects of the Rule
The Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse are now listed as Endangered and benefit from the conservation measures authorized under the Endangered Species Act. Taking, possession, or engaging in interstate/international trafficking in these species are among the prohibitions in 50 CFR 17.21. Certain exceptions apply for agents of the Service and State conservation agencies, and permits for otherwise prohibited activities can be issued, for certain scientific, conservation, or economical hardship purposes.
A designation of Critical Habitat for the two mammals was not included in the emergency rule because the process for making such a determination would have delayed the listing, probably beyond the time needed to give consideration to the species during Section 7 consultation with the REA. However, the Service intends to include Critical Habitat when a permanent listing rule is proposed. In the meantime, the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse, along with their habitat, still will receive protection in accordance with Section 7. All Federal agencies (including, but not limited to the REA) shall ensure that any actions they fund, authorize, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the species by directly affecting the animals or by adversely modifying their habitat .
— Endang(2AQ.d SpecUe^ Technd-cal BiMiiZln [/ol. Vn, No, 10, OcXoboA 19S3
EPA CANCELS STRYCHNINE USE AGAINST PRAIRIE DOGS
Because "non-target" animals, such as the Endangered black-footed ferret, are being killed. Environmental Protection Agency moved on 19 October to cancel use of strychnine as a poison to kill prairie dogs and other ro- dents. Despite opposition from the Agriculture Department and the cattle industry, EPA announced in a EndoAOlt notice that it intends to
cancel within 30 days registration of all pesticide products that contain strychnine and are used to kill prairie dogs, rabbits, opossums, chipmunks and mountain beavers. Strychnine used to kill ground squirrels, porcu- pines and some species of rats and birds will be allowed if product labels are modified.
Nearly half of the 498,700 pounds of strychnine baits manufactured last year were used to kill prairie dogs, which can spread plague and destroy hundreds of acres of ranchland. According to Ron Michieli, vice presi- dent of the National Cattleman's Association, besides destroying vegeta- tion, prairie dog villages cause havoc in irrigation areas and stepping in a prairie dog hole can break a steer's leg. "We're sure as hell not calling for the destruction of the black-footed ferret," Michieli said, "but we would like fair play in protecting our resources."
A number of alternative poisons are available, EPA said, though none has proven as effective as strychnine against prairie dogs, and they will cost an estimated $1 million more to use.
~ — ECOLOGY USA OcXobeA 24, 1983
19
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, Continued
BIGHORN SHEEP IN QUIET CRISIS
Bighorn sheep, common from the Rockies of British Columbia to the waste- lands of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, are being threatened by a vast change in habitat and by disease. "There’s a quiet crisis going on," according to wildlife biologist James A. Bailey, who also noted that while the big- horn is not in danger of extinction, the herds are now only 2%-3% of what they once were. "The long-term trend has been downhill, and I don't think we’ve done much to stop it," Bailey added.
With state and federal budgets being slashed, the financial ability to slow this trend rests with private enterprises. Bailey is advising Colorado’s Martin Marietta Corp. in such a program. Waterton Canyon, home to one of Colorado’s few low-altitude bighorn sheep herds, begins at the back door of Marietta’s headquarters in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies .
Disease killed off roughly 80% of a nearby herd in less than a year, and its numbers dwindled from about 90 in 1980 to less than 20 in 1981. In t
order to improve the animals’ habitat, volunteers spent hundreds of hours > clearing 60 acres of scrub to provide open grazing areas close to the |
rocky locations favored by the sheep. The cost to Marietta was minimal.
Marietta is now developing a program for volunteers to perform controlled ■
burns on the land, opening up summer and winter range for the animals. |
The aim is to allow the sheep to be healthy, migrate freely, and maintain [ the same habitats they’ve always had. The obvious threat to bighorns is j: human encroachment on their territory. In desert lands such as the Baja,
man competes for water sources, and | there are other troubles that stem f from man’s tampering with the fra- ' gile ecological balance. l'
In the last 60 years, since natural | fires in national forests have be- j gun to be fought consistently, vege-i tation once controlled by those |
fires has begun to creep into big- ^ horn territory. Because bighorns ^
don’t have large, sensitive ears [
like deer and elk, they rely on their eyes to look for food and enemies. The encroachment of trees . and brush makes it difficult for [ them to see either. The underbrush [ also makes it difficult for bighorn i; to move from summer to winter ranges: A sedentary herd eats and defecates in the same place and thus is more ^ susceptible to diseases, particular-,; ly lungworms .
Even a low level of lungworm, car- < ried by snails that inhabit vegeta- \ tion eaten by sheep, can kill off f more than 90% of lambs at birth, and when the infection begins to destroy lung tissue, it can cause "die-offs" of 80-90% among adults. !
environmental
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IIM MnPRIQ P.O. BOX 2308 DEPT. EA4 Jim lYlUhKIb boulder. COLO. 80306
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20
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, Continued
Today just about every sheep herd has some level of lungworm infection.
In treating the sheep for lungworms, "we're only treating the symptom, not the causes. Unless we can commit a lot of money to habitat manipu- lation, you're not going to see any dramatic changes," Bailey concluded.
NORTHERN SHEEP ALSO THREATENED
Bacterial pneumonia is killing large numbers of sheep in Canada. In one basin 20 miles north of the Montana border, 400 of a herd of 500 sheep were killed by the bacteria. Nearly a quarter of British Columbia's 2,400 sheep have been killed in the past few years, and biologists fear it will spread to the herds of the United States.
Little is known of the origin of the bacteria. There is no known cure. Some animals are receiving experimental treatments, however, if this disease spreads to Glacier Park, the herds will not be treated because park policy requires that natural occurances such as forest fires and disease run their natural course.
Canadian biologist Peter Davison believes a major factor in the spread of the disease was stress. Winter ranges have been lost to subdivisions, in- dustry, and fire. "Some of these herds will be wiped off the face of the earth," Davison said. Bighorn sheep evolved to their present state in the last Ice Age and are not very resistant to disease in the present warmer climate. In Yellowstone National Park in 1981, more than 100 sheep because blind with keratocojunctivitis and fell from the cliffs.
ECOLOGY USA
SeptembeA 12, 1983
Imminent Herpetologist Die$> Memorial Fund Established
&
Submitted by Su6an Ban.na^d, Atlanta, Zoo
Dr. Edward Elkan, who was recognized internationally for his work on the pathology and diseases of reptiles and amphibians, died at the age of 88 on 4 July 1983.
A fund in memory of Dr. Elkan has been established and will be used to perpetuate his name and work. A number of commemorative ventures have been proposed and will be considered in due course. The most pressing requirement, however, is to ensure that Dr. Elkan 's unique collection of microscope slides and other pathological specimens is properly collated, mounted and maintained. Much of the material is already housed at the Royal College of Surgeons of England as the "Edward Elkan Reference Col- lection of Lower Vertebrate Pathology". Dr. Elkan passed this collec- tion on to J.E. Cooper before he died and was anxious that it should re- main intact and serve as a working collection. This will be supplemented with a number of Dr. Elkan ’s drawings, reprints and reference books. It is intended that this collection be widely used for study by herpetolo- gists, pathologists and researcher workers from a range of disciplines. All colleagues, friends and admirers of Dr. Elkan are invited to con- tribute to this Fund. Checks should be made payable to "The Edward Elkan Memorial Fund" and forwarded to the address below. Comments and sugges- tions concerning the Fund will be welcomed. Acknowledgement will be sent upon request only. However, a full list of subscribers will be compiled and affixed to the Collection. Reports of the Fund’s progress will also appear regularly in the herpetological literature. Please include full name, title and complete mailing address with your contribution. Return to: J.E. Cooper, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PN, England.
21
Bird Calls
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF HOODED VULTURES
hl2.cAo-}>ynd:<i6 monackiLS
By
John Cokm, KdzpoA I V^nve/i loo, VmveA, CO
The Denver Zoo received its breeding pair of Hooded vultures iNe,(lA.06y/Lte^ I monackubi, ) on 11 October 1974. They came to us as wild caught adults with [ no previous history. The birds were moved into our outdoor flight cage on . 24 June 1975 and they have remained there ever since. On 10 April 1982, they hatched and subsequently raised a chick. This is, as far as we can | determine, the first reported rearing of a Hooded vulture chick in captiv- i ity in the United States, and possibly the world.
The flight cage is an iron mesh outdoor exhibit, 29.5m long by 7.75m deep. The front of the exhibit is 7.75m high sloping down to 3.8m at the rear. ' The rear of the exhibit is formed of concrete rock to resemble a cliff face. There is a small waterfall that flows into two pools at ground lev- : el. The cage floor is planted with sod throughout. There are several |
natural wood perches and three living pine trees at the north end of the i
exhibit.
The exhibit is the permanent home for two Cinereous vultures (AegupJLbS |
monachal ) , four Golden eagles {Aqatla chAy^aoXo^ ) , one Red-tailed hawk j
(BittS-O jcimcU.ce.n6C6} and two Turkey vultures ( Ccuthcuvtc6 CiUAa ) in addition to ' the two Hooded vultures. From July to October, two Egyptian vultures [hlcoph/LOn peA.chopteA.u6> ) are also in residence. |
The birds remain in the exhibit throughout the year with the exception of the Egyptian vultures. All appear to be quite winter hardy. It snowed | once after our Hooded vulture chick hatched. The female was observed to j be lightly dusted with snow, but she brooded the chick with no apparent !
difficulty. The temperature at night during this time was in the low |
20* s. In the summer, prior to fledging, the temperature reached into the { low 90* s. During these hot periods, one parent would crouch over the chid' and spread its wings. The chick would then sit in the shade provided by j the adult.
j
Our Hooded vultures began breeding in October 1975. They built their firsti nest in mid-January 1976. They began producing eggs in 1976 and have con- | tinned to produce yearly since then. (See Table I) ■
On 8 February 1976, two eggs were observed in the nest. The eggs were described as white with pinkish/tan splotches. The eggs were found brok- en later on the same day. Two other eggs were subsequently found broken | in the nest. A fifth egg was* laid on 31 March 1976. The birds incubated this egg through 31 May 1976, at which time it was pulled and candled. It ‘ was determined to be fertile but dead in the shell. No other eggs were : produced that year.
Courtship behavior began again in September 1976, breeding was observed in October. The pair began adding new materials to their nest in Novem- ' ber. After the first egg of 1977 was found broken in the nest, it was decided to set future eggs under Banty hens for incubation. The Banty hen broke the first egg placed under it but set the second. The embryo subsequently died in the shell.
22
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF HOODED VULTURES, ConUnu^d
In 1978, the first three eggs were set under Banties. The fourth was left with the parents. The parents abandoned this egg after one week. Candl- ing disclosed that it was fertile. The attempt at artificial incubation of that egg failed. The three eggs under the Banty hens died in the shell.
Since the parents abandoned their egg in 1978, it was decided to pull the first egg laid in 1979 and let the parents set on any future eggs. It was felt that this would give them an egg fairly early in the season and hope- fully they wouldn't abandon it. Both eggs laid subsequently died in the shell.
We planned to use the same strategy in 1980 but we ran into dif f iculities . The first egg of 1980 was pulled and set under a Banty. She broke the egg the next day. The second egg of 1980 was found to be infertile. There were no other eggs that season.
After four years of unsuccessful attempts of incubating eggs utilizing Banties and various combinations of artificial incubation, the 1981 eggs were pulled as they were laid and placed in an incubator. Three fertile eggs all died in the shell.
For 1982, a completely different approach was decided upon. We would try for only one egg. We would pull the first egg laid and replace it with a dummy. We would then attempt incubation of the egg in a Turn-X(A) and replace it under the parents prior to hatching. This proved to be a suc- cessful formula.
On 17 February 1982, an egg was observed in the nest. It was pulled and the dummy substituted on 23 February 1982. The egg was placed in a Turn- X. Dry bulb temperature was 38°C. Wet bulb was 32®C at 59% humidity. The parents accepted the dummy egg without problems.
The egg was candled weekly and development was observed. On 5 April 1982, the 48th day of incubation, the egg looked completely developed. However, no movement was seen. Additionally, the egg showed indications of having died. We were ready to discard the egg when the curator remembered a similar experience that we had with the egg of a Cincereous vulture. In that instance, we opened a supposedly dead egg and found a live embryo. Thus, we placed the egg back under the female.
Normal incubation for the Hooded vulture is 46 days (Bannerman, 1953).
Our chick hatched on 10 April 1982 after 52 days of incubation. The chick was first observed on 11 April 1982. It was covered with dark brown down and its eyes were open. There were two small dark blue patches lo- cated bilaterally, just posterior to the cere. These disappeared by the 45th day. It began to moult its down on 25 April 1982. It fledged on 15 July 1982 at 92 days of age. Presently the chick retains subadult plumage with a dark brown head.
The nest was built in an artificial nest pocket on the top of the cliff face in the southwest corner of the exhibit. The same nest site is used every year. Branches and twigs were placed on the ground by zoo staff to provide nest material. Additionally, the female stripped fresh pine boughs from the trees at the north end of the exhibit. She would then use these to line the nest (Grossman & Hamlet, 1964; Brown & Amadon, 1968). Both parents assisted in nest building but most of the work was accomplished by the female.
The Hooded vultures seemed to establish a territory in the southern one- fourth of the exhibit. Once the egg was laid, they defended this territory
23
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF HOODED VULTURES, ConUnu^d
from the other birds of prey. The female would set on the egg, the male perched on a branch just in front of and below the nest. He would attack and chase other birds who entered the defended territory. Shortly after the Hooded vultures began defending this territory, it was noted that the other birds stayed in the remaining three-quarters of the exhibit.
Daily, at about 1530 hrs., a keeper would enter the exhibit through a ser- vice door in the cliff face. He would distribute two tubes, approximate- ly 4.15k of commercial Birds of Prey diet (B) throughout the exhibit. We have established 12 feeding sites throughout the exhibit. Food is distrib- uted in varying proportions to these sites. At least twice a week, mice, rats or guinea pigs were added to the diet. The male would eat first, then he would set the egg while the female ate. In contradiction to the litera- ture (Grossman & Hamlet, 1964; Brown & Amadon, 1968), the male was never seen bringing food to the female. I
!■
After the chick hatched, the remaining three-quarters of the exhibit was j fed as usual. The protected area got additional food. Four freshly- killed mice were added three times per day. In addition, approximately
0.23k of Birds of Prey diet was tossed onto the ledge next to the nest at the regular feeding time. The parents were observed feeding strips of mice and pieces of Birds of Prey diet to the chick. The parents appeared to eat first, then they fed the chick. They were never seen to regurgi- tate food for the chick. This again contradicts the literature (Grossman & Hamlet, 1964; Brown & Amadon, 1968).
The chick was observed feeding itself by mid-June. The parents would |
bring it mice, which it would dismember and eat on its own. It would i
walk to the Birds of Prey diet thrown onto the ledge and eat from it. |
i
While the chick remained in the nest, it was often exposed to human con- j; tact. There was considerable activity on the roof above him. There were | frequent observations and videotaping. On several occasions, keepers j
reached down to touch the chick while the parents were off the nest. The j parents appeared to be nervous when humans were around but they didn’t |
become aggressive or overly protective of the chick. The chick itself never showed any aggressive or defensive postures, other than facial flushing.
Several points were viewed by staff as important for the successful rear- ing of Hooded vultures. These are:
1. The birds will apparently incubate only one egg at a time in cap- ;
tivity, but will lay another if the first egg is taken; provided that |,
conditions are conducive to egg laying. 1
2. The parents will accept a dummy egg without problems even though the h dummy does not look like their egg. Vulture eggs are splotched, the dummy !; egg was plain white.
3. Although the nest is made of twigs and branches, the female acquires ■
soft material to line the nest. If pine boughs are not available, some | soft material should be provided. '
4. The pair protected the territory against all other species. If they |
are kept in a multispecies exhibit, sufficient space must be provided for , the other birds. J
5. Contrary to the literature, two points regarding egg incubation/chicl?j rearing and male-female feeding behavior while incubating should be noted. |,
24
:APTIVE breeding of hooded vultures, CoyvUnu^d
:he female left the nest to feed; she was not fed by the male. During ,:hese periods the male incubated the egg. Additionally, the parents did lot regurgitate food for the chick at any time.
I 6. Literature cited indicates an incubation period of 46 days. We lave observed an incubation period of 52 days in this instance.
he successful rearing of this chick was a collective effort, involving jieople in different areas of the Zoo. The author wishes to acknowledge ihe efforts of these people: Ed Schmitt, curator and Bruce Kane, Keeper T, breeding program development; Bill Loessberg and Archie Paulson, heper I's, management of Birds of Prey exhibit; Rick Haeffner, Keeper I, rtificial incubation of the egg. Questions may be directed to these eople care of the Denver Zoo, City Park, Denver, CO 80205.
|
TABLE I - EGG |
SUMMARY |
|||
|
ear |
#laid |
#infertile |
#died in shell |
#hatched |
|
975 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
976 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
!977 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
978 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
1979 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
980 |
||||
|
981 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
|
[982 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
IIBLIOGRAPHY
• The Birds of West and Equitorial Africa, Vol I. Bannerman, David, 1953
Oliver & Boyd London pp 340-341
• Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World. Brown, Leslie & Amadon, Dean 1968
McGraw-Hill New York pp 314-315
• Birds of Prey of the World. Grossman, Mary Louise and Hamlet, John, 1964
Clark N. Potter, Inc. New York pp 341-342
RODUCTS MENTIONED
. Turn-X Incubator - Marsh Farms, 14232 Brockhurst St., Garden Grove, CA, 92643.
. Nebraska Brand Birds of Prey - Animal Spectrum Inc., 5801 Locust St., Lincoln, NE 68516.
&
25
J^'n^cr6an^s
The Riverbanks Southeastern Regional AAZK Conference will be held April 19-21, 1984 at : the Riverbanks Zoological Park,; Columbia, S.C.
Soutflcastern ^caionai Confcre.n.c c.
priC ,t^81 Cdumfjia S.C-'.
by February 15, 1984.
Papers are requested for this | regional conference. Each '
paper will be limited to 20 minutes with a 5 minute ques- | tion and answer period. Top- ! ics should pertain to zoos & j zookeeping. Abstracts and/or ’ outlines should be submitted j The conference registration fee will be reduced for j
those people presenting papers.
Tentative Conference Schedule
Thursday, April 19
Registration
Icebreaker
Friday, April 20 Announcements /Welcome Tours of Riverbanks Zoo Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote speakers
Workshop /Discussion
Saturday, April 21 ,
Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote j' speakers ji
Bar-B-Q Supper/Volleyball j| game
Auction/Party
Sunday, April 22 — Post-conference trip to Congaree National Monument
Tentatively scheduled keynote speakers include: Bill Ziegler, General Curator, Miami Metrozoo; Guy Smith, Director, Knoxville Zoo; Dr. Joe Erwin, Curator of Primates, Brookfield Zoological Gardens; Les Schobert, General Curator, North Carolina Zoological Park; and Dr. Kenneth Gould, Head of Reproductive Physiology, Yerkes Primate Center, Atlanta, GA.
Please make checks payable to: "Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter". Send papers, completed registration forms with the registration fee to: Stephen J. Dankc Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210.
^
Registration Form i
Name : i
Address : i
City : i
State: Zip code:__ |
Phone No: ( ) '
Name of Zoo: I
Area of interest:
No. attending BBQ/Conf erence :
Vegetarian: ^YES NO
Transportation
FEES:
Member ^r spouse — $25.00 Non-member — $30.00 Late registration fee after 3/1/84 — $5.00 additional TOTAL fees enclosed: $
Hotel Reservation Request Form
Riverbanks Southeastern Regional
AAZK Conference !
Name:
Address :
City :
State :_ Zip code:
Phone No . : ( )
Arrival Date: Time:_
Departure Date: Time: ;
Total No. of Nights in Hotel:
Please check the type of room you j
wish to reserve:
Single $20.95 daily
(one person)
Double $24.00 daily
(two people)
Name of roommate: ]
Please send one night's deposit with 'f this form to; COMFORT INN, 827 Bush | River Rd., Columbia, S.C. 29210, careji of J.K. Mehta. Deposits will be re- ' turned on reservations cancelled 24 hours in advance of arrival.
LIMITED EDITION
SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE AKF TENTH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT
Animal Keepers’ Forum
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
TENTH ANNIVERSARY 1974 - 1984
AKF will be ten years old in October 1984. To commemorate ten years of continuous publication, a special T-shirt is being issued.
The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter has taken this on as a fund-raising project for the 1984 AAZK Conference. All profits will benefit the Conference and AKF.
The T-shirts will only be available from October 1983 through October 1984. A check must accompany your order. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. The price of $7.50 each includes postage and handling. The j shirts are 100% cotton; if you wash or dry at high temperatures, order a size larger.
i
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NAME:
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AKF COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM
Color choice: powder blue beige
I Size: Small ^Medium Large Extra Large
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|Make checks payable to: The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter Conference Account iMail to: Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Ave., N., Seattle, jWA 98103. ATTN: Judie Steenberg
I TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
Tke. i^olZoLOlng "Po^^iX^on6 AvcUZabln" weAe Aecexuecf at thu oUtad
oi AKf, In^ttMitloyiii u}ti)klng to adveAtu>ii mpl.oyme.nt oppontimittej^ oAe. a^ke.d to 6znd peJittvie,nt data by the. 15th oi e.ach month to: OppontuLvUty Knocks, AKf, 635 Gage. Btvd, , Tope.ka, KS 66606. Vue. to the. e-CUiZy hoZtday de.adltne., the. AAZPA lJj>ttng6 uje/ie. not n.e.c.etve.d tn time, and theAe.ion.e. not tncJiude.d in thti> ij>6ue..
ELEPHANT HANVLER-- experienced handler to assist trainer. Includes par- ticipation in African elephant husbandry program and exotic hoof stock management. Salary $924-$l , 224/month, plus benefits. Send resume to: Mike Blakely, Curator /Mammals, Kansas City Zoo, Swope Park, Kansas City, MO 64132.
Al/ES KEEPER/ ASSISTANT MAMAGER- -responsible for care of large number of birds in Chicago quarantine and holding stations. Current driver’s license, passport and previous experience with birds required. Basic knowledge of aves medicine, Spanish and carpentry helpful. Contact:
Jill Grade, Station Manager, International Birdhouse, 956 West Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60622 or call (312) 412-5458.
ZOOKEEPER- -responsible for care of small mammals, hoof- stock, reptiles and amphibians. Requires six months' experience in the care and maintenance of wild animals.
Starting salary $5.26 per hour, plus benefits. Apply by 31 January, 1984 to: Gordon B. Henley, Jr., Director,
Ellen Trout Zoo, P.O. Drawer 190, Lufkin, TX 75902-0190.
Seasonal positions at Oceana Marinelife Genter, G.N. 5006,
Gedar Point., Inc., Sandusky, OH 44870. Application deadline is 15 February 1984/interview required.
MARIME MAMMAE HANVLER-- (3 positions) - to assist trainers in care of dolphin and sea lion and in presentation of shows. Responsibilities include cleaning animal quarters and lab areas, record keeping, limited food preparation and mainten- ance of filtration system. Position requires public speak- ing abilities. Two openings are from 1 April-23 September and one from early June through 23 September 1984.
A(2UARIST--responsible for preparation of food for marine mammals. Monitors water quality and equipment used to control it. From 1 April to 23 September 1984, Requires background in biological sciences and aquarium systems.
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Please send complete name and address changes to:
Dolly Clarke Administrative Secretary AAZK National Headquarters 635 Gage Blvd.
Topeka^ Ks 66606
28
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name
Che.ck -Li AdvimaZ [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional VaJUL-tlmd KeepeAi
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$10.00 Associate Indtvtduati) not conne.cte,d tvttk an antmat coAd {^acAttty
$15.00 Affiliate
OtheA -iitaii and voluntddAS
VaAddtoAy In^oAmatton
$50.00 Contributing
0AganA,zattovu> and JncUvtduai^ U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Zdd (nJoAk kAda Spddtal JntdAd6t6
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the KnAmoJi KddpeA^ ' FoAum. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
AntmaZ KddpdAi ' foAum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles .
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6” x 10” (15 cm x 25^^ cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to Animat KddpdA6' FoAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
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Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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American ri»»u^i«»iwii Paid At Topeka
Animal
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:'. ’-Jl 10k ■i'*’**
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Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
FEBRUARY 1984
i
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Mike Coker Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Alice Miser Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
KyujnoJi FoAum (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the
American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of tKYwraoJi Keepers' FoAum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster Please send address changes to:
FEBRUARY 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER TWO
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC.
I 'NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 66606 .
Votly CloAk, Admlyu^tAatlvQ. SucAdtoA-y J
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center PA<li>Td2,vit
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park l/Tcc PA2A.ld2.yvt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
G2Aatd Payyi2., V2XaoaX loo
Continuing Keeper Education
Ju-c/lc Stemb2Ag, [Woodland PccAk
Historical Committee LaAAy SammoAco, LTnc-oln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jayi McCoy, (nJoA king ton PoAk Zoo
Coordinator for International Affairs Randy Adolph, St, Lolua Zoo
Research/Grants Committee
FAank Kohn, Ncutional Zoological PoAk
Awards Committee
Mtkc CAockcA, VtckcAAOn PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kcvtn Coyiway, NZP/CRC, FAoyit Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aum, Woodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms B2Ayvcc F2l.dman, Topeka Zoo
Program Library Mike CA0ck2A, Vtck2AA0n PoAk Infant Development Steve TayloA, LoiuAvtlle Keeper Accomodations List OlivcA Cla{^{^ey, M2XA0 ToAoyvto
Keeper
MoAy Slaybaugh, San Ayvtoyito 6 Vav^
Library Resource/Book Review
Ellen Leach, [Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Cestat ion
MoAy Muac, San FAancjAco Zoo Diet Notebook
South FloAida ChapteA, Miami Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PaAk Exhibit Design
Plane FoAAyth, AkAon Zoological PaAk Data Survey
L OAndoA^, Sea Wo Aid ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mike CoApeyiteA, Phoeyilx Zoo, AZ, VlAectoA
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P^eHeA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne VIII2AA LaAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShaApl2A Vacancy Candy Kao it
W.V. Stone MemoAlal Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo VetAoiX Zoo I ndlanapoliA Zoo Lincoln PaAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Woodland PaAk Zoo
Joanle Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NV
PA,NJ,MV,VE
VA,W,VA,V.C.
MI
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SV,NV
WA,0R,IV,MT,WV,AK
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
Tkl6 month' 6 KQ,2.p2AlAAtt6t ti> V2Zon.Qj> Sckmtdt Mho wo^kA at tho, AkAon looloQloaZ VoJtk tn AkAon, OH. The. sketch t& a composite, oi thAe.e. agz gAoup6 {4 Miu., b iA)kJ>., and S an A^/tlcan ltone^6 which Vel-OAe^
hand-Acuj>cd In the. Tati ol 19B2. Thanlzs, VeloAe^i
Scoops
and r^^Scuttlebutt
ANIMAL CARE REGISTRY OPEN THIS MONTH
The Animal Care Registry for the Washington D.C. Civil Service Area will be open from 2 February until 21 February 1984. The Register is only opened every IJ^ to 2 years and is the only way of securing a position at the National Zoo. Interested persons must secure and fill out Form 171 plus Supplemental Personal Information Form. Forms are available from:
Office of Personnel Management Attention: Room 2R52 Washington Area Office 1900 E St. NW Washington, D.C. 20415
Mike Johnson National Zoo Personnel Office Office of Animal Programs Washington, D.C. 20008
FROM THE OUTGOING AAZK PRESIDENT
Dear Fellow AAZK Members,
Thank you for all your support during my time as president. I know that the association is at a stage of growth and activity that will continue with your enthusiasm and with the guidance of our new president, Kevin Conway; Vice-President Jean Hromadka, and our new board members Mike Carpenter and Verona Barr. I am excited about continuing on this board for another two years and see the transition of offices going smoothly.
We owe thanks to Mike Maybry, Connie Cloak and Steve Taylor for all their efforts during their terms in office.
Thank you all for reflecting your professional enthusiasm in AAZK’s growth. You have made my presidency a satisfying experience.
Patricia E. Sammarco Past President Board Member Zoo Keeper
GRANTS COMMITTEE SEEKS HELP ON RESEARCH GUIDE
The AAZK Research Grants Committee is currently working on "A Keeper's Guide to Research in Zoos". The guide will consist of sections discus- sing research methods, ethograms, information gathering, data analysis and a section on applied research in which designs for research on specific animal families are discussed.
29
SCOOPS AND SCUTTLEBUTT, ConUna^d
The guide is intended to provide a keeper with a framework for organizing and carrying out a research project. Although it will be written by keepers, it is hoped that non-keeper zoo staff and non-zoo persons will also benefit from the guide.
Keepers are currently being sought who would be interested in working on the guide committee. If you have a desire to contribute and have an interest and/or background in any form of research, please contact me as soon as possible.
Frank Kohn
Department of Zoological Research National Zoological Park Washington, D.C. 20008
From the Membership Directory Editor
Dear Fellow AAZK Members, j|
!|
With many thanks for your patience, I must make some explanation and apolog- ^ ies for the lateness of the new edition of the MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY. I ;
think that you will find that the DIRECTORY contents are continuing to im- j prove, more information is available for our use in contacting members with jj common concerns, and the technology of typesetting is adding to the appear- || ance of the publication. You may or may not notice that we now have a kern- |: ing program that places letters together where appropriate, instead of j
wasting the space between them. * |
The work of putting the DIRECTORY together involves inputting it to a computerized typesetter after filing entries in proper order. Your help i
in indicating your zoos, chapter affiliations and correct addresses is a ' great help. The new renewal cards are working fine. Once all the inf or- |
mat ion is in, it is up to Rick the Printer to format line lengths, spacing, j
page sizes, etc. This is the art, and takes some time after the cut-off j; date for inputting information. ,
I
The DIRECTORY is ready to print and will be in your hands soon. It is, ij
unfortunately, a bit behind since the cut-off date for input was early j|
summer and it has taken a long time to coordinate my days off with Rick's ! to get it all done. Those of you who have moved, changed status, or »
joined the association within the last six months will understandably be j
disappointed with your listing or lack thereof. I apologize for this |-
and promise that I will be better at keeping up with the DIRECTORY from 1
now on . i
You will note that awards and grants are listed for the periods that were not previously published. An easy guide to finding Chapters is in the '
index and the separate pages that duplicated Chapter information from the main body are gone. Our membership has increased by over 13%, adding pages ^ to accomodate these new members and the expanded Incorporation Papers and : By-Laws. |!
Even with its limits, I think you will find the DIRECTORY useful and I ;|
will welcome your suggestions.
Slnc-QA^y,
VaZnyicA-CL E. Smma/ido VJRECTORV ^dUXon.
30
li
Births^^ Hatchings
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO Ste,ven M. (jUXng
December 1983 B&H include: 0.0.9 Blue tongue skink, 0.0.1 Diamond dove, 0.0.6 Common marmoset (0.0.2 DNS), 0.1 Patagonian cavy (DNS) and 0.3 Meerkat .
DALLAS ZOO Tam/. Jone^
The November and December 1983 B&H at Dallas include: Mammals - 0.3 Suni antelope, 1.1 Kirk's dik dik, 0.1 Blackbuck antelope (DNS), 0.0.1 African crested porcupine, 1.0 Gerenuk, 0.1 Yellow-backed duiker, 0.1 Dusky leaf monkey; Birds - 0.0.1 Yellow-fronted canary, 0.0.1 White-winged dove.
0.0.4 Spur-winged lapwing, 0.0.5 Black swan; Reptiles - 0.0.1 Cuban boa 'cplcJuLt2M anQiitijdn..
RIVERBANKS ZOO .Vlana K^ug
The second half of 1983 brought many interesting births and hatchings to Riverbanks. We had our first acouchl birth and the first birth of a siamang to be accepted and raised by its mother.
Mammal births include: 0.0.1 Black howler monkey (DNS), 0.1 Siamang, 0.0.1 Lion-tall macaque, 0.0.1 Debrazza's monkey, 1.1.2 Acouchi (1.1.1 DNS), 1.4 Capybara (DNS), 0.1 Baird's tapir, 1.1 Greater kudu (1.0 DNS), 2.0 Reticu- lated giraffe (1.0 DNS), and 0.0.2 Cotton-top tamarin.
Hatchings from the bird house include: 2.3 Radjah shelduck, 1.2 Mandarin duck, 0.0.2 Black-footed penguin, 0.0.2 Sun conure, 3.4.8 Cape teal,
0.0.5 Crested barbet, 0.0.1 Red-crested cardinal, 0.0.8 Crimson seed- cracker, 0.0.1 Stella lory, 0.0.3 Lilac-breasted roller, 0.0.3 Roul-roul, 0.0.5 Bluebill, 0.0.3 Luzon bleeding-heart dove, 2.4 Black-necked swan and 0.0.3 Burrowing owl.
MEMPHIS ZOO. RobaU L, Eva/u>
B&H at the Memphis Zoo for the month of December 1983 include: Mammals - 1.0 Llama, 3.0 Cape hunting dog, 0.0.1 Red kangaroo; Birds - 0.0.1 Hart- laub's touraco, 0.0.2 Gouldian finch and 0.0.2 Chattering lory.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO Randi/ McMahon/Su6an Moy
The following are the B&H for December: Mammals - 0.0.1 Lion- tailed maca- que, 1.0 Mandrill, 0.0.1 La Plata three-banded armadillo, 0.0.1 Patagon- ian cavy; Birds - 0.0.1 Double-striped thick-knee.
BROOKFIELD ZOO .....John S. Stoddcuid
iB&H for November and December 1983 include: Mammals - 0.0.27 White- i toothed shrew, 0.0.3 Spiny mouse, 2.0 Collared peccary, 0.0.2 Callimico monkey, 0.0.2 Squirrel monkey, 0.0.2 Guinea baboon; Herpetiles - 0.0.1 Brown anole.
31
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS. Continaid
TAKPA-BUSCH SARDENS Sandy MoheA
December 1983 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0 Thomson's gazelle, 0.1 Grant's gazelle, 0.1 Sable antelope, 0.1 Addax, 1.1 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.1 Roan antelope, 0.1 Kafue (Red) Lechwe, 0.0.1 Chimpanzee, 1.0 Hunter's hartebeest; Birds - 0.0.3 Cereopsis goose, 0.0.2 Blue and gold macaw, 0.0.1 Crested tinamou and 0.0.1 Jandaya conure.
LITTLE ROCK ZOO Cfi/itA Roaujua
The last quarter of 1983 produced the following B&H at Little Rock: 1.0 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.0 Guanaco, 1.0 Zebra, 2.0 Serval, 0.0.2 Sloth bear ( 1 DNS), 0.1 Diana Monkey (DNS) and 0.0.1 Crested screamer (DNS).
Coming Events
AAZPA WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 18-20, 1984 Sacramento, CA
AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 1-3, 1984 Little Rock, AR
AAZPA CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 15-17, 1984 Omaha, NE
AAZK SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 19-21, 1984 Columbia, SC
Hosted by the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter. Registration fee is $25.00. for members and $30.00 for nonmembers. Contact person at Riverbanks Zoo is Stephen J. Danko. Watch AKF for registration forms and information.
Keeper’s Alert
The AAZPA Western Regional Conference is to be held in Sacramento, CA the week of March 18-20. Realizing that the expense of registration plus lodging can often prevent keepers from attending, the Sacramento Zoo staff is willing to provide bed and sleeping bag space to help cut costs.
Please contact us at least two weeks prior to the conference. At that time provide us with the following information:
— Your name, affiliation, address and phone number — The number of people in your party — Whether you wish single or double accomodations — Dates you will need accomodations — How you are arriving (car, train, bus or plane)
As soon as this information is received, we will contact you to confirm your accomodations and give your further information. Send information to: Sacramento Zoo, 3930 W. Landpark Dr., Sacramento, CA 95822, Attn: Jane Hansjergen, Keeper Accomodations or call (916) 447-7383.
32
1985 State of the Association Report
a6 ^ubmZtted by ?n,(Li^ld(LYit Vat SammciKcio
The American Association of Zoo Keepers continues its growth in both num- bers of members and in activity. Over 1700 members are contributing their enthusiasm and time to the exchange of ideas that makes AAZK a truly pro- fessional association of people committed to ever improving animal care.
Administration within the association is changing as three board members are assuming their responsibilities, and as board officers take on their duties as of the first of the new year. Thanks are due to Mike Maybry, Steve Taylor and Connie Cloak who are finishing their terms, and congratu- lations are in order for new board members Verona Barr, Mike Carpenter and Jean Hromadka. Kevin Conway and Pat Sammarco continue on the board with Kevin elected to serve as the President for the next two years. Jean Hromadka will be our Vice-President. To fulfill the requirements of the incorporation papers, the president will also assume the titles of Secre- tary and Treasurer, with the duties delegated to National Headquarters and Administrative Secretary Dolly Clark. The oversight of various com- mittees has been distributed among the board members to facilitate the coordination of association activities and to better serve the members.
Within national association administration there has been a change in Chapter Affairs Coordination, with Gerald Payne of the Detroit Zoo taking over for Patti Kuntzmann. International Affairs Coordinator Randy Adolph continues to keep AAZK in communication with our sister associations over- seas. Mike Carpenter remains at the head of the Regional Coordinator Sys- tem, with plans for revamping the program and increasing regional activity Already there are plans for regional conferences and symposia hosted by a number of chapters.
Lynne Villers is to be thanked for the fine job of coordinating the nat- ional elections of the AAZK Board.
Without a doubt, the most active group within AAZK is the Continuing Keeper Education Committee. This group of sub-committees and programs has been incredibly busy locating and assessing existing keeper training pro- grams, sources of information pertinent to our profession, and developing I Keeper Training Videotapes. A video program on Keeper Safety was pre- I viewed at the National Conference and is now available. Other tapes are I in the planning stages, and other technology in this committee includes a computerized list of resources. Adding the Staff Exchange program to the list of projects, and the undertaking of writing a book to consoli- date zookeeping information under one cover, and a few new data collec- tion projects, leads to the recommendation that the best way to keep track of the education activities is to watch their column in Animal Keepers* Forum each month.
At the same time that we are looking at the need to continue our profes- sional education, AAZK has established a new committee to assess the zoo keeper’s role in public education.
The film project, "Looking To The Future", unfortunately exceeded its original concepts and has been terminated.
j As we continue to share the information vital to improving captive animal care, the notebook projects near publication, and data banks are filling.
! Information on ourselves and our professional concerns is being accumu- j lated by the Keeper Data and Professional Standards committees.
33
STATE OF THE ASSOCIATION REPORT, CoyvUna^d
Research grants made to keepers by the association have born fruit, and further grants are available to assist keepers in their quest for know- ledge. Connie Cloak’s and John Brannian’s study of the Echidna has been published; Sue Barnard’s atlas of reptile parasites and Stan Held’s Tailed-frog study are near completion. The second edition of ’’Biological Values" has funding, and a study of elephant nutrition is underway. Four grants will be available in 1984.
Our liaslon with ZOO BIOLOGY has been enhanced with Frank Kohn being named consulting editor of that journal.
The health and activity of the American Association of Zoo Keepers is a tribute to our members- — keepers who are dedicated to professionalism, people who are committed to improving captive animal care through the exchange of ideas and expertise. In a moment of immodesty, we can all be proud of ourselves and our association.
President
Dear Fellow AAZK Members:
Effective on January 1, 1984 AAZK has a new national board with three new enthusiastic keepers. We also have a new President and Vice President for the association. Jean Hromadka has been elected Vice President by her fel low board members. Other new board members are Mike Carpenter and Verona Barr. Pat Sammarco and I continue as board members through 1985. We will be working to keep AAZK the fine organisation it is while continuing its progress as a professional association. The AAZK national board’s purpose is to guide the association in the directions indicated by the membership.
It is also the time of year to turn our thoughts to attending regional conferences and workshops. I urge all our members to consider attending a conference in their region if at all possible. I think we should con- sider giving priority to the first AAZK regional conference. It will be hosted by the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter April 19-21, 1984 in Columbia, SC. For those of you who have attended conferences but never visited the Riverbanks Zoo, don’t miss this opportunity to see a fine zoological facil ity.
Also consider the numerous AAZPA regional conferences. Exchange of infor- mation is the primary conference purpose coupled with the opportunity to visit other facilities. Zookeepers have always attended these conferences in large numbers so think of attending yourself.
When you attend any conference as a member of AAZK, remember those of us who couldn’t make it. Once you’re back write something up about it for AKF. And if you’re going to attend a regional conference, please act as an ambassador of AAZK while you’re there, both to other keepers and cura- tors/directors as well. Dates and locations of all the regional conferen- ces can be found in AKF.
Finally, on behalf of the board of directors and our members, thanks are in order to the outgoing board members. Connie Cloak, Steve Taylor and Mike Maybry deserve many thanks for their contributions on behalf of the association.
Sincerely,
Kevd.n Conway AAZK Pn.(i6Zdiint
34
EDUCATION COrrilTTEE UPDATE
KEEPER
-"EDUCATION
By
JucUc Stiie.nb2Ag , Coordinator AAIK Education Committee
Roster ;
At the 1983 AAZK Conference the following list of committee members was confirmed by the Board of Directors. During the past year a few names have been added to the list as a place on the Committee became available. This list will now stand until the 1984 Conference. A poll was taken of members regarding their willingness to serve on the committee for one year or two years; the majority have agreed to serve for two more years .
* indicates Project Coordinators
*Elandra Aum
Staff Exchange Liaison *Wayne Buchanan
Keeper Training Videotapes *Bruce Clark
Zoonoses Reference Guide Connie Cloak Mike Coker Marilyn Cole
Kevin Conway
Bela Demeter *Jim Ellis
Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamental
Woodland Park Zool. Gdns., Seattle, WA Woodland Park Zool. Gdns., Seattle, WA Toledo Zoo, Toledo, OH
Cheekwood Botanical Gdns., Nashville, TN Topeka Zool. Park, Topeka, KS Metro Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conservation & Research Center, Front Royal , VA
National Zool. Park, Washington, D.C. Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo, s Gainesville, FL
*Diane Forsyth I Exhibit Design Form i John Jaffee I Jay Jason j Dwight Knapik I Frank Kohn
Brenda Scott-Lodge
Akron Zool. Park, Akron, OH
Potowatomi Zoo, South Bend, IN Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange, NJ Calgary Zoo, Calgary, Alberta, Canada National Zool. Park, Washington, D.C. 17245 SW Heritage, Ct. #37, Aloha,
OR 97006
*Liz MacGlaughlin Reference Search Russ Mennard *Beth Poff
Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence,
Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, Mill Mountain Zoo, Inc., Roanoke, VA
Manual Review Chris Rasums * Jenny Rentfrow
Reference Search *Douglas Richardson
Little Rock Zoo, Little Rock, AR 1951 Eden Rd., Mason, MI 48854
Howletts Park Zoo, Kent, England
Animal Management Correspondence Course
RI
RI
35
EDUCATION COMMITTEE UPDATE — Committee Roster, Continued
*Pat Sammarco
Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL
Board Representative and Zookeeper Husbandry Manual
*Judie Steenberg
Woodland Park Zool. Gdns., Seattle, WA
Education Committee Coordinator Laura Trechsel Adrienne Wright
Folsom Children's Zoo, Lincoln, NE Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, RI
The following members were unable to remain on the Committee due to other commitments. We would like to acknowledge their support and thank them for their contributions: Chris Parker, Metro Toronto Zoo; John Chapo, Potowatoml Zoo; Diana Quintero, Vancouver Aquarium; Robert Keel, Seattle, WA; Bill Hunt, Abilene Zoo; Kelli Westbrook, Little Rock Zoo; Mike Crocker, Dickerson Park Zoo; Rick Gutman, St. Louis, MO.
Goals for 1984:
- to identify and phase in a new Education Gommittee Goordinator by October, 1984.
- to establish a liaison from the Education Committee to the AAZPA.
- distribution of the Keeper Safety tape and the production of two additional training tapes.
- to investigate and pursue the possibility of having a special session
or panel discussion on staff training at the AAZPA Conference in Miami.
- to re-evaluate and redirect the manual review project.
- additional development of the reference search project.
- completion of the Zoonoses reference guide.
- development of the Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamentals project.
It was also decided that no additional projects would be considered until the 1984 Committee meeting at the AAZK Conference in October 1984.
Next month the list of participating institutions in the AAZK Staff Ex- change project will be published along with the name of who to contact at each institution. ^
Chapter News
DALLAS AAZK CHAPTER
LITTLE ROCK ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
Newly elected and re-elected officers of the Dallas Chapter are :
New officers for 1984 at the Little Rock Zoo AAZK Chapter are:
VXQ^ldent Kathy l\citey
\Itcie Vne^tdent Tent Henmann
SeciT/LecL6 Tamt Jone6
P/Le6tdent Vebbte Jacluon
l^tce P/ie^tdent. .... Ltia Peach
TA.ea6u/LeA Mcuik VameAon
SecAetoAy ChnJj) Rasum
36
Q: How many keepers does it take to change a light bulb?
Seattle has the answer.
Join us to exchange information about animal care, share new ideas, discuss common concerns, and meet fellow keepers from around the world.
For registration information, write Debbera Stecher c/o Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, Washington 98103 (206)625-5402
1984 AAZK Conference/Seattle, Washington September 30 ■ October 4
Book Review
SURVIVAL IN THE WILD--Sexua1 Strategies
By Tim Halliday
University of Chicago Press
5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637
147 pp. with Glossary and Bibliography
Published 1982. Price $10.95
Re.v^m by Jame^ L. Pou)eLt Se.nX.on. K.e.e.peA, Rone. AnXmal Bme.cU.ng Compound Oklahoma CXty loo
This is one book in a series entitled "Survival in the Wild". The series' purpose is to describe and explain the bewildering diversity of strategies displayed by the living world. Each book selects a biological activity vital to survival and describes the array of physical and behavioral adap- tations which have evolved as a result of fierce competition.
Other books in the series are: Camouflage and Mimicry by Dennis Owen and i Feeding Strategy by Jennifer Owen.
Survival in the Wild — Sexual Strategies is light reading with most exampl- i es being amphibians. There are over 25 color photos and over 50 black and white photos. The cover is an excellent photograph of Golden Toads mating in a cloud forest in Costa Rica. There are good photographic and graphic examples for description in all the chapters. j
I
The chapter on sex is basic biology using elementary examples. It high- ! lights sexual selection and reproductive effort. "Mating Systems" is a |<
chapter thoroughly explaining the immense variety of sociosexual situa- f
tions. j;
"Finding a Mate and Choosing a Mate" describes tactics from sessile aquatic j animals that shed their eggs and sperm to animals that modify their envi- j ronment to attract mates, to more sophisticated means such as visual, ol- I' factory and auditory means of mate attraction. Mate selection is treat- ; ed objectively and it is made clear that the idea of animals choosing their mates is interesting yet lacks scientific support. The chapter on mating deals largely with amphibians, anthropods and birds and their var- ious methods of mating. !'
Human sexual strategy is the topic of the final chapter. It is intrigu- ing and offers biological interpretation of sociology — not a new idea but one worth repeating. :
My favorite chapter is "Sex, the Family and Society", which cites kin '
selection, cooperative breeding and sexual conflict in social groups.
This book not only is an adequate reference to mating patterns in ani- I
mals, but it also offers important behavioral examples which zookeepers can use in their day-to-day task of creating better situations in which exotic animals may propagate.
38
One call does it all!
Bn
SoAg-lo OyoAZiim, P. Ag/L. , M. Sc.
AnjjnaZ HatnJjtiovuJit
MoJyLO Toronto Zoo, ToKowto, OntoJhio, Canada
Q. Is thawed frozen smelt an acceptable diet for Maribou storks?
Anonymouu>
A. According to the literature, this species is primarily a scavenger in its natural habitat, feeding mainly on carrion and also acting as a predator of other species of birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects (locusts) . So you can see that their natural diet includes a wide variety of foodstuffs and even though they may also consume fish, apparently this is of secondary importance.
Unsupplemented smelt, as the sole ration, definately cannot be con- sidered as an adequate diet for this species, and as a matter of fact for any species. If you take the time to look at the data presented in the accompanying table, you will see that certain nutrients (calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and perhaps iron) are provided at levels that could be considered adequate, some others (protein, fat, phosphorus, energy) are at levels in excess of possible requirements but should not cause any problems, particularly for a carnivorous species such as the Maribou stork. The selenium level, although extraordinarily high, considering the dietary requirements of birds and mammals ( 0.3ppm) is still below what is normally considered toxic ( 5 ppm) .
Vitamin A is also far in excess of requirements ( 2 to 4 times) if we consider that a commercial birds of prey diet provides approximately 4.41 lU/g, and pelleted feeds for zoo birds provide 10 lU/g, which in turn correspond to what is normally recommended for poultry rations.
I am not certain whether the high levels of these two nutrients will have deleterious adverse effects on your animals if kept on such a diet for an extended period of time. It certainly has not caused any problems in penguins, although this is a completely different species and the comparison may not be valid.
Tliere are other things that need to be considered when feeding fish to either mammals or birds. Fish, in general, and smelt in particular, contain very high levels of enzymes ( thiaminases) that destroy thiamine or vitamin Bp. Consequently this vitamin must be added. This problem can be easily overcome by supplementing at the recommended level of 30-50 mg of thiamine per kilogram of fish.
Furthermore, considering the high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish, it would be advisable to supplement vitamin E. A level of 50-80 lU/Kg of fish is perhaps adequate (!?). The need to supplement B-complex vitamins is another concern, particularly if fish is thawed in water.
Keeping in mind the natural dietary habits of the Maribou stork and the problems with a fish diet, perhaps it would be advisable to feed
40
FEED BAG , Coniyinadd
these animals on one of the commercially-prepared birds of prey diets as the sole ration or supplemented occasionally with certain prey foods such a mice, hamsters, chicks etc.
If, for reasons that you did not mention, smelt is your only alternative, I think that you may be able to obtain reasonable success with this diet providing you only use the very best quality fish, you supplement it with adequate levels of minerals and vitamins, and at the same time you closely monitor all factors that may cause deterioration of fish quality and loss of nutritional value.
S. OyoAzun
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SMELT USED AT THE METRO TORONTO ZOO (*)
|
LAKE SMELT SMALL(EYE) SIZE |
JUMBO |
ATLANTIC MEDIUM |
SMELT EXTRA |
||
|
Dry matter |
0 |
22,77 |
22.92 |
20.46 |
22.75 |
|
Crude protein |
9, |
59.50 |
67.30 |
71.50 |
68.10 |
|
Fat |
q, '0 |
33.99 |
19.80 |
12.84 |
15.20 |
|
Crude fiber |
a '0 |
0.33 |
0.28 |
0.20 |
0.33 |
|
Ash |
0. |
7.48 |
10.10 |
9.39 |
9.51 |
|
Gross energ)' |
Kcal/g |
6.20 |
5.67 |
5.05 |
5.48 |
|
Calcium |
9. |
1.55 |
1.27 |
2.20 |
1.39 |
|
Phosphorus |
a *0 |
1.50 |
1.45 |
2.15 |
1.90 |
|
Magnesium |
a v |
0.10 |
0.09 |
0.12 |
0.12 |
|
Potassium |
% |
1.05 |
1.08 |
1.07 |
0.91 |
|
Sodium |
% |
0.20 |
0.41 |
0.43 |
0.34 |
|
Manganese |
ppm |
5. |
9. |
10. |
8. |
|
Copper |
ppm |
0 |
2 . |
2. |
2. |
|
Zinc |
ppm |
76. |
84. |
92. |
80. |
|
Iron |
ppm |
43. |
25. |
43. |
38. |
|
Selenium |
ppm |
1.05 |
1.20 |
1.00 |
1.22 |
|
Vitamin A |
lU/g |
36.7 |
38.3 |
18.7 |
24.6 |
(*): All nutrients are expressed on a 100% dry matter basis. Data presented correspond to whole raw smelt (one sample of each only) analyzed at the University of Guelph, Dept, of Animal & Poultry Science Feed Advisory Programme, July 1982.
41
THIS ARTICLE HAS NO TITLE FOR A GOOD REASON!!'
By
Jim ktbdhJi
BoJtdX-okQA, BalcLono^ VnJjnoXo. labon.atoH,y Gn-Oiddxatd Stad£.yit, Ve.paAtme.nt ol AnthAopoZogy LlyilveJU'Uty oi Te.xaA cut Aiutln, Atutln^ TX
In this article, the first of a series, I’d like to introduce you to a tool, one that many people (including many grad students) are ’’afraid” of. In spite of the feelings of dread that this tool generates in many people, it doesn’t have whirring blades or mashing pistons and doesn't even pro- duce heat or high voltage; in fact, it can’t inflict damage at all (unless you become addicted to its use, perhaps).
Use of this tool, unlike most in the zookeeping craft (such as hoses, brooms, shovels, etc.) is very much optional. As such, it probably isn’t for everyone in the profession; but since you are sufficiently dedicated to belong to AAZK and to read AKF— why not read on and base a decision about the usefulness of this tool in your own work on my full argument?
I am referring to the computer, specifically the "micro” or "personal” computer. The purpose of this article and those that will follow is to present a usable system that costs less than $100 and to explain how it can meaningfully be applied at the zookeeper level in a zoological park. I will as much as possible avoid the use of arcane words and cryptic phrases, but words — like computers— are nothing to be afraid of. The essential point of this article is simply that what you don’t know as a result of not using a computer may be far more frightening than any elec- tronic device— these are times of declining wild populations and unstable captive ones, and a specie’s future may depend on your being able to sift through mounds of records and layers of confounding factors.
Even though your zoo may have access to a mainframe (big!) computer, or have its own microcomputer such as an Apple, Tl, or IBM, I think it is important that this critical tool be put into the hands of the individual keeper for personal investigations. Too often, institutionally-owned machines fall under the control of a "computer elite,” or classes in pro- gramming might be "required”, or at the very least, you have to wait your turn. With your own computer, none of this is a factor; and with the declining prices in the lower-end personal computer market, a zookeeper could very well be able to afford his own. I want to encourage you to consider buying a computer, and in the next article will look at the best buys .
So, what can a zookeeper do with a computer? Applications include manipu- lating animal census data—by copying parts of the ISIS Species Distribu- tion reports into your machine, you can reformat them to your own needs.
I very usefully did so with colob ine primates when I worked with several such species at the Dallas Zoo. The computer will allow you to juggle information so as to see patterns that you would otherwise miss.
Also, you can use a computer to do statistics. Statistics are simply a method of reducing information into meaningful patterns, and are, like computers, nothing to be afraid of. Sources of data that could be bene- ficially looked at statistically could be as close as your dally report forms .
The computer is also a useful tool for record keeping. The cassette
42
HIS ARTICLE HAS NO TITLE FOR A GOOD REASON!!!, CoyvUnu^d
zorage system that budget limits most of us to is very slow; I still italog my books on file cards. However, I do keep a listing of the 68 )nkeys that I work with on the computer, and as a result I can keep track : who has lost name tags and adjust a group's food ration when membership lifts.
presented a paper at a conference last year that made use of graphic -ides generated by my computer. I wrote a brief program that moved typed- 1 text around on the screen; when it looked the best, I photographed the \l screen, and mounted the resulting black-and-white negatives in slide )unts. The results were very readable. Charts and diagrams can be made i a similar fashion.
le computer can be employed as a learning aid, asking you questions at iindom from memory, and even timing your responses. And it doesn’t even Hugh if you answer incorrectly.
j intend to cover all the above practical applications in greater detail ji upcoming articles. But, I must say that I cannot teach you in this i'.ries how to program or to "do” statistics. I’m trying to give you good ':asons to teach yourself those things. I am convinced that the average iirson can teach himself BASIC, the most common microcomputer language,
'.th little difficulty.
'' conclude this installment: the computer is a useful tool for zookeepers, .personal computer can allow the keeper to concentrate on what interests Im when it interests him, and at an affordable price. Some learning is :quired, but it is not difficult, and is an excellent personal invest-
!nt. This series of articles in AKF is designed to introduce you to e usefulness of computers and to encourage their use by zookeepers.
I COMING ARTICLES:
i —the affordable computer
j —sorting it all out
, — -figuring it all out
— -self-tutorial programming — theory and the zookeeper computist
iy comments or questions about this series are welcome. Write to:
.W, Albert, Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, istln, TX 78712.
BICAN FIELD SERVICE SEEKS HOST HOMES FOR CONSERVATION STUDENTS
I International, the leading non-profit, volunteer supported youth ex- Uge organization, is this year inaugurating a new program: the Multi- alonal Conservation Program. This summer program will bring 60 to 100 >ig adults from around the world to the U.S. for three weeks of conser- lilon/environmental studies and "hands-on" conservation work, followed yiive weeks homestay experience with a U.S. family. Students range in ; from 15-30 and come from 19 different countries. If you are interest- iLn offering your home and serving as a host to one of these students n 29 July through 30 August, 1984 contact: Carolyn Yohannes, AFS larnational/intercultural Programs, 313 East 43rd St., New York, NY IL7 (212) 661-4550. Deadline for application is 15 March 1984.
43
FOR LOVE OF PIPPEN A Bat Rescue That Beat The Odds
By
!
Siuan BoAna/id, S2,vilon. Ke.epeA '
V^pt. o{^ HeApoXology
Atlanta loologtaal VoJik '
Atlanta, GA
\
[EdUton.’^ Hotz: The, ^olloMtng l6 an account oi a veJiy unusual young lady and heA chance cncounteA Math an animal in deApoAotc need o^ help. Only heA coAing conceAn and 6acAi{^ice along Math heA deteAmanataon to "beat j the oddU>" make thl6 ^toAy a Aealaty,] |
On 11 June 1983, Karen Peterson was expecting to spend a pleasant after-' noon with old friends at an annual school picnic. Arriving at Moss Park,^ Orange County in Florida for the event, Karen was disappointed to find ' that only one other person had come and so went down by the nearby lake to write and enjoy the sunshine. '
In her own words, these are the events that transpired that afternoon:j "Near one of the benches sat a fat squirrel. I was whistling trying to i coax him closer when I was startled by squeaks answering me. Looking to my left, I saw a star-shaped black icky thing crawling towards me. I jumped off the seat away from it!
The bat followed me dragging two large red ants. One was clinging to its right claw and the other to its right rear foot. Once I recognized i
that it was a bat, I flicked off the ants and threw out the coke in my j
paper cup. I squiggled it into the cup just before the pavement ended.
I went to the ranger — no help. I went back to St. Cloud to the vet. Dr. Andrix. The bat was still in the cup, at least till I got to Dr. Andrix.j By that time the bat has crawled out of the cup (which was slanted to ' provide shade). Dr. Andrix couldn't help and he suggested the Serpentar- j ium. That's where I got Susan Barnard's name. After calling Susan, I ' called George at the Serpentarlum for help on the list of things you sale I needed. After traveling to three different places for supplies, I | discovered I did not have EspilaePbut Peidolyte® an electrolyte water solution. By this time the poor thing had been traveling with me in the heat and I knew it needed something desperately.
!
I gave the electrolyte solution to the bat and it drank greedily. I soaked the soft cloth she was on and she lapped it up from there. Then I used a damp cloth to clean off any coke that might have clung to her. |j She then slept peacefully with a pillow case puffed over her. Then I jj called Susan who told me to get Similac® She liked that much better. j|
To put it frankly, I am an animal amateur. Bats are out of my league.
For some reason I just couldn't let the little thing die. That s when j, I decided to bring the bat to Susan in Atlanta. j.
That night Pippen (now identified as an Eastern Pipistrelle, the smallesj bat species on our continent) crawled out of the box, under the bathroom j door, through the bedroom, through the hall (past the dog and cat), unde, my bedroom door and ended up clinging to the bottom of a broom. The only^ way I found her was by whistling and Pippen would answer. i
When I fed her Similac® again, she wasn't satisfied. The next day I left' for Atlanta, a 500 mile journey. While traveling toward Atlanta I tried
44
-OR LOVE OF PIPPEN, CoyuUnued
:o keep the box out of the sun because the car’s air conditioning wasn’t TOrking. Everytime she moved I would try to feed her a little more, but Lt was soon apparent that she didn’t like the Simllac.®
Jhen we stopped to eat, I brought the box with me, fearing if I left it Ln the car she might escape again."
Caren’s car broke down in Cordele, GA (150 miles from Atlanta) at 2:50 ).m. The Atlanta Zoo was sponsoring a festival and her expected time of irrival was 5 p.m. I informed her that she would not be able to get in :ouch with me until then. I told her that I would be at the phone at ) p.m. in case she needed Instructions on how to get to the zoo. She lad to wait from 2:50 to 5 p.m. before she could let me know that she Tas still 150 miles away.
I'Near 5 p.m. we traveled to a nearby Pizza Hut to call Susan and my rlend Mary’s husband, Hal. We were on foot with a human infant as 'ell as a bat in a box."
i|
I P-lppen beyCng hand-/LCLl6ed by Su^an Ba/ina/id. Photo by: Zcak PeAAy.
i
lien I received Karen’s distress call, I hopped in my car to make the 00 mile round-trip to save the bat. I told them to walk to the near- S'l' Holiday Inn to find some comfort in the lobby while I was enroute to .tet them.
!|
I.al agreed to send money as soon as we knew where we were staying. While awaited Susan’s arrival, we decided to eat. I covered Pippen in the een fuzzy and placed the pillowcase like a hill over her to keep out the ',ld. Crawling and straining, she climbed to the highest spot on the jillowcase and began flapping away. Mary and I had been so careful not Hj say "bat" while we were around people, knowing that they would probab- 3 not feel too comfortable eating there with a (horrors!) bat! Boy was ^mortified to see those wings af lapping. I could just imagine chasing it at dinky thing all over the place. I wanted to move. So we quickly illft and waited in the Holiday Inn lobby.
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46
Idr love of PIPPEN, Coyitlnuzd
it was mostly luck that Plppen got to Susan in time. I thank her so much hr restoring my dying faith in humanity. I was beginning to feel like I "one bat against the world" battle 'til she came along."
arrived 2h hours after their SOS. I found two exhausted young girls and ae screaming infant human and an unconcerned infant bat. I made some rrangements to have their car serviced for the next day as it was Sunday i^ening. I scouted around to find the nearest Western Union so they could |st Hal to wire money and I paid for their motel room for the night. Short- y thereafter, I wished them good luck on their long day ahead in getting heir car repaired and returning home. I departed with one 2.8 gram, iangry bat. It was too small for the carrying case I had brought so it raveled the 2^^ hour trip to Atlanta in my uniform pocket. I keep an Imergency supply of food at home for baby animals. At midnight it got ts first substantial meal since 9 a.m. the previous day.
loday Pippen is learning to fly. She is a very stubborn brat and is lonths overdue for flying. To inspire flight, she received no food jwax worms) until she puts in a good showing in the air. Like the big irown bat Egore ( See August 1983 AKF Page 246), she lives in a convert- d snake cage. Although Egore and Pippen routinely share my pocket each vening, they are not fond of each other. Since bats are not aggressive hey express their lack of friendship with irritation squeaks. It is ery convenient for me that these critters are basically sweet animals, gore is three times larger than Pippen and not having to maintain them eparately is a pleasure.
he first to leave my pocket is Pippen. She bops around the place slight- y moth-like, slightly crab-like and always cute as she struggles to get ff the ground. Egore is then set into motion. Being a year old and airly experienced at flying, Egore wings through the air like a Sopwith amel.
3th animal have their own homes to eliminate competition and needless tress. Egore knows her home and when it's time to return I open her por and she gladly flies in to feed on her evening meal (wax and meal prms) . Pippen still has a long way to go to master what Egore has, but Lth time and patience, she too will be able to do the things Egore does.
■zdJXo^'6 note: The. above. maXeAlal tooA 6abmv(Xe,d an August {^ottoM-lng the gat AeACLie". The. ^oltoMtng aj, a New Ve.aA'6 update, on hoi/j ?tppe.n ti>
'UAtng undeA the. Aehabttltatton c^^oAts oi Su2>an BoAnoAd. )
Lppen holds her weight at 5 grams (overweight by about 1 gram but still nailer than my thumb) and has changed little. She has reached her peak j: flight for this year which is a far cry from a Sopwith Camel! We still Lay the "boomerang" game. I throw her in the air and she flies one revo- htion around the living room and I catch her as she passes to land in jne dining room. Then we repeat the process until one of us tires (usual- 7 me) .
i:om her behavior I do not think Pipistrelles hibernate as do such bats j[5 the Big Browns (Egore). Egore 's activities all but completely halt j:om November to April. Pippen, on the other hand, remains active.
rch in her cage. She was pinned between the perch and her dinner bowl, heard the thud and immediately rescued her, however she was in deep lock for over an hour. I almost lost her. I sat with her for several )urs to keep her warm. When she recovered I was able to examine her e body and no bones appeared broken. She was maintained on a heating id for two days after which she regained her normal bitchy ways.
i
47
THE 1983 ANIMAL DATA TRANSFER FORFl SURVEY
ATTENTION: All Keepers! Please answer the following questions. (1) Please send this survey right from the AKF or (2) photocopy the survey from the AKF and complete the photocopy or (3) use a piece of paper for your survey Send completed survey to: Bernie Feldman, Miller Park Zoo, 1020 S. Morris Ave., Bloomington, IL 61701.
1) Have you seen or are you familiar with the Animal ^ata Transfer Form? |
YES NO ?
2) Are you satisfied with the style of the ADTForm? j
YES NO ?
3) Have you used the ADTForm at your Zoo/ Aquarium? S
YES NO f
4) Have you received the ADTForm from other Zoos or Aquaria? ^
YES NO ;
5) If you've received the ADTForm, has it been helpful to you? i
YES NO i
6) When you received the ADTForm, is it properly & completely filled out? ,
YES NO I
7) Are you able to properly fill out the ADTForm? ;
YES NO i
8) Are you aware that ANYONE can make an order for any amount they want? !
YES NO
9) Are you aware that the ADTForm is FREE, a professional courtesy of
AAZK to anyone? ^
YES NO I
10) Would your zoo/Aquarium pay a nominal fee for use of the ADTForms? -i
(e.g. $_/100 ADTForms) I
Yes NO [
11) Would you recommend the use of the ADTForm for all Zoo/Aquaria? j
YES NO I
12) If your Zoo/ Aquaria doesn't currently use the ADTForm, would your 1
management welcome its use? i
YES NO I
13) Are you aware that photocopying the ADTForm is discouraged because it
has a self-dupl i eating feature and is intended for Keepers, Veterin- ! arians, and Management? ■
YES NO I
14) Do you like the self-duplicating feature of the ADTForm? j
YES NO
15) Are you aware of how to order the ADTForm and whom to contact?
YES NO '
16) What changes or suggestions would you recommend on the ADTForm? Please
use the space provided for your comments or add additional sheet of ^ paper if necessary. '
Comments/Suggestions: |
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME BeA^tce VoAdman, AVTfoAJv CooA.dincutoA.
I Animal Data Transfer Form Survey Results
By
BeAyilo, Feldman, Coo^dlncuto/i AVT Fohm VKojact
Topeka Zoolog-leat PoAk, Topeka, KS
In the April 1983 AKF I had submitted the Animal Data transfer Form Survey jfor all Keepers to respond to. By late summer I had received the last re- sponse and began compiling and summarizing the results. Thirty-one sur- veys were returned.
The survey reflects the attitudes Keepers have towards their animals when they are shipped to another zoological institution and their concern that a continuance of professional care be ensured. 1 would like to acknow- ledge the assistance of Verona Barr of the Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington,
!iL for helping me to develop the survey. 1 would also like to heartily thank all the Keepers who took the time to send me their completed survey. iHere, therefore, are the results of the survey (See survey opposite page).
iQuestion #1 — ■ 93.5% of the returned surveys said yes, they have seen or are familiar with the ADTForm. 6.5% said no.
!#2 — 93.5% said they were satisfied with the style of the Form. The re- mainder said they’d like to see the following changes: On the top of the Form the white copy have : Keeper receiving animal; the yellow copy have: receiving Zoo/Veterinarian; the pink copy have: Keeper /Zoo sending animal. Another change suggested is that the dam/sire numbers should be mentioned ;on the sheet. 6.5% said they weren’t sure they were satisfied with the 'Style of the Form.
#3 — 87% said they have used the Form at their Zoo or Aquarium while 13% said they had not.
#4 “ 58% have received the Form from other institutions; 35% have not received the Form from other Zoo or Aquaria and 7% don’t know.
£5 — 58% who have received the Form said it was helpful to them, 3% said it was not helpful to them and 39% gave no answer.
//6 — 39% said it is properly and completely filled out when received,
39% gave no answer and 9% said not always.
#7 — 93.5% said they were able to properly fill out the Form and 6.5% said they are sometimes able to properly fill out the Form.
#8 “ 77% are aware that ANYONE can make an order for ANY amount they want and 23% were unaware of this feature.
#9 — 84% are aware that the Form is FREE, a professional courtesy of AAZK to anyone and 13% are unaware of this feature while 3% gave no reply.
#10 — 39% said their Zoo/Aquarium would pay a nominal fee for use of the Form, 16% said their Zoo/Aquarium V70uld not pay a fee, 6% gave no answer and 39% added the following remarks: maybe, unsure, possible, probably, do not know and AAZK Chapters might pay a nominal fee for use of the Form. One respondent said, "I spoke to my Curator about this. He uses the Forms and highly recommends them. However, being practical minded, he wouldn’t pay for a service already provided for free. Good luck."
#11 • — ■ 100% of the returned surveys said they recommend the use of the Form for ALL Zoos and Aquaria!
#12 — 29% said yes, their management would welcome the use of the Form if it doesn’t currently use the Form, 16% said maybe or don’t know and 55% gave no answer.
49
ANIMAL DATA TRANSFER FORM SURVEY RESULTS, ConjUnuad
#13 — 68% are aware that photocopying the Form is discouraged because it has a self-duplicating feature and is intended for Keepers, Veterinarians and Management. 26% are unaware of this feature and 6% gave no answer.
#14 — 90% like the self-duplicating feature of the Form, 3% did not like the feature and 7% gave no answer.
#15 — 77% are aware of how to order the Form and whom to contact while 23% are unaware. FYI: The ADTForm is available from the National Head- quarters AAZK, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
#16 — The following are the comments, suggestions or changes that the respondents have mentioned: 1) I am satisfied with the Form as is. 2) I think they are wonderful but I think if AAZK began charging for them people would make up their own. 3) I really like knowing who sent the information and have often times called this person for more information.
I keep the Form in the animal’s file and find it useful over the years as a quick reference and for diet suggestions. 4) There may be cases where management does not give the Keeper his/her copy. Is there something that can be done about this problem? Answer: At this point AAZK cannot do any- thing about this problem. Perservere. 5) Knowing how much I appreciate the information forwarded on the ADTForm when I get a new animal, I make sure every animal that leaves my area is accompanied by a Form. It’s a great resource! 6) An older version of the Form is still being used in several places. Space needed for entry under any given heading is more thhn adequate to thoroughly fill out the Form. 7) ADVERTISE! Would it be possible to send samples to some zoological institutions not currently using the Form? We don’t receive enough of them. It is disappointing because the ADTForm is a great tool. The Forms do not accompany many animals we receive. FYI: The AAZPA Newsletter and the AKF regularly pub- lish notices of the ADTForm’ s availability. 8) After using the original ADTForm for two years and having seen the revised ADTForm, I have no !
suggestions, only praise for all the work you’ve put into this valuable j
piece of information. 9) Have the Form at the 1983 Conference in quantit- [
ies for Keepers to take back to their Zoos. Present a update at the 1983 f Conference and show a sample for those who haven’t become familiar with 1 it. FYI: At all Zoological Conferences the ADTForm is available to every- one. 10) On some animals I find the comments sections does not have enougbi’ room so I type a supplemental sheet, photocopy it 3 times and attach a [
copy to each copy of the ADTForm. Usually that’s with hand-raised ani- f
mals or ones we’ve had a long time and have a long history. I think the '
ADTForm is invaluable — info from other Keepers has saved me lots of trial and error with new animals. (It’s also started some correspondence and ■ friendships with other Keepers when I let them know how their animal is ^
doing.) 11) Would be helpful to have more space for comments and data ii
i.e. legal sized paper. 12) Get AAZPA backing! 13) After personal com- ^ ments an i.e. of suggestions like distinguishing marks or attitude to- ward Keepers should be added. 14) Works fine when we get enough lead time to fill them out. 15) I think it’s great. 16) Dam/sire numbers should ]
also be mentioned on the sheet. ;
As we can see through the results of this survey, the ADTForm is well- received and continues to provide valuable information about animals when \ they are shipped from one zoo to another. Encourage their use at your Zoo or Aquarium. !
50
[Legislative News
I Comp^e,d by fCeuXja Conway
liiQAjiljCutLvd CoofidinatoK.
jrWO FOREIGN REPTILES PROPOSED FOR LISTING, ONE FOR DELISTING
:wo lizards that occur on islands under the jurisdiction of Spain have )een proposed for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to threats from habitat destruction, overcollection and predation. At the same time, a turtle from India and Sri Lanka was proposed for removal from the provisions of the Act because a review of its status indicates ;hat it is much more common than previously believed.
'Che Hierro giant lizard [GoJUiotlja ^imOYiyl ^Ajnonyl] is a large species, up j;o 70 cm from, the snout to the tip of the tail, and is found only on the Canary Islands. It is one of 18 foreign reptiles included in a notice of review published by the USFWS in August, 1980. Based on information received that the lizard was extinct, the Service decided that no further iiction was warranted. The Service subsequently received further informa- tion on G.4. 6-imony-l from Dr. Brian Groombridge of the International Union Eor the "Conservation of Nature and Nature Resources (lUCN) . A 1982 article ay J.P.M. Rica stated that the lizard survives on a steep, rocky, arid cliff. Reproduction is occurring on this refugium, as about half of the estimated population of 200 lizards in 1975 were juveniles.
Although concerns about the species’ extinction appear to have been, for- tunately, premature, threats to its survival persist. A stone-breaking facility has been proposed for construction at the cliff. This develop- ment would directly impact the lizard and adversely affect its plant food sources through excessive deposition of dust. G. 6. ^Ajnony-l, which is entirely herbivorous, also could be in competition for young plant leaves With goats that graze the area. Several European scientists have indi- cated that overcollection is another problem that has contributed to the ■precarious status of the species. Predation of juvenile lizards by gulls 'could also be a factor, although the degree of impact is not known. The lizard is considered a top priority for action and research by the Con- iservation Committee of the Societas Europa Herpetologica .
Ilhe Ibiza wall lizard [VodaAcJj, pdXya^ 2,n^Lb] is a small reptile found in the Balearic Islands, mainly on Ibiza and Formentera, and on some parts of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean Sea. Because of the large number of small islands within its range, considerable evolutionary divergence has occurred, and there are 35 subspecies. In a 1982 report, Rica and A.M.C. Costa reviewed the status of 32 of these subspecies. The vast majority ^of the lizard populations were found to have been reduced by 1) destruc- ition and alteration of habitat by tourist developments, 2) direct killing by poisoning, 3) overcollection for commercial and scientific purposes,
4) hybridization of some subspecies resulting from transport and release of lizards among various islands by fishermen, and 5) predation by gulls and other animals (thought to be a minor problem).
The Indian flap-shelled turtle (1X6-6 emt/4 punctata punctata) is a softshell species found on the Indian subcontinent and on Sri Lanka. Male turtles 'are usually less than 6 inches in length and females less than 11, and I both have brown, somewhat domed shells. This turtle was listed in 1976 as Endangered after being placed, upon recommendation by Bangladesh, on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species I of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) .
As part of the Service's continuing efforts to ensure that the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants reflects the true bio-
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, CoyvUna^d
logical status of the species it includes, a literature review was con- i ducted recently to determine if current evidence justified an Endangered ! classification for the Indian flap-shelled turtle. No such supporting j data could be found. The Service then contacted a number of scientists j and the unanimous opinion was that the turtle is common in India and thatj there is no justification for listing it under the Act. After consideri- ing the currently available information, the Service concurs that keeping it on the list is not warranted.
If the proposed rule is approved as published, all prohibitions of Sec- 1 tion 9(a)(1) of the Act would apply for the Hierro giant lizard and Ibiza] wall lizard. The prohibitions, in part, would generally make it illegal for persons under U.S. Jurisdiction to import, export, or engage in inter state or international trafficking in these species. Permits to carry out otherwise prohibited activities for scientific, conservation or economic hardship purposes could be applied for under 50 CFR 17.22, 17.23, and 17.32. All of the above prohibitions would no longer apply for the Indian flap-shelled turtle. This proposal does not affect the turtle’s status as a CITES Appendix I species, however, and all CITES restrictions on import and export will remain in effect.
— EndangeA^d Speck.eA Te.aliyUcal BuLteJU-n \}ot. [/m, hlo. 10
TWO FISHES REMOVED FROM ENDANGERED SPECIES LIST
Two fishes once common in the Great Lakes, the blue pike iStlzo^t^cUon vitAdam glauccm ] and the long jaw cisco [Co^dgonni) atpdyiae. ) , are now thought to be extinct throughout their range in the U.S. and Canada and have been removed from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. (F.R. 9/83).
Historically, the blue pike oc- curred in Lakes Erie and Ontario, and in the Niagra River. This subspecies was abundant in the Great Lakes commercial fishery of the late 1800s, but by 1915 landings began to fluctuate ex- tensively. Fishery biologists have evidence, which disputed self-stabilizing mechanisms within the population, led to the extreme population fluctua- tions and ultimate crash of the fishery. The long jaw cisco, which once was found in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Erie, was another commercially important fish that suffered the effects of overexploitation. Both species may have also been af-
environmental
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52
I
II
■ EGISLATIVE NEWS, ConUnued
'ected by water pollution and by competition and predation from non-native j.’ishes. Hybridization with closely related species may have also contrib- ited to the extinction of these fishes. By 1960, they were all but extinct, ilhe longjaw cisco was listed as Endangered in 1967, and the blue pike in .970.
In official review of their status was Initiated in 1979. No confirmed specimens of the blue pike have been taken since the 1960s, and the last collection of the longjaw cisco was in 1967. Based on the lack of recent Sightings, the USFWS concluded that both fishes are extinct and it pro- )osed on 25 May, 1982, to remove them from the list of Endangered species. [Velve comments dealing specifically with the proposal were received, aost of them in support of delisting one or both of the fishes. None of :hose responding provided evidence that either species survives.
irhe final rule removes both species and their former habitats from the )rovisions of the Endangered Species Act; however, this action could be j.-eversed if confirmed evidence is ever provided that either species still ixists.
— EndangeAe.d Spacile^ Te.chnlccil BiMoZln Uol, Vin, No, 10
PROPOSAL TO LIST NINE SPECIES FROM THE MARIANA ISLANDS
)n 29 November, the USFWS issued a proposed rule to list the following lipecies of birds and mammals as Endangered: Mlcronesian kingfisher jHaZci/on dlnnamonu-na CyCnnamomlna) , Guam broadbill or chuguanguang (
^ , bridled white-eye or nossa (Zo^'tCAopA COH-^pA-CAXZcutd CLOyiy!>pA.C- Ittata] , Mariana gallinule or pulattat {GdlLlmila ahZo^opLU guaml) , Vani- coro swiftlet or yayahauak {AeAodAomuJi vanA-ko^dyLhAj, bOAXichk.) , Guam rail )r koko (RattlLi 0(A)6toyii) , Mariana crow or aga (CAOUCIA kubciAy^] , and the lariana fruit bat or fanihi (PteAppiU) mo/ilanniLS ma/LcanncU) ) , and the lit- :le Mariana fruit bat [PtOAOpLUi tokudae.) . These nine species are found Ln the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. If the species are round to be endangered, they will be protected under the Endangered Spec- ies Act. Comments may be made to: Mr. Sanford Wilbur, Chief, Division of Endangered Species, USFWS, 500 N.E. Multnomah St., Portland, OR 97232 (503) 231-6131. Comments period ends 29 February 1984.
^ — AAZPA Nm^lutteA
Ja.yLaaA.y 19S4
I
pOODLAND CARIBOU EMERGENCY LISTING EXTENDED
3n 25 October, the USFWS extended its emergency rule which listed the population of woodland caribou taJumdlLS caAlboii] as Endangered.
The prior emergency rule was limited to six months. This extension will remain until the permanent protection of the Endangered Species Act be- comes effective. (In June, 1983, the Fish and Wildlife Service began the regular process for listing the woodland caribou as Endangered.)
■ — K. l/eA7L6 In
AAZPA Nm^loXtoA, JamoAy 19S3
53
ivcr6an(is
Soutfleastern 'R.caiomi Confc.re-n.cc.
The Riverbanks Southeastern Regional AAZK Conference will be held April 19-21, 1984 at the Riverbanks Zoological Park Columbia, S.C,
Papers are requested for this regional conference. Each paper will be limited to 20 minutes with a 5 minute ques- tion and answer period. Top- ics should pertain to zoos & zookeeping. Abstracts and/or outlines should be submitted
by February 15, 1984. The conference registration fee will be reduced for those people presenting papers.
^ pril '10 *-ZI^ / 9fff Coltinifyi a S.O.
Tentative Conference Schedule
Thursday, April 19
Registration
Icebreaker
Friday, April 20 Announcements /Welcome Tours of Riverbanks Zoo Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote speakers
Workshop /Discussion
Saturday, April 21
Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote speakers
Bar-B-Q Supper/Volleyball game
Auction/Party
Sunday , April 22 — Post-conference trip to Congaree National Monument
Tentatively scheduled keynote speakers include: Bill Ziegler, General Curator, Miami Metrozoo; Guy Smith, Director, Knoxville Zoo; Dr. Joe Erwin, Curator of Primates, Brookfield Zoological Gardens; Les Schobert, General Curator, North Carolina Zoological Park; and Dr. Kenneth Gould, Head of Reproductive Physiology, Yerkes Primate Center, Atlanta, GA.
Please make checks payable to: "Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter". Send papers completed registration forms with the registration fee to: Stephen J. Dank Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210.
Regisjiration Form
Name;
Address :
City:
State:
Zip code:
Phone No:_(_ ^
Name of Zoo:
Area of interest:
No. attending BBQ/Conference;_
Vegetarian: YES NO
Transportation ;
FEES:
Member _or^ spouse — $25.00 Non-member -- $30.00 Late registration fee after 3/1/84 “ $5.00 additional TOTAL fees enclosed: $
Hotel Reservation Request Form
Riverbanks Southeastern Regional
AAZK Conference
Name ;
Address :
City :
State:
Zip code:
Phone No . ; ( )
Arrival Date;
Time Time :
Departure Date:
Total No. of Nights in Hotel :
Please check the type of room you wish to reserve:
Single $20.95 daily (one person)
Double $24.00 daily (two people)
Name of roommate:
Please send one night ' s deposit with this form to: COMFORT INN, 827 Bush'^:_ River Rd., Columbia, S.C. 29210, carej of J.K. Mehta. Deposits will be re- turned on reservations cancelled 24 hours in advance of arrival. '
LIMITED EDITION
SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE AKF TENTH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT
Animal Keepers’ Forum
Dedicated to Professional Aninnal Care
TENTH ANNIVERSARY 1974 - 1984
l^will be ten years old in October 1984. To commemorate ten years of ontinuous publication, a special T-shirt is being issued.
he Puget Sound AAZK Chapter has taken this on as a fund-raising project or the 1984 AAZK Conference. All profits will benefit the Conference nd AKF.
he T-shirts will only be available from October 1983 through October 984. A check must accompany your order. Please allow 3-4 weeks for elivery. The price of $7.50 each includes postage and handling. The hirts are 100% cotton; if you wash or dry at high temperatures, order ‘ size larger.
' ^ COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM
AME:
DDRESS:
Color choice: powder blue beige
Size: Small Medium Large Extra Large
lake checks payable to: The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter Conference Account lail to: Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Ave., N., Seattle, (A 98103. ATTN: Judie Steenberg
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
The ^olZotvTng kvoUZahte" tl&tlng6 MOAe KeeQAved out the o{f^tee\
oi AKT. Jyu>tAtuttoyUi wtsklng to adventAJte emptoyment oppo^u.ntttej> oAe i cuked to -6end penttnent data by the 15th oi each month to: OppontmuZy - Knocks, AKT, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606, ||
ZOOKEEPER I...Due to major expansion of our zoological park, the Jackson Zoo is not accepting applications for the entrance level of Zoo Keepers. Salary range $893-$ 1,298 per month. Standard benefits. Duties include the general care and maintenance of a wide variety of mammals, birds andj reptiles. Applicants must have a high school education and some practical experience is necessary. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a progressive, expand- ing zoological park. Certified candidates will remain on an active list for six months. Send resume to: James L.
Swigert, Director, Jackson Zoological Park, 2918 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39209.
KEEPER, . .ambitious person needed to handle keeper duties.
Responsible for care of hooved stock, small mammals, birds and herps. Experience in exhibit construction and mainten- ance desirable. Salary commensurate with experience. Apply by 20 February, 1984 to: Harry Gregory, Director, Hutchinson Zoo, Carey Park, Box 1567, Hutchinson, KS 67504-1567. Phone:
(316) 665-2659.
STUVENT INTERNSHIP, , .available at the Animal Rehabilitation Center within the Conservancy Nature Center in Naples, FL.
Involves wildlife as well as educational programs and special projects. Interested applicants must be available for up to five months. Housing and $55/week stipend pro- vided. Internships available year round. To apply send resume, statement of goals and three references to: Julie Wasserman, Supervisor, Animal Rehabilitation Center, Conservancy Nature Center, 1450 Merrihue Dr., Naples, FL 33942. Phone: (813) 262-2273.
Information Please
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Information is requested on the care, feeding and especially training of Macaws, Cockatoos and Parrots. Please send to: Mrs. D. H. Luce, Rt. 3, Box 410, Trenton, FL 32693.
The Little Rock Zoo is seeking information on the birth of Sloth Bears (Mei.u/L5a6 LLUtnLU> ) in captivity. We would appreciate any information regarding gestation length, number of cubs born, number surviving, and any medical problems developing within the first year. Please send any information to: Debbie Jackson and Lisa Peach, Little Rock Zoo, #1 Jonesboro Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205.
The Topeka Zoo is seeking information on the captive maintenance of Colomus monkeys with particular emphasis on diet and reproduction. Any- one with pertinent information is asked to send it to: Ron Ringer, Topek; Zoological Park, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
56
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name Che.ak heAe li KanmaZ [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional VaUt-timo, KeepeAA
$25.00 International AZZ mmbeA^ out6Zde. tke. (J.5. and Canada
$10.00 Associate IndlvldaaJU not conmcXad ivtth an animal co/te lacJJJjty
$15.00 Affiliate
OtkoA -}>ta^ and volunt2,(2A6
$50.00 Contributing
OAganizatiovU) and Indio idixatii U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
ViAQ^otoAij Inionmoution
Too WoA-fe AAQ,a Sp2.CA.aJl lvitZA2J)t{,
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Animat K^^pcA^ ' foAum. The
membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums !iin the U.-S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Animat K2.2.p2A6 ' foAum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6" x 10" (15 cm x 25^$ cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to Animat Keepe/t6 ' VoAum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
A/itictc^ pAint2.d do not n2.c2A>6aAity AC-itzoX the, opinio vUi oi the. Animat Keepe7t6 ' FoAum e.ditoAiat 6ta{)^ OA oi the. AmoAiaan t^i>o elation oi Zoo KeepeA^.
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
On OOt^ 5* s*
Animal
keepers'
brum
Dedicated to Prcfessional Animal Care
MARCH 1984
FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
MARCH 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER THREE
AyUmal Kc^peJU,' Von.im (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of kYUmal KcepeA^’ FoAum, Second Class postage ^aid at Topeka, KS. Postmastet Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Of ZOO KEEPERS, INC. ^ I ^'ATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 6660'
Dotty CtoAk, A(hitnjJ>tn.cvtlv^ SdcAoXcuiy J
BOARD Ui- UiREClORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center P^eJttddwt
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park UtcKl P^QJitddnt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
G2Aatd Payne,, VeJyiott Zoo
Continuing Keeper Education
JuidLLii Ste.mbeAg, Woodtand Pcuik Historical Committee La/iAy Samma/Lco, Ltnootn PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, Wa^htngton PoAk Zoo
Coordinator for International Affairs Randy Adotph, St. Loluj> Zoo
Research/Grants Committee
fAank Kohn, Nattonat Zootogtcat PoAk
Awards Committee
Mtkc CAockcA, VtckeA6on PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kcvtn Conway, NZP/CRC, fAont Royat
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange EtandAa Aim, bloodtand PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BeAnic Fctdman, Topeka Zoo
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, VqXaoaX Zoo
Infant Development
Steve T ay to A, Loiujivttte
Keeper Accomodations List
OtiveA Cta{^ley, MoJjio ToAonto
Keeper
MoAy Staybaugh, San Antonto S Vavi
Library Resource/Book Review
Elten Leach, Woodtand PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Cestat ion
MoAy Muac, San PAanctsco Zoo Diet Notebook
South ftoAlda CkapteA, Mtamt Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Ltncotn PoAk Exhibit Design
Vtane foAsyth, AkAon Zootogtcat PoAk Data Survey
L OAndoA^ii, Sea WoAtd ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mtke CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, VlAectoA
Linda RohA i/acancy Gene P^ei)^eA Angela Keppet Lee Payne Lynne {/lLteA6 LoAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShoApted Vacancy Candy KAo^^t
LauAence Gtedhltt Joanle Stlni>on Vacancy
W.V. Stone MemoAlat Zoo
Phltadetphla Zoo National Zoo VetAolt Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
Woodland PoAk Zoo Phoenix Zoo
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NV
PA,NJ,MV,VE
VA,W.VA,V.C.
MI
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
fL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA >
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SV,NV
WA,0R,IV,MT,WV,AK
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
Thl6 month' 6 (Wtut X6 Vo^ht. SonoJicmt Mho mo/lIz^ Iok. ZooVEL {Zoo Ve^tgn and Education Lab) In Kobe, Japan. Haj> dAmlng mpha^tzc6 the Impontmce oi tnteAactton between Zoo ^ta^^ and vtsltoA^ In the pA.omotton oi pubtlc education. Thanks, Vo6hl. I
Scoops ^
andy ScuMebutt
NEW PHONE NUMBERS LISTED FOR SANTA FE TEACHING ZOO
Santa Fe Community College has been changing its telephone system over to a new direct dial computerized system. Unfortunately, unexpected diffi- culties have arisen which have temporarily interrupted service for the Teaching Zoo/Biological Parks Program. The new number is expected to be (904) 395-5601. Service to the security office can relav messages to the zoo via radio. Their number is (904) 395-5518, Ext. 19 & 20. Santa Fe Community College's main campus operator is (904) 395-5000. In addition, the night zoo number as listed in the AAZPA Zoo and Aquariums of the Americas can be used as it is my personal home number (Jim Ellis: (904) 357-6326). The continued understanding of our colleagues is appreciated.
FOURTH ANNUAL ELEPHANT WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS AVAILABLE
Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Elephant Management Workshop held in Kansas City in October 1983 are now available. This 60-page publication includes all papers presented at the workshop in addition to the panel discussion, list of registrants and budget information. While compli- mentary copies are sent to those who attended the workshop, copies are available from the Kansas City Zoological Gardens, Swope Park, Kansas City, MO 64132. Please send check or money order in the amount of $2.00 for each copy ordered.
NEW EXECUTIVE AND ASSOCIATE EDITORS NAMED
Due to expanding professional responsibilities in his role as Area Super- visor at the Topeka Zoo, Mike Coker has resigned as Executive Editor of Animal Keepers' Forum. While not retaining a formal position on the edit- orial staff, Mike hopes to continue to be involved in AAZK publications as time permits. Alice Miser, formerly Associate Editor, will assume Mike's position immediately. Bernie Feldman has been recruited to assume the position of Associate Editor and will be working on soliciting advertising patrons for AKF.
KEEPER TRAINING VIDEOTAPE NOW AVAILABLE
The first Keeper Training Video Tape, entitled "Zoo Keeper Safety, An Attitude Adjustment", is now available for purchase for use in Zookeeper training. This first tape attempts to create a safety attitude and pre- sents a systematic safety approach to the job of zoo keeping. All proceeds generated from future sale of training tapes will be used to finance pro- duction of future tapes. A copy of the Purchase Agreement can be found on Page 12 of the January 1984 issue of AKF of interested parties may write to B. Wayne Buchanan at the Woodland Park Zoo for further information.
57
Birthsj^ Hatchings
LINCOLN PARK ZOO Siuan Moy
The following are the B&H for December 1983 and January 1984: Mammals — 0.0.1 Titi monkey, 0.0.2 Tree shrew, 0.0.1 Pygmy marmoset, 1.1.3 Geoffrey's tamarin, 0.0.5 Capybara (0.0.3 DNS), 0.1 Grant's gazelle (DNS), 0.0.2 Ghimpanzee (stillborn), 0.0.1 Lowland gorilla (stillborn), 0.0.2 Gotton-
top marmoset; Birds — 0.0.1 Yellow-fronted canary.
BRONX ZOO Ha/igcuioX VnJ^c.(L
B&H for November and December 1983 include: Mammals — 1.0 Lesser long- tongued bat, 0.1 Gaur, 3.0 Minnie Down's mouse, 2.0 Lesser spear-nosed bat, 1.0 Axis deer, 4.0 Pen-tailed bettong, 0.2 Brow-antlered deer, 3.0 Lesser galago, 0.2 Red brocket deer, 0.2 Sambar deer, 2.0 Polar bear, 1.1 Large Malayan mouse deer, 1.0 Pudu, 2.0 Gottontop marmoset, 1.0 Blackbuck, 1.0 Maxwell duiker; Birds — 1 Mauritius pink pigeon; Reptiles — 9 Brazil- ian rainbow boa.
JACKSONVILLE ZOO kvim E. Dilgglm
December and January B&H include: 1.1 Golden spider monkey (1 DNS), 0.0.1 Nanday conure and 0.0.4 West African dwarf crocodile.
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS .Scividy MohoA
B&H for January 1984 include: Mammals — 1.1 Addax, 0.1 Gerenuk, 1.0 Roan antelope, 0.1 Grant's gazelle, 1.0 Gemsbok, 0.1 Scimitar-horned oryx, 0.1 Ankole; Birds - 2 Grested tinamou, 2 Hahn's macaw, 4 Gereopsis goose, 5 Sun conure, 7 Golden-capped conure, 1 Golden conure, 3 Jandaya conure and 3 Senegal parrot.
DALLAS ZOO Tam-i JonoA
January 1984 B&H include: Mammals -- 1.1 East African oryx, 1.0 Nile Lechwe 1.0 Hamadryas baboon, 1.0 Suni, 0.0.1 Black howler monkey; Birds — 0.0.2 Alexandrine parakeet.
MIAMI METROZOQ Lo/U BmckheJin
The following January 1984 B&H were recorded: 0.1 Chimpanzee, 1.3 European brown bear (0.1 DNS), 1,1 Thomson's gazelle, 0.1 Defassa waterbuck, 1.1 Scimitar-horned oryx; Birds — 0.0.2 Green junglefowl (0.0,1 DNS).
ASSINIBOINE PARK ZOO .BoAb Ha^noA
Reported B&H from November 1983 through January 1984 include: Mammals —
3 Bush pigs, 1.0 European bison, 1.0 Bennett's wallaby, 0.1 Lion-tailed macaque, 0.1 Llama and 2.2 Addax.
BROOKFIELD ZOO John S. StoddoAd
January 1984 B&H include: Mammals ■ — 0.0.8 White-toothed shrew, 0.0.5 Ermine, 0.2 Collared peccary, 0.0.1 Callimico, 0.0.1 Squirrel monkey,
0.0.1 Spot-nosed guenon, 0.0.1 Guinea baboon; Birds -- 0.0.2 Inca tern and 0.0.1 Red and white crake.
58
Coming Events
AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 1-3, 1984 Little Rock, AR
AAZPA CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 15-17, 1984 Omaha, NE
AAZK SOUTHEAST REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 19-21, 1984 Columbia, SC
Hosted by the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter. For information contact:
Steve Danko, Riverbanks Zoological Park, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia,
SC 29210 (803) 779-8717. See registration forms in this issue of AKF.
AAZPA NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 29-May 1, 1984 Philadelphia, PA
CONFERENCE ON ZOO ANIMAL PATHOLOGY
May 25-26, 1984 Cincinnati, OH
For information contact: Dr. Betsy Dresser, Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45220 (513) 281-4701.
lOTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE
August 1-5, 1984 Redondo Beach, CA
For information, write AFA, P.O. Box 1568, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 or call (213) 372-2988.
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 . Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at the Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103. Watch upcoming issues of AKF for conference hotel site, registration forms and additional information. "fZndeA^ Keepe/td, No-6hom WeepeA6''/
AAZPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 9-13, 1984 Miami, FL
59
REQUEST FOR NOMINEES FOR AAZK AWARDS
Nominations are being sought for awards for 1984. These awards will be presented at the 1984 AAZK Conference in Seattle, WA. If you work with | or know someone who is performing in an exceptional manner and meets the , qualifications listed herein, please consider nominating them for the i
appropriate award.
These awards are the EXCELLENCE IN ZOOKEEPING award, the CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOOKEEPER EDUCATION, and the MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. ;
The deadline for acceptance of nominations is 1 June 1984. Each month the AKF will discuss one of these different awards.
The first award, EXCELLENCE IN ZOOKEEPING, is given to recognize outstand- ing people in the zookeeping field. Any keeper is eligible for the award and more than one award may be given each year. If five excellent keepers are nominated, five awards will be given. If none of the nominees qualify, no award will be given.
Excellence in zookeeping cannot be determined on the basis of an isolated I breeding success or upon one spectacular instance, but rather, upon ex- , amination of the keeper’s total performance. Each keeper has a slightl^y different idea of what his or her job entails. There are, though, basic | themes which can be used in judging a keeper’s performance.
Perhaps the most essential characteristic is commitment to the animals and to the profession. Commitment is defined as, "the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to some course of action". This commitment is necessary because the needs of the animals often exceed the demands of an eight to five workday. Without this basic foundation of commitment, it is impossible to realize one’s full potential as an animal keeper.
The next important quality is the ability to empathize. You must under- stand your animals’ needs, both physiologically and psychologically and fulfill them the best you can.
In fulfilling the animals’ needs, a keeper must have a knowledge of the animal’s behavior, physiology, and natural history. This knowledge is essential to maintain the animals efficiently and effectively. Further- more, a keeper should actively pursue greater knowledge of his or her animals through observation or private study. In addition, a keeper should be able to communicate this knowledge effectively to other keepers and to the public. At the same time, keepers should be receptive to the knowledge and experience of others. The task that keepers face is too difficult to be stingy with our own knowledge or disdainful of another’s opinion. We must share our knowledge with other keepers and make the public aware of the intrinsic value of the animal we care for.
Finally, the keeper must function as the animal’s representative in policy decisions and planning. A keeper may not be an expert on an entire order or even a particular family, but he or she should be an expert on the animals in his or her care. Therefore, since the animals can’t tell us themselves whether a new cage is inadequate or a new situation too stress- ful, it is up to the keeper to represent their interests in zoo decisions.
These, then are the basic criteria for examining the performance of a zookeeper. Any single area, isolated, is of little value. The ability
60
; REQUEST FOR NOMINEES FOR AAZK AWARDS, ConUnue,d
j to empathize with the animals is useless if you lack the knowledge and ['skill to improve their care. Similarly, knowledge and skill without [commitment leads to a keeper who, "keeps his or her animals alive and ► nothing more". Each area must be evident in the good zookeeper. The [excellent zookeeper will excell in one or more of these areas, but can- 1' not lack any of them. If you feel that a keeper you know meets these ; criteria, submit his or her name, along with a brief letter describing |i why you feel they deserve the EXCELLENCE IN ZOOKEEPING award.
I QUALIFICATIONS
1. The nominees must be a full-time animal keeper, employed in any North American zoological institution or aquarium.
2. The nominee must have been employed at least two years on a permanent basis at a zoo or aquarium.
3. The nominee must be nominated by his or her peers who have also been employed at that same zoo or aquarium.
NOMINATION PROCEDURE
1. List name, position, institution, years of service in the field and the recommendations of peer or colleague.
2. List outstanding achievements: exhibits, breeding, education, etc.
3. List any extra activities outside of zoo or aquarium work; working with conservation groups, youth, wildlife officials, etc.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The Awards Committee, consisting of five people, will indepen- dently review each nominee.
Send Nominations to:
Mike Crocker AAZK Awards Committee Dickerson Park Zoo 3043 North Fort Springfield, MO 65803
61
STAFF EXCHANGE PROGRAM UPDATE
^KEEPER
"education
By
Jadld StdmbeAg, Coo^dlnaton. AA2K Educcutlon ComrruXtdd
The Puget Sound Chapter has nearly com- pleted the master list of institutions interested in participating in the Staff Exchange Program. Copies of the master list will be sent to all institutions that registered with the project. In- dividuals and unregistered institutions that want a copy may obtain one by send- ing their request to: Elandra Aum at Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98103.
A list comprising only institutions* and contact persons’ names is includ- ed below. Individuals and institutions engaging in exchanges do so on their own responsibility; as facilitators, the persons working on this pro- ject do not share in that responsibility.
INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN STAFF EXCHANGE
Akron Zoological Park, Akron, OH; Dave Ford
Atlanta Zoological Park, Atlanta, GA; J.S. Dobbs
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ; Peter Siminski
Beardsley Zoological Gardens, Bridgeport, CT; Gregg Dancho
Binder Park Zoological Society, Inc., Battle Greek, MI; Everett Harris
Buffalo Zoological Gardens, Buffalo, NY; Gerald Aquilina
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Park, Colorado Springs, CO; Bill Aragon
Cleveland Aquarium, Cleveland, OH; Ed Bronikowski
Como Zoo, St. Paul, MN; Brint Spencer
Dallas Zoo, Dallas, TX; Larry 0. Calvin
Dickerson Park Zoo, Springfield, MO; Mike Crocker
Dreher Park Zoo, West Palm Beach, FL; Sally Lieb
Greater Baton Rouge Zoo, Baker, LA; Ralph Minor /Jerry Hendry
Honolulu Zoo, Honolulu, HI; Jerome S.W. Marr
Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis, IN; Julian Duval
International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, WI; Shirley Russman/Jane Fordham Jo-Don Farms, Inc., Franksville, WI; Don J. or Bob E. Meyer Lafayette Zoological Park, Norfolk, VA; Connie Sweet Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles, CA; Ed Alonso
Louisville Zoological Garden, Louisville, KY; J. Douglas Porter Metropolitan Toronto Zoo; West Hill, Ontario (Canada); Ken Thompson Milwaukee County Zoological Gardens, Milwaukee, WI; Ken Kawata Minnesota Zoological Garden, Apple Valley, MN; Brint Spencer
62
STAFF EXCHANGE UPDATE, ConUnue,d
Institutions Interested in Staff Exchange (continued)
National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD; Jackson Andrews New England Aquarium, Boston, MA; Paul L. Sieswenda Northwest Trek, Eatonville, WA; Scott Ransom Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA; Val De Leon
Philadelphia Zoological Garden, Philadelphia, PA; Wilbur B. Amand Potter Park Zoo, Lansing, MI; Jerry Miller
Rio Grande Zoological Park, Albuquerque, NM; Ingrid Schmidt Roger Williams Park Zoo, Providence, RI; Roger Valles
San Antonio Zoological Gardens & Aquarium, San Antonio, TX; Russell L. Smith
Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA; Laura Mumaw
Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, KS; Ken Redman
Topeka Zoological Park, Topeka, KS; Craig Dinsmore
Tulsa Zoological Garden, Tulsa, OK; D. Zucconi/B. Fiore
Utica Zoo, Utica, NY; Steven U. Matthews
W^ashington Park Zoo, Portland, OR; Steve McCusker
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, Seattle, WA; Elandra Aum
&
A Keeper Exchange Experience
"MY PENGUIN ENCOUNTER"
By
Holm Shewman, Ke.epeA, B-Oid Bum
ifJoodZand Pa/ik Zoological Ga/idcvUi, Seattle, WA
Recently I had the special opportunity to participate in a keeper exchange program with Sea World of San Diego. As part of my work at Woodland Park I am responsible for eleven Humboldt’s penguins iSpkeyili>CLU{> himboldtl] .
In the past year, particularly during breeding season, we have consulted with keepers at Sea World in the Aviculture department about various problems that arose with the husbandry of our Humboldt’s. Although a lot of valuable information was acquired over the phone and through read- ing various articles, I felt there was something lacking in my knowledge, and that was hands-on experience. I thought if I could go to Sea World and work directly with their staff, things that were somewhat confusing would become clearer. I was especially interested in learning hand-raising techniques from people familiar with the routine and in acquiring practi- cal experience under their supervision. Along with obviously increasing my expertise, I believed this opportunity would increase my confidence as well.
In September 1983 I was able to attend the AAZPA Conference in Vancouver, Canada, Walter English, Curator of birds at Woodland Park Zoo introduced me to Frank Todd, Corporate Curator of birds at Sea World. We discussed the best time for me to go— I wanted to spend time at Sea World when as many species of penguins as possible would be hatching. Frank informed me that any time from December through March, during the Adelie breeding season, sounded great. Also, Todd, Scott Driescham and Frank Twohy would
63
'MY PENGUIN ENCOUNTER", Con^Unuad
be returning in mid-December from a collection trip to the Antarctic Peninsula. They would be bringing eggs from Gentoo {VyQOi,C,QJUj> papua) amd Chinstrap {VygoS doUjy (lYVt(ViCJti.C.CL ) penguins. These eggs would be hatching almost immediately and would require many people to help feed and care for the chicks. Hence, we decided that the best time for me would be the month of December.
I arrived the second week and was assigned to Sea World's "Penguin En- counter". This is a new, multi-million-dollar Antarctic exhibit that houses six species of penguins: Emperor [Apt2.nodyt£A , King
[Aptmodytoj) pcUagonXciu ) , Adelie [Vygo^cdtU , Gentoo {?ygo6(i<itu
papua) , Rockhopper ( Eudypt^A CA^^tatuUi] , anT~Macaroni ( Eudypt2A cdVty^oto- phui, ) . It has an elaborate air and water filtration system, plus an artificial light system that provides the exact photoperiod penguins would experience in the southern hemisphere; so, during our winter it is austral summer and breeding season in the Penguin Encounter.
The exhibit contains over three hundred penguins. Walking into the en- closure itself that first day — feeling the gust of freezing cold air (not to exceed 28°), seeing the snow on the ground (10,000 pounds blown in per day) , and being surrounded by hundreds of penguins — was truly like stepping off the edge of the world and landing on the South Pole.
The level of noise was the first thing that really astounded me; Emperors trumpeting, Adelies growling at anyone that tried to come near their nest, and Rockhoppers singing in a mutual display. Penguins were everywhere, completely outnumbering their human counterparts, and practically oblivious to them.
For a student of penguin behavior, here was a gold mine. Everything I had read in books and seen in documentaries was suddenly materialized in flesh and blood right before my eyes: a pair of Kings exchanging an egg; an Adelie stealing a pebble from another's nest, another one feeding its chick, an Emperor tobogganing over the ice, and a pair of Macaronis mutual preening.
As if that wasn't enough, there was a whole colony (over 50) of Humboldt's penguins to observe. Plus there were two eight-week-old Emperor chicks being hand-raised (chicks? 12 pounds and two feet tall?) and Adelies, Chinstraps and Gentoos hatching almost everyday.
One of my main goals was to master the art of feeding baby penguins and I had lots of opportunity. I learned how to make the formula which con- sists of filleted herring, krill, half-n-half , vitamins, and minerals all blended together into a milkshake. This is drawn up through a syringe with a tuberculin tube and placed in the chick's mouth past the trachea and partly into the esophagus. The feeding response is elicited by put- ting two fingers over the chick's head and pressing its bill slightly.
The detailed procedure can best be read in the literature Sea World has written so I will not elaborate on it here. My main point is that the experience of getting to see this technique in operation and practice it myself was invaluable.
One of the highlights of my stay included the day we had to change bands on Emperors because they were molting and swelling up. It was quite an experience to be involved in trying to tackle a 100-pound Emperor and re- strain it while someone removes and replaces the band. Less glamorous jobs included helping thaw and bucket over 800 pounds of fish and stuff them with over 2,000 vitamins and minerals per day. Whatever the work was I happened to be doing, it was fun, educational and rewarding. Many of my questions were answered regarding the husbandry of penguins in cap- tivity, not only what was being done, but why it was done.
64
'MY PENGUIN ENCOUNTER", ConUna^d
I want to make special note of how kind and patient everyone on the Sea World aviculture staff was. Without their professional attitude and willingness to take some time, I never would have learned all 1 did. A special thanks to a member of the staff, Michael Barry, who offered to let me have his apartment while he moved in with a friend. It was within walk- ing distance to Sea World and the beach!
My main feeling after having been to Sea World is that of excitement and encouragement as we approach the beginning of the Humboldt breeding season here at Woodland Park Zoo. I feel very grateful for having had the op- portunity to go to Sea World. I was paid two weeks regular salary, and I added one week vacation for a total of three weeks. Without Woodland Park Zoo's cooperation the trip would have been impossible.
I encourage other zoos to investigate and participate in such exchanges — whether it be an exchange of actual personnel— or an exchange of knowledge and experience. In my case, it was an exchange of information because it was not arranged for a keeper from Sea World to come up here to work. As we move into the 1980* s, professional animal keepers will need to maintain and increase our willingness to share knowledge. After all, we share the same goals: to promote the welfare of the animal kingdom we are privileged to care for, and to enhance their conservation, breeding success, and sur- vival. If we can help each other toward these goals, all of us and the animals we love will gain a great deal in the long run.
ZOO News From Japan
NEW ARRIVAL OF RARE ANIMAL TO JAPAN SEROW CENTER
By
Vo^kl. Vonutavil
looVELjZoo S Educcutlon Lab
Kobe., Japan
On 11 November, 1983 1.2 rare Formosan Serows {Cap^COA.nAJ> ^W^nhoQA.) ar- rived at the Gozaisho Alpine Zoo which belongs to the Japan Serow Center, Mie prefecture. The three specimens came from the Taipei Municipal Zoo, Taiwan. This event represents the first time this species has been in captivity at a foreign zoo. The animals are estimated to be between two and three years old. This species has been on the decrease in its natur- al habitat and thus exportation has been banned.
The above Zoo is located on a mountain side 1210 meters above sea level and is surrounded by natural environment including wild Japanese Serows ( CapnA.coH.nAJ> CAA^pait ) . We can reach there by the ropeway that extends 2159 meters with an unevenness of 718 meters. The Center was founded in December 1973 and is organized and managed as a juridical foundation Included in the animal collection there are: 2.2 Rocky Mountain Goats (0n.(Lamno^ ame/UcaniU } , 2.2 Chamois ( Rup-icapAa n.uplc.apm) , 4.2.1 Chinese Grey Gorals (NemoxhadduA goAoX) and three Japanese Serows.
The first pair of Rocky Mountain Goats in Japan came from the Los Angeles Zoo to the Alpine Zoo in March 1977. The first pair of Chamois came from the Helsinki Zoo, Finland in December 1980. The pair of Goral arrived in December 1978 from the Peking Zoo, Republic of China and are believed to be the first to come to our country since the war. A pair of Saiga are scheduled to be introduced this spring season. When this is accom- plished, that big event shall be a first in Japan. The Alpine Zoo is the only Japanese Zoo to keep Chamois, Goral and Formosan Serow now and they had the first experience of raising of Pronghorn several years ago.
&
65
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Keepers and Computers. . .Part Two
BUYING YOUR OWN COMPUTER OR THE JOY OF ZX By
Jim klbojvt
CoAoXakeA, BatconeA VHAmcuto. Labon.cutoA.y Gnuduatd Stad^wt, V(ipaAtme.yit AnthAopotogy [i¥iAV2A6iX.y oi Texa6 at kuUittn, AuJ^ttn, TX
The revolution in microelectronics has made available to the average in- dividual information processing capabilities that were strictly the pro- vince of government and big business until very recently. These capabil- ities may be extremely useful in captive animal management, and are both inexpensive enough and sufficiently easy to master to allow zookeepers direct access to them.
If you are considering the purchase of a computer already, don’t let me persuade you to buy the cheapest possible one! I would encourage you to read the buyer’s guide that appeared in the October 1983 issue of Radio- Electronics magazine. There are many excellent machines available for less than $500, many priced substantially lower than that. I personally like the Commodore 64, a well-designed computer that has been discounted as low as $150, but let your own tastes and inclinations be your guide.
If you are not already considering a computer purchase — this article was written primarily for you! It will try to tell zookeepers who are not considering buying a computer what less than one hundred bucks will get them, in hopes that they will consider buying one.
For some years, the British firm of Sinclair Research Ltd. has been manu- facturing an extremely small computer. Previously available only by mail order as the Sinclair ZX-8lf Timex® bought the U.S. marketing rights and has been selling it through retailers as the Timex/Sinclair 1000.® I ordered a ZX-81 for $100 a couple of years ago; today the T/S 1000 has been priced as low as $19.95!
I purchased a memory expansion pack — also a must for the T/S 1000 — at the same time for $50, bringing my investment to $150. Even at what by today’s standards was a high price, I think that it was worth it. I have used the machine to plan my budget and play games as well as to do more animal-related tasks such as cataloging. What statistical sophisti- cation I possess is due at least in part to the computer, since it allowed me to ’’pick apart” various procedures and thereby understand how they work.
The T/S 1000 is being phased out (thus its incredibly low price), to be replaced by the very similar T/S 1500.® The latter machine is essentially the same as the 1000, but with a slightly improved keyboard and the extra memory already built in, and costing about the same as the 1000 plus the memory pack. Both computers require an ordinary (non-stereo) cassette recorder to store programs on, and a TV for display.
Can anything so cheap be any good? I certainly think so, though my feel- ings are not universally shared. I wired a full-sized, typewriter style keyboard to my ZX, which eliminated the problem of the tiny keyboard.
The cassette storage of programs is rather slow, and the connection between the computer and the memory pack which plugs into it is really quite shabby. But the BASIC language that is uses is a powerful version, and most com- mands can be entered by a single key-stroke — a unique and very handy fea- ture. The ZX family of machines are as a result excellent ’’trainers”.
67
BUYING YOUR OWN COMPUTER OR THE JOY OF ZX, ConUnao^d
Too much emphasis has been placed, in my opinion, on "software availabil- ity" in computer marketing. Most small computers are used either for very general or specifically business-related purposes, and the software-- prewritten programs that you buy from your dealer— are for that market.
For zookeepers’ application, or for any scientific uses, you can expect to have to write your own programs, whether you own a T/S lOOd® (for which there isn’t a lot of software available) or an IMB PC® (for which there’s lots — mostly the wrong kind!). By the way, it really isn’t very hard at all to write a program that will do what you want. (More on that later in the series.)
What can you do with your computer, in more specific terms? I’ll address that question in two major ways in the next couple of installments: the cataloging and sorting of information, and the statistical examination of information. I’ll try to include some short examples in BASIC that will illustrate that some very simple programs can accomplish some pretty amaz- ing things. And if you’re the extremely eager sort, you can address ques- tions in the meantime to me at:
J. W. Albert
Department of Anthropology University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 78712
Chapter
TOPEKA ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
The Topeka Zoo AAZK Chapter was recently reactivated and members are in the process of reorganizing. The Chapter is considering various fund-raising possibilities and would be interested in hearing from other chapters on their successful and not so successful ideas. The mem- bers also hope to plan some special activities for National Zoo and Aquarium Month in June. It is hoped that the Topeka and Kansas City Zoo Chapters may be able to coordinate some activities in the future .
Newly elected officer at Topeka are:
feldman
?KQ^i.de,wt Toni
TACOAUAeA. . . ,ktiQ.(L IhliidA SdcAdloAy, . . . P-cpcA KJjnbaZl
PHILADELPHIA ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
Newly elected officers for the Chapter are:
Vnulddvit Venlde. Robinson
Mlod VnoAldo-nt. . Mcuik ThuASlon
TmasuAeA Gme. P^e^^eA
Re,c.oH,dlng Sec.,. Bob BeAghaleA ConAe^pondlng Sec. . .Gina Blytken.
News
ATTENTION ALL CHAPTERS: Dolly Clark, Administrative Secretary for AAZK wishes to notify all AAZK Chapters that National Office will no longer supply free station- ary and envelopes to individual Chapters. Due to the increased costs of printing and mailing such materials, this is no longer a viable option in the AAZK budget. Chapters who do not already have their own stationary may have such printed using their Chapter name, address and may use the AAZK logo. National Office will continue to supply stationary needs for Board of Directors mem- bers, Project Chairmen and Com- mittees.
68
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70
A ZOOKEEPER'S REFLECTIONS OF PERU
By
RoboAt B2A.gkcu,2A, S^yiio^ KeepeA PkttadelpfUa Zoological Gan.dcyu> Philadelphia, PA
After my participation in an Earth Watch project in July 1983, I spent two weeks traveling through Peru visiting several wildlife areas and the Lima Zoo.
My trip started in Lima, the most disliked city (next to Buffalo, NY) I have ever come across. This feeling is shared by Peruvians and foreign residents alike. There is a common saying in Peru - "Does the sun ever shine in Lima?" Because of its location, between the sea and the Andes, the sky is often overcast. It is also a dirty city and, sometimes danger- ous due to street crime and more recently to a Moaist terrorist movement, the Shining Path. The night before I flew into the city, the Shining Path set off bombs and sprayed a major city square with machine gun fire. On a more positive side, the food in Lima is great. It is reputed to have some of the best restaurants in South America.
The Lima Zoo is also a pleasant surprise. The older section of the zoo is rather plain. The newer part contains an outdoor rainforest exhibit of native Peruvian fauna. The animals exhibited here include tayra, spectacled bear, spider monkeys, black-capped and white-fronted capuchin, collared and white-lipped peccary, tapiers, jaguar and puma among others. The exhibits were large, well kept and most animals, including the pri- mates, had offspring. The zoo has the potential to be one of South America's best. On its grounds are pre-Inca ruins which make a most unusual and attractive setting. While talking to the staff I was shown the zoo's masterplan which would bring the collection up to the status of a major world zoo. However, it cannot be implemented without government money — -something which may be a long time coming.
The first wildlife area I visited was the Paracas Reserve on the Pacific coast. The area is a contrast between the richness of the sea and the bleakness of the arid coastal desert. The Paracas coastal area normal- ly supports huge numbers of seabirds along with good populations of sea- mammals due to the influence of the cold Humboldt current. This current forms an upswelling of nutrients which supports large schools on anchovys which in turn supports both animal life and the Peruvian fising industry. During the time of my visit, environmental disaster was occurring. A phenomenon of warm water called the El Nino (the child) which blocks the upswelling had extended its normal stay or several months to over a year. Bird populations have dropped to 10% of their former levels due to starva- tion or migration. I often saw dead seabirds and an occasional dead sea- lion or fur seal. The extended El Nino has also caused the collapse of the Peruvian fishing industry, a factor which has severely hurt Peru's economy.
Even though the ecosystem was in turmoil, the sights at Paracas were spectacular. I saw Andean condors, Chilean flamingos, Humboldt penguins, and Inca terns, along with huge flocks of cormorants, boobies, petrels and pelicans. Also present were schools of dolphins and herds of sea lions and fur seals, called seawolves by the Peruvians (an excellent name I thought) .
In marked contrast to this diversity and numbers of living organisms is the almost lifeless coastal deserts. This area sometimes does not receive
71
A ZOOKEEPER'S REFLECTIONS OF PERU, CorvUnu^d
rainfall for years. It is certainly the most barren area I have ever seen. I vividly recall one two-hour drive in which the only living things spotted were two tint plants and a small lizard. The area is primarily sand with wind sculptured, strangely shaped rock formations. It creates an awing environment.
Both ecosystems make the Paracas Reserve a "must stop" for a naturalist in Peru. Excellent accommodations are found at the Paracas Hotel. The prices were moderate by U.S. standards, and the food great. The grounds are beautifully planted and the colorful flowers attract lots of humming- birds.
My next stop was the plains of Nazca. The drive south from Paracas was quite an experience. The Pan American Highway is two lanes wide in this part of Peru and, of course, the best way to drive along it is right down the middle. I believe the national sport of Peru is trying to see if you can force the oncoming driver to swerve before you do. At this game of chicken my driver excelled at the expense of a few new grey hairs on my head. Another interesting Peruvian tradition is the custom of placing crosses as memorials to those killed in traffic accidents on that sight.
The highway is sprinkled with them every ten miles or so. The effect is sobering. What is truly unnerving is coming down a narrow, winding moun- tain road, turning a sharp bend and seeing a dozen crosses and hearing how a bus or truck left the road there killing all aboard.
Nazca is famous for its vast system of lines and animal shapes dug into the ground. Its method of creation and purpose have puzzled westerners for years. In the book "Chariots of Fire" Eric Van Danikan theorized that the area was used as a landing sight by extraterrestrials. Scientists have known for sometime the lines and shapes were dug by pre-Inca peoples who used it as a vast astrological chart. As a joke, the local Indians have carved the figure of an E.T. in the side of a hill so it can be seen from the air by visiting gringos.
I stopped in Nazca because it was a convenient place to stay while I visited the Pampa Galeras Reserve in the puna zone of the Andes. The puna is a dry grassland found on the eastern side of this mountain chain and is home to the llama-like vicuna. The Galeras Reserve was created specifically to allow vicuna populations some protection after a period of heavy hunting. The goal of the reserve has been realized and vicuna numbers have greatly increased. In fact, the reserve has probably worked too well since overgrazing is now a problem.
The drive to Galeras was another battle with the Peruvian road network.
The distance from Nazca to the reserve is 90km as the crow flies, but it is 180km by vehicle. The reason, the route climbs from the plains to the 4000 ft level. The road is a narrow Ik. lane winding course often with sheer drops of 500 ft straight down on the sides. Amazingly large buses and trucks use this road and traffic being two ways one often meets them coming in the opposite direction. Again crosses are placed at the site of fatal accidents. Understandably there are many crosses on this road.
When we finally reached the plateau of the puna we were rewarded by the sight of hundreds of vicuna. Not since Africa have I seen so many large mammals in so short a time. I watched the antics of the territorial male vicunas patroling their holdings; chasing off the bachelor herds that strayed near the family groups. The reserve is also used by the local people for the grazing of livestock. Both parties coexist and the Galeras shows that a conservation area need not be a strict nature reserve to protect wildlife.
72
Every one of us is waiting for you to make the 1984 AAZK conference the best ever. September 30 - October 4
First call for papers
This year's topic for presentation papers, Working in zoos and aquariums: today and tomorrow, was chosen to
encourage all conference delegates to participate ir writing about their profes sions. Working in zoos and aquariums today is complex, challenging, anc exciting requiring many skills such as public speaking, computer use, f construction technique i and nutritional analysis, ir addition to caring for j animals. The ablity to share this knowledge and to educate others is a great asset. In the future, it will be even more important to exchange ideas and information.
Send papers, information, or questions to:
Phil Pennock AAZK Conference Woodland Park Zoo 5500 Phinney Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98103-5897
Watch for more informa- tion in upcoming issues of the Forum, or contact: Debbie Stecher,
will be limited to with a 5- question/answer Please submit an ine or abstract by July 1984. AAZK national imittees that plan to 3 meetings at the ference should submit 3 and meeting space jirements by this
625-5402.
encourage all conference $ers will be limited to delegates to participate in 0 minutes with a 5- writing about their profes-ninute question/answer sions. Working in zoos Please submit an
and aquariums today is or abstract by July
complex, challenging, and 5,1984. AAZK national exciting requiring many oi^mittees that plan to skills such as public nieetings at the
speaking, computer use, ;®'^ference should submit construction technique and meeting space and nutritional analysis, in^^irements by this addition to caring for animals. The abllty to share this knowledge and to educate others is a great asset. In the future, it will be even more important to exchange ideas and Information.
Send papers. Information, or questions to:
Phil Pennock AAZK Conference Woodland Park Zoo 5500 PhinneyAve. N. Seattle, WA 98103-5897
Watch for more Informa- tion In upcoming issues of the Forum, or contact: Debbie Stecher, 625-5402.
First call for papers
This year's topic for presentation papers. Working in zoos and aquariums: today and tomorrow, was chosen to
Every one of us is waiting for you to make the 1984 AAZK conference the best ever. September 30 - October 4
;
!a ZOOKEEPER'S REFLECTIONS OF PERU, CoyvUvLu^d
iThe next wildlife habitat I visited was the cloud forest of the Eastern [Andes. When people think of Macchu Picchu, they know it as the site of the magnificent Inca ruins found there. However, the area which is a national park, also has wildlife which, unfortunately, is depleted in [numbers. Spectacled bear, huemel and pudu roam the area. In spite of getting up at dawn and walking the forest trails, I had to be content view- ing the numerous birdlife and the viscach, a sort of overgrown chincilla.
'The cloud forest is a mystical place with the morning mist enveloping the [surrounding peaks. The effect of walking through the ruins of Macchu Picchu, covered by the morning fog, was an incredible experience.
After leaving the Andes, I traveled to the South Eastern Peruvian jungle at Tambopata Reserve. The Explorers Inn Tourist lodge runs the area and provides comfortable accommodations. Tambopata is a birders paradise.
Flocks of blue/gold, scarlet and military macaw were sighted daily. Other ■birds seen included toucans, toucanettes, king vultures, guans, trogons, .horned screamer, anis, hoatzins along with numerous tanagers and antbirds. Mammals are present, but not so easily observed. Primates are the most -often spotted. In a three day stay I saw Dusky Titi, Red Howler, black- capped capuchin and saddleback tamarin. Other mammals sighted were coati, Ithree-toed sloth and forest squirrels. Mammals that were seen by other parties during my stay included jaguarundi, tayra, peccary, giant anteater, [and brocket deer. The reserve also has a resident jaguar wno is seen an average of once a month. Caiman are present in the Tambopata River. Most are small; a sign of poaching pressure. I also saw Iguana, an unknown [species of snake and numerous anoles and frogs. The insect life is diverse with army and leaf cutter ants abundant. Seeing army ants foraging with accompanying antbirds was fascinating. The Tambopata Reserve is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world and through Explorers Inn, one of the most accessible.
As this article can attest to, Peru is the most ecologically diverse country in South America. If a person can make only one trip south of the border,
' I would recommend they visit Peru. Compared to a trip to Africa or India, it is relatively moderate financially. Last year's airfare, roundtrip from 'Miami, was running $550 to $700. Accommodations can be good while inexpen- 's ive and food is cheap. A U.S. visitor will find their dollars go far in ,Peru. Many organized tours leave from the States and interested readers should glance over the travel advertisements in Natural History or Animal Kingdom magazines to contact various touring groups. Doing Peru on your own is also practical and cheap and you will come across lots of other [Americans and Europeans doing the same. Remember if you visit that you [are in what is essentially a third world country, so expect possible delays I with transportation. Peru is an incredible country with great natural beauty; ja contrast of several ecosystems which in turn have a diverse flora and fauna. [For a nature lover, Peru may be the best kept secret in the hemisphere.
I ^
73
Dusky Seaside Sparrow Notes
Submitted By Jtm Ettls |
FAo^e66toncLl Spec^citl6tlGm£Aat CuAaton. !'
Santa fe Commantty College Teaching Zoo i
Gainesville, fL
On September 27 & 29, 1983 the remaining four male dusky seaside sparrows {AmmodA,amuS moAltlma nlg/iescensjwere transferred from the Santa Fe Com- munity College Teaching Zoo facility back to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service and Florida Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission. These agencies had reached the conclusion of their contractural/f inancial agre- ements with the Teaching Zoo regarding this group of birds and have decid- ed to make the specimens available to other agencies/ facilities .
The Teaching Zoo has been actively involved in a maintenance agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since April, 1981. During the past year (Sept. '82 to Sept. '83) an additional service agreement was reached with the Florida Audubon Society. This agreement under the per- mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service involved the Teaching Zoo staff in an effort to breed the male duskies with Scotts seaside sparrows and existing captive intergrades of said races.
Initial efforts to use the wild caught specimens of Scotts and Wakulla seaside sparrows developed serious veterinary problems. Mortality of specimens caught in the wild and transferred to the Teaching Zoo proved to be high. Necropsy reports on said specimens revealed considerable parasitism difficulties: ( Acanthocephala Sp. ) , potential AspeAgUHuS Sp. difficulties, as well as possible bacterial hazards. Due to the lack of baseline information on the species as a whole, our veterinary care staff (University of Florida) recommended a cautious approach. The only female | birds used involved one captive-held Scotts female, one 50% intergrade and I a 25% intergrade. The only success was achieved on 25 August, 1983 when, after repeated nesting/clutches with a different male, the 50% female hatched one intergrade chick which survives to date and was transferred with the adults. Although nomenclature remains to be established, it is presumed that taxonomically this individual would be appropriately listed as AmmodAomas moAltlma pennlnsulae x nlg^escens.
Finally on 10 September, 1983, a male dusky #23613-Red died following a week of abnormal behavior and intensive veterinary observation. Prelim- inary necropsy results indicated a large anterior abdominal growth pres- ' sing on the lungs. Final results following histopathology determined the growth to be a fungal granuloma. Cloacal cultures taken three days prior to death indicated AspeXglXluS -6p. (clavatus group). Although source, transmission, and definitive results were not possible, the implications for future management of the species in captivity are important. None i
of the remaining individuals showed signs of difficulty although all were | showing possible age related behavioral activities. ,
Currently the Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo is working with the i Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission in an attempt to continue |
its work in the modeling of captive propagation of the species as a whole, i Although funding appears to be limited, the Florida Game and Fresh Water i Fish Commission has expressed continued interest in determining those techniques for the captive propagation of small native passerines which may be threatened or endangered. Special interest in applying those i
techniques exist for the currently endangered Florida Grasshopper sparrow.
Anyone currently working with or having an interest in our data or exper- iences should feel free to contact us. ;
74
i^gfari Memories
AAZK Kenya Safari 1983
By
l\a,n.QCLKQ,t
'I GKoup SalQ,^ Ve.pt., B/ionx Zoo
I B^onx, NY
lave you ever dreamed of going on a safari? Well, for 16 AAZK members
fheir dream became a reality in October 1983 when they boarded a plane ound for Kenya, East Africa.
)uring the safari, the mini-bus stopped frequently as cameras, lenses and >inoculars were excitedly assembled to enhance the sighting of, for example jmffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, Thomson’s gazelle. Grant's gazelle :;erenuk, genet, lilac-breasted roller, Grevy zebra. Grant’s zebra, impala, Itryx, hippopotamus, alligator, giraffe, bush buck, waterbuck, white-tailed liongoose, comorant, warthog, spotted hyena, wildebeest, topi, cheetah,
'dive baboon and vervet moneky. The animals, in most instances, were un- lerturbed by the presence of the mini-bus. Some priceless photos were :aken during this memorable trip.
IJhe airfare, lodging and most meals were included in the special rate of >1975 offered exclusively to AAZK members by Park East Tours of New York, irhe accomodations were impeccable. Personally, I believe this trip was yell worth the money.
Tiis trip was an exhilarating learning experience about the animals and Culture of Kenya. It also gave me the opportunity to meet fellow AAZK lembers from Toronto, Ontario, Los Angeles, Florida, Rhode Island, Colo- rado, Missouri and New York. An AAZK Kenya safari trip is the ultimate Iream vacation for an animal enthusiast.
llEdlto^’6 hlote.i Vue, to the, e,vitkuu>tcutta ^e^povise. to the, 19B3 Kenya ^a^a/U, ^oAk East Mttt again be o^i^eAtng a JSpedaUiy paieed tnlp this yeoA. The \ittneAy wM be the ^ame and PoAk East Is also holding to the 1983 pAiee. feyitattve depoAtuAe dates oAe Augast 3, 1984 and OetobeA 26, 1984. Membeas should watch theJji mailbox ^OA a special sa^oAt notification In the coming nontks, )
Book Review
i:
The Fall of the Wild, The Rise of the Zoo
By Robert Bendiner
E.P. Dutton, New York, 1981
212 99 with Appendix and Bibliography
Price: $15.50
'Rovlm by John VavZd Pool Ho ah' ^ khk loo, SulphuA, LA
The author, Robert Bendiner, has served as a member of the editorial board of the New York Times, a free-lance writer for magazines and as managing editor of Nation. He is chiefly concerned with environmental matters.
Bendiner begins his book with an interesting account of how animals have been of enormous practical value to man in medical research and the eco- logical balance. Example — "...alligator tongue oil produces a steroidal action in the human body that is claimed to give temproary relief for asthma, rheumatism, and arthritis." Through this he makes a very practi- cal appeal for the preservation of endangered species.
From this beginning, the author delves into the reasons for species becom- ! ing endangered — such as the destruction of natural habitats and their pre- dation by man. If Bendiner were a lawyer, he would win his case- — man is the endangering species.
This book shows in a forceful way that the better zoos and preservation projects can and are making the difference in the survival of many animal species. The author paries the critical charges leveled against zoos and defends them in an artful manner.
Bendiner has a lengthy list (derived from the Red Data Book) in the book's appendix of endangered, vulnerable and rare species of animals. The author also lists a Selected Bibliography which can't possibly cover all the sources he used; and, because of this, the work is bordering on use- less for research.
As a whole, the 196 pages of text and 16 pages of photographs are inter- esting, entertaining and informative. The book is well worth purchasing and placing in your personal or zoo library.
76
4n Encouraging U^ord.
MISSISSIPPI KITE HACKING PROJECT-
MEEMAN-SHELBY FOREST STATE PARK/
MEMPHIS ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
By
John Stckeyi, CuAntoK o{s BXacLs
Mmplvu loo, MmpkLs, TN
INTRODUCTION
:he Mississippi Kite is a medium- sized raptor found primarily in the Southeastern and south-central United States. The kite is a graceful ind marvelous flyer, sometimes spending hours on the wing. Incredible lerobatics have been seen when this bird is engaged in pursuit of flying .nsects such as grasshoppers, dragonflies or cicadas. (It also takes iccasional snakes, toads, small birds and bats.)
t is found in extremely local colonies but has recently begun rapid •ange expansion in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. It is, however, consider- 'd as an Endangered species in Tennessee, found only in the western por- ;ion of the state. It is Endangered primarily due to loss of habitat since 50-70% of the river bottomland habitat they prefer has been con- rerted to soybean fields.
he kites* main strongholds in west Tennessee are Memphis, Meeman- Shelby Itate Park, Ft. Pillow State Park, and Reelfoot State Park/National Wild- -ife Refuge. In order to bolster local populations of the Mississippi lite, a hacking program was conducted at the Memphis Zoo and Meeman- helby State Park from August-October 1983. The kites were hacked into :nown kite colonies/habitat areas. (Memphis Zoo/Overton Park has three >airs and Meeman- Shelby has 10-15 pairs.) Hacking was done in these areas iue to availability of personnel who could participate in the project, mt future hacking programs might include areas that are of slightly dif- i'erent habitat. If habitat loss continues in west Tennessee at its pre- sent rate, then new colonies may have to be established in other portions )f the state. In this case, hacking may become a very valuable tool for iransplantating kite populations.
jChis project, a successful one, was the result of the cooperation of the jCennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Kansas Fish and Game Commission, Tennessee Department of Conservation, Tennessee Ornithological Society, llemphis Audubon Society, and the Memphis Zoo and Aquarium. Thanks to ill who helped...
'August 19 , 1983-9 : 30 a. m.— Mississippi Kites (12 in all, 2 adults and 10 iLmmatures) arrived at Memphis International Airport from Wichita, KS via Cansas Fish and Game. We took them to the Zoo hospital and opened their shipping crates, of which there were three in all. Joe Schaefer, the nan who located and climbed to the kite nest, did an excellent job of lacking the birds safely. Upon opening, we discovered that the kites <ieve roughly of two age groups. Four were about four weeks old and were [iesignated for the hack site at Meeman-Shelby State Park. Five were too /oung for placement in the hacking box at the Zoo, so three were sent to jlartha Waldron, a licensed raptor rehabilitator and a member of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, for hand-rearing. Two were kept by me jfor the same purpose (the hand-rearing consisted of placing the kites in a large cardboard box with nest material in the bottom. A feeding flap
77
MISSISSIPPI KITE HACKING PROJECT, Continued
and observation flap were cut in the box to permit feeding of the birds i' without them associating the food with humans). One additional nestling i was intermediate in size between the two groups, so I kept it with my !
two youngsters to use as a leader bird in the zoo's hacking station. 1
August 19, 1983-3:30 p.m. — Transferred the four older kites to Meeman- ‘ Shelby. This state park is located some 20-25 miles north of downtown \ Memphis and offers excellent kite habitat. In fact, it probably has the j largest single concentration of kites in west Tennessee. The hacking i station here was located in the unused, very private group camp and was [ situated atop a 10-foot high metal shed that was formerly used to house [ the TWRA’s radio equipment. Charlie Norvell, a Ranger-Naturalist at Meeman- Shelby, supervised the hacking of the kites and used several sea- [ sonal ranger-naturalists to care for the birds during their two-week stayf
The hacking boxes used for this project were constructed out of 2" x 4" i frames covered with plywood. They measured 4' x 4' x 3’ high and had f two doors on the left side for feeding and watering. The doors were !■
arranged where we could feed and water without the birds seeing us. One ' side of the box had a long door approximately 3’ x 1’ with wooden dowels spaced 1" apart. This door was hinged and folded down to allow I release of the birds. The opposite side had a window of the same dimen- sions, but did not fold down.
All the kites in Group A, as they were called, adjusted well to this new situation, but were a little leary of each other. None of these birds t were nestmates and were not used to seeing three other birds with them. They settled in however and continued on with their business of growing.
August 20-29, 1983 — All ten kites were doing well at this point. Group t A birds as well as Group B birds were all eating voraciously. They were being fed a diet of Nebraska Brand Birds of Prey® diet enriched with '
Wings® bird vitamins and crickets dusted with Wings? The B.O.P. diet !
was fed about 90% of the time. !'
ii
August 22, 1983 — Received an immature kite from the Lichterman Nature 1 Study Center in Memphis. This bird was a native Memphian and apparently ^ was blown out of its nest in a passing storm. It was placed with the Group A birds and worked in rather well since it was approximately the i same age . j
August 30, 1983 — 7:00 a.m. — Brought a kite from Group A to the Zoo hos- f pital for treatment. I observed this bird gasping on 8/29 on a routine j check and at first thought this bird was gasping due to the heat. After a while, I noticed that it was still gasping and decided that something ' was wrong. I caught the kite using a net constructed from a clothes hanger, a rainsuit hood and a broom handle. I took it home for the night j and it ate well. The kite was examined by Dr. Mike Douglass, Zoo Veter- inarian, and he suspected , a dreaded lung fungus that is
virtually untreatable and usually kills its victim. This time was no . exception. The bird died about two hours after it was brought in and was necropsied to show that the fungus was indeed the culprit. We watch- ed the other kites closely to make sure that they didn’t show signs of infection (as if we could have really done anything if they did).
September 2, 1983-3 ; 30 p.m. — Released Group A. One kite left almost as soon as the door was opened. Two left after three minutes and the last, the Lichterman bird, left after fifteen minutes. They all flew very well and flew no farther than 75-80 yards. All landed in nearby trees to get an idea of where they were. One kite even tried to emulate
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ISSISSIPPI KITE HACKING PROJECT, CoiUlnued
[at- like behavior by hanging upside down on a limb for a few minutes.
I f ter it figured the world didn't look correct from this unusual position, he kite did one and one half somersaults to a lower limb. All of the I coring judges gave the bird a score of 9.8 for this incredible and dif- ficult maneuver. (Watch out 1984 0l3nnpics)
eptember 3, 1983-10; 00 a.m. — Placed six kites, Group B, into hacking box t the Memphis Zoo. This station was atop the Birdhouse above the visitor's ,ntrance. Martha Waldron banded all six with two being banded on the left ’ ide and were designated as transmitter recipients. All six were placed n the box with no problems.
eptember 4-20, 1983— All the kites in Group B were doing fine except wo that had some feather problems. Apparently, these birds had whacked heir wings on their perches and damaged some of their primaries while hey were still in the blood. These birds will be held until next spring hen their feathers grow back. All the kites ate well during this period nd ate an average of two pounds of B.O.P. diet a day with crickets sub- I tituted two-three days a week. This food was placed in two spots — one jleing the flip door and the other a metal chick feeding pan placed in the ' ottom of the box. Water was also provided in a plastic bowl in a corner way from the upper perches. The water was very important since they all rank from the container almost as soon as it was put in the box. During ;his two-week period, all of the kites' feathers became hard-penned and i;rew to their full lengths. By the 20th, nearly all the kite had lost iheir down. They also became very restless and began to dash against the vertical bars trying to get out. Perhaps they sensed that freedom was a i;ew days away.
September 21, 1983-12;00 p.m. — Placed transmitters (provided by the Memphis iLudubon Society) on two of the four kites that would be released on the ’.2nd. They were sewn on the two central tail feathers with a synthetic suture that would last around three months, about as long as the transmitter mtteries. A drop of Super Glue was placed on each knot. These trans- litters weighed a mere 7 grams apiece and their frequency numbers were 1-50.994 and 151.040 MHZ. Both transmitters were checked with the receiver ioth before and after they were put on.
September 22, 1983-12;00 p .m.— Released kites. Two kites left within |;hirty seconds after the door was opened. Another left after 30 minutes and the last to do so left after 52 minutes. Both transmitters were send- ing clearly and indicated that the birds were in some trees about 50 yards aast of the hacking station.
jaeptember 22, 1983-2 ; 20 p.m.— I scanned the area with the receiver and jfound one kite perched in a tree by the bird house. It soon launched into a thermal and began soaring. I could clearly see the antenna stick- ing out beyond its tail as it passed overhead. I picked up the signal of :he other kite in a tree at the southwest portion of the Zoo.
September 22, 1983-5:00 p.m.— Scanned the area again and found both sig- lals just south of the Birdhouse.
September 23, 1983-8 ; 30 a.m.— I scanned the Zoo grounds and found both lairds inside the Zoo again. One was in a tree by the Birdhouse and the iDther was in a tree at the southwest corner of the Zoo.
jSeptember 23 , 1983-10 ; 00 a.m. — Checked food pan which was left on top of the hacking box and discovered that all of the food, about two pounds, was
79
MISSISSIPPI KITE HACKING PROJECT, ConUnued
gone. Apparently, the kite were returning in the late afternoon to feed. t
September 23, 1983-3:00 p.m. — Scanned the area and found 151.040 within , the Zoo grounds and 150.994 very faint to the southwest of the Zoo. i
September 24, 1983-10;00 a.m. — I scanned the Zoo and found both signals, i, although 150.994 was very faint to the southwest. j;
September 24, 1983-10:15 a.m. — After scanning for 15 minutes, 151.040’s {
signal became very strong and suddenly three kites appeared, soaring to- jj
gether as they passed over the hacking box. Two landed, including 151.04C|! This bird sat in a tree on the northeast corner of the Birdhouse and stayej
there for about 20 minutes. Afterwards, this bird and another that land-
ed close by, departed for airspace north of the Zoo. I observed all three of these birds until 1 p.m.
I saw one of the untransmitted birds today make an attempt at prey. The j kite was soaring about 200 feet above the western portion of the Zoo. Suddenly it folded into a 60 degree dive and began to rapidly change di- rections. I first thought that it was merely engaged in play but I soon saw what he was doing. Approximately 70 feet up a migrating Monarch butterfly was winging its way over the Zoo and the kite intended this migration to be the Monarch's last. As the kite closed in it looked like | the butterfly was going to be the main dish. But, at the last possible | instant, the Monarch "side-stepped" the kite with a move that Chicago | Bears runningback Walter Payton would have been proud of. Not too ruffled by the miss, the kite flew off in search of easier prey that hasn't been i reading NFL playbooks, (the immature kite showed all the grace and flashy ^ aerobatics that the adults are known for. The birds are born graceful.). After this I went out of town for two days and was unable to track the birds.
September 26, 1983 — Two Memphis Zoological Scoeity members spotted two kites soaring and calling over the Birdhouse.
September 27, 1983-9:20 a.m. — Scanned the Zoo grounds (and sky) and found I nothing .
f
September 27, 1983-12:35 p.m. — Scanned Wolf River, north of Zoo, and found[ nothing in this excellent kite habitat. j
September 27, 1983-1; 00 p.m.— Scanned Mississippi River south of down- j town Memphis and found nothing. Apparently the transmitted birds have left the area.
September 28, 1983 — No sign of kites.
i
September 29, 1983 — No sign of kites. In fact the species has yet to be discovered by European man. The native Americans on this date, however, named the Mississippi Kite. The Choctaws came up with the name "Umpata- galalametrohackalotta" . Roughly translated the name meant "One that will someday become Endangered due to greedy land gobbling and will have to be hacked to help them out" (just seeing is anyone was still with me this far along in the report!).
September 29, 1983 — Spotted an immature kite soaring over the western por- tion of the Zoo. It had a cloud of gnat-like Chimney Swifts following it around. This bird was visible for about 5 minutes and disappeared to the south end of the Park. It did not have a transmitter on it. This bird was seen at 10:04 a.m. and was not seen the rest of the day.
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I:SSI$SIPPI KITE HACKING PROJECT, CoyvUnuzd
iptember 30, 1983-12;00 p.m. — Dave and Susan Hill of the Zoo spotted an
1 mature kite today, possibly the same one from yesterday. It was unknown lether or not it was a hacked kite or a stranger.
Iitober 1, 1983 — No kites seen. All have left for the South.
iis project was a success. Of course, the real measure of success will j determined in the spring of '84 if any of the kites return to the acking areas. It would be interesting to see if kites could be hacked 1 some hilly areas, say at Land between the Lakes (Kentucky-Tennessee) , id to see if an upland population of kites could be established. If Ja, it would probably help the kites as far as the species in Tennessee, ^specially if more lowland habitat is lost to agriculture. The upland Dpulation might very well carry the species.
Information Please
would appreciate hearing from any zoos that are keeping harbor seals id sealions in fresh water. I am interested in knowing if you have had roblems with loss of hair or skin diseases and what, if anything, has ien done about it. Send information to: Betty Krohn, Lincoln Park Zoo, ’.00 Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
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I
jersons having experience with captive breeding of Brazilian Tapir TapdAu^ tOAAQJitAAJi ) are urged to contact the Mesker Zoo. We are interested in factors that improve or enhance reproduction including ietary, housing, and social conditions. Please contact: Pam Rogers, acyderm Keeper, Mesker Park Zoo, Bement Ave., Evansville, IN 47712.
in 1 December, 1983 our 19-year-old female Polar Bear gave birth to twins
I one survived) in a recently modified den. An integral part of the den etup was a special video monitor connected via cable to our main build- ng — a run of approximately 200 feet. As of this writing we have over 50 hours of tape tracing the development of the cub from day 1; all ctive periods are taped. At present I am editing much of the footage nto condensed tapes with emphasis on development /mother-cub interaction/ ocal changes, etc. I would like to make contact with any other zoo hav- ng similar tapes to compare notes. If anybody has any footage on new- orn Polar Bear cubs, please contact me at: Mike Schofield, Curator of i-nimals, Worcester Science Center,, Worcester, MA 01604.
81
Legislative News
Compiled by Ke.v-in Conway ,
AAZK Legd^Zcutive, Cooadlnaton.
FWS RECLASSIFIES THREE NATIVE SPECIES OF WILDLIFE '
The Fish & Wildlife Service has recently changed the status of two native species and determined a third to be Endangered. Please update your Legis- ' lative Manual.
The Texas population of the American alligator ( AjULiQaXoK m^^-Ls^^pp^en6-U) )' has just been d owngraded from Endangered to Threatened status. This action was taken because of the Texas population's recovery within most parts of , its range. Biologists in Texas feel that the population has reached the j maximum, or at least optimal, carrying capacity of the habitat and warrant£| this change in status. t
The Santa Barbara song sparrow (MeXo^p^za meZodla gAamine.a} , which was ( found only on Santa Barbara Island in Los Angeles County, CA, has been re- i moved from the Endangered Species List because of its apparent extinction. This form was common on Santa Barbara Island until a severe fire in 1959 f swept much of the island; no live birds have been seen since. ^
The Kentucky cave shrimp ( PaZaeinoyilai ganteAX] was provided Endang ;red j status and its Critical Habitat has' been determined. This species is foun| only in Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and is threatened by the coii tamination of the cave's ground water supply through improperly treated sewage from nearby communities and from toxic spills and highway runoff. 1 Mammoth Cave is listed as the shrimp's Critical Habitat.
---A. ShomakeA Xn i
AAZPA MmUMoA, Vq,c.. 1983
i
PROPOSAL TO REMOVE BROWN PELICAN IN SOUTHEASTERN U.S. FROM E$L |
On 10 November, the Fish and Wildlife Service published a proposal in the j FS-dcAoX to remove the brown pelican ( PgXg.c.a.taa6 occXde.hXdXX6 ) from
the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in Alabama, Florida, Georgii' South Carolina, North Carolina and points along the Atlantic coast. This j proposal would not change the status in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, California, Mexico, Central and South America and the West Indies. The ' proposed change is based upon the increase in the stabilization in popu- lation numbers and productivity. i
— AAZPA Vue, 1983 f
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE REVIEWS THE STATUS OF THREE FISH i
The status of the amber darter ( PeAclna anted M.a} , trispot darter [Etkeo- 6toma tAldoIIa] and reticulate logperch (PeACA,na 6p, ) is being reviewed by I the Fish and Wildlife Service to determine if they should be listed. The I species are known only to be from Georgia and Tennessee. |
—AAZPA HowaIMoa, Vea, 1983 !
TRADE IN PANDA SKINS REVEALED
World Wildlife Fund and lUCN have alerted the world to what may be a new threat to China's giant panda [AUjjJwpodja melanolmca) - -trade in the panda's fur. One skin reportedly was sold to a Taiwanese company for
82
EGISLATIVE NEWS, ConUnae.d
fS $50,000 and then imported into Japan. Other skins are currently being >ffered for US $25,000 each. This is the first solid evidence of a trade ;hat could devastate the 400-1000 pandas remaining in the wild. In re- :ponse to this dangerous new development, the People’s Republic of China irges immediate inclusion of the species on Appendix I by postal procedur- is. The CITES Secretariat fully supports China’s request. On 7 Septem- ber, 1983, the panda was placed on Appendix III as an interim measure by :he Chinese government.
— TRAFFIC (U.5.A.)
uEGISLATION INTRODUCED PROHIBITING TAKING OF KILLER WHALES FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY
Iseveral members of the House of Representatives from the state of Washing- Iton introduced legislation on 17 November which would prohibit the taking pf killer whales for public display purposes. Congressman Rod Chandler authored the bill, and it was co-sponsored by Mike Lowry, Sid Morrison,
:'Jorman Dicks, A1 Swift and Thomas Foley. At the press conference follow- ing the introduction of the bill. Congressman Chandler stated that the method of capturing killer whales was harmful to the population, that there is great uncertainty with reference to the size of the wild population,
:hat the life expectancy in captivity is only four or five years, that the commercial interest in killer whales overshadows the interest in research jand that after one year in captivity, killer whales become despondent and iiisoriented. The bill was referred to the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, but no hearing have as yet been scheduled. AAZPA is not sur- prised at the introduction of the bill and will monitor it closely to keep bur members informed.
— R. IfJagneA Tu AAZPA Hm^toJXnA
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT REAUTHORIZATION
The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 expires on 31 October, 1984. The '^ct will be considered for reauthorization early in 1984. AAZPA members, in particular those who hold (or plan to hold) marine mammals in their collections, need to review the Act and its accompanying regulations. jA^ZPA will be involved in the reauthorization of the Act and we need your thoughts on what areas, if any, you believe need to be changed, deleted or expanded. Address comments to; Chuck Bieler, Donald Bruning, Kris Vehrs, and Bob Wagner at AAZPA.
—AAZPA Jan. 1984
PROPOSED ENDANGERED STATUS FOR FRESNO KANGAROO RAT AND SMOKY MADTOM
9n 21 November, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed endangered status for the Fresno kangaroo rat (V^ipodomy^ nAjC/utto-ldz^ 1 a small hop-
ping mammal restricted to the grasslands in San Joaquin Valley, CA. The FWS is also proposing critical habitat of 857 acres in Western Fresno County. Most of the mammal’s habitat is threatened by grazing of domes- tic livestock or by agricultural development. Also proposed for en- dangered status is the smoky madtom [UotuMUi boJ^nyi. ) , a small catfish. FWS also proposes its critical habitat. This species, thought to be extinct in 1957, was rediscovered in Tennessee in 1980. The only popu- lation known to exist is limited to a 6.5 mile area in Monroe County, jlN. The species is vulnerable due to its limited distribution and its jtiabitat could be threatened by logging activities and road construction. |A June 1982 review found that almost all state agencies and federal ac- jtivities located in Tennessee support the listing.
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— AAZPA Jan. 1984
RAISED HOPE FOR SURVIVAL
Endangered Species Act's First 10 Years
The Endangered Species Act celebrated its 10th anniversary December 28, and Interior Secretary William Clark, speaking of the act, said, "Perhaps the most significant achievements of the Endangered Species Act are that it focused public attention on these species and established a workable government mechanism to bring about their recovery. Although we still face many difficult problems, the law has enabled some species to make signifi- cant progress toward recovery." Clark continued, saying, "As a result of the Endangered Species Act, the odds for many U.S. species are better today than they were 10 years ago."
The act directs the government to keep a list of species considered "en- dangered" and those that are slightly less imperiled, called "threatened," and authorizes programs to protect them, ranging from biological research to prosecution of people who kill or traffic in endangered species. It also authorizes DOI to hold up any projects requiring a federal permit which might "jeopardize the continued existence of" vanishing species, and creates federal grants to foster state protection programs.
One of the act’s major accomplishments has been the successful involve- ment of state and federal agencies in endangered species conservation, with thousands of consultations having been held between Federal Wildlife Ser- vice and other federal agencies under a provision of the law designee to prevent projects from jeopardizing the survival of endangered species.
Victories under the act — the whooping crane, the Aleutian Canada goose, the bald eagle comeback in several states due to research and the ban on DDT, the survival of the manatee despite threats to Florida estuaries, the rallying of an obscure green parrot whose habitat was nearly wiped out in Puerto Rico, a rare primrose holding on in the Antioch Dune — are im- portant but tiny in a global context. World Wildlife Fund scientist Thomas Lovejoy said, "We know we're not just talking about a whooping crane here and a white rhinoceros there, but a potential biological transforma- tion of, the planet unequalled perhaps since the diappearance of the dino- saur . "
Nearly a species a day is lost to development in southeast Asia, Africa, and South America's rain forests. The chief cause of extinction is des- truction of habitat and the trend in the United States is also serious. Twenty- two animal species became extinct in the U.S. between 1700 and 1920; in the next 50 years, the toll was 25.
The list of threatened and endangered species has grown to include 300 American species and 438 from foreign countries. The Smithsonian Institute reports 1,800 plants alone in enough peril to qualify for listing. Some scientists estimate there could be 2 million species lost by the year 2000, mostly because of man's intrusions into nature's environment. Inter- national efforts to control trade in rare species, law enforcement, and recovery programs are growing.
The increased need for the act does not take away from the successes it has spawned. The bald eagle population, about 3,000 in 1970, is now es- timated at 5,000. The Puerto Rican parrot, numbering 14 in 1975, is now up to 40. Through experiments at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, MD, done with its near-twin the Andean condor, the California condor may survive. The bird's decline has halted for the first time in
84
ENDANGERED SEPCIES ACT'S FIRST 10 YEARS, ConUnu^d
several decades, and condors now number about 20 In the wild and 9 in captivity, some of which will be released into the wild in 1985.
The whooping crane, counted at 15 in 1974, now numbers 148. The Aleutian ;Canada goose, in decline after Arctic foxes were introduced to its nest- ling habitat in the Aleutian Islands, now numbers 3,5000, up from 800 in 1975. DDT so devastated the American peregrine falcon that it no longer : nested east of the Mississippi, but with assistance from state and fed- eral wildlife agencies, the Peregrine Fund, and falconers, peregrines ihave been bred in captivity. Since 1975 nearly 1000 such peregrine off- spring have been returned to the wild and once again nest in habitat where none had nested for 30 years.
The black-footed ferret, considered extinct as recently as 1981, was redis- covered that year when the body of one was found apparently killed by a rancher's dog. Since then 88 ferrets have been counted around 18 Wyoming prairie dog towns. The Delmarva fox squirrel, one of the first mammals to be listed as endangered, has been translocated by FWS in cooperation with biologists from Maryland and Virginia wildlife agencies, to reestablish breeding populations, and is now doing quite well. Perhaps most remark- able of all, the American alligator has made so strong a comeback that most estimates place the total U.S. alligator population at more than 2 million, and FWS, with the support of conservationists will now approve alligator hide exports through 1985, rather than on a year-by-year basis.
The Endangered Species Act has also achieved broader objectives. The law embraces not only mammals, birds and other vertebrates, but plants and creatures without backbones such as insects, crustaceans and mollusks. The law also strives to conserve the ecosystems on which endangered and threat- ened species depend.
A desert wetland at Ash Meadows, NV, supports two fishes listed as endan- gered and seven plants and one insect that have been proposed for listing, but until recently, the species' survival was threatened by construction of a housing development. Congress has now appropriated funds to preserve this unique area as a national wildlife refuge. And several western trout (Californi'a Paiute cutthroat, Colorado's greenback cutthroat, and Arizona's Apache trout) were reclassified from "endangered" to "threatened" status during the 1970' s as a result of habitat restoration, elimination of in- troduced, competing trout species, and hatchery rearing and restocking pro- grams .
According to Clark, "One of the greatest obstacles to saving many species is our lack of knowledge about them. But biologists have learned a great deal in the past 10 years and these advances will continue."
To many environmentalists, much of the act's importance lies in the implicit warning to humans that if man's works are making the planet unlivable for so many species, at what point could it become unlivable for man as well?
^/Lom ECOLOGY USA
JanuoAy 16, 19S4
85
J^[pcr6an(ls
South-eastern ^caiond fiSi ConScrcnca
^ pri( , I9fff Cdunthia SS.
The Riverbanks Southeastern Regional AAZK Conference will be held April 19-21, 1984 at the Riverbanks Zoological Park, Columbia, SC.
FINAL Cx\LL FOR PAPERS— Each paper will be limited to 20 minutes with a 5 minute ques- tion/answer period. Topics should pertain to zoos and zoo- keeping. Abstracts or outlines should be submitted by March 1, 1984 . The conference registra-
tion fee will be reduced for those people presenting papers.
Tentative Conference Schedule
Thursday, April 19
Registration
Icebreaker
Friday, April 20 Announcements /Welcome Tours of Riverbanks Zoo Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote speakers
W^orkshop /Discussion
Saturday, April 21 Presentation of papers Presentation of keynote speakers
Bar-B-Q Supper /Volleyball game
Auction/Party
Sunday, April 22 — Post-conference trip to Congaree National Monument
Tentatively scheduled keynote speakers include: Bill Ziegler, General Curator, Miami Metrozoo; Guy Smith, Director, Knoxville Zoo; Dr. Joe Erwin, Curator of Primates, Brookfield Zoo; Les Schobert, General Curator, North Carolina Zoological Park; Dr. Kenneth Gould, Head of Reproductive Physiology, Yerkes Primate Center, Atlanta, GA and A1 Valenzuela, Curator, St. Catherine's Survival Center, GA.
Please make checks payable to: "Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter". Send papers completed registration forms with the registration fee to: Stephen J. Dank Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210.
r
Registration Form
Name :
Address :
City :
State: Zip code:
Phone No: ( )
Name of Zoo:
Area of interest:
No. attending BBQ/Conference:
Vegetarian: ^YES NO
Transportation :
FEES:
Member £r spouse — $25.00 Non-member — $30.00 Late registration fee after 3/1/84 — $5.00 additional TOTAL fees enclosed: $
Hotel Reservation Request Form Riverbanks Southeastern Regional
AAZK Conference
Name :
Address: 1
City:
State: Zip code: I
Phone No . ; ( ) 1,
Arrival Date: Time: I
Departure Date: Time: |
Total No. of Nights in Hotel: j|
Please check the type of room you wish to reserve:
Single $20.95 daily
(one person)
Double $24.00 daily
(two people) 1
Name of roommate:
Please send one night's deposit with this form to: COMFORT INN, 827 Bush j River Rd., Columbia, S.C. 29210, car€ of J.K. Mehta. Deposits will be re- turned on reservations cancelled 24 hours in advance of arrival.
86
LIMITED EDITION
SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE AKF TENTH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT
Animal Keepers’ Forum
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
TENTH ANNIVERSARY 1974 - 1984
i\KF will be ten years old in October 1984. To commemorate ten years of fr:ontinuous publication, a special T-shirt is being issued.
The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter has taken this on as a fund-raising project For the 1984 AAZK Conference. All profits will benefit the Conference ;jnd AKF.
II
The T-shirts will only be available from October 1983 through October 1984. A check must accompany your order. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. The price of $7.50 each includes postage and handling. The shirts are 100% cotton; if you wash or dry at high temperatures, order a size larger.
AKF COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM ^AME:
!\DDRESS :
‘ Color choice: powder blue beige
Size: Small ^Medium Large Extra Large
^ake checks payable to: The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter Conference Account 'lail to: Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Ave., N., Seattle, \iik 98103. ATTN: Judie Steenberg
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
The. ^otlou)T.ng "Po^TXToiu AvcuZable." Lutings weAe. n.Q.(iQAve.d at the. oK^tcie. I oi AKF. Jn^tttutloyu wTjthtng to adveAttie. zmpJioyme.nt oppontuyUtteA axe. i cu>ke.d to i>e.nd peJvtme,vit data by the. 15th oi e.acih month to: OppoAtuntty i Knocki, AKF, 655 Gage, Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606. |
ZOOKEEPER l...Due to major expansion of our zoological park, the Jackson | Zoo is NOW accepting applications for the entrance level of Zoo Keepers. Salary range $893-$ 1,298 per month. Standard benefits. Duties include the general care and maintenance of a wide variety of mammals, birds and reptiles. Applicants must have a high school education and some practi- cal experience is necessary. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a progressive, expanding zoological park. Certified candidates will ! remain on an active list for six months. Send resume to; James L. Swigeri Director, Jackson Zoological Park, 2918 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39209.
KEEPER. . .responsible for care of small mammal and bird exhibits at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. Exhibit fabrication and design experience helpful. Salary $18,645. Send resumes by April 1, 1984 to: Personnel Director, 10 Idaho Street, Tacoma, WA 98409.
ANIMAL KEEPER. . . temporary position from April 1 to end of October. Responsibilities include care of collection of mammals, birds and reptiles, with related tasks of building and repairing cages and enclosures. Must be able to work with a minumum of supervision and be willing to learn to give animal talks to groups of visitors. Some experience in a zoological setting required. Salary $4.50/ hour to start. Send resume to: Vince Hall, Claws 'N* Paws Wild Animal Park, RD 1, Lake Ariel, PA 18436.
ZOOKEEPER. . .responsible for care/maintenance of reptile collection. Experience with felines/primates also desired. Salary range, $13,619 to $16,456, plus benefits. Contact City Personnel Department, City Hall, 830 Boonville, Springfield, MO 65802, or call Paul Price, Dickerson Park Zoo, (417) 833-1570. Deadline, 30 March 1984.
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MOVING?????
Please send complete name and address changes to:
Dolly Clark, Administrative Secretary AAZK National Headquarters 635 Gage Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66606
Delays in sending address changes directly to AAZK Hdqts, may cause you to miss several Issues of ARF and other AAZK mailings and also costs the association ZB^cents postage due> on each item returned due to an old address, Please help!
88
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
lame
Check hoAe n-enmat [ ]
l^ddress
$10.00 Associate I ncUv^duats not connected iA)tth an avumat coJie {^acttlty
$15.00 Affiliate OtkcA 6ta{^i and volunteen^
$50.00 Contributing
Oaganlzatton^ and JndtvtduaLi U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
ltaecjtoH.y InjoHmatton
$20.00 Professional Valt-ttme KeepcJU
$25.00 International AIZ mmbeu oatMtde the U.S. and Canada
Idd (jiJoak Aaea Spectat InteacJitM
lail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 335 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the kYiimat KeepeA^' foAum. The nembership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
[ntmal KeepeA^ ' VoAim publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit Articles.
!
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and :ables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page jsize of no more than 6” x 10" (15 cm x 25^^ cm.). Literature used should 3e cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include- scientific names.
Articles sent to Andmol KeepeAJ)' VoAim will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials jsubmitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- jiddressed envelope.
I
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will Hot be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
j AAttcloJi pAtnted do not nece^^oAtly Ae^lect the
optntoni> 0^ the AvumaJi Keepen^ ' FoAum edUtoAlat 6ta{){, oA 0 1 the AmeAtcan A^^boctatton ol loo KeepeA6.
terns in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication s requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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Heated to Professional Animal Care
APRIL 1984
ANIMAL KEEPERS'
FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
APRIL 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER FOUR
kYUmal KeepeAi' Vonxm (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. : Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing | costs of Aviuncit Ke.epeA6' FoAim, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS Postmaster Please send address changes to: '
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEFERS, INC.
. ^'ATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 63S GAGE BL{/V., TOPEKA, KS 66606 j V Dotty CloAk, AdmtyiyUT/icutLVii SdcAotxuiy J
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center
Front Royal, VA 22630 !
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park VtC-d PA.d6tddnii
Escondido, CA 92025 I
Pat Sarnmarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 |
Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 ,
Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701 [
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
GoAcitd Paynd, Dedyiott Zoo
Continuing Keeper Education
Judid Ste-dnbeAg, Woodland PoAk
Historical Committee
LoAAy SammoAdO, Lincoln PoAk
Professional Standards Committee
International Affairs Coordinator Convild Cloak, Ncukvtttd, TN
Research/Grants Committee FAank Kohn, Ncutlonat ZoologTdoJt Pcuik Awards Committee Mtkd CAOdkdA, Dtdk2A^0Yl PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee
Jan McCoy, Wcukington PoAk Zoo KdV-ln Conway, NZP/CRC, FAont Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange EtandAa Aim, iiJoodtand PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BdAvbid Fdldman, Topdka Zoo
Progra.m Library
Annd M. Paynd, DdtAoTX Zoo
Infant Development
Stdvd T ay to A, LouuUvtttd
Keeper Accomodations List
Otivdn. CtaK^dy, MqXao ToAonto
Keeper
MoAy Staybaugk, San Antovilo S Dav^
Library Resource /Book Review
Ettdn Ldach, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
MoAy MuAd, San FAancJj>co Zoo Diet Notebook
South Flo Alda C hapten. , Miami Membership Directory Pal SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Dland Fouyth, AkAon Zoological PoAk Data Survey
> OAndoA^, Sda Wo Aid ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mlkd CoApdntdA, Phodnlx Zoo, AZ, DlAdctoA
Linda RofiA Vacancy Gdnd PidiioA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne Villens LoAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShoAples Vacancy Candy KAo^t
W.D. Stone MemoAial Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo DetAott Zoo Indlanapotu Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Woodland PoAk Zoo
Joanle Stin6on Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NV
PA,NJ,MD,DE
VA,W.VA,D.C.
MI
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA >
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,MT,WV,AKl CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI ' Canada '
month’ ^ Ke,e.peA/A/Ltl6t Both Hmd Antmal Kto-poA at the. kWt
buntatn Zoo tn Roanoke., UA. HeA dAowtng {^entuAe^ "Sampson", a tivo-month- )ld iejnate. ^qatnAeZ monkey wtth tt6 motheA. Thanks, Beth!
Scoops -
Scuttlebutt
DIET NOTEBOOK Project Update
rhe Diet Notebook is being developed as reference material for keepers and all others interested in caring for exotic animals. When enough informa- tion is collectedj it will be presented in loose-leaf fashion which will kllow the periodic addition of new material.
Response forms are ready now and can be obtained from the South Florida Chapter, Little Rock Chapter or Sedgwick County Zoo Chapter (addresses aelow) . Little Rock has been appointed as the Bird Collection Center and Sedgwick County as the Mammal Collection Center. For the time being. South Florida will handle reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (also fish). Ef anyone is interested in handling reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates or fish — please contact the South Florida Chapter.
Please type or print information on the response form using metric units whenever possible. Also please refer to the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names. When forms are complete please send them to the appro- priate Collection Center.
BIRD COLLECTION CENTER: Kelli Westbrook
Little Rock Chapter AAZK
//I Jonesboro Drive
j Little Rock, AR 72204
JIAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER: Terrie Correl
1 Sedgwick County Zoo AAZK
i 5555 Zoo Boulevard
: Wichita, KS 67212
ALL OTHERS: South Florida Chapter AAZK
c/o Debbie Burch 17860 SW 112 Court Miami, FL 33157
PLANT RESEARCH PROJECT
The Woodland Park Zoological Gardens* Plant Research Team is working on a project to identify which species of plants and animals are being success- fully interacted in zoo exhibits. Members of the team are: Keepers Gregg Thompson, Chuck Harke and Judie Steenberg; Horticulturist Sue Maloney; and Gardner Aides Kathy Long and Elsa Steele. An interest survey and letter was mailed to the Directors of the Zoos represented on the Association of Zoo Horticulture mailing list and the majority of zoos listed in the AAZPA Mem- bership Directory. If you are interested in participating in this project as a zoo or as a individual working within your Zoo’s operation, but did [not receive the interest survey, please contact:
jchuck Harke/Sue Maloney , ^
Iwoodland Park Zoological Gardens (20« 625-5498 or 625-2140
15500 Phinney Avenue North 'Seattle, WA 98103
89
SCOOPS AND SCUTTLEBUTT, CorvUnuo^d
NOTE FROM THE CHAPTER AFFAIRS COORDINATOR
Newly appointed Chapter Affairs Coordinator Lee Payne of the Detroit Zoo wishes to let all Chapters know that this position has again become active and that he is catching up on past correspondence as quickly as possible.
A delay in the transfer of files and pending correspondence has contribut- ed to a bit of a backlog, so please be patient. Lee is eager and willing to assist in your Chapter formations, questions, etc. and will be corres- ponding with individual chapters in the near future. In the meantime, watch for next month's AKF which is scheduled to have an article by Lee updating Chapters on their role in the AAZK organization.
AAZK EXPRESS TRAIN PROPOSED FOR SEATTLE CONFERENCE
Ken Guillaume of the Minnesota State Zoo is looking into schedules, rates, and perhaps a group deal in train travel to the Seattle National Confer- ence. If others are interested, contact Ken. We may be able to arrange an "AAZK Express", maybe starting at the East Coast and adding members at cities on the route. Ken's preference is for the especially beautiful Canadian route. If there is reply enough, another "AAZK Express" could start its course in the Southeast. Please contact Ken to indicate your interest or to learn more. His address is; c/o Minnesota Zoological Gardens, 12101 Johnny Cake Road, Apple Valley, MN 55124.
from the President
The Only Constant Is Change
AAZK has a new International Affairs Coordinator and a new Program Library Project Head. Connie Cloak, who recently served as an AAZK Board member, will replace outgoing lAC Randy Adolph from the St. Louis Zoo.
At the same time, Mike Crocker has resigned as Program Library coordinator. Anne Payne at the Detroit Zoo will be replacing Mike and the Program Library will be moving to Detroit.
Any member wishing to help Connie or Anne with their projects, or wishing information about the projects should contact them directly:
Connie Cloak
International Affairs Coordinator 1032 Granada Ave.
Nashville, TN 37206
Anne Payne Detroit Zoo P.O. Box 39 Royal Oak, MI 48068
On behalf thanks to projects.
of the Board and all AAZK members I want to express my sincere Randy and Mike for all their efforts while they headed these
a
Kevin Conway AAZK President
90
\Letters To The Editor
\
j Dear Editor:
; After renewing my membership in the AAZPA for the year of 1984, I received I a "thank you" form letter from Robert Wagner (Executive Director) . In it I he states: "In our endeavor to better serve you, we would appreciate re- ceiving any comments you may have for the betterment of the Association."
I hope all AAZK member keepers who are also AAZPA Associates took this opportunity to remind the AAZPA of the inappropriateness of including us in the Assocuate member category, as it includes all non-zoo people as well.
I feel that we, along with other non-management zoo professionals (such as zoo veterinary technicians) should be classed differently. The membership categories in AAZPA seem to need revision. It may have a greater effect if these comments came from the AAZPA’ s own membership as opposed to coming from the board of an entirely separate organization (i.e. AAZK).
Sincerely.
Jay Jansan, Keeper Turtle Back Zoo West Orange, NJ
Dear Editor,
I am writing in regards to Ms. Rachel Roberts’ fine paper "The Birth and Development of a Ear or White-Handed Gibbon", which appeared in the Special Edition from the AAZK National Conference 1983, Animal Keepers’ Forum . According to recent findings (Prouty, Buchanan, Pollitzer, and Mootnick [1983] i”BayLOpothe,Cli6 '• A Genus-Level Taxon for the Hoolock Gibbon hooZock) " , in the American Journal of Primatology 5:83-87, I would like to update Ms. Roberts’ paper with the following.
In 1983 we announced in two separate papers that the Hoolock gibbon has 38 chromosomes not 44 as previously mentioned in past text. With this evidence and along with other morphological traits compared with those of the lar-group gibbons, we proposed that the Hoolock gibbon be placed into a new sub-genus, Bimopdjthzcjxti .
|
GENUS |
SUB-GENUS |
SPECIES |
SOURCE |
|
Hylobatu |
Woma6c.a6 |
concolon. |
Prouty, Buchanan, |
|
SymphatanguA |
^yndactyluA |
Pollitzer and |
|
|
BunopttkccuA |
hoolock |
Mootnick |
|
|
Hylobatu |
kZoMt pttcatuA loA moloch |
||
|
agiltA mucllzAt |
Whereas Ms. Roberts states, "3 genera and about 9 species"' — 'the Hytobatz^ is made up of some 7 species of gibbon within 3 subgenera; HyZobcutZ^ , BmopJXhz,c.iu , and Bmc.kita.nytu .
91
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, CoyvUnu^d
I hope this information and the reference titles below will be of help to your journal and will aid in our understanding of the gibbon.
Haimoff, E. (1983). AAZPA Regional Conference Proceedings.
Groves, C.P. (1972). Gibbon and Siamang (d. Rumbaugh, ed) , vol. 1 Krager, Basel.
Preushoft, H., Chivers, D., Creel, N., & Brockelman, (eds) . (1984). In The Lesser Apes; Evolutionary and Behavioral Biology. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
Sincerely yours,
Alan Mootnick, Director
Gibbon and Gallinaceous Bird Center
Saugus, CA
Coming Events
AAZPA NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 29-May 1, 1984 Philadelphia, PA
CONFERENCE ON ZOO ANIMAL PATHOLOGY
May 25-26, 1984 Cincinnati, OH
For information contact: Dr. Betsy Dresser, Cincinnati Zoo, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45220 (513) 281-4701.
lOTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE
August 1-5, 1984 Redondo Beach, CA
For information, write AFA, PO Box 1568, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 or call (213) 372-2988.
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at the Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103. See further infor- mation on pages 104-108 of this issue of AKF.
92
^Hatchings
■ MIAMI METROZOO LoU BmakhoAM
February 1984 B&H at Miami Metrozoo include: Mammals ~ 0.1 Thomson’s j gazelle, 1.0 Nile Lechwe, 0.1 Gravy's zebra, 1.1 Malayan sunbear, 1.0 Ringtail lemur (1.0 DNS), 2.1 Chinese golden wolf, 0.1 Reticulated giraf- 1 fe; Birds - 0.0.1 Grosbeak starling.
LINCOLN PARK ZOO Siuan Moy
Included in the February 1984 B&H are: Mammals ~ 0.0.1 Orang-utan (hybrid), 1.0.3 Central American agouti; Birds - 0.0.1 Double-striped thick-knee.
TAMPA/BUSCH GARDENS Sandy UokoA
B&H for February 1984 include: Mammals - 1.1 Addax, 1.0 Gemsbok, 3.0 Thomson's gazelle, 0.0.1 Guinea (Western) baboon, 0.1 Dama gazelle, 1.0 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.0 Dorcas gazelle; Birds - 11 Sun conure, 4 Black- masked lovebird, 1 Fischer's lovebird, 6 Jandaya conure, 3 Alexandrine ring-necked parakeet, 3 Chilean pintail, 1 Cockatiel, 2 Golden-capped conure, 6 Red-necked pochard, 3 Cereopsis goose, 2 Forsten's lorikeet,
4 Black swan and 2 Blue and gold macaw.
BRONX ZOO UoagoAet Tfilaa
January 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 2.0 Axis deer, 1.0 Sambar deer, 3.0 Pen- tailed bettong, 3.2 Nyala; Reptiles - 1 Travancore tortoise and 1 Forest cobra.
DALLAS ZOO TamL Jone6
February 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.0,1 Red kangaroo, 0.1 Grevy's zebra, 0.1 Dama gazelle, 0.1 Klipspringer , 1.0 East African oryx, 0.1 Axis deer, 1.1 Suni; Birds - 0.0.1 Plum-headed parakeet, 0.0.1 Double-striped thick- knee.
BROOKFIELD ZOO. John S. StoddoAd
B&H during the month of February 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.9 White- toothed shrew, 0.0.2 Fruit bat, 0.0.5 Spiny mouse, 0.0.9 Degu, 0.2 Col- lared peccary, 0,0.2 Golden lion tamarin, 0.0.1 Silvered leaf monkey (1st Brookfield birth), 0.0.2 Callimico (Believed to be the first record- ed birth of twins in captivity. One only survived for three days); Birds- 0.0.2 Red and white crake, 0.0.2 Robin chat (fledged) and 0.0.1 Inca tern.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO. ste^vm M. Wing
January /February 1984 B&H include: 0.0.2 Vampire bat, 0.0.3 Tree shrew (DNS), 0.0.2 Japanese macaque, 0.0.1 Thomson gazelle and 0.0.1 Cordon bleu.
93
What's Your Zoo Doing About
Continuing Keeper Educati on?
By
Juidiz StembeAg, Coo^cUncUoA.
AAZK Educojtcon CommJJXzn
What ' s happening at your Zoo in the area of Continuing Keeper Education? Last year this column had several articles about what individuals and institutions were doing to accomplish this goal. We would like to publish more articles in AKF this year to share ideas and programs. What ef- fort is being made at your zoo? Do you have workshops - speakers - training sessions - special train- ing - paid leave or reimbursement for classes? You don’t have to have
a formal training program to have information to share. Let me know what's happening at your Zoo. This column is for sharing ideas and information regarding Keeper training.
KEEPER
^EDUCATION
PHILADELPHIA CONFERENCE SURVEY RESULTS
A questionnaire was distributed at the Philadelphia Conference by the Education Committee; the same survey was printed in AKF at a later date. A total of 32 Keepers completed the survey; 20 zoos were represented. Following are the results of the survey.
1, "Have you read the 'Continuing Keeper Education' column in AKF this past year?" ^4 yeS 3 NO 5 no answer
The 24 "yes" replifes all indicated that they found the column infor- mative. Comments and suggestions for future articles were:
have more complete updates on projects more often
more involvement from smaller zoos
- — want to know more about what other zoos are doing — -include complete addresses so one can aid programs that need assistance
kept me up to date with what AAZK is doing and what programs other
zoos have
2. "Does your Zoo have any of the following audio-visual equipment?"
Yes
video recorder - 19
movie projector - 25
slide projector - 29
computer equipment -11
3. "Does your Zoo have a library?"
Yes
video camera - 20 movie camera - 10 tape recorder - 21
24 YES 3 NO 5 n/a
"Does it have literature on Keeper training and/or animal management?"
27 YES 5 NO
94
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN, Continued
[ References listed:
Crandall's - Wild Mammals in Captivity I Walker ' s - Mammals of the World
Hediger’s - Wild Animals in Captivity
“ The Psychology and Behavior of Animals
in Zoos and Circuses
j - Man and Animal in the Zoo
Fowler's - Restraint and Handling of Wild and 1 Domestic Animals
Karsten's - Safety Manual for Zoo Keepers
Animal Keepers ' Forum and Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia were also listed as well as in-house manuals and guidelines, various materials from other zoos and handouts from staff classes.
4. "Which of the following basic Keeper training videotapes would you like to see produced?" (selections were numbered in order of preference from 1-10 and scored on a point system - total points for each topic are in parentheses.)
1. Keeper's role in zoo animal health (225)
2. Feeds and feeding (179)
3. Exhibit maintenance (147)
4. Parasitology (122)
5. Communications and records (121)
6. I.D. and marking (116)
7. Sanitation and pest control (101)
8. Additional safety tapes (78)
9. Tool use and storage (52)
10. Other categories suggested;
-animal transportation -introductions
-reproduction and incubation
-dealing with the public
-aquarium water quality and control
-inbreeding
-exhibit building
-manual restraint
Thank you to all who took the time to fill in the questionnaire. Please send all information for the Continuing Keeper Education column to;
Judie Steenberg 9550 2nd Avenue N.W.
Seattle, WA 98117
95
AAZK AWARDS DEADLINE IS JUNE 1
Nominations are being sought for 1984 AAZK Awards. Let’s recognize those individuals worthy of an award due to their commitment and performance in the zookeeping profession.
The EXCELLENCE IN ZOOKEEPING award, CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOOKEEPER EDUCATION, and the MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD will be presented at the 1984 AAZK Conference in Seattle.
Last month, the AKF discussed the characteristics and qualifications for the Excellence in Zookeeping award. This month it features the MERITOR- IOUS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
This award is given to professional members of AAZK or AAZK-af filiated chapters for outstanding achievement in the zoo field and related activit- ies. This award is to cover activities outside the scope of the Excellence in Zookeeping awards. Any keeper or AAZK Chapter is eligible and more than one award may be given each year.
Unlike the Excellence in Zookeeping awards, this award may be given on the basis of isolated noteworthy breeding successes or other individual spectacular achievements. This would include such things as keeper par- ticipation in AAZPA Bean Award projects, individual breeding projects carried on outside the zoo proper, wildlife conservation efforts, zoo and wildlife education programs, and many other related activities.
The guidelines for this award are broad and very general and cover almost any activity associated with zoos and wildlife; however, the persons re- ceiving such must be professional animal keepers or AAZK Chapters in keeping with the goal of our organization, which is professional animal care .
QUALIFICATIONS
1. The nominee must be a full-time animal keeper, employed in any North American zoological institution or aquarium.
2. The nominee must have been employed at least one year on a permanent status at a zoo or aquarium, or in the case of an AAZK Chapter, must have been on active status for at least one year.
3. The nominee must be nominated by his or her peers. They need not be from the same zoo or aquarium.
NOMINATION PROCEDURES
1. List name, position, institution, years of service in the field, and the recommendation of peer or colleague.
2. List the outstanding achievements: Exhibits, Breeding, Education, Conservation, etc.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The awards committee, consisting of five people, will independently review each nominee.
REMEMBER THE DEADLINE FOR ACCEPTANCE OF NOMINATIONS
JUNE 1, 1984
Send nominations to: Mike Crocker, AAZK Awards Committee, Dickerson Park Zoo, 3043 North Fort, Springfield, MO 65803.
96
SreCTEUM
Quality exotic animai diets Fixed formulation Nutritionaiiy balanced Economicai
Frozen feline diets Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
7ffi Feline canned Omnivore dry
' Primate canned Primate dry
Marmoset canned
Banana flavored primate, 1 5% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% SreCTRUM protein
Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets for your feeding program, call Animal Spectrum today.
In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
Animal STOCTRUM Inc.
Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
Keepers and Computers. . .Part Three
SORTING IT ALL OUT: OR,
YOU'RE NEVER OUT OF SORTS WITH A COMPUTER BY YOUR SIDE
By
Jiw AZbeAt
Colony UanagoA, BalconoA VnMnate, Loibon,aton.y Gn.adacLte, Stade.nt^ Vepc{Atme.nt AntfiAopology UyUveAslXy o^ Texa4 cU Austin^ Acutln^ TX
Last time* I wrote about buying a cheap computer. Now* I*d like to start addressing uses for a computer. If you already own a computer, your ap- preciation of this article will be considerably enhanced; however, if you don’t have one, you may find here some more justification for invest- ing in one, or at least some increased tolerance for co-workers x^ho mum- ble on about ’for-next loops’ at break time,
A group of animals may be characterized in many different ways. Age and sex are obvious categories, but others include reproductive history (or lack of it), weight and other size measures, health status, lineage mem- bership, and so on. When information about an animal, such as that men- tioned above, is combined with identification data, such as a name, ac- quisition number, ISIS number, or whatever, and entered into a computer, it constitutes a ’case’, A group of cases is usually called a ’file’, and is saved for future use on the storage medium available--frequently disks, but for the average zookeeper, the much cheaper cassette recorder is a slower but affordable medium.
To be sure, sorting can be done by hand, using information on index cards. However, imagine that you have a file that contains 150 cases; and you want to list all females (criterion #li sex) above the age of three years (criterion #2: age) that haven’t reproduced (criterion #3; reproductive history) in spite of being housed in an appropriate social group (criter- ion #4; housing). Once the computer has read the file, it takes only seconds to print out on the TV screen the desired list; and the search parameters can be easily changed, so that other, contrasting lists can be quickly generated. I think you’ll agree that this would be a tedious, time-consuming job by hand.
I’d like to illustrate computerized sorting of cases by using a couple of primate examples. I used my Sinclair ZX-81, so the programs were written in ZX- BASIC. The information was stored on a cheap cassette re- corder and output was to a small black-and-white television.
!:
!
1;
The primate behavior research lab where I work houses 70 monkeys of four species in one single-taxon and three multi-taxa groups. I use my com- puter to keep track of general inventory, note lost ID tags, and calcu- late optimum food distributions. Each case consists of the number in the file of the case, the animal’s name, tag, and sex, its date of birth and mother’s ID, its group and species identities. This is entered in response to the questioning of an entry program, and is stored such that each piece of information is in a specific column; date of birth is found in columns 22 through 28 of each case, for example. To search for ani- mals born in April (our busiest month for births), I would have the computer look at columns 24 to 26 (month) to see if a ’apr’ was there; if it was, it would print out the entire case history. In BASIC this goes something like this, where D$ is the array of cases, I is a case number, and L is the total number of cases s
98
KEEPERS AND COMPUTERS. . .Part Three, CowUnue,d
100 FOR I = 1 TO L
110 IF D$ (1,24 to 26) = ’APR’ THEN PRINT D$(I)
120 NEXT I
If you just wanted to count the number of births in April, you could change line 110 to;
110 IF D$:(I,24 TO 26) = 'APR' THEN LET TOTAPR = TOTAPR + 1
and add a line before line 100 that says LET TOTAPR=0, and add one after line 120 that says, PRINT 'NUMBER OF BIRTHS IN APRIL = TOTAPR.
More than one search criteria can be incorporated into one line, thus:
no IF D$(I,24 TO 26) - 'APR' and D$(I,31 to 32) = 'SV THEN PRINT D$(I). This would list the cases that have birth dates in April and live in the South Vervet group .
Sound confusing? To simplify a little, we're dealing here with a string array — a two-dimensional grouping of letters and numbers used as sym- bols — whose name is D. The fact that it contains string data is re- flected by the dollar sign after its name: D$. The letter 'I' is a con- trol variable, that as the computer goes through the 'for-next loop' assumes all the case number values from one to how many you have (which, for convenience, is stored as variable 'L'). PRINT D$(35) would set you the thirty-fifth case record; you specify parts of it by putting column numbers after the case number, so that PRINT D$(35,5 TO 16); D$(35,24 TO 26) would print out on the screen the name of the animal in case number thirty-five, followed directly on the same line (the semi-colon tells the computer to do so) by the month of birth. Hopefully, this helps you un- derstand what's going on some, but there's something to muddy the waters a bit: the notation used by ZX-BASIC isn't standard. Users of other machines probably need to translate to MID$ (D$ (35) , 24, 26) from D$(35,24 TO 26).
One of my favorite groups of primates are the colobine (leaf-eating) monkeys of Asia, a generally understudied group that is poorly repre- sented in American zoos. The ISIS listings are useful, but too long for comfortable mental juggling of who's where. I copied the Asiatic colo- bine section of the ISIS Species Distribution Report into my computer, using abbreviations for both species and zoo to save space (and typing!). So, PRESBYTIS OBSCURA FLAVICAUDA becomes PREOBSFLA, and the zoo's name sets bent to fit 10 spaces, like JXN ZP MS for Jackson Zoological Park in Mississippi. Each individual animal once again constitutes a case, with age and sex information. Simple BASIC routines allow listing by species, zoo, age, or sex, or any combination of these. This can give an easily seen picture of the overall population.
My sort programs generally have three parts: first, I identify the file, then list array dimensions and 'initialize' certain counting variables (set them equal to '0'), plus put in 'comment' lines (called REM state- ments in BASIC) that do nothing in the program, but tell necessary things like what is in what column. The second part is an input routine that aids entering information into the file. The final part if an easily modified search and/or count routine. Actual listings of such programs isn't practical here for space reasons, but I am willing to share what I've done if people will write and ask. I can try to adapt them to your computer if it's different from mine, and if you have other troubles will try to help.
99
KEEPERS AND COMPUTERS. .. Part Three, CoyvUnu.^d
It goes without saying that there is an enormous amount of information involved in a zoo operation. The modern, small, inexpensive computer offers a practical way to make sense of lots of information. Sort pro- grams based on two-dimensional (case by column) strong arrays and a column-consistent form of data storage are easy to write and use. They can be extremely useful in such keeper-related tasks as food distribu- tion, such management functions as assessment of collection reproduction patterns, and in curiosity-satisfying ways as well. I hope that all of you who have computers put them to use in this way, and that those of you who don’t might find this very useful ability further reason for consider- ing obtaining a computer for yourself.
Finally, I would once again offer to field your questions. You can write to me at The Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712. I'd like to thank the people who've written so far, and assure them that personal replies are in the making.
Next time, in contrast to this installment, where the only math was the adding of a 1 to a variable. I'll take up the subject of statistics.
Stats, like computers, are much easier to learn than most people realize, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Primate Profiles
MONKEY MUNCH I ES
By
Judy Si-dVOAt, P^Umcutd Keepe/i and
VAjina Ly^tdn., hAi>iAtav\X. V^vunatz KzzpQA iJJoodtand VoAk loologi-CjOt Ga/iddnA, Szattlz, WA
We developed a treat food for our primates at Woodland Park Zoological Gardens using the leftover "dust" in bags and barrels of Monkey Chow.
After looking through natural food cookbooks, we found a bar cookie re- cipe which could be adapted. We substituted Monkey Chow "dust" for flour and left out salt, spices and sugar. All the food ingredients are regular food items and therefore are available from our commissary. We are pleased that our primates enjoy this new treat. For primate keepers who are inter- ested, here is the recipe.
Monkey Chow Bars
li cups mashed bananas 2 eggs i cup oil
1 cup milk or water
2 cups Monkey Chow "dust"
1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 Teaspoon baking soda J cup chopped peanuts or other nuts i cup raisins
1. Blend bananas, eggs, oil, milk or water until smooth.
2. Stir together all remaining ingredients; make a deep well and pour in blended mixture. Combine mixtures.
3. Pour the batter into two 9" x 9" well-oiled pans. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
4. Cut into bars while still warm.
100
THE STRUGGLE
SURVIVAL ~
ELEPHANT CRISIS DEEPENS
The huge wilderness area of southern Sudan and the adjacent grasslands of Zaire and the Central African Republic are now littered with the bones of tens of thousands of slain ele- phants, victims of Africa’s most intensive ever poaching campaign. Since 1980 gangs of elephant killers, ranging far and wide across this thinly populated territory and armed with automatic weapons (Russian Ak~47s and West German G-Ss) have been on the rampage. The herds are now decimated.
In the 4-year period 1979-82, the tusks of some 107,000 elephants left Sudan by one escape route or another. Although this figure represents about 80% of Sudan’s elephants, much of the ivory bearing a Sudanese label almost certainly origin ates from across the border in Zaire or the Central African Republic, or, further afield, Tanzania. Two well-connected traders have no apparent difficulty in obtaining "legitimate" export documents from the Sudanese government.
Elsewhere in Africa the situation is not much better. Ele- phant expert Ian Douglas-Hamilton says that indiscriminate slaughter is on the increase nearly everywhere. From the trade statistics, lUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) estimates that at least 194,000 elephants — or close to 20% of Africa’s total population — were killed dur- ing the three years 1980-82.
That the scale of the slaughter is fast leading to the ex- termination of the elephant is shown by the rapid fall in tusk weight as measured in Hong Kong and Tokyo, the two main centers of trade. In Hong Kong the average weight is down from 18.17 lbs in 1979 to 11.85 lbs in 1982; in Tokyo, where larger tusks are preferred for carving, the comparable drop has been from 34.83 to 21.34 lbs. It is clear from these figures that older elephants — those mature enough to breed- are becoming increasingly scarce.
With ivory ("white gold") commanding a price of around $35 a pound— as against $3 a pound in 1970 — ^corruption at all levels is widespread. In many countries, including Sudan, the anti-poaching squads, however brave and dedicated, have small chance of finally defeating the highly organized and "highly protected" gangs of poachers.
"It’s a disaster; the only thing left is to put the elephants in parks and sanctuaries," says Douglas-Hamilton. But will even this be enough to staunch the flow of precious life- blood from the species Loxodovita a{^Hyi(LavWi'l
— Tk2. kvimaJi Institute, Qun/vt^AZy
Uol, 32, Wo. 3, ¥aU 1983
101
Captive Reproduction
Of Brocket Deer
By
M^chcceX L. Hughes, P.l/.M.
Gladys VonjtoJi loo BA,OLVyi6v.llX.^ TX
In recent years zoos have become more conscious of the need to have the animals in their care produce offspring. Captive reproduction will allow zoos to display animals that are difficult to obtain and possibly to re- stock wild habitats with surplus captive-born animals. For some species facing extensive habitat destruction, the captive environment may be their only chance for survival.
First efforts to improve captive reproduction involved relatively simple and common sense procedures such as providing more suitable environments, experimenting with new diets, experimenting with the numbers of animals kept together, changing photoperiods, and in some cases simply placing males with females.
As time passed, zoo managers sought other methods to improve reproduction of the more difficult species in their collections. Zoo workers began looking to domestic animal practices for possible answers to some of their reproductive problems. Procedures such as electroejaculation, artificial insemination, superovulation, induced ovulation, and embryo transfer, all commonly used in domestic species, have been experimented with in zoo animals with limited but increasing success.
At the Gladys Porter Zoo we have had a group of Brown Brocket Deer that has had limited reproductive success. About three years ago our only proven breeding male died, leaving us with one male of questionable fath- ering capabilities. This buck was put in with four females for 2h years, and no fawns were produced. In order to solve this reproductive problem, we decided first to determine if both male and females were fertile. To check the buck's sperm production we needed to collect a semen sample.
An electroejaculation machine purchased by Mrs. Ila Loetscher of Sea Turtles Inc., was used to accomplish this. The Zoo veterinarian has been working with Mrs. Loetscher and others attempting to induce breeding in captive Ridley Sea Turtles. When the machine was not being used on sea turtles, Mrs. Loetscher has generously allowed it to be kept and used by the Zoo. The male deer was anesthetized, and by using the machine a semen sample was obtained. The sperm count was high, motility was good, and morphology was normal.
Now that we knew our buck was fertile, we felt the low reproductive rate was due to one of two problems. Either the does had suddenly become in- fertile, and we felt this was unlikely, or the buck was not breeding the does. While we could not find any reason for this, we decided to attempt to artificially inseminate the does.
After checking with, and receiving help from other zoo staff around the country, we decided to breed two does in November 1981. Two more does were bred in December 1981 and another two in April 1982.
The most critical points for successful artificial insemination were to know when the does were in estrus (or heat) , to be very clean during the entire procedure, and to protect the sperm from fatal thermal shock. The
102
CAPTIVE REPRODUCTION OF BROCKET DEER, ConX^na^d
first problem was solved by using a new drug used in cattle. This drug causes the animal to ovulate approximately three days after it is given.
The second problem was approached by sterilizing all instruments to be used, and finally all semen handling equipment was kept at a constant temperature.
Since this was our first attempt, we were hopeful but skeptical about our chances for success. The two females bred in November passed their due date without producing fawns. The does bred in December each had a fawn on 18 June and 21 June respectively. This is a noteworthy accomplish- ment, and has given us the incentive to use this and other procedures on other species that are having problems perpetuating themselves in captiv- ity. Both fawns were females.
This project was a combined effort of many people: General Curator/ Mammalogist Jerry Stones, who along with his staff of Keepers, is re- sponsible for the day to day care of the the deer and who originally suggested we should take a more manipulative course with these deer; my- self and my clinic staff, who coordinated and performed the procedure; and the Los Angeles Zoo who sent three does to us on breeding loan.
By using procedures designed and developed for domestic livestock, cap- tive reproduction of rare and endangered species can be increased, thus assuring these animal species' survival into the future.
[Editor’ 6 note.: This a/ittcXe. o^gtnatZy appe.aAe.d tn Gladys VonteA loo UewA. Uol. n , No, 2, June. 1982 and ts pubtu>ke.d heAe. MAXk the. iA)KUXe.n peAmt66ton o^ the. author. )
THINK Safety!
Submitted by Jttt G^ade.
InteAnationaZ Btn.d House.
Chtdjago, IL
Judie Steenberg from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle informs me that the keepers there Think Safety.
Wayne Buchanan, as you know, has produced a video tape on Keeper Safety which is now available through the Puget Sound Chapter in Seattle. Keeper training includes safety education through the use of seminars on various aspects of the subject, including demonstrations by the local fire depart- ment on fire hazards and placement and use of fire extinguishers.
Judie also suggests two slogans — "Safe Keeping" and/or "Keeping Safe" for use on bumper stickers and/or buttons/patches in our zoos. Produc- tion of this material could be handled by an individual or as a Chapter project. Interested parties may contact me at International Bird House, 956 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60622, (312) 421-5458. Constant exposure to the idea of safe keeping would serve as an important reminder during our work days to Think Safety!
I am still awaiting input for this column — -articles, short stories, car- toons and descriptions of keeper training programs which include safety education are all welcome. What is your zoo doing to promote safe work habits?
103
THOSE TERRIBLE TAX RETURNS
By
JiZt Gnjidd
InteAncutionat BiAd Hoiua Cklcago, IL
mm
(EcUXoa.’^ note: (nJkcle tkt6 cuvtlcJte did not oAAlve tn ttme to pub-tUk be{iOn.e tkiA kpfuJi 1984 AJ>6ue oi AKF, it may give you i,ome iood ^oK thought in keeping the pAopeA Aeeeipti ioA deductions ioA next yeoA's tax ioAms, you have a question as to MhctheA an item is deductible^ iA)e suggest you contact youA local IRS oHice ioA claAt{^ication.)
It's that time of the year again — time to read your tax returns and weep.
Or is it?
Are you aware of the numerous tax deductions available to members of the zookeeping profession? Percentages of costs incurred by keepers in pur- suit of interests related to their jobs are refundable to those completing both long and short forms. The following is a list of deductions avail- able to zookeepers. You may wish to discuss them with your tax consultant- the results might surprise you.
1. All professional memberships and charities (i.e. AAZK, AAZPA, zoo societies. Humane Society, World Wildlife Fund, etc.)
2. All professional publications related to animals in captivity and in the wild, and ecology (i.e. International Wildlife, National Geographic, Legislative News, catalogues, conference proceedings, etc.)
3. Professional libraries including all reference books on animals and ecology — purchases for the current year are deducted individually whereas established libraries may be depreciated.
4. All job-related meetings (i.e. national conferences, regionals, chapter meetings, zoo tours, seminars, society meetings — deductions include registration fees/gate costs, travel, accomodations and meals, including those provided for visiting professionals.)
5. Field studies (i.e. bird watching, wildlife travel tours, national park tours, zoo visits — travel, accomodations, meals, permits and special equip- ment including field glasses, camping needs and cameras.)
6. All clothes, accessories and equipment designed as such to eliminate use for other than zoo or zoo-related work.
7. Work-related education, not required by your employer, either individual classes or classes taken toward a degree in biology, zoology, etc.— deductions include registration fees, permits, parking, books and travel to and from class site.
Zoo keeping is a profession, and serious-minded zoo keepers pursuing various aspects of wildlife education in conjunction with their careers are entitled to tax deductions accordingly. The deductions listed herein are some I myself have used. If your accountant is not familiar with them (many are not up on the intricacies of our profession) find one who is. Those terrible tax returns are money in the bank. I look forward to fil- ling out all of those forms each year— do you?
104
National Conference SEATTLE 1984
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORF!
Sept, 30-0ct, 4, 1984
Please type or print. One name per form.
Return form xjith your fee to:
Mary Bennett, Registration Coordinator Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 625-5488
Make checks payable to Puget Sound Chapter AAZK.
Deadline for Pre-registration is August 15, 1984 .
1984 Registration
Name
ADDRESS
CITY STATE/COUNTRY_
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
ZOO AFFILIATION IF APPLICABLE
AREA OF INTEREST
VEGETARIAN YES NO
WILL BE SUBMITTING PAPER YES NO
($20.00 will be refunded on acceptance of paperl
AAZK MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND FEES:
|
MEMBER OR SPOUSE |
$50.00 each |
|
NON-MEMBER |
$70,00 each |
|
LATE FEE |
$15.00 |
|
(After Aug. 15th) |
|
|
TOTAL FEES ENCLOSED |
$ |
ONE DAY RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT MARY BENNETT FOR INFORMATION.
Are you interested in purchasing a conference T-shirt?
YES NO Size S M L XL
(This will help us provide adequate inventory)
106
HOTEL-SEATTLE
515 Madison Seattle, WA 98111
800-426-1172 Out of State 800-851-8010 In State (206) 583-0300 Local
Our conference headquarters is the Madison Hotel, a quality hotel within Seattle's business and financial district. Shopping, entertainment and many of Seattle's scenic and historic attractions are within a easy walk.
Each of the Madison's 575 guest rooms has its own seating area with sofa iand chairs, from which you can enjoy a sweeping view of Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
[Special room rates for the conference delegates are: $55.00 single
$60.00 double
sUse the toll free number (800 number) to make your reservations, and [identify yourself as being with the American Association of Zookeepers.
If you wish to be matched with a roommate, let the hotel know when you call, and they will attempt to do so.
We feel the Madison offers a unique mixture of "new hotel", while retain- ing a sense of warmth in its smaller size. With the busy schedule we have planned, it would be advantageous to stay with us at the hotel. It is one of Seattle's finest hotels and we think you will enjoy it, espec- ially at our reduced conference rates.
NOTE: The hotel also has a swimming pool and health club so you will want to bring your swimsuit! There is nightly entertainment at Visions, a video disco. Their rooftop restaurant, Pregos, serves a fine Italian cuisine. Be sure to bring evening attire for these.
Transportation from Sea-Tac Airport to the Madison is easy! Just take the Airporter bus directly from the airport to the hotel. The Madison |is the first stop! It leaves every half hour from United Airlines Bag- gage Terminal, and the ride takes 20 minutes--Cost $4.75.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
'SUNDAY
'Board Meetings Registration ' Ice Breaker
WEDNESDAY
Trip to Tacoma's Pt. Defiance Zoo Lunch provided
Visit to Northwest Trek, Eatonville
MONDAY
Paper sessions all day Lunch on your own Evening tour of Seattle
THURSDAY
Papers sessions
Lunch provided at hotel
Banquet at Seattle's famous
Aquarium
Space Needle
[TUESDAY
I Day at Woodland Park Zoo [Lunch provided by Docents I Workshops
[Dinner provided by Seattle Zoological Society
107
!
TEN WAYS TO HAVE FUN IN SEATTLE '
Proposed Pre and Post Conference Activities-1984 AAZK Conference, Seattle
These tours will be scheduled if there is enough demand. Each tour or activity would have a staff member host. We want to show you our beauti- i ful Northwest, have fun and qet to know each other better. If you are ‘
interested please respond by June 1st to: Wendy Wienker or Eric Kowalczyk,' Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98103. |
1) Breakfast at Snoqualmie Falls Lodge, followed by a mountain drive and : scenic hike to Gold Mayer Hot Springs. Approx, cost $15.00
2) Forty-five minute waterfront cruise to Blake Island. Indian-baked
salmon dinner. Northwest Indian dances, artifacts and craft displays. S Stroll on trails and walk on beach. Approx, cost $22.00 |
3) Tour Washington's premier winery Chateau Ste. Michelle. Approx, cost , $5.00
4) Scenic or white water raft trips. View snow-capped mountains and ,,
native wildlife in its natural habitat. Approx, cost $35.00-$50.00 ‘
5) Cruise the beautiful San Juan Islands in search of the elusive Orca | whale. This tour depends on how many people are interested, as we
may need to arrange a charter. Approx, cost $30.00 to $40.00
6) Cruise the Princess Marguarite to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada i;
through Puget Sound. Enjoy Old World shops, English pubs and antique 1 stores. One day trip, round trip ticket approx. $29.00 ^
7) Visit spectacular Olympic National Park. Drive up to Hurricane Ridge [
and possibly view mountain goats. Can be done in one long day; share li
expenses. t
8) Visit the National Nisqually Wildlife Refuge. See migrating water- [
fowl, raptors and other birds. One day trip; share expenses. ;
9) Drive to Paradise Lodge at Mt. Rainier. This majestic mountain offers [
hiking and spectacular views-weather permitting. One day trip; share i; expenses. f
10) Drive to Mt. St. Helen's and, weather permitting, view the mountain and visit an interpretive center to study the volcano. One day trip; share expenses.
CALL FOR PAPERS |
This year's topic for presentation papers, WORKING IN ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS: |: TODAY AND TOMORROW, was chosen to encourage all conference delegates to ! participate in writing about their professions. Working in zoos and (
aquariums today is complex, challenging, and exciting, requiring many f skills such as public speaking, computer use, construction technique and f nutritional analysis, in addition to caring for animals. The ability to | share this knowledge and to educate others is a great asset. In the j
future, it will be even more important to exchange ideas and information. ;;
Papers will be limited to 20 minutes with a 5-minute question/answer j
period. Please submit an outline or abstract by July 15, 1984. AAZK [
national committees that plan to have meetings at the conference should j submit time and meeting space requirements by this date. I
Send papers, information, or questions to: Phil Pennock I
AAZK Conference Woodland Park Zoo j
5500 Phinney Ave. North .
Seattle, WA 98103-5897
108
Legislative News
Compiled by Kev^n Comay LQ,Q-U>toXavii CooH-dlnaton.
;AT SKIN TRADE SHIFTS TO SMALLER SPECIES
i’he lucrative market for cat skins to fashion into fur coats has shifted "’rom the larger species to smaller ones, according to a new TRAFFIC (U. S .A. ) istudy of CITES annual reports. The largest consumer is Europe, which im- )orts over two-thirds of the pelts in trade. In the U.S., fashion prefer- mce and strict regulations against the import of endangered cats limit ;he cat skin trade to species native to North America, the bobcat and the i^anadian lynx. Unfortunately, it takes up to three times the number of )elts from the smaller cats as it does from the larger cats no longer :ound in trade.
:he cat skin trade, like the reptile leather trade, illustrates a phenom- i;non common to trade in all wildlife: when one species is no longer avail- ible, the trade shifts to other similar species to supply continued con- jumer demands.
[rade in the skins of large cats, heaviest between the late 19th century md 1960, was a major threat to the survival of some species. By the jarly 1970s, the plight of the tiger, leopard, jaguar, cheetah, snow Leopard, and others prompted efforts worldwide to control the trade. Many of the larger cat species were listed on CITES Appendix I in 1975, result- *Lng in restricted commercial trade in their fur. All other Felidae species ^ere listed on Appendix II.
\fter 1975, the cat fur market decreased dramatically in the United States, international and U.S. protective legislation, combined with voluntary efforts of the U.S. fur industry to halt trade in endangered species and i nationwide campaign to popularize fake fur, effectively curtailed the ■J.S. market for cat fur coats.
The European market, however, remained strong. As the larger species be- jcame rare, and finally prohibited from trade, the European fur industry ;Simply started using pelts of smaller spotted cats. TRAFFIC (U. S .A. ) esti— nates that in 1980, 685,000 cat pelts were traded internationally to supply European demands. Most of these originated in South America and Asia and were fashioned into garments in West Germany. Many were then exported for sale in other European countries. Approximately two-thirds of these pelts were of small to medium-sized spotted cats (see Table) . According to CITES Secretariat, some of this trade was illegal and has since been controlled.
This shift from the larger to the smaller cats has not changed the apnear- ance of garments currently marketed in Europe from those of the early il970s. Fur coats made from cat pelts retain the "leopard look" but are now made from the smaller spotted species, primarily Geoffrey’s cat ( FgXtA ‘qO-O^/ioyl] , jungle cat (F. ckauU>) , little spotted cat (F_. tlgnlna] and wildcat [f, i,iXv2AitnJ^ ) . There is an important distinction, however:
8 to 10 leopard pelts are needed to make one coat, but 20 to 30 pelts of these smaller spotted cats are required to manufacture a garment of the l^same size.
!"Leopard look" fur coats have a limited market in the U.S., but there is jsome demand here for coats made from two North American species, the jbobcat [Lynx Aa^jUAjand the Canadian lynx (_L. canad^nA^ ] . Bobcat and ilynx coats are also exported to Europe and Japan where the demand for [them is strong; approximately 205,000 skins of bobcat and Canadian lynx Imoved in international trade in 1980.
109
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, Cayutinu^d
Approximate Numbers of Cat Pelts Reported In Commercial Trade*
|
Species |
1979 |
1980 |
|
Fe/is geoffroyi (Geoffroy's cat) |
115,000 |
145,000 |
|
Lynx rufus (bobcat) |
126,000 |
140,000 |
|
Felis Chaus (jungle cat) |
90,000 |
79,000 |
|
Felis tigrina (little spotted cat) |
46,000 |
70,000 |
|
Lynx canadensis (Canadian lynx) |
42,000 |
64,000 |
|
Felis silvestris (wildcat) |
7,000 |
60,000 |
|
Felis pardaiis (ocelot) |
22,000 |
45,000 |
|
Felis wiedii (margay) |
20,000 |
30,000 |
|
Felis colocolo (pampas cat) |
10,000 |
27,000 |
|
Felis bengaiensis (leopard cat) |
13,000 |
9,000 |
|
Lynx caracal (caracal) |
1,000 |
6,000 |
|
Lynx lynx (European lynx) |
9,000 |
5,000 |
|
Others |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
TOTAL |
506,000 |
685,000 |
* Includes re-«xpoft8 and exports from countries of origin where the animals are not native. Also includes a conversion of number of pelts per garment where the number of garments traded was reported.
SOURCE: McMahan, L., The Intemationai Cat Trade,* presented at the Intemationai Oat Symposium, October 4-6, 1962, in Khtgsville, Texas. Proceedings are in press.
The U.S. and Canada annually conduct studies to determine the number of animals killed and to estimate population sizes, providing at least some information on the effect of trade on the lynx and the bobcat. Only limited information is available, however, on the effect of trade on Geoffroy's cat, the little spotted cat, and the other small spotted cats.
Despite international efforts, many of the larger cat species still have not recovered from the demand for their skins. Presumably, excessive trade could be similarly devastating to the smaller spotted cats.
— Ey L^yida McMahan, TRAFFIC (U.S. A. )
TEXAS ALLIGATORS RECLASSIFIED
The status of the American alligator (Att^gotoA, ) in Texas
has been reclassified under the Endangered Species Act from Endangered and Threatened in different regions of the State to the less restrictive statewide category of Threatened due to Similarity of Appearance (F.R. 10/12/83). This action constitutes formal recognition by the USFWS of the biological recovery of the alligator in Texas. The State may now institute a comprehensive management plan for the alligator, which could include a regulated harvest season.
Due to poaching and overhunting for its hide, the American alligator was listed in 1967 by the Federal Government as Endangered throughout its entire range. In 1969, the State of Texas closed its alligator hunting seasons. Subsequently, in response to strict Federal and State protec- tion, American alligator numbers rebounded in many parts of the species’ range, and it has been gradually reclassified in areas where it is most secure. In 1977, alligators in most coastal Texas counties were reclas-
110
;6ISLATIVE NEWS, conUmed
l.fied to Threatened, a category which authorized the control of nuisance limals. The October 12, 1983, reclassification of all American alligators i Texas to the category of Threatened due to Similarity of Appearance Its them in the same status as those in Louisiana, where a limited har- jst of American alligators is allowed under State management and in icordance with specific State and Federal regulations.
jcent estimates of the American alligator population in Texas have been ised on aerial surveys, line-transects, and survey questionnaires dating :om 1975-81. Using a census technique developed for Louisiana’s manage- snt program, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) indicates lat numbers of alligators on prime Texas habitat have doubled in the ast five years. According to TPWD, alligator nest densities are near le maximum for the habitat, and population growth may have reached opti- qm levels. On the basis of this information, the USFWS proposed on 13 iptember, 1982, to reclassify all American alligators in Texas.
Ejects of Rule
lie American alligator in Texas is reclassified statewide to Threatened ue to Similarity of Appearance, the least restrictive category under tie Endangered Species Act. Authority and responsibility for the manage- !ent and protection of this animal now rests with the State of Texas under ecently enacted State statutes. This gives Texas the options to expand ts nuisance alligator control program and/or to allow the harvest of lligators in specified counties in accordance with State management pro- edures and Federal regulations [50 CFR 17.42(a)].
degree of continued protection for the alligators under the new clas- ification is authorized by Section 4(e) of the Act. It is necessary to egulate commercial activities in products derived from American alligators n Texas (as well as Louisiana) because these animals are similar in ppearance to American alligators from less secure populations, as well s to other vulnerable crocodilian species that still need law enforce- lent protection. In accordance with the requirements of CITES, foreign ommerce in American alligator parts from Texas will not be allowed until uch time as the State develops a tagging and marking program for harvest- ed alligators that is consistent with Service regulations and CITES criteria.
he reclassification rule removes American alligators in Texas from the labitat conservation measures under Section 7 of the Act. Fortunately, jiuch of the prime habitat is under State or Federal management (includ- ing a number of national wildlife refuges) , and water storage activities ire increasing habitat availability. The status of the American alligator i.n other parts of its range is not affected by this rule, i
I ---EndangeAe.d Spo^cloA TeckiUc.aI BiMeXln
l/o^. VII, Mo. 11
111
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, CoivUnu^d
REVIEW INITIATED FOR SPECIES LISTED IN 1978
In order to ensure that the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wild- life and Plants reflects the true biological status of these species, the Endangered Species Act requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to con- duct a review of all listed species at least once every five years. The USWFS published such a notice of intent to review on 8 December in the FedeAoL. Re.gZ6.teA. if the present species classification is not consis- tent with the current evidence, FWS may propose changes in the classifi- cation. The following is a list of species proposed for review.
Wild Species
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name Population Where (Status)! Endangered/Threatened |
||
|
Mammals : |
|||
|
Elephant, African |
Loxodowta a{)Alcana |
Entire |
(T) |
|
Wolf, gray |
Cavut lupcu |
USA (48 cont. |
|
|
States except |
|||
|
MN) , Mexico |
(E) |
||
|
Wolf, gray |
CanZ6 lupiu |
USA (MN) |
(T) , |
|
Birds: |
|||
|
Eagle, bald |
Hatiazetiu le,uc.oce.phatiL6 |
USA (48 cont. |
|
|
States except |
|||
|
WA,OR,MN,WI,MI |
(E) |
||
|
Eagle, bald |
Hatlae.etLL6 te.u.c.oce-pkatiu6 |
USA (WA, OR,MN, |
|
|
WI,MI) |
(T) |
||
|
Reptiles: |
|||
|
Boa, Mona |
EptcAotet mone.yi6Z6 mone,n6t6 Entire |
(T) |
|
|
Iguana, Mona ground |
CycZuAa 6te.ine.geAl |
Entire |
(T) |
|
Rattlesnake, NM |
|||
|
ridge-nosed |
C^otatiu MWiaAdt ob6c.uAUL6 Entire |
(T) |
|
|
Snake, eastern indigo |
V^ymoAchon C-OAoaA coapeAl Entire |
(T) |
|
|
Turtle, green sea |
CkeZonta mydoA |
Where found except |
|
|
where listed as |
|||
|
endangered below |
(T) |
||
|
Turtle, green sea |
CkeZonta myda6 |
Breeding colony pop |
* m |
|
in FL, Mexico |
|||
|
(Pacific Coast) |
(E) |
||
|
Turtle loggerhead sea |
CoAetta coAetta |
Entire |
(T) |
|
Turtle, Olive (Pacific) |
|||
|
Ridley sea |
Le.ptdoc.kely6 ollvaa^a |
Where found except |
|
|
where listed as |
|||
|
endangered below |
(T) |
||
|
Turtle, Olive (Pacific) |
|||
|
Ridley sea |
Le.ptdoc.keZy6 otivaceji |
Breeding colony pop |
» « |
|
Mexico (Pacific |
|||
|
Coast) |
(E) |
||
|
Fishes: |
|||
|
Darter, leopard |
VeAclna pantheAlna |
Entire |
(T) |
|
Trout , greenback |
|||
|
cutthroat |
Salmo cZoAkt 6tonUjCL6 |
Entire |
(T) |
|
Trout, Little Kern |
|||
|
golden |
Salmo agaabcnita Lohltet |
Entire |
(T) |
AAZPA New6leXteA, VehmaAy 19S4 and EndangeAe.d Spe^cte^ Te,chyUcal Battettn, Jan. ’ 84
&
112
Golden Lion Tamar in Reintroduction Program Update
On 7 November, 1983, the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoological Park sent 15 captive-bred golden lion tamarin monkeys to the Primate Center of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, with the goal of reintroducing these endangered animals into their native environment.
The National Zoo, along with the Brazilian government authorities and the Primate Center of Rio de Janeiro, hopes to prevent the species' extinction in the wild, in part, by the annual reintroduction to the Poco d'Anta Biological Reserve near Rio de Janeiro of as many captive-born golden lion tamarins as possible. The monkeys flown to Brazil in November were captive-born residents at a number of American zoos, including the Nation- al Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, the San Antonio Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the King's Island Zoo in Ohio.
These squirrel-sized, long-haired and brilliantly colored golden monekys are native to the Brazilian Atlantic coastal forests, but are nearly ex- tinct in the wild. The number of golden lion tamarins surviving is esti- mated to be as low as 150 individuals. Due to the reduced size of the wild population and its diminished habitat, the species is considered to be threatened with extinction. In 1977 the Brazilian Federal Government established the 12,500-acre Poco d'Anta Biological Preserve in an attempt to preserve a portion of this Brazilian national animal's rapidly disap- pearing habitat. If successful, the reintroduction plan will bolster the number of endangered tamarins in the reserve so that the population may have a better chance of becoming self-sustaining.
For decades the beautiful and extremely active little monkeys have been popular in zoo exhibits. Until the 1970s, however, the species rarely reproduced in captivity and the few offspring born rarely survived.
Aware of the animal's near-extinction in the wild, scientists at the National Zoo set out 10 years ago to solve the problem of golden lion tamarin reproduction in captivity. Dr. Devra G. Kleiman, Acting Assis- tant Director for Animal Programs at the National Zoo, has been in charge of this project since 1973. Important discoveries were made about the species' diet, housing requirements, medical care and the required group size and composition for effective breeding. Most important was the discovery of the monogamous relationship of male and female and the com- plex family interaction necessary for rearing offspring. Today, an excellent understanding of golden lion tamarin captive behavior and care exists. It was this understanding that allowed the National Zoo to pro- duce successfully more than 200 of these highly endangered animals, i Golden lion tamarins are now being bred in many zoos around the world using data compiled from the National Zoo and other zoo research programs.
Several factors have made it possible to attempt the reintroduction of the tamarins in the wild. The establishment of the Poco d'Anta Reserve and the hiring of guards to protect it, the collaborative efforts by zoolo- gists at the Primate Center of Rio de Janeiro, funding from wildlife or- ganizations, and the availability of captive-bred animals are among the most important factors. A National Zoo scientist, Dr. James Dietz, is now at the Reserve taking a census of the native animal population and assessing the availability and suitability of golden lion tamarin habitat for sustaining reintroduced animals. The National Zoo also has an educa-
113
GOLDEN LION TAMARIN REINTRODUCTION PROGRAM UPDATE, Continued
tional specialist, Lou Ann Dietz, working with the people living near th(i Reserve to encourage an understanding of the tamarin’s plight and the i importance of preserving the remaining 2 percent of the Brazilian Atlant;] coastal rainforest. |
For the past six months, the captive-born golden lion tamarins have been j housed at the Primate Center while undergoing a program of readaptation to local foods and climate. The animals* survival skills are being sys- i tematically tested and evaluated by Dr. Adelmar F. Coimbra-Filho , Directc; of the Primate Center in Rio de Janeiro, and Dr. Benjamin Beck, National | Zoo Primatologist . Then, should there be suitable habitat available at ! Poco d’Anta, the animals will be released this month into specially builli cages within the forest and the animals will be conditioned to their nat- ural habitat. The captive-reared golden lion tamarins will then be re- leased into the forest with the hope that they will strengthen the reduc- ed natural population and thus enable the species to perpetuate itself | indefinitely. If suitable habitat is unavailable, the animals will joln| the captive propagation program for this species at the Rio de Janeiro |! Primate Center. i'
ral
Zoos have been widely acclaimed for years as centers of education that '1 increase the public's understanding of wildlife. In the past decade many zoos have established research programs to utilize more completely the valuable scientific resources offered by their animal collections.
The long-term maintenance in captivity of species endangered or extinct in the wild is becoming an increasingly important function of zoos. Whei habitat is destroyed before wildlife sanctuaries can be established, pre- servation in zoos has become the only hope for a number of species. Re- placing lost wild populations with captive-bred animals is an important long-term objective of zoo captive propagation efforts. "The zoos that | are providing collaborators in Brazil, and the organizations and indivi- f dual donors providing financial support for this undertaking may be lay- ing the foundation for what will become an increasingly important wild- life conservation practice," says Dr. Christen Wemmer, Acting Director, National Zoological Park. I
Shown below is the project logo, designed by Bob Bischoff, along with other staff members in the Office of Graphics and Exhibits, NZP.
114
Education Alternatives...
Wildlife Preservation Trust -
Professional Training Program
Purpose: To train individuals in the techniques of captive breeding of ;i variety of endangered animal species so that they can advance the cause ')f endangered species work and animal conservation in their respective countries.
background : The Wildlife Preservation Trust is an international non- , profit organization dedicated to the support of captive breeding of endan- gered species. It supports projects in captive breeding, field surveys, rescue missions, research and education. The zoological facility for the ' -ust's work is located on the island of Jersey, Channel Islands, British Lsles. This facility is both a zoo and breeding/research facility for endangered species and has a collection of over 100 species of birds, aammals and reptiles. The International Training Center is an education- il facility for training in captive breeding and endangered species work;
It combines dormitory, classes and research facilities for students, staff und visiting scientists.
Program: The training program consists of sixteen, ten or six weeks of
Intensive work in all divisions of the zoo. Trainees work in close con-
:act with zoo staff in all phases of animal keeping and breeding. Each :rainee spends two weeks in each section and a final two weeks on an inde- mndent project. Daily duties are supplemented with weekly seminars on a rariety of topics. The program is flexible in terms of length and focus.
Eligibility; The program is designed for individuals with previous prac- tical experience with animals: zoo and animal center staff and postgradu- ates in conservation-related fields.
i^pp llcation: Applications may be obtained from the address below. Sel- ection is made in July/August of each year. Applications should be sub- mitted by June 1st for training to begin in the following year.
iDat e s ; Starting date is by arrangement.
Location : Jersey, Channel Islands, British Isles.
Tees : Tuition is free. Full room and board costs approximately $70 per week. Trainees are responsible for air fares to and from Jersey.
i!
For application and further information write or call:
' Training Program
I Wildlife Preservation Trust International
I 34th Street and Girard Avenue
) Philadelphis, PA 19104
! Telephone (215) 222-3636
3eadline for application for 1985 positions is 1 June 1984.
115
EDUCATIONAL ALTERNATIVES, Contlnue.d
The Trust will also be offering a three-week summer course on breeding ai conservation of Endangered Species from 11 August to 1 September 1984. Following the success of the 1983 summer school, this year’s course agaii covers mammals, birds and reptiles. The program is intensive and includjl lectures/discussions, practical instruction with zoo staff, and the re- , search, preparation and presentation of individual project using Trust ' facilities for behavioral observation, veterinary investigation, record I research and reference material. Course Directors are: Mr. J.E. Cooper, j Senior Lecturer in Comparative Pathology, Royal College of Surgeons of ! England and Dr. S.K. Bearder, Lecturer in Physical Anthropology, Oxford Polytechnic, England. [
Residential course fee is approximately $675 inclusive. Deadline for ap- plications is 30 April 1984. Contact for further information at the above address and phone number.
TAKE HEART!
SubmUZz^d by Helm HuggeXt, VoluLvit^^ GiLldn
UqXao Ton.OYito loolTakzn tho, Ovita/vio Science. CcwOie.
t
|
ANIMAL |
WEIGHT (KG) |
HEART RATE (beats/minute) |
|
Beluga Whale |
700-1000 |
15-16 |
|
Elephant |
2,000-3,000 |
25-50 |
|
Horse |
380-450 |
34-55 |
|
Ostrich |
80 |
60-70 |
|
Human (adult) |
70+ |
50-100 (average 72) |
|
Human (5-9 years) |
18-28 |
68-128 (average 96) |
|
Goat |
33 |
70-135 |
|
Seal |
20-25 |
100 |
|
Turkey |
8.7 |
93 |
|
Cat |
2.5 |
110-240 |
|
Chicken |
1.9 |
178-458 |
|
Rabbit |
1.3 |
167-330 |
|
Squirrel |
0.6 |
390 j |
|
Mouse |
0.02 |
480-738 |
|
Hummingbird |
0.004 |
615 |
|
Shrew |
0.004 |
588-1.320 1 |
The heart rate in warm-blooded animals (mammals and birds) depends on body size. The smaller the animal, the faster the heartbeat.
A small animal has a larger surface area relative to its weight, there- fore it loses body heat more quickly, resulting in a faster heartbeat.
116
Chapter
’t. LOUIS AAZK CHAPTER
!he St. Louis AAZK Chapter is leased to announce the follow- ing newly elected officers for 1984;
resident Ann Day
lice President Gary A. Michael
:ecording Sec Lucy Bailey
ireasurer Randy Adolph
jorresponding Sec... Steven McGehee
gt-at-Arms Joe Norton
I
ictivities in the previous year Included; tours of specific uildings on the zoo grounds, ours of St. Louis area animal onservation projects, and guest jpeakers at meetings such as R. ■arlin Perkins and Walter C. rawford Jr. of the Raptor Re- abilitation and Propagation reject Inc. A lawn party was :eld to which all 200 zoo mployees were invited and money as raised for the Chapter. More ducational activities are planned or the coming year.
fe are also happy to announce our jlhapter's participation in the ^LAL program. Any zoo person who Itlans to visit St. Louis should l:et in touch with our KAL repre- iientative, Lucy Bailey, 1231 |j[ighland Terrace, St. Louis, MO >3117. We have numerous keepers rho can accomodate visitors. All jre ask is that you say a few words jibout your work to our Chapter.
lEMPHIS ZOO & AQUARIUM CHAPTER
jewly elected officers for 1984
jire:
'’resident Robert Evans
KcePresident David Hill
jlec/Treas. ... .Cathy Harrison
I
TOPEKA ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
Following a month of weekly re- organizational meetings, the Topeka Chapter is well on its way to becoming an avtive, viable chapter again. Proposed activit- ies for the coming year include; the manufacture and sale of items made from shed hair and moulted feathers (i.e. jewlery, greeting cards etc.) at the September Animal Fair; a display of AAZK and Keeper information on the zoo grounds; keeper lectures to the public; some type of special event for Zoo and Aquarium month in June. The Chapter is also proposing to host a Great Ape Workshop similar to the Tropical Habitat Workshop held in 1982. This event is still in the early planning stages.
News
Melissa Svoboda of the Kansas City Zoo AAZK Chapter visited at one of the Topeka Chapter’s meet- ings. She shared ideas used by the KC Chapter and also noted the importance of communication between regional chapters. A regional Chapter meeting was held March 10 & 11 in Wichita with representatives attending from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Topeka and Wichita.
Chapteyu axo, <uke,d to ^md tkoJji new^ ttem to Cooxdtnatox oi Chaptex Lee. Payne at the
Vetxott Zoo with a eopy at6o 6ent to the AKf Oi^^teed,
&
117
PEOPLE AND POLECATS
By
Jo VavJ.d Pool, VAjiQ,cXon.
Noak’6 Aa-Iz Zoo ■
SuZphuA, LA !
In America, the terms "polecat” and "skunk" are often used to refer to the same odorous animal. However, the truth is that these two animals are only far distantly related.
The polecat ( fvlLOSteXa patoAliU ) is the ancestor of the domesticated ferret ! (MiLiteZa pmtoAluA {^UAo) . Its weight of about two pounds and length of about 16 inches compares favorably with the ferret's weight of 1^^ to 3 '
pounds and length of about 18 inches. The European polecat's whitish- j yellow lower fur and dark brown surface fur are identical to the most i common color variation of the ferret. !
The spring breeding season and six weeks gestation period are the same as that of the domestic ferret. The polecat young are born with short white hair as are baby ferrets.
Some qualities of the polecat have been eliminated from the ferret by j
selective breeding. For instance, the ferret no longer possesses as |!
strong an odor as the polecat, although ferret males can easily be smell- I ed. The ferret has lost some of its ancestral aggressiveness; however, enough of it remained for a colony of feral ferrets to establish themselve on the islands of Sicily and Sardenia. The domesticated variety is also not as firmly nocturnal in their habits.
I,;
The European polecat is found near man in suburbs, parks and farms. It ! also lives in more remote fields, meadows and forests. The animal inhabits' houses and barns where it often nests in the lofts and attics. Away from j man, the polecat lives in holes in the ground that he tunnels or in those that have been dug by rabbits and the like.
The species usually sleeps during the day and is active at night. It is beneficial to farmers because it feeds on rats and mice. The polecat finds its prey at night relying on its hearing and sense of smell. It i kills its prey with a neck bite or repeated bites on the snouts of larger j animals. The polecat's enemies include owls, hawks, foxes, wolves, wild- cats, dogs and man.
Other extremely close relatives of the European polecat and the domestic ferret include the Turkish or Siberian polecat ( IkuJitdJia. e.ve/L6ma.nnA,} and [ the Black-footed ferret (Ma6^eXa. yu,g^pQJ> ) . The Turkish species is ^
smaller than the European polecat, whitish in color, and" ranges from east“i| ern Europe to China. The almost extinct Black-footed ferret of the west- ern United States is almost identical to the Turkish species; in fact, it j; is thought that there is a common ancestry of all three species of pole- fl cats and ferrets.
Bibliography
Grzimek, Bernard. Grzimek' s Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 12 (1972) Roberts, Mervin F. , All About Ferrets (1977) !
Taylor, Joan, Success With Ferrets (1977) p
^ !
118
LIMITED EDITION
SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE AKF TENTH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT
Animal Keepers’ Forum
^ will be ten years old in October 1984. To commemorate ten years of ontinuous publication, a special T-shirt is being issued.
he Puget Sound AAZK Chapter has taken this on as a fund-raising project or the 1984 AAZK Conference. All profits will benefit the Conference nd AKF.
he T-shirts will only be available from October 1983 through October 984. A check must accompany your order. Please allow 3-4 weeks for Sell very. The price of $7.50 each includes postage and handling. The hirts are 100% cotton; if you wash or dry at high temperatures, order I size larger.
AKF COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM ' AME
DDRESS:
Color choice: powder blue beige
Size: Small Medium Large Extra Large
ake checks payable to: The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter Conference Account jail to: Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, 5500 Phinney Ave., N., Seattle, |A 98103. ATTN: Judie Steenberg
I TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED $
The, {iOttowTng "Vo^yUtion^ AvcUJiabte." -tLstlng^ weAe, Ae,CLeylve,d at the, o^itce, oi AKf, JyutttuttoiU W-tifUng to adveAtt&e. employme-nt opponX-aviitieM cute, cu>kzd to i>e,yid peAttne.ivt data by the, 15th 0^5 e.ach movith to: Oppontayuty Knoalu, AKf, 635 Gage. Blvd. , Tope,ka. KS 66606, The. AAZPA ttstlng^ loexe, not Ae,c.eA,ve.d tn ttme. to tncZude, them tn tkti, month’ .6 t6-6ue.. Tht6 dae, to a cU.iieAe,ncie. tn de,adLineUi ioA the, two pubticattons, Tho^e, Mt^htng to tnMUte, tnclcL&ton 0^ thetA tilting tn AKf oAe. cubed to ^end the tn^oAmattoy dtAeetly to AKf,
Ai/ES KEEPER/ ASSISTANT MAMAGER. . .responsible for care of large number of birds in Chicago quarantine and holding stations. Current driver's license, passport and previous experience with birds required. Basic knowledge of aves medicine, Spanish and carpentry helpful. Contact;
Jill Grade, Station Manager, International Birdhouse, 956 West Huron St., Chicago, IL 60622 or call (312) 412-5458.
STUVEMT INTERNSHIP, , .availabl e at the Animal rehabili- tation Center within the Conservancy Nature Center in Naples, FL. The Animal Rehabilitation Center (Project A.R.C.) is a community-supported program, where native injured wildlife are brought in for treatment, and re- leased, is possible, back to their environment. Intern- ship involves wildlife, as well as educational programs and special projects. Interns must be available for up to five months. Qualifications: a college student or recent graduate, studying wildlife or related field; some experience with people and animals; a sincere concern and interest in working with animals. $55/week stipend, hous- ing provided. Internships offered year-round. To apply, submit resume, statement of goals and three references to: Julie Wasserman, Supervisor, Animal Rehabilitation Center, Conservancy Nature Center, 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, FL 33942, (813) 262-2273.
O
P
P
o
r
t
u
k
n
o
c
k
n s 1
ZOOKEEPER I... Due to major expansion of our zoological park, the Jackson Zoo is NOW accepting applications for the entrance level of Zoo Keepers. Salary range $893-$ 1,298 per month. Standard benefits. Duties include the general care and maintenance of a wide variety of mammals, birds and reptiles. Applicants must have a high school education and some practical experience is necessary. This is an excellent opportunity to be part of a progressive, expanding zoo- logical park. Certified candidates will remain on an active list for six months. Send resume to; James L. Swigert, Director, Jackson Zoologi- cal Park, 2918 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39209.
LARGE MAMMAE KEEPER. . .responsible for care and maintenance of large mammal collection. Requires one year zoo experience. Elephant handling experi- ence preferred. Send resume and references by 30 April to: Michael Tudker Supervisor of Mammals, Caldwell Zoo, Box 428, Tyler, TX 75710.
120
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name
Check heAc /icnewal [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional Vutl-Zimc KccpoMJi
$25.00 International Kll mmboA^ ouuUZdc the U.S. and Canada
$10.00 Associate IndUvldacUU not connected uottk an antmat coAe iaciUXij
$15.00 Affiliate
Otken. 6taii and volantecu
Vtn.ecton.ij InlonmatZon
$50.00 Contributing
0n.gantzation6 and JndtvtduaLi> U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Zoo Wo^fe An.ea Spectal Jnten.c6t6
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Antmat KeepCU' Von.am. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Antmat KeepeJU ’ fon.um publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles .
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6” x 10” (15 cm x 25h cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to Antmat Keepe^u' ¥on.um will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
'V
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
Anttcte^ pntnted do not necei>6aAtJiy n.eitect the optnton^ 0^ the Antmat Keepen2> ' Von.um edtXontat 6ta{^l on. oi the Amcntcan ^^octatton oi loo Keepen^.
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
Topeka , KS 66606
^ond Class
irjstitaiv.fei’e LlferiJirlsa
Animal Keepers' R)rum
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
MAY 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER FIVE
kviunal KmpeJU' fo/LUm (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of AyUmcit Ke.e.peA6’ VoMum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
( AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC,
NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 66606 V Dolly CloAk, Admlnli>ln.cutlv^ SdcAtLla/iy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center P/Ld^lddutl
Front Royal, VA 22630 ,
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park i/lcd PA-e^ldd/it'
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 "
Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 '
Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN i
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
GoAold Payvid, V2th.0AX loo
Continuing Keeper Education
Jmdld Ste.mbeA.g, iiJoodland Pa/ik
Historical Committee LdnAy SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, lulcuhlngton PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator f
Connie Cloak, NashvltCc, TN Research/Grants Committee !
FAank Kohn, Nallonal Zoological PoAk Awards Committee I
Hike CAockoA, Vlckc^on PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kevin Conway, NZP/CRC, PAonl Royal i
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aim, OJoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Library Resource/Book Review
Ellen Leach, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
HoAy HuAe, San FAancJj>co Zoo
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, DuIaoTI Zoo
Infant Development
Steve TayloA, Louisville Keeper Accomodations List OllveA Cla{^{,ey, UetAo ToAonto
Diet Notebook
South Flo Alda ChapteA, Miami Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
AkAon Zoological PoAk
Diane FoAsyt
Keeper Data Survey
HoAy Slaybaugh, San Antonio S Dave OAndoA^, Sea MoAld SkoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Hike CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, DlAectoA
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P^eHeA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne DltlefU LoAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShaAplQj> Vacancy Candy Kao it
{JJ,D, Stone HmoAlal Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo DetAoll Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Woodland PoAk Zoo
Joanle Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
HE,VT,NH,HA,RI,CT | NV
PA,NJ,HD,DE
VA,W,VA,DX,
HI ,
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,HO,HN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR, HS, LA
TX,NH,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,HT,WV,AK ,1
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
Aj> month' 6 (10V2A cuvt X6 by Chd^yl LangeA. kt thz timo, tho, d/iawtng M(i6 .bnUtt^d, ChoAyl wcu a Hammat Ktzpz/i at the, Jaaluonvtile. Zoo tn Flo/Uda d AKf i>ta{^i ha^ ^tnce. loi>t t/iack o^ CheAyl but dOAtaZnly hope, that 6hd ^ an oppontuvUty to heA a/Uwon.k on the. AKf coveA. Thanlu, CheAyll
Scoops — -
and y S^ttlebutt
W AAZK AWARDS COMMITTEE MEMBER NAMED
le AAZK Board of Directors has approved the appointment of Rachel Rogers ) the Awards Committee. Rachel is a Keeper at Miami's Metrozoo. Welcome loard, Rachel, we appreciate your desire to volunteer your time to the fards Committee!
)TICE TO MEMBERS ON RENEWAL MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURES
[rer the years there seems to have been a considerable amount of confusion |i the membership renewal process, especially in reference to how long member is maintained on the AKF mailing list before being dropped. Hope- illy the following outline will help explain the renewal process and if lis format is followed by members, there should be no interruption of leir AAZK/ AKF mailings.
. One month before a member's expiration date, a card notifying him/her of their need to renew their AAZK membership is sent. If a member ' sends in their renewal then, there is no interruption in mailings.
|. At the end of the month in which an individual's membership expires,
‘ he/she is sent a "Dear Former Member" reminder card. If an individual I renews promptly at this time, there is no interruption in mailings.
A member is kept active on the mailing list for ONE MONTH following the expiration of his/her membership.
|. If a member does not renew his/her membership by the end of the month following their expiration date, he/she is dropped from the mailing I list. If an individual then sends in his/her renewal, he/ she will f be reactivated on the mailing list. However, depending on what time ' during the month the renewal is received, that person may end up Ij missing two or more copies of the Forum. We have a cutoff date with our computerized mailing service for inserting additional mailing labels and if the renewal comes in after this date, that name is not added to the list until the next month.
. After a member is dropped from the mailing list for (1) failure to
renew or (2) failure to notify National Headquarters of an address
change, and subsequently renews, they are NOT sent back issues which I they may have missed due to late renewal or failure to notify of an ' address change. These missed issues may be purchased for $1.00 per copy but will not be sent free.
|l. Members are also reminded that the Association pays a charge of 20c ! per listing each time an individual's name is either deleted or added ! to the computer's mailing list. This is in addition to the 25C postage I due fee which is assessed when a member moves and does not notify us
I of his/her new address. As you can see, this can become quite costly
I to the Association and so your prompt reply to your renewal notice is important and greatly appreciated.
ROMPT RENEWAL SAVES AAZK TIME AND MONEY AND ASSURES YOU CURRENT MAILINGS.
121
Births|^ Hatchings
BRONX ZOO ^aAQCvi2X VnJjiz.
B&H for February 1984 include: Mammals - 4.0 Egyptian fruit bat, 3.0 Pen-tailed bettong, 2.0 Wild cavy, 3.3 Blackbuck, 1.0 Nyala, 10.0 Mouflon, j 3.0 Collared peccary, 2.0 Cotton-top marmoset, 1.0 Sugar glider, 1.0 Slender-horn gazelle, 1.0 Saddleback tamarin, 1.0 King-tailed lemur;
Birds - 2 South American yellow winged honeycreeper , 4 Green wood hoopoe,
3 Crested tinamou, 1 Green junglefowl, 4 Inca tern, 4 Lilac-breasted roller, 1 Tawny frogmouth, 3 Congo peacock, 1 Black-rumped hemipode; Reptiles - ji 13 Uracoan rattlesnake.
JACKSONVILLE 700 Anne E. WXgg^n4 j
February and March 1984 B&H include: 0.0.3 Ring-tail lemur, 0.2 Sitatunga (1 DNS), 0.1 Guanaco, 0.0.1 Nanday conure, 0.0.3 New Guinea snakeneck turtle and 0.0.1 Aldabra tortoise.
The birth of the Aldabra tortoise [GwchdZoYKL QLQayvtQXi] occurred at the Jacksonville Zoo on 27 February 1984 after an incubation of 97 days. The hatchling was one of eight eggs which were deposited in a well-constructed nest on the evening of 22 November 1983; an additional 12 eggs were laid I
on 2 December 1983 following administration of 250 units of oxytocin. '
Clutches of 15 to 18 eggs were laid between 2 November and 2 December 1983 by two additional females in the breeding group. i
The hatching represents the first reproduction of the Aldabra tortoise in : the Northern Hemisphere. Previous captive hatchings have been reported only by the Sydney Zoo, Australia and from the Seychelles Islands, where j
the species was introduced during the last century. For more information ! contact: Dave Collins, Curator of Birds and Reptiles, Jacksonville Zoo.
CENTRAL FLORIDA ZOOLOGICAL PARK Vlano, HcLQ2.y !
B&H for January through March 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 Ocelot, 0.1.2 ^
Cougar (0.1 DNS), 0.0.1 Dama Wallaby; Birds - 0.0.1 Lesser sulphur-crested j
cockatoo, 0.0.3 Indian ring-necked parakeet, 0.0.8 Fischer's lovebird, and 0.0.6 Wood duck.
TURTLE BACK ZOO .
Recorded B&H for January through March 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Llama, i 2.0 Pygmy goat; Reptiles - 0.0.11 Snake-necked turtle, 0.0.5 Red-eared f slider; Birds - 0.0.1 Cormorant. I
TOLEDO ZOO iliccAetCe G/ttgo/ie .
March 1984 B&H include: 0.0.5 Orangequits, 0.0.1 Basilisk, 0.0.3 Cuban - boas and 0.0.1 Sooty mangabey.
TOPEKA ZOO Attce I
January through April 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.1 Cotton-headed !
tamarin (DNS), 1.0 Sitatunga, 1.0 Dama wallaby, 0.0.1 Giant Indian fruit bat; Birds - 0.0.1 Scarlet macaw.
122
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUnaed
PITTSBURGH AVIARY. Xu/U Robbliu
The following hatchings were noted from January to March 1984: 0.0.3 Palawan peacock pheasant (1 DNS), 0.0.2 Goldie's lorikeet, 2.0 Levaillant's barbet, 0.0.3 Double-barred finch, 0.0.1 Goiildian finch (DNS), 0,0.2 Rothchild's mynah.
Previously unpublished hatchings for 1983 included: 2.6.51 Elegant crested tinamou (0.0.8 DNS), 0.0.6 Green-backed heron (0.0.5 DNS), 0.0.2 Scarlet ibis (2 .DNS), 0.0.6 Cape teal (5 DNS), 9.6.2 Tonkinese red junglefowl (0.0.2 DNS), 1.1.12 Lady Anherst * s pheasant (0.0.4 DNS), 1.3.3 Palawan peacock pheasant, 2.3.2 Malay argus pheasant, 0.0.43 Common peafowl— blue, white and pied (0.0.3 DNS), 0,1 West African crowned crane, 1,2.4 Gray-headed gallinule (0,0,3 DNS), 0.0.1 Sun bittern (DNS), 0.1.1 Spur- winged plover (0.0.1 DNS), 3.0.1 Red lory (0.0.1 DNS), 4.2 Goldie's lorikeet, 0.0.4 Red-fronted Kakarikl (0.0.3 DNS), 0.0,1 Greater roadrunner (DNS), 0.0.2+ Speckled mousebird (2 DNS), 3.2 African gray hornbill—f irst captive breeding was apparently here in 1982, 3.0 Levaillant's barbet,
0.0.3 Double-barred finch ( 3 DNS), 0.0.5 Gouldian finch (4 DNS), 1.0.4 Purple glossy starling, 0.0,2 Purple glossy starling x Blue-eared glossy starling hybrid - hen unknown 0 (1 DNS), 0.2.3 Rothchild's mynah (0.0,3 DNS), 1.0 White-collared mynah - St/L2.ptocJjtta CLibi.C.oLLi& - probable first captive breeding.
DALLAS ZOO. .................................................. .TomI JoneA
B&H for March 1984 include; Mammals “ 0.1 Llama, 0.1 Suni (DNS), 1.0 Bactrian camel, 1.1.1 Patagonian cavy, 1.0 Chimpanzee, 1.0 Addax, 0.1 East African oryx; Birds - 0.0.1 Hawaiian goose, 0.0,3 Spur-winged lapwing, 0.0.1 Cape Barren goose, 0.0.2 Jandaya conure; Reptiles ~ 13 Mexican massasaugas {SjAtHU/mA ARVUA ) .
ASSINIBOINE PARK ZOO. ...................................... ,BaAb HaUi^eA
Recent B&H from Winnipeg include: 2 Yak, 1 Lion-tailed macaque, 5 Gambian pouched rat, 2 Ring-tailed lemur and 1 Parma wallaby.
MIAMI METROZOO. ........................................... Loax BH.ac.kheJjn
March 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0 Reticulated giraffe, 1,0 Lowland gorilla, 0.1 Ring-tailed lemur, 1.0 Grant's zebra, 1.0 Dama gazelle, 0.1 Scimitar-horned oryx, 0,1 Maxwell's duiker, 2.0 Blackbuck antelope;
Birds - 0.0.12 Ostrich, 0.0,2 Green junglefowl, 0.0.2 Hottentot teal and 0.1.2 Red-crested pochards.
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS. ....................................... ,SavLdy MoheA
B&H for March 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Scimitar -horned oryx, 0.1 Greater kudu, 0.1 Dromedary camel, 0,3 Thomson's gazelle, 1.0 Addax, 0.2 Roan antelope; Birds - 2 Jandaya conure, 1 Greater sulphur-crested cocka- too, 1 Stone Curlew, 3 Bare-eyed cockatoo, 4 Sun conure, 2 Black swan,
2 African gray parrot, 2 Pied cockatiel, 2 Scarlet macaw, 3 Hahn’s macaw and 1 Green-winged macaw.
123
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUnae.d
BROOKFIELD ZOO John S. Stoddcuid
March 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.0.7 White-toothed shrew, 0.0.1 Callimico monkey, 0.0,2 Cotton-topped tamarin, 0.0.2 Golden lion tamarin, 0.0.1 Crab-eating macaque, 0.0.1 Guinea baboon, 0.0.1 Siamang, 0.0.1 Gibbon Birds - 0.0.2 Red and white crake, 0.0.2 Blue-shouldered robin chat, 0.0.2 Inca tern, 0.0.1 Humboldt penguin; Herps - 0.0.1 Brown anole.
Unusual Acquisition — Also in March, Brookfield Zoo received 2.2 South American marsupiai possums iVA,omlcJ^op6 au^tAOiZAJi ) as a donation from the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago) . These animals were brought back by a returning field research team that had been studying them in their native Chile. These small (25-35 g.) marsupials have no common English name but are called "Monito del Monte" (little monkey of the mountains) by the locals. They have limited distribution, being found only in the higher altitude bamboo forests of south central Chile. They are common within that range, but probably due to their inaccessibility these are believed to be the only individuals in captivity.
Coming Events
lOTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF AVICULTURE
August 1-5, 1984 Redondo Beach, CA
For information, write, AFA, P.O. Box 1568, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 or call (213) 372-2988.
AAZPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
September 9-13, 1984 Miami, FL
1984 NATIONAL AAZK CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK. See information on registra- tion and accomodations in this issue of AKF.
124
FINAL CALL FOR AAZK AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Deadline - June h 1984
This is the last call for nominations for 1984 AAZK awards. This month features the last segment of a three-part series on the AAZK awards. The March and April issues of AKF discussed the Excellence in Zookeeping and Meritorious Achievement awards. This month features the CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOOKEEPER EDUCATION.
The CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOOKEEPER EDUCATION is given the zoo most actively promoting educational programs for zookeepers. Keeper training courses, staff seminars, and reimbursement for formal education are obvious examples of such programs. If you feel that your zoo merits such an award, please submit a brief letter of nomination, mentioning specific educational programs at your zoo.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Any North American zoological institution or aquarium is eligible.
2. The keeper training program must have been in existence for at least a year.
NOMINATION PROCEDURE
This award will be given to the zoo most actively promoting educational programs for zookeeper s—keeper training courses, staff seminars, and reimbursement for formal education, etc.
If you feel that your zoo merits such an award, please submit a letter of nomination, mentioning specific education programs.
THE DEADLINE FOR ACCEPTANCE OF AWARD NOMINATIONS IS JUNE 1, 1984.
Send nominations to:
Mike Crocker AAZK Awards Committee Dickerson Park Zoo 3043 North Fort Springfield, MO 65803
CORRECTION: Jn RobeAt BeAgafUeA’^ cwUcZo,, "A ZoofeeepeA'^ Ro^iUcMon^ oi PeAu" ll/ol. 11, No. 3, MoAch 19B4 AKF), the. authoA ImdoeAte-wtly note,d Eacc Han Vantkan'-6 book cl& ”ChaAA,ot6 o^ ViAe.'\ It should have. be.e.n '*ChaAloti> oi the. GocU".
125
ANIMAL MAMAGENENT CORRESPONDENCE COURSE
Submitted By Judie Steenbe/ig Coo/LcilnatoA. AAZK Education Committee
In the January AKF, page 6, information was given on testing for certification in the correspondence course, Animal Management , offered by the National Extension College, Cambridge, England. It has been suggested that the certification exam be given in con- junction with the annual AAZK Conference; the test would be given the day before the Confer- ence begins.
The Education Committee is looking into this possibility and would like your help. If you are taking the course, or have taken it, and would be interested in being tested on it at the upcom- ing AAZK Conference in October, please write to Judie Steenberg, 9550 2nd Ave., N.W. , Seattle, WA 98117. Although there might not be many students ready to take the certification exam this year, we want to make the op- portunity available to any who are. Please pass the word to anyone you know who is taking the course.
**************
Following is a list of references on captive mammal management that was received from Douglas Richardson, Rowlett’s Zoo Park, England. A note that accompanied the list stated:
"...when I started in Zoos, I had difficulty in finding pertinent material. In fact I still meet Keepers and Curators who are at a loss to find any books or periodicals which pertain to zoo ani- mals. Many of these books are available from
Wildlife Publications Review 520 N. Dixie Hwy.
Hollywood, FL 33020."
Wild Animals in Captivity, Hediger
The Psychology & Behavior of Animals in Zoos and Circuses, Hediger Man and Animal in the Zoo, Hediger (This is a must)
International Zoo Yearbook, Vol. 1-22, Zoological Society of London International Zoo News, Zoo Centrum, London
The Dodo, Annual Report of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust
The U.F.A.W. Handbook on the Care and Management of Laboratory Animals,
U.F.A.W.
Patterns of Mammalian Reproduction, Asdell (second edition)
Animal Management , Vol. I-III, National Extension College, Cambridge, GB
The Care and Capture of Wild Animals, Young
Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity, Crandall
Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals, Fowler
Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine, Fowler
126
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN, CowUnue^d
Mammal Reference List, con’t
Handbook of Zoo Medicine, Klos and Lang Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity, Martin Mono tr ernes and Marsupials, Collins
International Symposium on Breeding Non-human Primates for Laboratory
Use, Beveridge
Feeding and Nutrition of Non-human Primates , Harris Zoonoses of Primates, Fiennes
Captivity and Behavior , Erwin, Maple, Mitchell
The Biology and Conservation of the Callitrlchidae, Kleiman
The Squirrel Monkey , Rosenblum, Cooper
Gibbon and Siamang, Vol. 1, Rumbaugh
Orang-utan Behavior , Maple
Gorilla Behavior, Maple, Hoff
Otters, Harris
The Giant Panda, Barzdo
The Giant Panda, Jing, Yangwen
International Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards, Vol. I-III, Blomquist (Many other studbooks contain management articles)
The World's Cats, Vol. I-III, Eaton Wild Elephants in Captivity, Adams The Asiatic Wild Horse, Mohr
The Biology and Management of an Extinct Species; Fere David * s Deer,
Beck, Wemmer
Reproductive Behavior in Ungulates, Fraser
The Behavior of Ungulates and Its Relation to Management , Geist, Walther
Does anyone out there have a similar list on birds, reptiles or other Zoo- related subjects that they are willing to share? If so, please send it to Judie Steenberg at the previously listed address.
********
More Register for Staff Exchange
6ubmXtte.d by Etayidn.a Aunt
Exchange. CooKdyinato^
We have a few more zoos that have registered themselves for inclusion on our master list, as published in the March, 1984 issue of AKF.
Persons interested in working on exchanges should check the list for registered institutions. If your place of work is listed, then first try talking to the contact person whose name is included; that person has all the information, including the complete master list, published and dis- seminated to date. If you have any difficulty or further questions, write or call Elandra Aum at Woodland Park Zoo, 5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, WA, 98103.
127
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN, Continued
Additions to the previously published Master List are:
Denver Zoological Park, Denver, CO Ed Schmitt
Kings Dominion Wild Animal Safari, Dowell, VA David Jeffers/Don Goff
Knoxville Zoological Park, Inc., Knoxville, TN — Sam A. McCoig Memphis Zoological Park, Memphis, TN — - Charles G. Wilson
Mesker Park Zoo, Evansville, IN Lynn Griese
Sacramento Zoo, Sacramento, CA Steve Taylor
In addition, the following changes or corrections should be noted on the original master lists:
For Northwest Trek, the correct spelling for the contact person's name is "Greg Starypan".
For the Philadelphia Zoo, the contact person's name should be "Rick Beyer". For the Como Zoo, the contact person's name should be "John Fletcher".
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BEAR RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT (IBA)
ENCOURAGES KEEPER INVOLVEMENT/OFFERS MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
6ubniitte,d by Van C. HuaXh, IBA-Zoo CooKdlyhotoK
The International Association for Bear Research and Management (IBA) is an international organization made up of scientists, managers, and lay persons with an interest in bears. The purpose of this organization is to foster communication and cooperation in the management, research and protection of bears and their habitat. A newsletter is issued quarterly and an international conference is held every third year. Annual member- ships is U.S. $7.00 for regular and $5.00 for students. Group member- ships, e.g. AAZK Chapters, are available for $7.00, and is payable to:
International Bear Biology Association Brian L. Horejsi, Secretary/Treasurer Box 3129, Station B Calgary, Alberta Canada T2M 4L7
Zoo personnel are encouraged to join this multi-dimensional bear group. Many have already actively participated in the formation of ad hoc, committees, and in the presentation of poster sessions and papers on spectacled bears and sloth bears at previous conferences. If you are conducting research on bears in captivity, or are interested in problems of both captive and wild populations of bears, consider joining IBA. We welcome your input.
128
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Quality exotic animal diets Fixed formulation Nutritionally balanced Economical
NBI
Frozen feline diets Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
Zu/Rieem®
Feline canned Primate canned Marmoset canned
Omnivore dry Primate dry
a Banana flavored primate, 1 5% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% SPECTRUM protein
Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animai diets for your feeding program, call Animai Spectrum today.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE NOW AVAILABLE
Entitled Zoo Keeper Safety, An Attitude Adjustment, this first tape at- tempts to create a safety attitude and presents a systematic safety approach to the job of zoo keeping. All proceeds generated from the sale of training tapes will be used to finance production of future training tapes.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PURCHASE AGREEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE BUYER
1) The tape may not be duplicated or made available to any person or institution for the purpose of duplication.
2) The tape may not be utilized for any commercial purpose.
3) Should the buyer decide the tape will not be useful to their training program, the undamaged tape may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a partial refund--$10 for BETA and VHS, $18 for 3/4 inch.
I, the undersigned, accept responsibility for the restrictions listed above.
NAME; (TYPE OR PRINT)
SIGNATURE: DATE:__
ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION:
SHIPPING ADDRESS;
ZIP
TELEPHONE: ( )
TAPE TITLE:
FORMAT: BETA VHS 3/4 INCH
$25.00 $25.00 $35.00
Make checks payable to: "AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PROJECT".
Mail to: B. Wayne Buchanan
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103
Great Ape Clu'^■C"^emon\i^
SEPARATION DEPRESSION IN AN ADULT FEMALE ORANGUTAN
By
JokvL B^jOLYlYtimi kYUjnal. T (KLhvbidJjCLYi Kamca City Zoo, Kayii>ca City, MO
On 22 September 1983, an eleven-year-old female Bornean orangutan, Suai, came to the Kansas City Zoo on a trade from another zoo. This individual had been mother-raised with the male until about the age of five. Since that time she had been living in a mixed group of young adult orangs of various ages. She had never, according to her keepers, been isolated from other orangutans for any extended periods of time.
At the time the Kansas City Zoo maintained 1.1, 21-year-old wild-born Bornean orangutans, Timmy and Tammy, who were housed together on exhibit. These two orangs have been in residence at the Kansas City Zoo for nearly twenty years where they have produced three surviving offspring, all of which were hand-raised. Never had these two shared their quarters with other adult orangutans.
When Suai arrived she was placed in a transfer cage in which a screen- covered window had been installed to allow visual, auditory, and olfactory contact with the two resident orangutans. The plan was to provide free contact via the window between Suai and her future companions and concur- rently give Suai periodic access to both the indoor and outdoor enclosures for 3-4 weeks before attempting an introduction. It was hoped that this would allow ample time for Suai to become acquainted with all aspects of her new environment and give the older pair of orangs a chance to adjust to Suai’s presence.
Unfortunately, in transit, Suai had sustained severe abrasions to her knuckles and had lost two teeth in attempts to escape the shipping crate. She had lost some blood and her face was somewhat swollen. The first concern was her physical condition. Immobilization and examination by the staff veterinarian on the morning following her arrival revealed that al- though her injuries were severe they were localized and it was thought that her condition was not critical.
During her first day in her new surroundings Suai spent almost all of her time huddled in the rear corner of the enclosure. A variety of food items were offered but all except a few bites of banana were refused.
By the second morning the swelling in Suai’s face was greatly reduced and her hands appeared improved. Her behavior had not changed, however.
Keepers continued offering her a variety of food items in various forms including flavored milk which she accepted in small quantities. Her enclosure had been provided with a variety of play objects such as ropes, burlap bags, boxes, etc. but these were ignored. The only times she would move were to occasionally come to the front of the enclosure to take a drink of milk from a keeper or to look through the window at the two orangs on the other side.
131
SEPARATION DEPRESSION IN AN ADULT FEMALE ORANGUTAN, ConUnu^d
The third day brought no change. Her depressed behavior could not be attributed solely to her physical discomfort. Concern now shifted from her physical to her psychological condition. The zoo at which she had formerly resided was contacted in hopes of finding a special toy, favorite food item, or any other suggestion that might help lessen her depression.
All ideas were tried but nothing seemed to significantly improve her con- dition. This continued through the first week.
On 30 September, the eighth day of residence, Suai was released alone into the outdoor enclosure for the first time. Inclement weather earlier in the week had prevented an earlier release into this exhibit. It was hoped that the more spacious open-air enclosure might provide some stimu- lus which would begin to bring her out of her depressed state. To the disappointment of the zoo staff, Suai, upon entering the exhibit moved to the opposite corner, sat down in her characteristic huddle and did not move the rest of the day. When it came time for her to return to her indoor quarters for the evening she would not move. All attempts to coax her back inside were futile. Since the weather was mild more drastic measures to get her inside did not seem warranted. Keepers left her with free access to the indoor enclosure.
The next morning she was found in exactly the same spot she had been left in the previous evening. The food that had been left for her had not been touched.
It had been the consensus of the zoo staff throughout the week that one of the major sources of Suai’s stress was that she had never before been separ- ated from conspecif ics . An early introduction with the older female, Tammy, had been discussed. Considering the risk involved in a premature introduc- tion and the uncertainity of success in changing Suai's behavior, this action had been delayed.
With all other obvious alternatives exhausted it was decided to proceed with the introduction at once. Tammy was separated from the male and released into the outdoor enclosure with Suai. The moment Suai saw Tammy in the doorway she rose to a bipedal stance with eyes fixed on the larger orangutan. Tammy, seeing Suai at nearly the same instant, stopped in her tracks and stared at her new cagemate. Neither orang seemed alarmed. On the contrary, Suai's expression appeared to be less distressful that it had all week and Tammy’s appeared to be one of mild curiosity. After mutual appraisal for about half a minute, the two orangs began moving towards each other. To the relief of the onlooking staff members, Suai approached Tammy with an outstreatched arm and the two began investigating and grooming each other. Within minutes both were circumambulating the exhibit together. Suai followed Tammy up poles and ropes provided in the exhibit. This was by far the most activity seen from Suai since her arrival. Food was tossed into the exhibit in hopes that her appetite had improved as well. She immediately began eating apples, bananas, celery and primate biscuits, items that she had thusfar refused or only nibbled.
This remarkable reversal in Suai's behavior has continued. As of 1 March 1984, she and Tammy are still getting along very well. Suai had adapted well to her new environment. The injuries she sustained in shipment proved to be slow-healing. Both hands had to be casted for nearly three months.
At present both hands are healed and an introduction with the male orang, Timmy, is scheduled to take place soon.
132
SEPARATION DEPRESSION IN AN ADULT FEMALE ORANGUTAN, CoyuUnu^d
Loss of appetite in captive primates is usually attributed to depression, illness, or environmental changes (Erwin and Deni, 1977). In this case any or all of these factors may have been involved.
Depression associated with separation has been widely studied in captive primates, particularly in regard to mother-infant separations and juvenile- age peer separations (see Erwin, Maple, and Mitchell, 1979, for review).
Typically responses to separation in these cases follow the pattern des- cribed by Bowlby (1961); (1) an initial period of protest followed by (2) depression or withdrawal and (3) a period of detachment upon reunion. Erwin ^ (1971) observed this pattern in mother-infant and juvenile-
age peer separations in rhesus macaques except that no detachment period was seen during mother-infant reunions. The Bowlby pattern including detachment was observed in an orangutan mother-infant separation and re- union (Nadler and Codner, 1983). Separation of socialized rhesus juveniles of slightly older age than those observed in the previously cited study resulted in hyperactivity with no evidence of depression or withdrawal (McKinney et al . , 1972). These authors suggested age differences in re- sponses to separation.
Chronic depression as a result of temporary separation in a mother/peer- raised, well-socialized adult great ape may be an unusual situation. In the case described here, Suai exhibited protest, which resulted in her injuries, and prolonged depression. In addition to separation from famil- iar peers, stress from physical injury and subjection to a totally foreign environment were factors which probably contributed to her depression.
What is particularly interesting from this observation is that her behavior- al reversal was so immediate and complete in response to an introduction with an unfamiliar peer in an unfamiliar environment.
References
Bowlby, J., 1961. Separation anxiety; a critical review of the literature. J. Child Psychol. Pyschiat. 1; 25 1-269.
Erwin, J. and Deni, R. , 1979. Strangers in a strange land; abnormal behaviors or abnormal environments? In J. Erwin, T. Maple, and G. Mitchell (Eds.) Captivity and Behavior — Primates in Breeding Colonies, Laboratories and Zoos . New York; Van Nostrand Rheinhold Co., pp. 1-28.
Erwin, J., Maple, T., and Mitchell, G., 1971. Separation of rhesus
monkey juveniles of the same sex. J. Abnorm . Psychiat . 78; 134-139.
McKinney, W.T., Suomi, S. J. , and Harlow, H.F., 1972. Repetitive peer separations of juvenile-age rhesus monkeys. Arch. Gen. Psychiat.
27; 200-203.
Nadler, R.D. and Codner, M.A. , 1983. Maternal separation and reunion of an infant orangutan. Primates 24(1); 67-76.
133
Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamentals Manual Update
The Committee that is working on the manual is currently attempting to 1) organize itself into several working groups and 2) formulate a format for material submission. Anyone interested in participating in this project by providing des- criptive articles on all types of techniques and other husban- dry procedures should contact either Pat Sammarco or Jim Ellis by filling out the form below.
NAME
ADDRESS
DESCRIPTION OF INTEREST AREA AND MATERIAL TO BE PRESENTED
Send completed interest survey to either: Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614 or Jim Ellis, Teaching Zoo, Santa Fe Community College, P.O. Box 1530, 3000 NW 83 St., Gainesville, FL 32602.
134
l\/nv^0HWHypipJ cOMe to. me MmcoNFEmwe in
^EmuEFJl
....BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS THE CONFERENCE IN SEATTLE!!
September 30 - October 4, 1S84
Actually it rains less in Seattle than in Miami Beach, Florida. Sunshine has also been ordered for that week and is currently being stored in the zoo commissary. Tacoma also promises sunshine for their midday barbecue on Wednesday at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, to be followed by a nice, warm evening under the stars at Northwest Trek. All this plus the wine and cheese party to be held at the Seattle Aquarium Monday night will give you a unique opportunity to visit four major zoological facilities in the Pacific Northwest. PLUS, with Portland’s Washington Park Zoo and Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium only 3^ hours away, you can easily see five to six major institutions for the price you’d usually pay for one. This is a conference package you just can’t afford to miss!
Look what else this package includes;
A large hospitality suite with a patio and a view of the city, open Saturday-Thursday .
The Traditional Icebreaker and a lunch on Thursday both catered by the Madison Hotel, known for its wonderful cuisine.
Five coffee breaks with something extra.
You’ll have time on Monday to explore the city, take a trolley ride along Seattle’s Waterfront, have salmon dinner (or anything you like) at an outdoor cafe with a view of Puget Sound, then meet at the Aquarium for tours and wine and cheese.
Besides the Hotel lunch and the barbecue by Point Defiance, the Woodland Park Zoo Docents will serve lunch during your day at the Zoo, and dinner the same day will be provided by our Zoological Society.
Our banquet will be at the World Famous Space Needle. Dinner will be buffet style to please all the big appetites.
When you think of the unique opportunity to participate in workshops, paper sessions, tours and just exchanging ideas with keepers from four Northwest zoos and aquariums, plus other keepers from all over the world, how can you pass it up?! It’s a professional opportunity that can’t be beat; the National Conference ^ where it’s at.
Added Note; For all those registered with the Madison Hotel by August 15th, we will have a drawing for three free nights (to be deducted from your hotel bill). If we fill 60 rooms, we’ll be able to draw for four more nights, and with 70 rooms, another five nights! Remember that two to a room is ideal and four is the hotel maximum, which is, frankly, a bit tight. (Additional $10.00 per person per night over two). The more help we get from you to fill these rooms, the more we can help you. And besides that, the hotel is beautiful!
SEE YOU AT THE 1984 AAZK CONFERENCE SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 4!
PLEASE START THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU'LL BRING FOR THE AUCTION.
136
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984
Please type or print. One name per form.
Return form with your fee to:
Mary Bennett, Registration Coordinator Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 625-5488
Make checks payable to Puget Sound Chapter AAZK.
Deadline for Pre-registration is August 15, 1984.
1984 Registration
Name
ADDRESS
CITY STATE/COUNTRY
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
ZOO AFFILIATION IF APPLICABLE
AREA OF INTEREST
VEGETARIAN YES NO
WILL BE SUBMITTING PAPER YES NO^
($20.00 will be refunded on acceptance of paperl
AAZK MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND FEES:
|
MEMBER OR SPOUSE |
$50.00 each |
|
NON-MEMBER |
$70.00 each |
|
LATE FEE |
$15.00 |
|
(After Aug. 15th) |
|
|
TOTAL FEES ENCLOSED |
$ |
ONE DAY RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT MARY BENNETT FOR INFORMATION.
Are you interested in purchasing a conference T-shirt?
YES NO Size S M L XL
(This will help us provide adequate inventory)
MADISON
800-426-1172 Out of State
H 07 E L • S E ATT LE
800-851-8010 In State
515 Madison
Seattle, WA 98111 (206) 583-0300 Local
Our conference headquarters is the Madison Hotel, a quality hotel within Seattle's business and financial district. Shopping, entertainment and many of Seattle's scenic and historic attractions are within a easy walk.
Each of the Madison's 575 guest rooms has its own seating area with sofa and chairs, from which you can enjoy a sweeping view of Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
Special room rates for the conference delegates are: $55.00 single
$60.00 double
Use the toll free number (800 number) to make your reservations, and identify yourself as being with the American Association of Zookeepers.
If you wish to be matched with a roommate, let the hotel know when you call, and they will attempt to do so.
We feel the Madison offers a unique mixture of "new hotel", while retain- ing a sense of warmth in its smaller size. With the busy schedule we have planned, it would be advantageous to stay with us at the hotel. It is one of Seattle's finest hotels and we think you will enjoy it, espec- ially at our reduced conference rates.
NOTE: The hotel also has a swimming pool and health club so you will want to bring your swimsuit! There is nightly entertainment at Visions, a video disco. Their rooftop restaurant, Pregos, serves a fine Italian cuisine. Be sure to bring evening attire for these.
Transportation from Sea-Tac Airport to the Madi son is easy! Just take the Airporter bus directly from the airport to the hotel. The Madison is the first stop! It leaves every half hour from United Airlines Bag- gage Terminal, and the ride takes 20 mi nutes--Cost $4.75.
CALL FOR PAPERS
This year's topic for presentation papers, WORKING IN ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS: TODAY AND TOMORROW, was chosen to encourage all conference delegates to participate in writing about their professions. Working in zoos and aquariums today is complex, challenging, and exciting, requiring many skills such as public speaking, computer use, construction technique and nutritional analysis, in addition to caring for animals. The ability to share this knowledge and to educate others is a great asset. In the future, it will be even more important to exchange ideas and information.
Papers will be limited to 20 minutes with a 5-minute question/answer period. Please submit an outline or abstract by July 15, 1984. AAZK national committees that plan to have meetings at the conference should submit time and meeting space requirements by this date.
Send papers, information, or questions to:
Phil Pennock AAZK Conference Woodland Park Zoo 5500 Phinney Ave. North Seattle, WA 98103-5897
VACATION SUGGESTIONS FOR
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES
By
B, Wayne. Buchanan Woodland ?a/ik Zoological GaA.de.n6 Seattle, WA
If you're planning on attending the National Conference this fall in Seattle, you'll be in the northwest during a period offering great wild- life watching opportunities. The fall migration season will be in pro- gress creating numerous areas of wildlife concentration in Oregon, Cali- fornia, and Washington. Here are some of ray favorite areas to visit at that time of the year. When combined with a drive along the Oregon pic- turesque coastline they form a large, convenient, loop auto trip.
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge - located in part of extreme northern California, and in part of extreme southern Oregon, this refuge is perhaps the premiere waterfowl area in North America. They can number in the millions. A visit here after the Conference would give slightly better odds of seeing a heavier concentration. This is also a major wintering area for Bald Eagles. Some of these birds should also be pre- sent, For more information contact:
Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Route 1, Box 74 Tule Lake, CA 96134 (916) 667-2231
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge - located in southeastern Oregon, this refuge is only an hour or two from Klamath NWR. This area offers a good variety of typical prairie bird life with many possible migrants.
The primary attraction here is the swift and keen-eyed pronghorn antelope. Once on the brink of extinction, this unique North American antelope is common here. However, they can be easily overlooked. Mule deer and, with a little luck (or a lot of hard work), California bighorn sheep can also been seen. For moire information contact;
Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge P.O. Bix 111 Lakeview, OR 97630 (503) 947-3315
Malheur Wildlife Refuge - located 42 miles from Hart Mountain NWR,
Malheur offers one of the greatest variety of wildlife watching in the U.S. In the fall one of the major attractions is the gathering of sand- hill cranes in preparation for migration —7,000-plus are possible. Swans and other waterfowl are here in large numbers, also white pelican, shore and wading birds, and raptors. Golden Eagles are fairly common. Mule deer and coyote are common. Pronghorn antelope, porcupine, beaver and weasle are possible. This is one of my favorite areas. For more infor- mation contact;
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 113 Burns, OR 97720 (503) 493-2323
139
VACATION SUGGESTIONS FOR 1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES, Con’t
This has been only a brief listing of the highlights of these areas. There are many other animals possible as well as some very notable geographical points of interest. 1 will be traveling to these areas the week prior to the Conference. Though I cannot offer transportation to anyone, I will be glad to help with questions, information, or other assistance. I would also welcome the company of other AAZK members.
Whether you visit these or other areas of interest, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of being in this region by adding some enjoyable vacation time to your conference trip.
Information Please
We would appreciate any information on actual recorded birth weights (and other relevant data such as sex, gestation, etc. of the animals) of Reticulated giraffes. Send information to the Rocky Mountain Chapter Information Committee, c/o Denver Zoo, City Park, Denver, CO 80205.
We have been releasing black bears born at our facility into the wild as yearlings, but we need more information. If you have knowledge of cap- tive black bears released into the wild, contact Doug Carmichael, Curator, Municipal Black Bear Habitat, 1001 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 or call (615) 436-5423, Ext. 128.
I would like to hear from anyone having information on training parrots and cockatoos to do tricks for an exhibition. Send to: Endangered Species, Inc., Rt. 3, Box 410, Trenton, FL 32693.
macaws , The
140
Primate Profiles
SIAMANG BIRTH AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO
By
LLbci HambuAgeA^ Ape, KeepeA San F/iancXsao Zoo, San VA.ancJj>co , CA
The San Francisco Zoo and Ape Keepers John Alcaraz and Lisa Hamburger are proud to announce the birth of twin Siamangs [SympkaJiangaA -6 yndactytaA ) — iwe believe the first recorded in captivity. The female Siamang gave birth unassisted during the night of 9 March, The twins were spotted in the early morning, Saturday, 10 March 1984, and the next day were identified as two males.
One had swelling and edema in both legs, we believe, from the birth process. The swelling did not abate until Monday morning, 12 March. Neither twin was [removed during this period from the mother, and the edema abated naturally. The male Siamang was in the cage during and after the birth. On Sunday,
11 March, the female was separated into the nightquarters to ascertain that both infants were healthy and nursing. Upon verification, the mother was released with her tightly clinging duo and reunited with her mate. She was [given access to the entire cage (cage description; 25x25x50' cyclone fence oblong, hanging branches, access through flap door to heated concrete and wood nightquarters) .
In addition to their normal diet of cooked sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, bread and monkey chow, we have added mirror leaf (cop-^asma) , cooked horse- meat, and 8 ounces of milk supplemented with one dropper (1 ml) of liquid vitamins, to the nursing female's diet.
The female Siamang is a six-and-one-half-year-old primaparous mother, born 9-13-77, on breeding loan from the Jackson Zoo, MS. The male is wild- naught, est. birth 1972, also from the Jackson Zoo. He has sired two pre- vious offspring at the San Francisco Zoo; one DNS, the other, a female, was 'sent back to the Jakcson Zoo for an unrelated female—the present mother.
Housed approximately 50 yards away in a similar structure is our Siamang [pair who have produced the most offspring in captivity— to date 10 off- spring. These progeny are on breeding loans throughout the United States, with first and second generations in Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. The breeding pair are in their 20 's, arriving at the zoo in 1962. Their two , most recent offspring, two females aged Ih and 3% years, live with them. A \5h year old son was shipped out in December 1983 to the Gibbons and Gal- ilinaceous Birds Center. It brings to four the number of individuals in laach Siamang family group (1.3 and 3,1).
Each day the two groups participate in several ear-splitting territorial [calls, loud hooting back and forth, together and independently. Each iindividual participates in the group effort and when separated responds iljfrom whatever part of the zoo he or she is in.
It was amazing to see the twins which looked almost like one baby with four arms and legs tucked so close to mama's belly and chest, held up by j.ier knees. But there they are, two healthy twin male Siamang babies!
.Doing fine so far. ^
®
141
THE SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN:
A SUITABLE CASE FOR TREATMENT
By
Rtfee CloAk, VomoA K2,<ip2A J2A&Q,y Zoological Pcuik, Channel l6. and
Doug UlchoAditOn, Keeper HoMlctt6 Zoo PoAk, Kent, England
Most people who read this journal regularly will be familiar with the Species Survival Plan (SSP) as outlined by the AAZPA and which was the subject of an "open house" discussion at the AAZK Conference in Phila- delphia.
In crude terms, the object of each species-specific SSP is to formulate long-term plans of management for endangered species thus assimilating I all pertinent data - e.g. the number of animals involved, their sex ratio,! the hold capacity of the institutions concerned, projected capacity of I those institutions, etc. - in an effort to monitor the healthy develop- ment of the captive population (1.). The eventual aim is to have each relevant species achieve a genetically balanced "population pyramid" with younger, more vital animals providing the base and working up through the bulk of the breeding population to the older animals at the apex. Surplus animals go to form bachelor groups or are euthanized.
At the present time, the SSP proposals are a response to management dif- ficulities encountered in U.S. zoos, but there can be little doubt that such schemes will evolve sympatrically in Europe and elsewhere as major collections grapple with similar problems. The SSP then, has an inter- national significance even at this early stage.
While a great deal of the initial reaction to the SSP has been emotional (with particular reference to euthanasia) , the urgent need for improved long-term management of endangered species is obvious — as are the con- flicting values inherent in the proposals.
In the sense that each SSP will provide closer scrutiny of the captive population and greater accountability of member institutions, these pro- posals are long overdue. If we accept this to be true, then it is neces- sary to examine the fine print of the SSP. I|
Among other criteria proposed, it is said that feasability in captivity is concomitant with placing a given species on an SSP program. This includes availability of adequate facilities and mastery of husbandry for the species. (2.). As any keeper will testify, it is the absence of adequate facilities which is the irritating norm and is a failing common- place in the zoo-world. Much harder to prove and dangerous to propose is the absence of required animal husbandry skills. Perhaps more dif- ficult to ignore are the propagation figures for Snow Leopards in 1981 when the world's zoos recorded a net gain of 8.1% for this species.
If conservation were a multi-national corporation then the board would be asking questions! However, we do not suggest that Snow Leopards should not be accorded the benefits of an SSP. We only urge that management compentence should not be presupposed too readily for any species.
Another related question is the vitality of the captive population. A species such as the Amur Leopard may well be eligible for SSP, but this becomes complicated when the history of the species is examined. Nearly
142
THE SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN: A SUITABLE CASE FOR TREATMENT, CoyvUnuzd
all the captive stocks derive themselves from two pairs— the original wild-born ancestors being deceased. In fact most individuals of all three races of Studbook Registered Leopard races derive their ancestry from only 8 to 10 individuals. The point we are trying to make here is I that we should take care to recognize that our breeding programs and SSP |i initiatives do not help to conceal the very flaws which they are (hope- ( fully) designed to correct.
;i
tWe would like to propose that this journal become a focus for discussion of the SSP concept and all the argument surrounding it.
I Perhaps we could invite comment on the following: An SSP could be seen
tin a disadvantageous light if, in the actual process of moving animals around and checking records, will the rate of propagation in some species i|(be effectively slowed down? Also, if animals are to be moved around on a regular basis in order to implement SSP objectives, does this not ex- pose greater numbers of important specimens to disease and accident?
Will it be a straightforward procedure to pull replacement specimens from the surplus stock poll which will be differently structured socially from the main breeding populations?
: There will, of course, be many more questions than answers with regard to ! the long-term management of zoo animals. However, we hope this in itself lidoes not discourage open discussion.
;i References
1. The role of zoos and aquariums in captive propagation of rare and endangered species - AAZPA Newsletter, August 1981 - Nancy Muckenhirn.
2. AAZPA Report - May 1981 - Tom Foose
3. The 1981 annual report of the captive Snow Leopard population - International pedigree book of Snow Leopards III - L. Blomquist.
4. International Zoo Yearbook No. 19 - A.H. Shoemaker
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS ANNOUNCED
I The National Audubon Scoiety Expedition Institute has announced a grant and scholarship program for high school, college and graduate students. The 1984 awards are designed to defray an individual’s expenses while attending school or completing a project, internship or summer program of the person’s choice.
Application forms and instructions for grants up to $500 are available until July 1984 by sending a self-addressed, stamped #10 envelope to: Scholarship Committee, RFD#1, Box 149-B, Lubex, ME 04652. Applications must be received prior to 15 July 1984.
&
143
THE STRUGGLE
^ A CRUEL DILErW
By
VdtQA. Jacfuon JUCN SeAvlcn
Zimbabwe is planning to reduce its elephant herds by 30 per cent over the next few years because of the recent severe drought and pressure on ■ land from the growing human population. Vegetation has suffered so badl' from the drought, and its potential for early regeneration is so reduced* that the government’s wildlife specialists have decided that an initial cull of 6,000 elephants must be taken this year out of the total popula-f tion of some 50,000. The long-term aim is to reduce the population to around 35,000, a figure considered to be within the carrying capacity of the land likely to be available for elephants in the foreseeable future.
The prolonged drought has been one of the worst suffered by southern ■ Africa. Recently it was broken by heavy rains, but a senior Zimbabwe •' government scientist has declared: "The situation in most of the wildlif^l reserves remains critical. The level of rainfall, and therefore plant • growth, is still well below that required to sustain game populations f through the next dry season." ?
Zimbabwe’s plans are bound to cause a shock at a time when there is an international outcry about ivory poaching and a decline in the number f of elephants in many parts of Africa. It is indeed tragic, especially ' since Zimbabwe has the healthiest elephant population in Africa.
At the turn of the century hunting for ivory had almost wiped out ele- phants in most of southern Africa and only around 4,000 are believed to i have roamed the wide open spaces of what is now Zimbabwe— then called ,| Rhodesia. But by the beginning of this century laws were introduced to ,| protect them and reserves were being established. In Rhodesia careful management has led to a 12-fold increase in the country’s elephant popu- lation in the past 80 years.
But while elephants were increasing so were poeple, and present day j Zimbabwe has a population of seven and a half million—lb times the 1900' population— which is growing at a rate of 3-4% a year. There is great pressure on land and elephants and other wild animals will be lucky to ' retain their present 12% of Zimbabwe’s area at the end of this century—; only 16 years away.
Faced with this situation, Zimbabwe’s wildlife managers have decided tha the elephant population has to be kept in check. Furthermore, experienc i has shown that elephant herds confined to reserves and no longer at libeiJ to wander widely may destroy their habitat and food sources, resulting i starvation and a population crash.
The extensive Hwange (Wankie) National Park is a good example of the ove ' all situation. Bordering the Kalahari desert, it is a dry dusty land, and in the past the waterholes filled during the rainy season and dried up in subsequent months. Elephant had to migrate. Management of Hwange involved making many of the waterholes perennial by installing pumps to bring up subsoil water. Elephants stayed throughout the year and bred in the favorable conditions so that there are now over 20,000 compared i with 1,000 when the reserve was first established in the 1920s. Not on! ■
144
I A CRUEL DILEMMA, CoyvUnuQ^d
elephant flourished. Buffalo, impala, sable, roan, black rhino and re- introduced white rhino have all benefitted and combine to make Hwange ^ a spectacular place to view wild Africa.
However, it is soon apparent to a visitor that Hwange is endangered by ^ the abundant elephant herds. Stark tree skeletons litter the landscape,
1 especially around the waterholes. Some areas look like deserted battle- i fields. Elsewhere bark hangs from the trunks of trees, still green with j|t leaf but doomed to die. It may be exciting to watch elephants tearing I down branches with their trunks, or bulldozing trees to the ground for tithe sake of some fruits or twigs. But in large numbers they may cause such destruction that the time couold come when there is no food for them. In the past herds could move to new pastures, but now expanding human (populations have surrounded and encroached on the remaining wilderness and there is virtually no space left for elephants outside their present habitats .
Twenty years ago a similar situation was developing in Kenya's Tsavo East National Park, where growing numbers of elephants were destroying the trees. There was a long and bitter debate between advocates of culling and those who argued that it was a natural phenomenon and nature should be allowed to take its course. In the event the argument became academic as drought and a massive wave of poaching took the lives of thousands of elephants— over 16,000 according to some estimates — as well as rhino and other species. Since then poaching has continued to reduce elephant numbers in Tsavo and many other areas of Africa.
Elephant poaching has not been such a serious problem in Zimbabwe, and elephants flourished even during the bush war preceding independence in 1980. But now the drought has dramatized the potential threat of over- population and Zimbabwe's wildlife managers see no alternative to sacri- ficing individual elephants for the future benefit of the species. This year 4,000 elephants will be culled in Hwange, and some of the pumps pro- viding perennial water are being switched off so that elephants are no |l longer attracted and the surrounding vegetation will have a chance to recover.
In the southern reserve of Gona-re-Zhou bordering South Africa, the ele- phant population was reduced by culling last year to nearly one-third — from 7,000 to 5,000- — because of the severity of the drought and the damage the herds were doing to their habitat. Great Baobab trees, some which have survived for 2-3,000 years— a sobering thought — -were being decimated. Now five hundred more elephants will be culled there. In the north of the country, along the southern shores of the Zambezi, up to 1,000 elephants will be culled in the Matusadona and Chizarira/Chirisa reserves, and 900 [i in the Zambezi valley between Kariba and Mupata Gorge.
Zimbabwe's wildlife scientists feel that culling is fully justified in , the interest of both woodlands and elephants, not to speak of other I species. They argue that damage to woodlands may well be irreversible by the time it is obvious— in some devastated areas of Tsavo there is still no regeneration after 20 years. And if regeneration does take j place it can take much longer to produce a mature tree than an elephant.
Culling may be considered justified, but it is not a pleasant task. In the words of a spokesman of the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Management, "Controlled culling by skilled teams involves shooting large chunks of the populations, which is not pretty. Entire family groups are eliminated by skilled marksmen in the numbers and areas in
I
145
A CRUEL DILEMMA, ConUna^d
which reduction is necessary. ' It is unpleasant, but so are the alterna- tives— a return to ad hoc human predation and loss of control, or a IjCUMiiCZ-lOAAC approach with the risks of habitat destruction and massive numbers of elephants dying."
The culling produces ivory and hides, which are sold to benefit the national exchequer. Twenty-five per cent of the meat goes to local people near culling operations, and the rest goes to more distant markets. But all of this is considered to be "windfall" or spin-off of elephant population control and not a justification. However, it does serve to soften the often hostile attitude of local people to wildlife reserves, which may have been their former hunting grounds, or even their homes from which they have been moved. Wildlife managers say that poaching has noticably diminished, and virtually ceased in some areas where food and other products from wildlife have been provided from culling.
THINK Safety!
s/!^7y-
146
Chapter
GeAold Payne
jCooAcUnatoA ^o/l ChupteA A^^al/u
The following zoos have expressed an interest in forming Chapters at their jinstitutions: California Living Museum, Bakersfield, CA; Central Texas Zoo ;Waco, TX; North Carolina Zoological Park, Asheboro, NC| Boise City Zoo, Boise, ID; John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids, MI; Turtle Back Zoo and Van Saun Park Zoo for possible Jersey regional chapter; and the Alexandria Zoologi- cal Garden in Alexandria, LA.
The following Chapters are in the process of reactivating: Topeka Chapter, Topeka, KS; Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City, MO; and Audubon Park Zoo, New Drleans, LA.
The North Jersey Zookeepers held their first meeting during a blizzard [but remained undaunted and came up with an outline of their purpose for a chapter and discussed future meetings.
The Roger Williams Park Zoo reports that all is going well. They held ia profitable holiday turkey raffle and are also selling zoo posters to raise money. They are also interested in information on possible guest speakers. Maybe some of the other Chapters can supply them with this jlnf ormation. If so, write and let them know.
The South Florida Chapter continues to put out their monthly newsletter. They hold a barbacue one hour before their regularly scheduled meetings ISO that members can eat there instead of going home and coming back, jin March they had a Book/Bake sale at the South Miami Street Fair. They iare now gearing up for the 1985 National AAZK Conference.
irhe Detroit Chapter held a membership drive and recruited 22 professional [land seven affiliate members. The Zoo's Director, Steve Graham, paid half The dues for all the new members and also the Chapter's charter fee. The [Chapter made $200 selling uniform T-shirts to the employees and $80 on ilbake sales.
rhe Oklahoma City Zoo Chapter is working on designing a Chapter logo and are interested in what other Chapters have used. There seems to be no record at National Headquarters on Chapter logos and the staff is only aware of a few. Chapters who already have their own logos or patches are asked to send a photocopy of same to both the Coordinator of Chapter !\.f fairs and the National Headquarters. This way, when the question arises ve can help avoid duplication of logos between Chapters.
Chapters should keep me posted on what they are doing. I want to put out im update on x^hat all the Chapters are doing!
147
Keepers and Computers. ■ .Part Four
I
FIGURING IT ALL OUT: OR, COMPUTER STATISTICS ARE NOT SADISTICS
By
J-an AZboAt
Colony ManageA, BalconoA VAtmatu LaboAotoAy GAdducut^. Studunt, Vzpojvtmunt oi Anth/iopology UvilvQA6AJ:y oi T(lx(U at ku^ttn, kuMtin, TX
This month, I'm going to discuss statistical tests and how they can be !’i performed using an inexpensive microcomputer. But, instead of describ- , ing the arid details of the statistics themselves and then (if you were still with me) dealing with some practical examples, I'm going to start with a simple, practical research problem and work through it, illustrat-f ing the math and the programming as I go. I hope that the general princii: pies show through the specific nature of the example. '
Let's say that we have four reasonably large, 'chain-link box' outdoor primate exhibits, with concrete floors and heatable houses at the back.
In these cages we have, in appropriate social groups based on the species! and the space available, Japanese macaques, Celebes macaques. Mandrills, I and Gelada baboons. We also have a curious keeper, who has been feeding [ these animals for enough years to have begun to ask himself, "What is i the relationship between the temperature and the amount of food these guys eat?" >
This is a practical question in that it might prevent wastage of food, t which would be good for both the budget and pest control efforts. '
i
What does the keeper need to know to do this study? The important infor- mation would seem to be the high and low temperature in his area (calling the weather bureau would not cut it) and the amount of food each group | consumes. The former could be obtained from a therometer mounted behind ij the area; it would be dandy if it was the sort that recorded the high and low temperature itself. The latter could be determined by weighing | the food before feeding, and sweeping up and weighing the leftovers. A simple data sheet could be printed up that could make recording this information easy. i
Although it could be done in other ways, the information is stored in thel computer in the form of string arrays, much like I discussed last month h for sort programs. Each string is 24 characters long; the first six are I the date (example; 240284), the next one is cloud cover (0-4, 0 being |
clear and 4 being totally clouded over) , the next three are for high |
temp (it could go over 99, ex: 87), the next two for low temp ( ex: 45), I and then there would be four groups of three characters each for the amoul of food eaten by each of the four groups (decimal points for tenths of |l
pounds or kilos would be omitted) . An example of a complete string wouldi
be :
240484308745125134092170 !
Let's say that data for a hundred or so days has been entered into the computer in the above format. What are we going to ask the machine to tell us?
First of all, it would interesting to look at the statistical descriptionf
148
:EEPER$ and computers— part four, C0YuUvLUL2.d
»f each variable (’variable* referring, of course, to cloud cover, high Ind low temp, and the amount of food eaten by the four groups). These re univariate statistics, since they are performed on one variable at
1 time, and include the mean (what is usually called ’the average’) and ;he standard deviation. The mean is a measure of central tendency — iround what value do the values cluster?— and the standard deviation I'or s.d.) is a measure of variability or dispersion—how far away from :hat central value are values found? Both are easy to compute; in iddition, the following short program will give us minimum and maximum values, and the range of values.
example for high temperature)
j.ET SUM = 0 .ET SUMSQ = 0 ■ET MIN = 1000 ..ET MAX = 0 'OR I - 1 TO N ET V = VAL D$ (1,8 TO 10)
ET SUM - SUM + V ET SUMSQ = SUMSQ + (V*V)
,F V^MIN THEN LET MIN = V F V^MAX THEN LET MAX = V lEXT I
j.ET MEAN - SUM/N
.ET VAR = SUMSQ/N
.ET S.D. = SQR VAR
.ET RANGE = MAX - MIN
'RINT 'MEAN: ' ;MEAN, 'S.D. ' ;SD
I'RINT 'MAX: ';MAX, 'MIN: ' ;MIN
'RINT 'RANGE '; RANGE
.Note: '*' means multiply, 'SQR' means square root; N, keep in mind, is ■imply the total number of cases; 'var' is short for variance, a useful alue in other analyses but here used to find the S.D. Also note that ;he above BASIC example rs in BASIC and would require each line to be lumbered in some fashion for it to run.]
jfe know that the high temperature will vary widely over a period of many lays, so we should expect to see a rather large standard deviation. How- jiver, if we find a MINimum value of 85, then somewhere a mistake was made n entering data for writing the program! 1 But what about food consumer? /ould the S.D.’s be large or small? It would be interesting, if weights ^ere available on all of the individual animals, to sum the weights of he inhabitants of each case and divide the mean of the weight of the ood consumed by that value so as to obtain numbers that are more direct- ly comparable between groups.
ivariate stats will more nearly answer the question we are asking: Is here a relationship between temperature and the amount of food consumed? dvariate means two variables are used; in this case, we want to see if iigh temp, low temp, and (importantly) the difference between these two I’alues are correlated with the food intake of each of the four groups.
2 such tests need to be made, one for each of the four groups, for each 'f the three temp variables (3*4=12). The test illustrated in the follow- ing program is called the ’product-moment correlation’ or ’Pearson’s r iitatistic’ . It’s intended application is to what is called ’normally ■jistributed data’ , but a discussion of normalcy is beyond the purposes
iijf this article; fortunately, when a statistical test’s assumption of
!
149
KEEPERS AND COMPUTERS. .. PART FOUR, CoyiUvia£.d
normalcy can be violated without dire consequences it is said to be ;
’robust', and Pearson's 'r' is quite robust (so don't worry about it). il
LET SUMX = 0 I*
LET SUMY = 0 1'
LET SUMXSQ = 0 ^
LET SUMYSQ = 0 f
LET SUMXY = 0
FOR I = 1 TO N
LET X=VAL D$ (I, 11 TO 12)
LET Y=VAL D$ (I, 13 TO 15) |
LET SUMX = SUMX+X !
LET SUMY = SUMY+Y
LET SUMXSQ=SUMXSQ+(X*X) '
LET SUMYSQ=SUMYSQ+(Y*Y) ij
LET SUMXY=SUMXY=(X*Y)
NEXT N :
LET SQSUMX=SUMX*SUMX i|
LET SQSUMY=SUMY*SUMY
LET R= (N*SUMXY) - (SUMX*SUMY)/SQR(SUMXSQ-SQSUMX)*(SUMYSQ-SQSUMY) j,
LET DF=N-2 '
PRINT ‘PEARSON'S R = ' ;R I
PRINT 'DEGREES OF FREED0N= ';DF ^
(the above calculates a correlation between the low temp and the amount j of food eaten by the first group, according to our data storage format ^ devised earlier.)
S,
In the example above, 'degrees of freedon' are printed out. This value ' allows you to resort to a standard statistical table for correlation coefficients and find the significance for the correlation that is com- ji puted. As for the 'r' itself, it it's almost 1, then the correlation is jj strongly positive; that is, if the low temp goes up, then so does food |[ consumption. If it is nearly a minus 1, then the opposite is true. If it is 0 or close to it, no or a weak correlation exists. Regardless, you j should set a number between -1 and 1; if you don't, something's wrong!
Of course, the univariate and bivariate routines in this article could 3 be combined into one program, that would automatically step through the , variables or variable pairs as needed. There isn't space here to go into j this nonmathematical process of for-next loops.
I'd encourage you to try it yourself, but if you really want to do this sort of statistics and can't seem to set it to work, I might be able to help in a couple of ways. I can try to answer your questions. I am also working on a program that will input data, sort it, do univariate stats | on it, do three correlation routines, and plot the data on the screen as i well. I would be willing to share this program with anyone who could put j it to some use. If you have an Apple II or a Timex/Sinclair, then a copy ij could be sent on cassette tape; otherwise, a program listing could be provided, and you'd have to type it in yourself.
The example discussed in this article of temperature and food consumption is intended to be just that — an example. I'm not going to defend it as worthwhile thing to do (though it might be); I just used it as a founda- tion for presenting the statistical stuff. With a little imagination, yoi will probably find even more practical applications for elementary statis- tical analysis. [Oh, by the way, why do you think I picked the species thi I did for this study? Why did I have 'cloud cover' recorded, and what coi be done with it?]
150
EPERS AND COMPUTERS.,. PART FOUR, ConUnu2.d
iw, that wasn’t TOO painful .. .was it?
ixt time, I'm going to tell you about how you can use your own computer as learning tool, and for other miscellaneous purposes. As usual, your ques- .ons and comments are welcome. Address to: Jim Albert, Dept, of Anthro- (ilogy, UT-Austin, Austin, TX 78712.
Legislative News
Comp-lt2.d by Ke,vAM Camay LugL^laZvJd Coon.cUnaX.on.
CENT FW$ ACTIONS UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
partment of Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed Endangered iatus and to designate its Critical Habitat under authority contained in dangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, as follows:
Wyoming toad {Bu£o_ koMLOphny^ baxXdnX) , formerly abundant in the ; Laramie Basin, is now known to occur only in one 40-acre area of ^ privately-owned land in Albany County, WY.
Florida Torreya ( T on/idya taxXi^oZUx.) . is endemic to the Apalachicola River area in Florida and Georgia, and is endangered by a fungal disease, which kills trees before they reach seed-bearing size.
S also has designated 10 foreign mammals Endangered, but cannot desig- te Critical Habitat as all are found totally out of U.S. jurisdiction, e ten are: Singapore roundleaf horseshoe bat [H-ippo^-idoAO-S nXcLLdyi.) , idrigues Island flying fox fruit bat ( VtOAopuJi ~h.0(dnA.C.2nAA^ T, Bulmer's ying fox fruit bat ( kpAotdtd^ boAmoAX] , Bumblebee bat ( Caou> donycLtdAUi ^-ong-tongyaX} , Buff-headed marmoset ( CojXLuthnXx {^taoXc-dp^ ] , Preuss's c:d colobus monkey (Co-tobuA bacU.li6 pAdLUUi) , Vancouver Island marmot I \anmota vancouvdAdyLSXs) i African wild dog {Lyc.oJ>on pXcXiu] , Pakistan Ind cat {t^dZXs moAganAXa ^ckdj^zZX) and the Giant panda TKiZuAopoda
il'IanoldacaJZ
‘US has removed from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife jimpson's pearly mussel [ {^Vy^nomla) 6amp60VlX] , once found in portions of Vbash River in Illinois and Indiana and the Ohio River near Cincinnati, id has labeled it extinct since no specimens have been collected in over years despite repeated samplings within its range.
i
I'S amended its regulations under the Eagle Protection Act, as approved by ingress, to permit taking (i.e., collection, molestation, disturbance, or istruction) of golden eagle nests during resource development or recovery iierations when the nests are inactive if the taking is compatible with :ie preservation of the area nesting population of golden eagles.
IS proposed to amend Part 17 of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regula- -ons in order to comply with changes made in the Endangered Species Act ■ 1973 by the Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1982. Part 17 would ; amended to establish procedures for: (1) the establishment and/or isignation of certain populations of species otherwise listed as Endan- ired or Threatened as experimental populations; (2) the determination : such populations as "essential" or "nonessential"; and (3) the pro- ilgation of appropriate protective measures for such populations.
151
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, Continued
In findings on pending petitions, FWS has determined:
Designation of critical habitat for the Higgins' eye pearly mussel is i not a petition requiring published findings under the Act.
Listing of the bobcat ( Li^nx Au^u6 ) and the river otter [LuX/ia. canaden6li is "not warranted" at this time.
Petition for listing of 58 foreign bird species requested by Dr. Warren B. King, Chairman, United States Section, International Council for Bird Preservation in 1980, was found to be "warranted but precluded."
FWS may find petitions "warranted but precluded" under Section 4(b)(3) (B)(iii) of the Act when FWS is making expeditious progress in revising the lists. In the 12-month period following the effective date of the Amendments (Oct. 13, 1982), the Service rendered final listing actions on 28 species, proposed listing actions on 83 species, and emergency listings on 8 species. As of Oct. 13, 1983, FWS's Washington Office of Endangered Species was also reviewing documents that would propose or make final list- ing actions on 95 species.
The FWS has also proposed the following;
(1) Endangered Status for the Guadalupe fur seal ( kh.QJto CUpkaZu^ tou}n6 enc
(2) Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for the Key Largo woodrat (Meotoma {^tontdana -Smattl) and the Key Largo cotton mouse ( VeAomy^CLL go6^ypA.nu^ aZJiapcutic.ola) .
(3) Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for the Modoc sucker
( Cato^tomu6 mlcAop6 ) .
(4) Threatened Status for the Ozark Cavefish [Ambtyop^lA A.06ae] .
FWS also has proposed reclassifying from Endangered to Threatened the snaij darter ( PeAclna tana^l) and rescinding Critical Habitat Designation.
Comment period on proposed Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for the Fresno kangaroo rat [Vlpodomy^ jut/iatoldil^ exltiA] was repoened.
FWS also announced final findings by a Scientific Authority and a Manage- ment Authority under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on export of several species taken in 1983-84 and subsequent seasons. These species Included: Alaskan Gray Wolf (CanLs tupuUi ) , Alaskan Brown or Grizzly Bear (IfAAtM CUidto^ ] , Bobcat {Lynx ^u^u6 ) , Lynx {Lynx canadensis } and River Otter {Lat/ia eanaden^l^] .
— iKom ECOLOGY USA
Eebn.uaAy 13, 19S4 and Ma/teh 12, 19S4
152
k Encouraging IPord.
HORSE TRADING AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH PAYS OFF
WITH IMPORTANT FIRSTS AT SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK
By
Ve.bb^e, HmEtt, Ho^pEtal K^epeA Mldd Vn.QAld2.YVt Sm VXe.go ChaptoA Sayi VA2.go kYumoJi Pa/ik
I very significant endangered species birth occurred on 28 February 1984 it the San Diego Wild Animal Park with the arrival of Vasiliy, a male iirzewalski* s wild horse. Vasiliy represents an invaluable horse trade bat will help preserve the genetic variability of Przewalski's wild jorses for decades to come. The birth also provided support to an impor- ant new theory on wild stallion behavior.
jasiliy was born early in the morning after a normal gestation of 327 ;ays, according to Rich Massena, field service manager at the Wild Animal :ark. Massena said the colt and mother, 5-year-old Vata, are "looking Ktremely well and the veterinarians and keepers couldn't be more pleased 1th how everything's going."
lassena has an avid interest in the health and welfare of Vasiliy and as been anxious about the pending birth. It was exactly eleven months efore the birth date (on 28 March 1983) that Massena was attacked and itten by Vasiliy's father, 20-year-old Basil, as he was trying to rescue bother newborn colt, Vargo, from repeated aggressions from the stallion, fassena was hospitalized for several days with a crushed forearm and was ff work for two months due to the accident. During several hours of sur- ery. Dr. Gary L. Douglas reconstructed both bones in Massena 's left fore- irm using a bone graft from Massena' s hip, two metal plates and 11 screws, assena has regained most of the use and strength of his arm, but still as to undergo surgery in June or July of this year to remove the hardware.
|espite Masenna's heroic efforts to save that newborn colt, Vargo died |he next day from internal injuries.
largo and Vasiliy had the same mother, Vata, who arrived in the U.S. in uly 1982 from the Ukrainian preserve at Askaniya Nova. Vargo was sired iy a stallion in Moscow prior to Vata's departure for the U.S.
;fter Vargo' s death. Wild Animal Park officials began to analyze a pre- ious Przewalski colt death (Dec. 1982) that had, for lack of any con- jrary evidence, been listed as a stillborn. Suspicions grew that Basil |ay have caused that death, too. That colt, like Vargo, had not been jired by Basil.
lasil's behavioral history prior to coming to the Wild Animal Park in 'ctober 1982 was very favorable. At his previous home at the Marwell oological Park in England, he sired and was present for the birth of 48
Ioals. He had shown no aggressive tendencies toward any of these babies.
onfused by Basil's seemingly inconsistent behavior. Zoological Society f San Diego researchers discussed the symptoms with equine specialists rom around the world, and, in doing so, discovered other recent studies hich recorded similar actions for feral horses in the U.S. and Europe, lue to increasing amounts of data, equine behavioral specialists have now jieced together a theory that when a wild stallion displaces another Itallion as leader of a band of mares, the new stallion often kills any ewborn offspring he did not sire.
153
HORSE TRADING AND BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH PAYS OFF WITH IMPORTANT FIRSTS
AT SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK, CowUnaQ.d
The fact that Basil may have killed both unrelated colts at the Wild Animal Park, yet is very calm around Vasiliy, supports this theory of infanticide in wild horses.
This breakthrough in behavioral research for wild horses enables zoos and wildlife preserves to better manage changing herds of horses. Pre- vious management of Przewalski's wild horses had followed guidelines set for domestic horses. This type of infanticide has never been reported in domestic horses.
Dr. Oliver A. Ryder, geneticist for the Zoological Society of San Diego, was elated at the news of Vasiliy's birth and the resolution of problems with Basil. Oliver claims, "Vasiliy is a very desirable mixture of blood- lines and has a great future in store for preserving the genetic vari- ability of Przewalski's wild horses."
Ryder is also the species coordinator for the Przewalski's wild horse Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums. As such, Ryder keeps computerized records of all 500 Przewalski's wild horses alive today at 74 zoos and private collection around the world.
Ryder and others on the SSP committee have worked across political bound- aries in an effort to save this wild horse from extinction. The Prze- walski horse is extinct in the wild and the future of the species is entirely dependent on human management.
Ryder was instrumental in the organization of the 1982 exchange of Przewalski horses between the U.S. and the Soviet Union that resulted in Vata's arrival at the Wild Animal Park and a mare and a stallion going to the New York Zoological Society's Bronx Zoo. The stallion at the Bronx Zoo, Vulkan, has sired a filly, born last fall, but the mare, Varna, has yet to foal.
The Russian bloodlines are a direct descendent of the last horse taken from the wild in 1947. Vasiliy's birth represents the inroduction of two valuable bloodlines into the U.S. ■ — Vata's and Basil's. According to Ryder, "We must control the breeding of these horses to prevent re- peated brother-sister, father-daughter matings which could produce harm- ful effects in the offspring. The addition of the two new bloodlines into the gene pool help insure the genetic variability and stability of the Przewalski species for years to come. This healthy baby, our behavioral research findings and the encouraging progress against extinction are what our organizations (San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park) are all about."
154
TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO PURCHASE YOUR
"SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE AKF TENTH ANNIVERSARY T-SHIRT"
Animal Keepers’ Forum
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
TENTH ANNIVERSARY 1974 - 1984
AKF will be ten years old in October, 1984. To commemorate ten years of continuous publica- tion, a special T-Shirt has been i ssued.
All profits from the T-Shirt sales will benefit the 1984 AAZK Annual Conference and ANIMAL KEEPERS’
FORUM.
The shirts will only be available for a few more months; through the AAZK Conference. A check must accompany your order; $7.50 each includes postage and handling.
The shirts are 100% cotton, if you wash or dry at high temperatures order a size larger than you norm- ally wear.
Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery.
Send your order in TODAY, avoid the last minute rush.
AKF COMMEMORATIVE T-SHIRT ORDER FORM:
NAME :
ADDRESS :
Color choice: _powder blue beige
Size: small ^medium large extra large
Make checks payable to: The Puget Sound AAZK Chapter Conference Account mail to: Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Aven. North ' Seattle, WA 98103
attn: Judie Steenberg Total Amount enclosed $
155
The. {jOllow-lng "?o6TtA.ovii> Avaltable." tUting^ weAe. n.e.CLeAve.d at the. oUTAe. ol AKT. Jn^tAXuttoiU ivtshtng to adveAtti>z ejmpto yme.yit oppoAtuyUtte^ axe. 0Ahe.d to ^e.Yid peAttvLe.yit data by the. 15th oi e.ac.h month to: OppontaYiLty Knocks, AKF, 635 Gage. Blvd, , Topzka, KS 66606.
SUPERVISOR Of BIRPS, ♦ .responsible for care/maintenance of Bird Collection. Requires a minimum of two years zoological park experience with birds.
B.S. in Zoology or related field preferred. Send resume and references by 31 May, 1984 to: Hayes Caldwell, Executive Durector, Caldwell Zoo,
P.O. Box 428, Tyler, TX 75710.
ELEPHANT HANVLER. . . to assist trainer and participate in African elephant husbandry program/exotic hoof stock manage- ment. Salary $924-$!, 224 per month plus benefits. Send resume by 1 June 1984 to; Mike Blakely, Curator /Mammals, Kansas City Zoo, Swope Park, Kansas City, MO 64132.
KEEPER - E LEPH ANT /GEN ERA L. . .performs responsible animal husbandry duties in the care of a variety of exotic animals at the Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR. Prefer applicants with extensive elephant management experience. Pay $8.41 per hour plus benefits. Contact Personnel Office, Metropol- itan Service District, 527 S.W. Hall St., Portland, OR 97201, phone (503) 221-1646 for job description and applica- tion procedure. Position closes 6 June 1984.
O
P
P k
0 n r o t c u k n s
1
STUVENT INTERNSHIP. . .available at the Animal Rehabilitation ^
Center within the Conservancy Nature Center located in Naples, FL. The Animal Rehabilitation Center (Project A.R.C.) y is a community-supported program, where native injured wild- life are brought in for treatment, and released, if possible, back to their environment . A student internship with the program involves wildlife, as well as educational programs and special projects. Interns must be available for up to five months. Qualifications: college student or recent graduate, studying wildlife or related field; some experience with people and animals; a sincere concern and interest in working with animals. Housing and stipend: $55/week, housing provided. Internships offered year round. To apply, send resume, statement of goals and three references to: Julie Wasserman, Supervisor, Animal Rehabilitation Center, Conservancy Nature Center, 1450 Merrihue Dr., Naples, FL 33942 (813) 262-2273.
Ai/ES KEEPER /ASSISTANT MAMAGER. . .responsible for care of large number of birds in Chicago quarantine and holding stations. Current driver’s license, passport and previous experience with birds required. Basic knowledge of aves medicine, Spanish and carpentry helpful. Contact;
Jill Grade, Station Manager, International Birdhouse, 956 West Huron St., Chicago, IL 60622 or call (312) 412-5458.
ZOOKEEPERS. .. responsible for daily feeding/maintenance/health/behavioral observations. Positions in Children’s Zoo and primate sections. Contact Sam Winslow, Curator of Mammals, Audubon Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178 (504) 861-2537.
156
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Otken. 6ta{^{i and volunteens
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Onganizattons and Individuals U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Vinecton.y Injonmation
Tod ^onk Anea Special Ivitexosts
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Animal KeepCAS ' fonum. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Animal KeepeAS' foAum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6" x 10" (15 cm x 25^^ cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
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i
• NATL ZOO LIB^JARY fvATL ZOOLOGICAL PA R<
L AoHINGTCNI/ DC 20008
}0dicated to Professional Animal Care
JUNE 1984
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 i
Executive Editor: Alice Miser JUNE 19841
Managing Editor: Susan Chan VOLUME ELEVE^!
Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman NUMBER SIX
kviunaJi KcepCAA ' foA.um (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of Ayiuncit KeC-pcAi ' Fo^um, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, K" Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC, NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V,, TOPEKA, KS 66606 Dolly CloAk, Admlyu^tAotlv^ So^cAoXa/iy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center P4.eAT.de
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park l/T^ee P4.eAT.de
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
GoAold Payno., DoJ^iolX Zoo
Continuing Keeper Education
JctdTe StQ,mbeAg, bJoodtcLnd PoAk Historical Committee LoAAy SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, OJashlngton PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator
Connie Cloak, NcuhvMc, TN
Research/Grants Committee FAank Kohn, National Zoological PoAk Awards Committee Hike CAOCkoA, VickcAiiOn PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kevin Comvay, NZP/CRC, FAont Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange Elancbia Aim, Uoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BeAnie Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Progra^m Library
Anne M. Payne, VetAoit Zoo
Infant Development
Steve TayloA, LoiLUvWie
Keeper Accomodations List
OtivQA Clayey, MetAo ToAonto
Library Resource /Book Review
Ellen Leach, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
^oAy Muac, San FAancJj>co Zoo Diet Notebook
Sooth FloAida ChaptoA, Miami Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Diane Foh^ytk, AkAon Zoological PoAk Data Survey
Keeper
MoAy Slaybaagh, San Antonio S Dave OAndoAH, Sea. [loAld ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Hike CaApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, DiAectoA
Linda RohA i/acancy Gene PieiieA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne VilleAi, LoAAy SammoAco Vacancy Alan ShaAplc6 Vacancy Candy Kao it
W.P. Stone HemoAial Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo Detroit Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhill Woodland PoAk Zoo
Joanie Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
HE,VT,NH,HA,RI,C^' NY 1
PA,NJ,HD,DE I;
VA,W,VA,DX, 1
MI
IN,0H,KY I
WI,IL,H0,HN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,HS,LA
TX,NH,C0,0K,KS,N,
SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,HT,WV,A'
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
\\kU month.’ 6 K^2.p2Al Ajvtut Jttl Htckzy Tucson, AZ. Jt£l u)oA.k^ In
l ike, i^tetd oi ayUmal coah at the. Ve^eAt ?eZ Ce.nteA tn TucAon. HeA oAti^oAk llojotuAeJi om the. many hummtngbtAcU JWi 6ay6 vtAtX heJi ie.e.deA and '{loioeA^. Thanlu, JtttI
Scoops ^
andy^^S^ttlebutt
:ELEBRATE your zoo during JUNE 1984
'!he month of June is officially National Zoo and |Lquarium Month. Over 125 million people visit tur nation's some 200-plus zoological parks and iquariums each year to take advantage of both the •ecreational and educational benefits. June is in excellent time to interact with your zoo's visitors, help them learn more about the purposes of zoos and aquariums ind to hopefully increase their awareness of and appreciation for animals, iany Chapters plan special activities at their institutions during June.
;f you are not actively participating in National Zoo and Aquarium Month !.n 1984 — begin making plans now to promote your institution next June.
I
:eeper accomodation list update/survey
— 6abmttte.d by OtlveA ClaUzy, MetAo ToAonto Zoo
; am revising the Keeper Accomodation List for 1984. In your Membership l)irectories please add KAL alongside the following zoos:
...Utica Zoo, New York
I ...Columbus Zoological Gardens, Ohio
I . . .Riverbanks Zoological Park, Columbia, SC
...Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange, NJ
If your zoo or aquarium chapter is a KAL participant, would you please ijielp? Just fill in the form below and mail to: OltveA. M. CZa{^{^e.y, AAZK, ‘Aetn.0 Toronto Zoo, Box 2B0, (jJeAthtlZ, OntoAlo, M£E 4R5, Canada,
100
pONTACT PERSON
|aVE you been hosts to traveling AAZK MEMBERS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? YES NO
I[F SO, HOW MANY TIMES?
10 YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THIS SERVICE?
f
157
Births|^ Hatchings
TOPEKA ZOO Atcce MT^eA ,
Late April, early May 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.0.3 Giant Indian fruit I' bat, 2.1.0 North American porucpine; Birds - 0.0.2 Red-crested touraco (first time at Topeka) and 0.0.2 American golden eagles. These two eagle chicks represent the 30th and 31st successful hatching of this species at ; the Topeka Zoo since 1971. j
TAMPA/BUSCH GARDENS Sandy MokoA \
I
B&H for April 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Greater kudu, 1 Senegal bushbaby.| 6.7 Thomson's gazelle, 0.1 Sable antelope, 1 Black-capped capuchin monkey, } 0.1 Scimitar-horned or3rx, 2.7 Nyala, 0.1 Muntjac, 0.1 Kafue (Red) lechwe, , 0.1 Addax, 1.1 Soemmering's gazelle; Birds - 6 Gold-capped conure, 11 j
Ringed teal, 29 Mandarin duck, 15 Red-crested pochard, 8 Indian ring- necked parakeet, 10 Jandaya conure, 4 Crested tinamou, 8 Sun conure, 2 Moustache parakeet, 2 Cockatiel, 2 Fischer's lovebird, 1 Red-crested touraco, 1 Indian peafowl (Blue Phase), 1 Chilean pintail, 1 Green-winged macaw, 2 Chattering lory, 4 Black-masked lovebird, 1 Timneh parrot, 2 J
Golden (Queen of Bavaria) conure, 5 Orinoco goose, 2 Goldie's lorikeet, i
2 Black-necked swan, 3 Black swan and 2 Red-necked ostrich. ■
LINCOLN PARK ZOO Su^an Moy ;
The following are the April 1984 B&H: Mammals - 0.0.1 Chimpanzee, 0.0.2 j Geoffrey's tamarin, 0.0.2 Black lemur, 0.0.2 Black and white ruffed lemur, 1.0.2 Owl monkey, 0.0.2 Emperor tamarin, 1.0.2 Geoffrey's marmoset, 0.0.2 j Senegal galago, 0.0.3 Moustached tamarin; Birds - 0.0.1 Sunbittern (DNS), 0.0.2 Nicobar pigeon, 0.0.4 Shama thrush, 0.0.3 White-crested laughing I thrush, 0.0.2 Fairy bluebird; Reptiles - 0.0.11 Rainbow boas. |
HONOLULU ZOO St^ve Rob-imon j
B&H for January through April 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 White-handed |; gibbon, 0.0.5 Golden lion tamarin (3 DNS), 1.0 Black lemur, 1.0 Giant i
anteater (DNS), 2.2 Hawaiian sheep, 0.1 American bison, 1.1 Aoudad, 0.0.4 Hawaiian pig; Birds - 6.4 Nene, 0.0.12 Hawaiian gallinule, 0.0.1 Kea (DNS).jj 0.0.6 Galah, 0.0.3 Amboinia king parrot, 0.0.4 Green-winged king parrot, j; 1.1 Grand yellow macaw (DNS), 0.0.2 White ibis; Reptiles - 0.0.2 Helmeted j; turtle and 0.0.8 Day gecko. ^
DALLAS ZOO Tam-c Jone^ i
April 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.2 Dama gazelle, 0.1 Addax, 0.0.1 |
Mexican fruit bat, 0.1 Speke's gazelle, 3.0 Barbados sheep, 0.1 Bison, ’ 0.1 Grey x Pygmy goat, 1.0.2 Patagonian cavy, 1.0 Nile lechwe, 1.0 Eland, 0.0.1 East African porcupine, 1.0 Kirk's dik dik; Birds - 0.0.1 Bar-tailed’ cuckoo dove, 0.0.1 Nicobar pigeon, 0.0.1 Edwards pheasant, 0.0.1 Hawaiian | goose, 0.0.3 Black-necked swan; Reptiles - 0.0.20 Macquarie turtle {Emydu/U) macqua/vil) .
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO SUvm M. WXng j;
B&H for March and April 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.1 Red kangaroo, 0.0.1 Vampire bat, 0.0.2 Tree shrew (DNS), 0.0.3 Ruffed lemur, 0.0.1 Bolivian ;j titi, 0.0.1 Diana monkey, 0.0.1 Caribou (DNS); Birds - 0.0.2 Humboldt penguin, 0.0.2 East African crowned crane (DNS) and 0.0.1 Barn owl. I
158
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, Continued
KANSAS CITY ZOO. .Pee Wol^e
B&H for January through March 1984 include; Mammals - 0.0.1 Red kangaroo, 0.0.2 Meerkat (1 DNS), 0.1 Masai giraffe, 0.0.1 Potoroo, 1.0 Ring-tailed lemur, 0.1 Dairy calf, 0.2 African pygmy goat, 0.1 Sicilian donkey, 2.0 Barbados sheep, 0,0.2 Patas monkey; Birds ~ 0.0.1 Emu, 0.0.1 African Speckled pigeon, 0.0.2 Ostrich (DNS).
BRONX ZOO. MoAgcULet Vnlee
March 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 0.1 Yak, 1.0 Slender-horn gazelle, 1.0 Pen-tailed bettong, 2.0 Mouflon, 1.0 Nyala, 0.1 Red brocket deer, 0.1 Grevy zebra, 2.0 Patagonian cavy; Birds - 3 Green wood hoopoe, 2 Tawny frogmouth, 1 American barn owl, 1 Malay peacock pheasant and 7 Ring teal.
MIAMI METROZOO. lont BAuckhelm
April 1984 B&H at Miami Metrozoo include; Mammals - 1.1 Ringtail lemur,
: (0.1 DNS), 0.1 Dromedary camel, 1.0 Baird's tapir, 0.2 Scimitar -horned oryx; Birds - 0,0,1 Red-crested pochard (DNS), 0.0.12 Ostrich (0.0.1 DNS), 0.0.2 Demoiselle crane, 0,0.16 Mandarin duck, 0.0.2 Yellowbill stork (0.0.2 DNS), 0.0.6 Java tree duck (0.0.5 DNS), 0.0.9 Wood duck, and 0.0.1 Crested wood partridge.
Coming Events
The 8th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL HERPETOLOGICAL SYMPOSIUM j ON CAPTIVE PROPAGATION AND HUSBANDRY
I July 17-21, 1984 Columbus, OH
?For more information contact: Herpetological Symposium, 13019 Catoctin ; Furnace Road, Thurmont, MD 21788.
1 AAZPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
j September 9-13, 1984 Miami, FL
! AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at the Madison Hotel. For information contact Mary Bennett, Registrar, 5500 Phinney Ave., North, Seattle, WA 98103.
ECOLOGY RESTORATION SYMPOSIUM
j October 11-12, 1984 Madison, WI
[)To be held at the University of Wisconsin, the two-day symposium focuses !|on the scientific value of attempts to restore ecological communities and ecosystems. For information contact; Nancy Dopkins, 1207 Seminole [Highway, Madison, WI 53711 or call (608) 262-2746.
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159
Letters To The Editor !
Dear Editor, ;
There are a number of comments that could be made concerning the article j "Elephants Crisis Deepens" in the April issue of Animal Keeper's Forum.
The article raises more questions than it answers. It is not argued that economic pressures have caused a rise in the incidence of poaching. That is evident even here in our own national park system. What is questioned, : however, are the facts presented really an indication of a crisis? t
The figures given were based on the ivory trade. The tusk from an ele- j
phant does not tell us whether the animal died of natural cuases, from an accident, was culled, or was poached as the article would have us believe. f
If the number 194,000 represents approximately 20% of the population then (
that would give us a total population of 1 million individuals. Current estimates have the population numbering between 1.2 and 1.5 million animals. ■ The figure is also for a three-year period giving an annual death rate of | 60,000 or roughly 6%. Nowhere is the birth rate given for comparision.
Studies done by Laws and Parker at Tsavo showed that elephant herds on the periphery of the park, which were the heaviest poached, were the herds i with the highest reproductive rate. When an anti-poaching campaign purged the area of poachers, the elephant population rose to the point where they j) were destroying the habitat. (Ed. notQ,^ "A C/LU.eX VLtmmOi\ Hay 1984 AKF) j: Culling was viewed as the only viable management tool. Keeping the habitat j
from being devastated would not only benefit the elephant, but also those j'
other species inhabitat ing the area.
From the figures concerning the tusk weight it it not clear that "older |
elephants — those mature enough to breed — are becoming increasingly scarce." | Tusk size is a genetic variable. Some are short and stubby and others long and slender with males having larger tusks than females. The ques- tion remains as to whether there is selective pressure for elephants with smaller tusks or a disproportionate number of female tusks have entered ■
the ivory market during that time period. This could be so if culling operations had occurred whereby the whole herd is destroyed. This, by the way, is the method suggested by Douglas-Hamilton as opposed to kil- ling random individuals. That way the remainder aren't psychologically |j
distraught or disoriented at losing their matriarchs. What is the rela- i; tionship of tusk size to age and how does that relate to maturity? Laws and Parker have found that elephants may first give birth as young as 13 or as late as 20 years of age with puberty being dependent on ecological factors. :
Putting all the elephants in parks and sanctuaries as the article suggests |
has its disadvantages. Few parks encompass all of the elephant's migra- i
tion routes. Isolation in these reserves may inhibit genetic flow and !
variability. As already mentioned elephants have a good reproductive capacity which in too small a reserve could lead to overpopulation and habitat destruction.
If we truly wish to see an elephant crisis which has deepened we should j
look at the plight of the Asian elephant. Olivier estimates a population numbering between 40 and 50 thousand elephants. Of those, several thou- sand are in work camps and cannot be considered part of the breeding population. Mahouts traditionally have discouraged breeding. A cow with j a calf is not going to be worked and a non-working elephant means a loss |
of wages for the mahout. Also most work bulls are unwilling to try to j'
mate since everytime in the past when they made an unstructured move they were disciplined. So if we are going to focus on an elephant crisis, let us focus on the real elephant crisis concerning Etzpha^ maXA/niiS !
Charlie Rutkowski
Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR
160
&
AAZK Education Committee;
Project Updates
SubmXX:te.d
JadZe. Steenbe^g f Coo/idd-natoA. AAZK Education Cornmd-tt^e.
A major change will occur in the Edu- cation Committee later this year. Pat Sammarco, former AAZK PResident, and currently a member of the Board of Directors and the Education Committee, has agreed to be the new Education Committee Coordinator. Pat will grad- ually phase into this position and as- sume all duties just prior to the AAZK Conference in Seattle. With new energy and ideas, the Committee will con- tinue to identify and become involved in projects that promote Continuing Keeper Education.
As a step toward phasing in as Education Coordinator, Pat will begin in- vestigating Zoo/University relationships. There has been considerable discussion on this topic during the past year. Pat is also Co-editor of the ZOOKEEPER HUSBANDRY FUTIDAMENTALS project. You will be learning more about both of these projects in the near future.
The resignation of Dwight Knapik, Calgary Zoo, was accepted with regret.
He felt it was best to tender his resignation due to other commitments. Dwight had been very supportive of the Committee while he was a member and has offered to continue to answer any questions about Calgary Zoo and their training program. Hopefully, he will be rejoining the Committee at a future date.
AAZK/AAZPA Liaison
AAZK President Kevin Conway is working on this aspect of the Committee’s involvement. Efforts are also being made to arrange for a time slot to conduct a special season, or panel discussion on Keeper Education at the AAZPA Conference in Miami.
Animal Management Correspondence Course
If there are members ready to test for certification in this course by the Conference in Seattle, every effort will be made to arrange for testing at that time. Please refer to previous issues of AKF for additional infor- mation. Anyone interested in testing is urged to contact me as soon as possible.
Exhibit Design Form
Diane Forsyth reported this project is nearing completion and should be ready for presentation and implementation by the Conference. The final format has been submitted to the Board of Directors for their review and approval. A proposed release form, bids on reproduction costs, a budget and recommendations from the project committee were also submitted.
161
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN, ConUnuad
Keeper Training Videotapes
Wayne Buchanan reports that to date, eight orders have been received for the AAZK videotape on Keeper Safety (refer to the January 1984 AKF for details) . The Metro Toronto Chapter has expressed interest in producing a training tape on the subject of Feeds and Feeding. The "Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health" (Tape //I on the subject of "Keeper Know Thyself") is also being developed. Both tapes should be ready for membership re- view and approval by the Conference.
Manual Review
Beth Poff has submitted a project outline with recommendations for addition- al use of materials collected to date. Information on the subject of safety has been referred to the ZOOKEEPER HUSBANDRY FUNDAMENTALS project.
Staff Exchange
Elandra Aum has completed and distributed the master list and first addendum on this project. To date 50 Zoos and Aquariums have registered and have designated a contact person to coordinate staff exchanges with other insti- tutions. If you are interested in an exchange, refer to the March and May issues of AKF to see if your institution has registered, and note the con- tact person listed. If your zoo or aquarium has NOT registered contact your Director and discuss the possibility of becoming a registered institu- tion. In some instances local regulations or other problems have prevented registering. It is also possible that your Zoo/Aquarium was missed.
If you are having difficulties with arranging an exchange, please contact Elandra Aum to seek help finding a solution, or for information on alterna- tive approaches. During the remainder of this year the Staff Exchange Project will continue to develop and addenda to the Master List will be issued as deemed necessary.
Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamentals
Jim Ellis and Pat Sammarco will be Co-editing this project which is expect- ed to take about two years to complete. The organizational stage has been completed with project members receiving outlines, memoranda and survey forms for consideration. A survey form was printed in the May issue of AKF requesting volunteers to contribute to the project. All correspondence on the project should be directed to the Co-editors. Project members are: Frank Kohn, Bruce Clark, Kevin Conway, Adrienne Wright, Mike Coker, Douglas Richardson, Ken Reininger, Wayne Buchanan, Judie Steenberg and Marilyn Cole.
Zoonoses Reference Guide
Project coordinator Bruce Clark is still in need of typing assistance with the ZOONOSES NOTEBOOK. The final draft is expected to be ready for typing by early July. With typing assistance, the Notebook could be ready for the conference. . .anybody out there willing to help? If so, contact Bruce Clark, 1116 Radcliffe, Toledo, OH 43609.
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Are you planning to submit a paper for the AAZK Conference??? Have you prepared your outline or abstract? By the time you read this it will only be about a month until the deadline. Continuing Keeper Education is the sharing of experiences, techniques and unusual occurrences in the manage- ment of captive animals. Presenting a paper at a National Conference is an excellent way to share information with your colleagues.
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162
food® ^
offers * a full line of
^ PROVEN ^
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IMARDIET |
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P.O. Box 29345 • Lincoln, NE 68529 Call Collect: (402) 466-8271
PREDATION ON A NICOBAR PIGEON
BY A MATSCHIE'S TREE KANGAROO
By
Jadld Ste.enbeAg and Chuck HoAkc KccpeA^, if) 00 (Hand ?a/ik lootoglcaJi Gaadcvu,
SccMlc, WA
A group of 1.3 Matschie's tree kangaroo {Vcnd/L0tagu6 mat^ckici] has been exhibited in a naturalistic exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoological Gar- dens since December, 1982, The exhibit measures 20 ’W x 40 'L x 25'*H. The exhibit also contains three New Guinea water dragons ( Phy6-ignoutkui> COCA.nCyCnu6 ) and free-flying Edward's lories {T^ckogZo6^u6 hacmcutodLU cap^Li-tfLOtu^ ] .
There are currently 2.0 lories in the exhibit but there have been as many as four in the past. From February through June 1982, 3.0 potoroo (PotofLOU^ ,apd.caUJi ) also shared the exhibit. During the past fifteen months no aggression has been observed from the tree kangaroos toward any of the other animals.
Tree kangaroos are classified as herbivores, so we did not anticipate preda- tion on a nicobar pigeon (Catocncu nicobcUvica) by a tree kangaroo. After windows are coated with "Glass-wax", and the electric hot-wire around the plant areas was restrung to allow for the pigeons to pass under it, 1.2 nicobar pigeons were introduced into the exhibit. Our main concerns when introducing the birds were their reactions to an exhibit having a very large free-f light area faced in glass along one side and part of one end wall, their coming into contact with the hot-wire, and possible harassment by the Edward's lories.
Forty minutes after the pigeons were released into the exhibit, with a keeper observing from the public area, the adult female tree kangaroo descended from a tree near the perimeter of the exhibit where the pigeon was pecking at the ground. The bird was in a planter behind the hot-wire.
The tree kangaroo reached the ground and immediately jumped through the wire into the planter and grabbed for the pigeon. The pigeon escaped, but the kangaroo pursued it as it fled across the open sandy area to a point about 35 feet away from the original attack. The tree kangaroo again cros- sed over the wire into the planted area and captured the pigeon in the vegetation. Keepers entered the exhibit no more than 1^^ minutes after the predation began, but the pigeon had already been decapitated and was being eaten by the tree kangaroo.
When the keeper grabbed the tree kangaroo by the tail, she dropped the pigeon, but was intent upon returning to it (now on the ground behind the keeper) and actually challenged the keeper. Two keepers clapping their hands and talking loudly for several minutes convinced her to climb a tree. Interestingly, the male tree kangaroo also descended from the tree, pos- sibly to come to the aid of the female, or was just caught up in the excite- ment of the event. However, normally he is the most shy of the four tree kangaroos and retreats to the tree tops whenever there is more than rou- tine activity in the exhibit.
There is no doubt from either keeper involved that the attack and killing of the pigeon by the tree kangaroo was deliberate and very efficient. She had been watching the pigeons for quite some time, but showed no special interest when they were in the open sand area. The site of the initial attack was only a few feet from the tree she was in.
None of the literature on tree kangaroos indicates that they are predators of other animals. Several times over the past 15 months, our tree kangaroos have been sitting on tree limbs right next to the lories and water dragons. They have also been observed grazing next to potoroo during the time poto- roo were in the exhibit. If anyone knows of another incident of tree kangaroo preying upon other animals, please write: Judic StccnboAg and Chuck HoAkc, ifJoodtand Pcuik Zoologdcat Gan.dcn6, 5500 PfUnncy Aue. Nonth, Seattle, OJA 9 SI 03,
"Glass Wax" is a product of Gold Seal Co., Bismarck, ND
164
RfiPtlle Care; Relating To The Inquiring Novice - Part I
Introducti on
Nomenclature, Taxonomy, Anatomy, and Physiology
By
Suu>m M. BcuinoAd, S(LYbion. Ko^npz/L V2,pt, oi HoApoXology AtZawta loologlaoJi Vcuik, Atlawta, GA
As zoo keepers, we are expected to interact with the public, offering information about the zoo in which we work and the animals housed within.
We may perform this duty as a guided tour, formal lecture, through journals, or by answering telephone inquiries. Whether we are disseminating infor- mation formally or informally, our assistance is essential in promoting animal welfare. The following series of articles should be helpful for those reptile keepers who enjoy assisting the inquiring public.
When discussing animal information with a novice, it is often necessary to first identify the animal in question. To avoid confusion the keeper should attempt to assist the inquiring novice with scientific terminology.
For example, a caller may confront a keeper with local names such as Highland Moccasin, Chunkhead, Poplar Leaf, Rattlesnake Pilot or just Copperhead. Of course we know the Northern Copperhead as AglzdJit/iodon (LOWtOfltMAX mokcU>il¥i, Scientific names are helpful since they often describe an animal’s physical characteristic, coloration, pattern, habitat, or locality. Basic knowledge of reptile nomenclature, taxonomy, anatomy and physiology may promote a better understanding of an animal’s habits and natural environment, aiding reptile enthusiasts in providing the best pos- sible care for their charges.
Of the nearly 6,000 species of reptiles, all are ectothermic, air-breathing vertebrates covered by scales or plates. Reptiles have internal fertiliza- tion and produce their offspring oviparously or viviparously .
The order ChdZoYiUi comprises 219 species of turtles and tortoises. Sexual dimorphism is well pronounced in many species. These animals possess well developed copulatory organs and all are oviparous. Chelonians are tooth- less, and have a sharp-edged beak called the tomium. Like snakes, chelonians have no external ears. Typically, turtles may be terrestrial or semi- aquatic; tortoises are terrestrial reptiles, occasionally entering water. Water requirements vary according to species, as well as individuals. Their eating habits vary widely. Most turtles are omnivorous, however they may tend to be primarily carnivorous or primarily herbivorous; tortoises are primarily herbivorous.
Twenty-one species comprise the order C^ocodLLtla which includes alligators and caiman, crocodiles, and gavials. These are semi-aquatic animals pos- sessing a scaled epidermis with osterderms. All possess well-developed copulatory organs, are oviparous, and display strong parental instincts.
All crocodillians are carnivorous, and have sharp conical teeth without roots. Alligators and caimans differ from crocodiles in that their fourth lower tooth fits into a socket of the upper jaw and is not visible when the mouth is closed. The fourth lower tooth of crocodiles fits into a groove in the upper jaw and is visible when the mouth is closed. Gavials (Gharials) are the only species that exists today in the crocodilian family GaVAMlX-dan . This reptile has a long, slender snout adapted for catching fish.
165
1
REPTILE CARE: RELATING TO THE INQUIRING NOVICE, Part I, ConUyLUO^d '
With approximately 5,000 species, snakes and lizards comprise the order Sqaamcuta, They are extremely diverse in structure, habit, dietary re- '
quirements, and behavior. All have paired copulatory organs and they produce their offspring oviparously or viviparously . Squamates have a :
well-developed Jacobson’s organ: a chemorecptor which enables them to smell. All lizards have internal pelvic girdles, but not all have legs. Some ]
groups have vestigal limbs, while others lack external rudiments altogether. J With the exception of some geckos, lizards have moveable eyelids and the | majority have external ears. Like chelonians, lizards, collectively, have i a wide dietary requirement. With the exception of one genus, HeXodeAma,
all lizards are non-venomous . Of the more than 2,000 species of snakes, '
all are legless; some boids have a trace of vestigial limbs. Snakes lack
moveable eyelids and external ears, and all are carnivorous. Some species |
such as some boids, and rattlesnakes, have evolved thermoreceptor pits; |
however, most rely on smell, sight and vibrations to hunt their prey. Approximately one- third of the world’s population of snakes are venomous.
Part II of this series will be concerned with assisting the novice herpe- , tologist in purchasing a reptile for a pet.
Information Please
Information is requested on the management and breeding of Tawny Frog- mouths jPodoAguA 6dyU-goXd£yi, ] in captivity. Diets, exhibit descriptions and breeding data all would be appreiated. Our zoo has hatched out one young this year and would like to enhance our knowledge of these birds to accompany the videotapes we’ve made so far. Please send information to: Oliver Claffey, Metro Toronto Zoo, Box 280, West Hill Ontario, Canada MIE 4R5 .
RESEARCH ASSISTANCE NEEDED : Request for ectoparasites, endoparasites , and fecal material from all zoo animals except birds, rodents, and ruminants. Parasites and fecal material should be preserved in 10% formalin or 70% alcohol. If collecting vials and preservatives are needed, please contact Sue Barnard, Senior Keeper, Dept, of Herpetology, Atlanta Zoological Park,
800 Cherokee Ave., S.E., Atlanta, GA 30315.
The Guernsey Zoo seeks information on the use of plants within a sloth exhibit, and would be interested in any species (scientific names please) that can be safely be in contact with the sloths. Please send information to: Peter Merrett, Guernsey Zoo, Guernsey, Channel Islands.
Anyone having information concerning toe problems in Scarlet Macaw (AA(X macao ) hatchlings, please contact: Alice Miser, Animal Keeper, Topeka Zoological Park, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. I’m also interested in diets fed the parent Scarlet macaws, nesting material offered and the general breeding set-up for the macaws.
Would anyone with any information on Celebes Apes ( CynopAJthXdUiA Yvig<lA] please get in touch with me. In particular — the rejection and hand- rearing of infants. The reason (s) for rejection and anything done to alter this situation and also any formulas and timetables used in rear- ing the offspring would be appreciated. If any attempts at reintroduction to the group (even if unsuccessful) were attempted, I would like this information as well. I am compiling information for a paper that I am writing on this species. Send information to: Lynda M. Collrin, Cherry Brook Zoo, RR// 1, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada E2L 3W2.
166
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Frozen feline diets Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
Feline canned Primate canned Marmoset canned
Omnivore dry Primate dry
Banana flavored primate, 1 5% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% SreCTRUM protein
Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets for your feeding program, call Animal Spectrum today.
NE CALL DOES IT ALL
In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
Animal SPECTRUM Inc.
Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
THINK Safety!
168
WILD ANIMAL PARK ASIAN ELEPHANTS
SOON TO GET NEW DREAM HOUSE
By
Pebble HmWi, Ho-sp-ltal Ke.e.peA San V^ce-go AnlmaZ Pan.k
! The construction of a new 10,000 square foot Asian Elephant Breeding Facility at the San Diego Wild Animal Park began May 1, with tentative completion set for 1 October, 1984. This $336,000 project, which has been . on the drawing boards for several years, involves three major areas of construction: a female elephant (cow) barn, a nursery yard and a forage warehouse.
The 3,745 square foot cow barn will contain three stalls for adults plus a maternity stall. It will accomodate 10 adult cows plus allow additional space for segregating expectant mothers and aunties prior to pending births. All of the stalls are constructed of six- inch-diameter steel pipe, inter- ! connected by steel rolling gates. Much of the construction expense comes ' from the oversized steel reinforcements, bars and safety gates that are ‘ customized to contain elephants weighing up to 12,000 pounds.
Adjacent to the maternity stall is a keeper's "apartment" unit where keepers and veterinarians can conduct 24-hour-a-day survelliance of expec- tant and new mothers and have quick and easy access for specialized care.
A nursery yard of approximately 6,000 square feet is connected to the cow barn via heavy-duty swinging gates. Mothers, babies and aunties can be safely transferred to the yard for fresh air and exercise. Fabric-covered shade structures in the yard will provide shelter from the sun for the new- , born elephant's delicate skin.
The third part of the Asian Elephant Breeding Facility is a storage area i for forage and equipment. The warehouse will hold 220 bales of hay, which '■ is the amount required for food and bedding for 15 days. It will also store grain and supplies and equipment for maintaining the elephant herd and the facility.
I The Wild Animal Park's elephant breeding program is a long-term project.
I The first phase of the project involved the construction of isolation yards and barns for the African and Asian bulls. That bull project was entirely funded by donations and was completed in 1981. Another phase of the breeding project was accomplished in 1982 with the construction of outside nursery yards for three African elephant calves born earlier that I year.
I To date, $225,000 has been raised through donations for the Asian Elephant Breeding Facility. Over 2,5000 members of the Zoological Society of San Diego have contributed to the project and those who donated $250 or more will be recognized with a bronze plaque on the barn.
The Asian Elephant Breeding Facility will be located north of the existing cow enclosure and the Elephant Show Amphitheater. The nursery yard and adjacent bull yard will be visible to passengers on the Wgasa Bush Line , Monorail.
" The Wild Animal Park presently has eight Asian cows, six of which share I cramped nighttime quarters with seven African cows in the African's barn.
I The remaining two Asian cows are tethered outside at night in the Asian enclosure. No elephants are pregnant now. Breeding introductions will be j scheduled upon completion of the barn next fall.
Chapter
After the fine job Wayne Buchanan of the Seattle Chapter did with the Safety Video-tape, our Chapter has accepted the baton (so to speak) and is busily working on a video program dealing with Feeds and Feeding in Zoos (not neces- sarily the title of the tape) . Response from Chapter members, nonmembers, management and the community e.g. local TV stations has been tremendous. We're all biting our nails and hoping that the tape will be available for screening during the Seattle Conference.
^LLbmUtdd by Otiv^ Cla^ny
METRO TORONTO AAZK CHAPTER
Newly elected and re-elected officers of the Toronto Chapter are:
President ... .Oliver Claffey 1st Vice Pres. .. .Marilyn Cole 2nd Vice Pres ... .Harry Hofauer Treasurer ... .Neville Pike Secretary. . . .Karen Mot tram
New officers for the Washington Park Zoo AAZK Chapter are:
President .... Stanley Held Vice President ... .Mike Marchall Elayne Barclay Secretary ... .Janet McCoy Treasurer ... .Mike Keele
News
New officers for the Bronx Zoo AAZK Chapter are:
President.... Angelo Arena Vice-president. . . .Dan Maloney Treasurer ... .Bob Eddington Corres. Secretary. .. .Margaret Price Record. Secretary ... .Marty Zybura
6md CkapteA to lee VcLynd at tho, V^tAott Zoo kUiO 6(ind a copy to tkn AKf e.cUtoAcal oUtcKi^^ 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
On 18 October 1983, the animal keepers of the Honolulu Zoo reactivated their Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK), elect- ing the following officers. Honolulu Chapter will be meeting
„ . , ^ on the first Wednesday of each month
, to discuss and plan activities.
Vice-President ... .Peter McLane
Secreatry/Treasurer . . . .Steve Robinson Sergeant-at-arms. .. .Larry Zolton
The Honolulu Zoo AAZK Chapter's first activity was an In-Front-Of-The- Scenes presentation in support of the Zoo Hui's Halloween Day held at the Zoo on 30 October. While the elephant handlers (Larry Zolton, Steve Robinson, Gwen Yoshimura, and Peter McLane), dressed in Asian Indian out- fits, put the elephants through their routine and brought "Empress" out to meet the public, other keepers gave the public a close-up look at other handleable zoo animals. Dan Vitiello, in Tarzan attire, showed off the Zoo's young white-handed gibbon. While a pirate's parrot parroted the pirate (John Halemano) , a witch (Margo Lengen) explained the advantages of having a vulture around (no leftovers), and the troll (Gail Wine) hung on tightly to Hawaiian Goat Gruff. A good time was had by all with a little more education provided for the public. In appreciation of the Honolulu AAZK Ghapter's support of the Zoo's Hui on Halloween Day, the Zoo presented the Chapter with a ticket for two to the outer islands. The ticket was raffled off as a fund-raiser for the Honolulu AAZK Chapter.
— submitted by Steve Robtuson
&
170
FROM US TO you
The tu)o yea/u -sTnce ooe decided to accept the tmpo^^tbte mutton putting on a con^QAence have gone by at iA)aAp 6peed (the lauo^ o^ phyitc& don't 6eem to apply tn the Paclitc No/ithweAt) , The deadline ^OA submitting papeAS almost heAe, and the deadline ioA AegtAtAotlovU) Tji Alght behind it. {)Jhen planning an event like this, thoAe Mill always be pAoblems and unexpected setbacks. But, thAough it all, theAe is> always a shining light at the end oi the tunnel (and, no, it's not {,Aom the oncoming ^Aelght tAoln) . It's a leoAnlng pAocoAS £oa eveAyone Involved. youA chapteA is consldeAlng hosting a con^eAence, GOT TOR IT. Vou'll need eveAyone' s help to pull it oli, and it Mill be a lot o^ hoAd MOAk. But it Mill all be Month it. ijJe'Ae convinced o^ that, and ouAS hasn't even happened yet.
li you've neven been to an AA2K con^eAence be^oAe, make Seattle youA {^lAst. Vou'll have a unique oppoAtunity to visit a voAlety oi zoological {^acuit- ies, meet and exchange Ideas Mith InteAestlng people {Aom acAoss the countAy, and have a good time Mhile you do it.
|
HaAmony iXazitA-Tayl^ |
Phil Pennock |
VebbeAa StecheA |
Co-chaiApeASons
FINAL CALL FOR PARERS
VEAVLWE: JULV 15, 19S4
WORKING IN ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS: TODAY AND TOMORROW
There is still time to submit your paper for presentation at the 1984 conference. We encourage all delegates to share the unique and special knowledge they have about their professions. Don't think that everyone knows what you know. Your experience could hold the answer to some other keeper's problem.
Submit your paper as soon as possible because presentation time is limit- ed. If your paper is accepted, you will receive a $20 refund from your registration. And don't forget — all papers will appear in the special conference issue of Animal Keepers' Forum at the end of the year.
Papers will be limited to 20 minutes, with a 5-minute question/answer period. Please submit an outline or abstract by July 15, 1984. AAZK national committees that plan to have meetings at the conference should submit time and meeting requirements by this date.
Send papers, information and questions to: Phil Pennock
AAZK Conference Woodland Park Zoo 5500 Phinney Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98103
172
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984
Please type or print. One name per form.
Return form i/ith your fee to:
Mary Bennett, Registration Coordinator Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 625-5488
Make checks payable to Puget Sound Chapter AAZK.
Deadline for Pre-registration is August 15, 1984.
1984 Registration
Name
ADDRESS
CITY STATE/COUNTRY
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
ZOO AFFILIATION IF APPLICABLE
AREA OF INTEREST
VEGETARIAN YES NO
WILL BE SUBMITTING PAPER YES NO^
($20.00 will be refunded on acceptance of paper")
AAZK MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND FEES:
|
MEMBER OR SPOUSE |
$50.00 each |
|
NON-MEMBER |
$70.00 each |
|
LATE FEE |
$15.00 |
|
(After Aug. 15th) |
|
|
TOTAL FEES ENCLOSED |
$ |
ONE DAY RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT MARY BENNETT FOR INFORMATION.
Are you interested in purchasing a conference T-shirt?
YES NO Size S M L XL
(This will help us provide adequate inventory)
MADISON
I
HOT E L • SEATT LE
515 Madison Seattle, WA 98111
800-426-1172 Out of State 800-851-8010 In State (206) 583-0300 Local
Our conference headquarters is the Madison Hotel, a quality hotel within Seattle's business and financial district. Shopping, entertainment and many of Seattle's scenic and historic attractions are within a easy walk.
Each of the Madison's 575 guest rooms has its own seating area with sofa and chairs, from which you can enjoy a sweeping view of Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
Special room rates for the conference delegates are: $55.00 single
$60.00 double
Use the toll free number (800 number) to make your reservations, and identify yourself as being with the American Association of Zookeepers.
If you wish to be matched with a roommate, let the hotel know when you call, and they will attempt to do so.
We feel the Madison offers a unique mixture of "new hotel", while retain- ing a sense of warmth in its smaller size. With the busy schedule we have planned, it would be advantageous to stay with us at the hotel. It is one of Seattle's finest hotels and we think you will enjoy it, espec- ially at our reduced conference rates.
NOTE: The hotel also has a swimming pool and health club so you will want to bring your swimsuit! There is nightly entertainment at Visions, a video disco. Their rooftop restaurant, Pregos, serves a fine Italian cuisine. Be sure to bring evening attire for these.
Transportation from Sea-Tac Airport to the Madison is easy! Just take the Airporter bus directly from the airport to the hotel. The Madison is the first stop! It leaves every half hour from United Airlines Bag- gage Terminal, and the ride takes 20 mi nutes--Cost $4.75.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
SUNDAY
Board Meetings Regi strati on Ice Breaker
WEDNESDAY
Trip to Tacoma's Pt. Defiance Zoo Lunch provided
Visit to Northwest Trek, Eatonville
MONDAY
Paper sessions all day Lunch on your own Evening tour of Seattle Aquarium
THURSDAY Papers sessions Lunch provided at hotel Banquet at Seattle's famous Space Needle
TUESDAY
Day at Woodland Park Zoo Lunch provided by Docents Workshops
Dinner provided by Seattle Zoological Society
Keepers and Computers. . . Part Five
TEACHING YOUR COMPUTER TO TEACH YOU IS A BIT LIKE WATERING YOUR GARDEN
By
jAjn AtbeAt
Colony HanageA, BaXcone^ P/Umcut^ Labo/iato^y G/iaduatd Student, VepoAtment oi AnthAopology dnLveAAitty oi Texcu, at Austin, Austin, TX
In addition to a multitude of other failings, I have a rather horrible inemory. I have tried a fair number of techniques and tricks to help me |iearn a variety of materials, including "flash cards" (back when I was a cid and despairing of ever learning the multiplication tables, and several times since). Well, it happens that one of the things that the micro- tomputer lends itself to quite well is the creation of a set of electron- ic flash cards.
Che particular situation that got me thinking about using my computer in this way was the need to memorize 95 three-letter codes for behaviors that comprises the ethogram that we use in our behavior laboratory. Gener- ally, the codes are based on the first three letters of words involved, put there are many exceptions, such as VEC — ventral cling; PRG — present for groom; and TAH — tail hang. Even where the first three letter rule adds, you have to remember that FIG is fight, GEC is gecker, and IGN is , Ignore. And there are 95 of them!
[Since it is no problem at all to get a computer to remember 95 items, I iantered them into computer memory such that each code was assigned a lumber. One of the interesting and valuable characteristics of almost all computers is the ability to generate "random numbers" (not true random, but pseudorandom, since they depend on a "seed" number) ; so I had the computer select a number from 1 to 95, look up the ethogram code ■associated with that number and print it out on the TV screen. If I iidn’t know what it meant, I looked it up, and told the computer to print lanother code. I could have done a more elaborate job of programming, where il would have had to type in the right answer.
Since the commands to get your computer to generate random numbers may jbe quite different than those used by the Sinclair machine that I own, be i^ary of this example.
1000 LET A = INT ( RND * 95 )
1010 IF A 1 OR A 95 THAN GOTO 1000
jlhe variable "A" will equal a number between 1 and 95 inclusive. INT and EIND are Sinclair "keywords" that represent "integer" (remove the fraction- !al component; note that this is not the same as rounding!) and "random" i(produce a number between 0 and 1 using the random number generator). Multiplying the number produced by RND by 95 creates the range off values we’re interested in, INT makes it into a whole number, and line 1010 jinsures that they do fit the required range by starting the process over I if they don’t.
What could you use this for? Perhaps for the same thing that I used it for — memorizing lists. Maybe you get asked all the time how old the animals in your area are, and can never remember their birth dates. The
175
KEEPERS AND COMPUTERS, Part Five, CoyiUnuo^d
basic idea could be extended into a game of sorts where the user is callei, upon to provide a variety of information about an animal, with the comput( "keeping score".
So how is teaching your computer a bit like watering your garden? You have to know just a little bit to do both effectively, but the rewards cai be quite great.
Many lectures and presentations are accompanied these days with slides.
In addition to regular photographs, slides of graphs, charts, and lists are popular. The traditional way to construct such "graphics" slides is t to draw what you want on a piece of paper, carefully composing it, and ii then photographing it.
I didn't have time to go through the process of producing a bunch of draw- ings and figures for a presentation I was giving, so I wrote a "screen ■ manipulator" program for my computer. Once I entered what I wanted for ‘ each line, the program allowed me to move things around, add and delete, and change the spacing. I photographed my small black-and-white TV's screen with a 35mm camera mounting a 200mm telephoto lens, using a high- ; contrast developer on the black-and-white film thus exposed. Since the i Sinclair prints black letters on a white screen, the negative came out |: white on black, and were very readable when mounted in slide mounts and [, projected. |
There's another reason beyond convenience for using a computer to do your,; graphics slides: limiting the information per slide. I have been at con- j ferences when slides packed with tiny numbers that would have taken 10 li minutes to digest flashed by in 15 seconds. The computer's ability to ] pack that much onto its screen (the Sinclair allows 22 lines of 32 char- | acters each) really helps to make more reasonable slides, a fact that youi audience is certain to appreciate.
I'm not going to deal with word processing, since that requires a good | quality printer, and those are still quite expensive. I wrote a limit- ed but useful word-processing program once, and used it to "rough-draft" ^ a couple of articles, setting my typewriter up in front of the TV and i
typing off of it to make a final copy. This was a rather awkward arrange-; ment, and I gave it up. The price of good printers may soon be low |
enough for the likes of us to afford them, and at that time, I might write a sequel to this series dealing with word processing, but not until then! !
Finally, an item of news: Timex, who has been marketing the Sinclair line of computers in the United States, is going out of that line of business, j Sinclair machines will still be available, directly through their repre- [ sentatives, and supposedly some new computers will join the product line. Since Sinclair has a tradition of unorthodox but quality electronics at a low price, their ads may be worth watching if you're considering buy- i ing a computer.
In the next installment. I'll offer some thoughts to wrap all of this up. i I hope that these articles have stimulated some of you to consider the . possibilities that the computer holds for assistance to the professional zookeeper. If on the other hand, I've merely generated raving frustratior; I'd like to try to help out. My address is, once again. Department of Anthropology, UT-Austin, Austin, TX 78712.
176
ELEPHANT SET
I ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN MID-1982 TO EARLY 1984
! Part I
I B(/
Vo^kl, VoneXavU
! looVELIIoo VeA-lgn S Education Lab
\[EdUton.'6 note: The ^olXotvlng -a> Va/it 1 o^ a two-poAt ^ente^ on the hJj>toAy and cuJixent ^tatuu> oi elephants kept In captivity in Japan. Only mlnoA edUtontal change6 have been made iAom the ontglnal text to provide continuity oub it Ma6 ouA wtbh not to negate the oAtglnal Intent S {^lavoA oi Vo6hl. ' 6 manoLbcAlpt. )
1 . Introduction
I have taken an interest in the historical keeping of the elephants for some time past. Therefore, I began to gather the related informative matters bit by bit.
Before now, I had added to the stock of information about many raising situations for elephants of overseas as well as internal facilities.
Under the latest full-scaled Zoo-travel around Europe-area from August to November 1983, I visited at some spots famous for the breeding success of elephants. These were the Munich Zoo which succeeded the first propa- gations of Asian and African elephants in Europe; the Hannover Zoo, where I observed Asian elephants breeding; the Amsterdam Zoo, Holland; and the Copenhagen Zoo in Denmark. Besides, 1 also looked at several African ^Forest elephants. Their places were the Whipsnade Park, England; the Paris Zoo, France; the Duisburg, West Germany except the West Berlin Zoo here the individual had already died in 1982. In addition to them, I I recognized a pygmy-sized male Forest elephant which was exhibited as a [calf of an African elephant in the Barcelona Zoo in Spain. I also called at the homes of Asian elephants — Sri Lanka and Thailand. Thus, these jknowledges and informative matters were indirectly very useful for the purpose of this survey.
During the summer of 1982, I conducted a survey of elephants in Japanese Zoos in earnest. A questionnaire drawn up by the author was mailed to some zoos and zoo-related institutions that were listed in the newest annual report of the Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums. Among the rest, I directly contacted with the persons con- cerned as animal care keepers or veterinarians in each facility. At the same time, I was given many significant informations including not only the census of the zoo's elephants, but also various captive aspects of the pachyderms by sympathetic associate members.
jin the case of several circus shows, I tried to visit at the performance I location and then checked up on the matter. But I couldn't get the perfect reply against definite subjects enough.
This research generally brought difficulties. To tell the truth, the reaction of almost all was thick-skinned at the beginning. Because accurate animal-inventories or annual reports haven't been written out regularly in most Japanese Zoos, there was not much information available about the study of elephants up to now. So, those questioned didn't give especially complete answers of "Gaptive Gare", "Training Sessions" and "Chemical Immobilizations" except for a few institutions. By force of circumstances, I was compelled to omit some items from the expected
177
ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN, Continued
data. Finally, the target was strained to know the number of animals in ^ captivity lately. I
After this survey, I found out several corrections on that data and |
grasped some new facts about the movement of elephant-population in my | country by the re-examination from the end of 1983 to the early 1984. |
Accordingly, I intend to state the additional matters of investigation |
against the data of 1982 on a previous notice in that case. Principal findings of the survey will be discussed below. j
A Brief History of the Elephant's Advent to Japan I
I,
The first elephant was imported to Japan (present Fukui prefecture) from I South Asia in 1408. Between that time and 1863, elephants were imported 1 seven times. i
The first ones to come to a Zoo arrived in June, 1888 as a gift from the ' Emperor of Siam (present Thailand). They (15-year-old male and 8-year- old female) were kept at the Ueno Zoo which celebrated its 100th birthday on 20 March, 1982 as the oldest Zoo in Japan. Afterwards, the female ' died in 1893 and the male was sold to the Hanayashiki of Asakusa, Tokyo, i: which was a famous amusement park in late 1923. In the Ueno Zoo, the | keeping of elephants reached 89 years within a century. !■
In 1941, there were about 20 elephants in Japanese Zoos. As the war became worse, these were killed off one by one. At the end of the war j only two were left living. They were females in the Higashiyama Zoo, Nagoya. They had arrived in December 1937. One died in September 1963 '
at the age of 61, and the other died in October at the age of 58. ^
The first elephant to arrive after the war was a 2.5-year-old female from! Thailand, which came to Ueno on 4 September, 1949. She was later sent to the Inokashira Park Zoo in Tokyo on 5 March, 1954 where she lives today.
The Ueno Zoo had had 11 elephants since its opening (4.7 total: 2.4 "
Thai; 1.3 Indian; 1.0 Ceylonese). Five of these were gifts from heads ' of state of foreign countries. It was only one time that Ueno Zoo bought a pair of elephants in 1954. The others were all presents to the ! Zoo .
All the elephants so far mentioned have been Asians.
The first African elephant was a young male brought to Japan in March of 1953 by a circus. The second male African elephant arrived at the '
Kanazawa Zoo from Kenya on 25 July, 1965. He was 1.5-year-old and was
the first of this species at an established zoological facility.
...data at that time: weight about 700kg, height at the shoulder 1.4m
After 10 years, he died on 6 May, 1975.
Continuously, the first female African elephant reached the Oji Zoo in Kobe on 29 November, 1965. She was approximately 1-year-old and ended in ' a short life.
Sources of Elephants (from survey findings)
Animal dealers were the most common source of Zoo-elephants, followed by countries of origin including the part of province, such as Southeast Asia (India, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Kenya and South
178
LEPHANTS IN JAPAN, Coyitcnued
frica. Other sources includes other Zoos and the International Animal ixchange, U.S.A.. It appears that it is extremely difficult to determine he geographical race of Zoo-elephants. In spite of this, I tried to ursue the respective origins as much as possible. As a result, I had , erne elephants whose subspecies were specifically cleared up. Of those, n African Forest elephant belonging to a certain animal training pro- uction and a Ceylonese elephant at a small animal-dealer were found in 982.
.tructure of Zoo's Elephant Population
L total of 164 elephants were maintained in 46 Zoos (public & private) ind other facilities in Japan in mid-1982. In this data for investiga- ;ion, the public zoo contained 31 municipal, 1 pref actual management and I juridical foundations (Ritsurin Park Zoo and Okinawa-Kodomonokuni Zoo £ Aquarium) for a total of 34 facilities. There were 12 private Zoos 'only city-typed ones indicated) . The total number of elephants consisted if 86 Asiana (10.75.1) and 78 Africans (18.60).
!^t the present, mid-February 1984, a total of 172 elephants were maintain- ed in 46 Zoos and other facilities. The public zoos numbered 35 municipal, L prefectual management and 2 juridical foundations for a total of 35.
[here were 11 private zoos (only city-typed ones indicated) . The total number of elephants consisted of 89 Asians 12.74.3) and 83 Africans (19.64). SEE TABLE I.
Df 61 institutions, 26 had one elephant each. Of these 26 individuals,
24 were Asian (1.23) and 2 were African females in mid-1982. After that, one private Zoo (=the Yatsu) put an end to their history by the end of the same year. In the beginning of 1984, of 64 institutions, 27 had one alephant each. These 64 individuals were 24 Asians (3. 20.1 [the one of unknown sex is probably a Ceylonese male) ; 2 African females and 1 male African Forest elephant.
In 1982, nine institutions exhibited both Asian and African elephants.
In March of 1983 that number dropped to eight after the Elza Wonderland jno longer exhibited both species.
The largest number of elephants kept by one institution was 12 (Fuji Safari Park and Nanki Shirahama Adventure World in early 1983, but now is only Fuji Safari Park.
I Seven institutions had 5 or more elephants in 1982. This includes 6 I Safari parks and 1 public zoo (Tama Zoo, Tokyo). By now, this data has ^increased to 7 safari parks (with the addition of the newest Safari: jHimeji Central Park which opened in March 1984) and 2 public zoos (the Tama and Nagoya-Higashiyama) .
In this connection, commercialized zoos, including safari parks and 7 private animal facilities (except zoos definitely) owned 82 elephants in the census at the present time. Among them, circuses were left out.
It is my feeling that there cannot be an accurate source for a head count of elephants held in captivity in Japan. In small local facilities or dealer compounds, I couldn't grasp how elephants exist exactly. However,
I hope that their survey serves as a "yardstick" to review the status of captive elephants in my country in the future.
179
Table I
Elephonts in Jgpon: Mld-1982-Earlv 1984
From September of 1982 to February 1984, contents at each item are made into one in the event of unchanged figures of elephants. The data of mid-1982 shows on the upper row, and the data for early 1984 shows on the lower row for those facilities which experienced elephant population shifts
ZOO
Asian Female African Female TOTAL
Male Male
Sapporo-Maryuama Zoo* 0
Asahikawa-Ashiyama Zoo* 0
Obihiro Zoo* 0
Kushiro Zoo* 0
Yagiyama Zoological
Park-Sendai* 0
Hitachi City-Kamine Zoo* 0
Utsunorniya Zoo 0
Kiryugaoka Park Zoo* 0
Gunma Safari World 0
2
1
2
0
2
1
1
1
1
0 0 2
0 1 2
0 0 2
1 1 2
1 1 4
0 0 1
0 0 1
0 0 1
2 5 8
0
Tobu Zoological Park, Saitama* 0
Ueno Zoological Gardens, Tokyo* 1
1
Tama Zoological Park, Tokyo* 1
Inokashira Park Zoo,
Tokyo* 0
Tatsu Zoological & Botanical Gardens,
Chiba 0
1
0
2
1
2
1
1
1 4 6
1 1 2
0 0 3
0 0 2
1 2 6
0 0 1
0 0 1
0 0
Nogeyama Zoological Gardens of Yokohama* 0 2
Odwara Zoo* 0 1
Mishuma City Park,
Rakujuen* 0 1
Kofu Yuki Park Zoo* 0 2
Komoro Zoo* 0 1
Nagano-Chausuyama Zoo* 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 2 0 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 1 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 1
Kanazawa Zoo
180
|
IFABLE I, Covitinu.a.d |
|||||
|
o o |
Asian Male |
Female |
African Male |
Femal e |
TOTAL |
|
Fuji Safari Park Izu National History |
0 |
0 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
|
Park Shizuoka municipal |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
' Nihondaira Zoo* Hamamatsu municipal |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Zoo* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
Toyohashi municipal |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Zoo* Nagoya-Higashiyama Zoo |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
& Botanical Gardens* |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
Korankei Snake Center, |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
|
Aichi |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Elza Wonderland, Aichi |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
Kyoto municipal Zoo* |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Nanki Shirahama |
0 |
4 |
1 0 |
7 |
12 |
|
Adventure World |
~0“ |
~r |
~e~ |
10 |
|
|
Ayameike Zoo, Nara Misaki Park Zoo & |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Aquarium, Osaka Osaka municiapl |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Tennoji Zoo* Koshien Hanshin Park, |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Hyogo Takarazuka Zoological & |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Botanical Gardens |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
Kobe-Oji Zoo* |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Himeji municipal Zoo* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Himeji Central Park |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
7 |
9 |
|
|
Ikeda Zoo, Okayama Ritsurin Park Zoo, |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Kagawa* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Tokushima Zoo* Ehime prefectual |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Dogo Zoo* Asa Zoological Park, |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Hi roshima* |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
181
TABLE I, CoyvtivLUQ,d
|
ZOO |
Asian Male |
Female |
African Male |
Femal e |
TOTAL i |
|
Tokuyama Zoo* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Akiyoshidai Safari Park, Yamaguchi |
0 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
|
Itozu Zoological Park, Fukuoka |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 ; |
|
Fukuoka municipal Zoological & Botanical Gardens* |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 ^ |
|
Omutu Zoo* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 i |
|
Sasebo Subtropical Zoological- Botanical Garden* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 ^ |
|
Cable Rakutenchi, Oita |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 ' |
|
Africa Safari, Oita |
0 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
11 |
|
Kannawa (Yama-jigoku) Zoo |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 I |
|
|
Kumamoto Zoological Park* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 ! |
|
Miyazaki Safari Park |
0 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
8 : |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— — 1 |
|
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
|
|
Phoenix Natural Zoo, Miyazki |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 j |
|
Hirakawa Zoological Park, Kagoshima* |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Oki nawa-Kodomomokuni Zoo & Aquarium |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
|
|
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
(*) mark... these are public institutions The above mentioned institutions are official |
members |
1 of the Japanese : |
|||
|
Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums except for Korankei |
Snake |
||||
|
Center, Elza Wonderland |
, Himeji |
Central Park |
and Kannawa Zoo. Membership ' |
||
|
application for the Nagano-Chausuyama Zoo is |
pending |
at the present |
time. ^ |
|
Touhoko Safari Park, Fukushima |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
|
Iwaki World Safari |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
Nasu Safari Park |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Nagaski Bio-park |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 |
"unknown |
0 sex: probably females |
0 il |
3 |
182
TABLE I, Cowtinadd
|
ZOO |
Asian Male |
Femal e |
African Mai e |
Female |
TOTAL |
|
Fureai Children Zoo |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Toshin Planning |
(1) "unknown |
0 sex: male?" |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Shonan Animal Planning |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
CIRCUS |
Asian Male |
Female |
African Mai e |
Female |
TOTAL |
|
Kinoshita Circus 1 Performing Ltd. |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
Kigure Circus |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
Kakima Circus |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Holiday- Inn Circus |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
|
|
The Sum Total |
|||||
|
Mid-1982/ |
11+(1 |
) 74 |
18 |
60 |
164 |
|
Early-1984/ |
12+(1 |
) 74+(2) |
19 |
64 |
172 |
(a) About the aforesaid list, the following matters of those subspecies are ascertained by the author.
Ueno Zoo... Indian (0.1), Thai (1.1)
Tama Zoo. . .Ceylonese (1.0), Cambodian (0.1)
Inokashira Zoo... Thai (0.1)
Nogeyama Zoo... Thai (0.1)
Kanazawa Zoo... Thai (0.1)
Nihondaira Zoo... Indian (0.1)
Korankei Snake Center. . .Thai (1.0)
Kyoto Zoo. . .Malayan (0.1)
Nanki Shirahama Adventure World... Thai (2.0)
Tennoji Zoo... Indian (0.1), Thai (0.2)
Hanshin Park... Thai (0.1)
Takarazuka Zoo... Thai (0.1)
Himeji Zoo... Thai (0.1)
Itozu Zoo. . .Ceylonese (0.2)
I Hirakawa Zoo... Thai (1.0)
I Kodomonokuni by the route of the closed Yatsu, and Eliza Wonderland...
i African Forest elephant (1.0) = Loxodowta a{)^c.ana ci/cZoti^
183
ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN^ CoyvUnu^d
(b) Worthy Matters of Special Mention
1. Yatsu Zoological & Botanical Gardens in a big amusement park I
had closed by the end of 1982 in connection with the opening
of Tokyo Disneyland (TDL) in March of 1983. The Zoo was managed by the co-related company as a nucleus of the enterprise of TDL. |j
2. Kannawa Zoo belongs to a tourist hotel with a hot spring. j
3. A new city Zoo in Nagano opened in summer of 1983. They got a !
female elephant from Elza Wonderland. About that time, Elza I
Wonderland sent away the Forest elephant to Aritake Birds & J
Animal Co., Ltd. in March 1983. The animal dealer deposited it ! with Okinawa-Kodomonokuni .
4. The African female who arrived in Yagiyama Zoo in July of 1969 at ;
approximately two years of age, died suddenly after the first compiling of this survey. In place of it, a new female came from ^ Miyazaki Safari Park in 1983. ;
5. In Nagoya-Higashiyama Zoo, a big male African died in September of
1981 and a new male came from Nanki Shirahama Adventure World in ?
1983 at an interval of about two years. '
6. From 1980 to 1981, a male Asian elephant from the Yano Circus died i following medical treatment for a fractured foot bone. It was the | Yano Circus only elephant. Besides, the only male Asian in the Japanese Circus world was sent to Nagasaki Bio-park in November of ji
1982 by the Kigure Circus. The male had become too difficult to :
control . i.
7. The following Safari Parks - Thouhoku Safari Park, Iwaki Safari j
World, Nasu Safari Park are operated by the same person and these ^ are entirely profit-making concerns. i'
8. The newest Safari combines a large, Ameri can-style amusement park j
and sports area and is called Kimeji Central Park. It is similar j
to Great Adventures of U.S.A. (New Jersey). This park imported j
10 young African elephants (3-5 years old) from South Africa in [I
January, 1984. One animal died due to the stress of the long voyage. ;
[EcUjtoK' Yiotm Pcuvt 1 majH ddccl MdXh Captive. 'Rz(i.o^cU>,Longe.vtty, MoCe Ele.phant6 In Captivity, BAee.ding, etc. Vac to the length o{, the Tabic 1 Chants, n.cieAcnce^ cited and acknowledgements will be included in Pant 2.)
184
Book Review
The Return of the Brown Pelican Photography by Dan Guravitch Text By Joseph E. Brown L.S. U. Press, Baton Rouge, 1983 Price: $24.95 Hardback 51 pages/101 photographs
Re,v-lejA} by Joo, Vav-cd Pool Noak'6 knk loo SalpkoA, LA
These experienced professionals, Guravitch and Brown, who have given us , numerous books and magazine articles on the ocean and nature, have teamed together to create a work that is, in the author’s words, "...not only a celebration of the brown pelican, but in some measure as a guide to the steps we must take... to avoid the fate of its long-vanished cousins, the I passenger pigeon and the Carolina parakeet."
This beautiful book reports on the most endangered of the eight species of the family Pelecanidae — PelacaniU 0CCA.de,ntall6 . In a most artful and Interesting way, the authors deal with the life history of this bird and explores all of the subjects that might bring that history to a close. Hazards such a oil spills, fishing lines, red tides, fish hooks, human habitation, and chemical pollution are explored in the 51 pages of text and 101 photographs.
[The authors, I think, did not mean this book to be a work for academic research, but rather one of merciful appeal to the public. The photo- |graphy is excellent, especially in the seventeen 8x10 full color photo- f graphs.
[The shape and size of 8 3/4 X 11 inches intends the work to be a display '■'book rather than a reference source. Should the reader purchase the book with that quality in mind, he would not be in any way disappointed.
BIOLOGICAL VALUES FOR SELECTED MAMMALS Limited Copies Left
A limited number of copies of the booklet "Biological Values For Selected Mammals" are still available from the AAZK National Hdqts. The price of the booklet is $1.25 for Professional Members and $2.50 for all other categories. To order send check or money order payable to "Biological Values/AKF" along with desired number of copies and your complete mail- ing address to:
Biological Values/AKF , 635 Gage Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66606
185
Legislative News
CompiZdd by Ke.v^n Comay AAZK Le.gd^tatlve Cooadlnatoa
FINAL RULEMAKINGS ON ENDANGERED/THREATENED SPECIES ANNOUNCED BY USFWS
The following is a synopsis of recent final rulemaking by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the list of endangered and threatened species.
The U.S. population of the American wood stork [MyctOAla ameAyicam.) , has been determined to be an Endangered species. The present population is thought to number about 10,000 adults, a 75% decline since 1930. Since 1975, this species has experienced a 5% decline annually and would, at that rate, be extinct in North America by the turn of the century. Popu- lation declines are attributed to disturbances, both natural and man-made I of their rookeries and feeding areas.
The population of Woodland caribou (Rangd^^CA. taA£Lndubi> ca/LlboLi) , known alsc as the Southern Selkirk Mountain herd of Woodland caribou, has been added to the list of Endangered species. This population is found in extreme northeastern Washington, northern Idaho, and southern British Columbia, and is the only herd regularly occurring within the conterminous United States. The herd is now limited to approximately 30 individuals because of habitat destruction, poaching, and probable inbreeding due to its ex- treme isolation from other populations to the north in Canada.
The Hierro giant lizard [GcitZotdjl ^AjnoVLyd, i>djmO¥iyi.] has been added to the list of Endangered species, and the Ibiza wall lizard [VodaJicJji p-Ltya^Zyib^ has been added to the list of Threatened species. The Hierro giant lizarc a native to the Canary Islands, was thought to be extinct until recently. The Ibiza wall lizard is found on the Balearic Islands and Mallorca Islanc in the Mediterranean Sea. Both species suffer from greatly reduced habit? competition and predation by introduced animals, and over-collection by researchers and the pet trade. Several subspecies of the Ibiza wall lizai indigenous to small Mediterranean Islands have already been extripated.
The Arctic peregrine falcon (Fa£co peAegAcniiS tandAliU ) , first listed as an Endangered species in 1970, has been reclassified to Threatened. The species is no longer is danger of extinction throughout a significant por- tion of its range, which extends from Alaska to Greenland in summer and south to South America in winter. The species is estimated to have a current population of at least 3,000 pairs found in the Arctic and sub- Arctic areas of North America. Under "similarity of appearance" provisioi of the Act, the rule also extends legal protections granted to any type of peregrine falcon in the continental U.S.
— AAZPA Hay 1984
Endang2A2.d Specxe^ TeckyUcal and DOT RoZdo^o^
INTERIOR DEPT. WITHDRAWS PROPOSAL TO REMOVE KANGAROOS FROM ESL
The Interior Dept.’s FWS has withdrawn a proposal to remove three kangaroc' species from the U.S. Endangered and Threatened Species List. The propose; was based on a petition from the Australian Government in 1982; its with- i drawal was made after more recent data from Australia indicated a substan-i' tial drop in kangaroo populations due to widespread drought last year.
This ruling maintains as Federally listed Threatened species: the eastern gray {HacAopiU g-lgante.LL6 ) , the western gray {HacA.opai> /)uLcgd,no-6a6} and the red kangaroo (Hac/LOpiU ) .
186
IjISLATIVE news. Continued
L:ge parts of Australia experienced the worst recorded drought in that t:intry*s history in 1982-83. The drought resulted in a decline of 17 [):cent of red kangaroos and 20 percent of gray kangaroos in New South /iLes and South Australia between 1981-83; smaller declines are thought t have occurred in Queensland and Western Australia. The nationwide tiiigaroo population is now estimated at between 10 and 12 million animals, ivn from a pre-drought estimate of 19 million.
[:3ULATI0NS PROPOSED FOR EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS
/proposed rule to establish procedures for the designation of certain jpulations of listed species as "experimental populations" has been [blished by the USFWS. This proposal would amend Section 10(j) of the Idangered Species Act, as amended in 1982.
/ experimental population is defined as a reintroduced population (in- [uidng offspring) of a listed species that is geographically isolated lorn the non-experimental populations of the same species during specific griods of time. Experimental populations can be classified in two [tegories, "essential" and "nonessential". An essential experimental [pulation is one whose loss would appreciably reduce the likelihood of le survival of the species in the wild. All other experimental popula- lons would be classified as nonessential.
)ior to the 1982 Amendments, the USFWS was authorized to reintroduce isted species into unoccupied portions of their historic range in order : aid in their recovery. However, legal prohibitions associated with ’sted species often resulted in local opposition to reintroductions. In i effort to encourage greater cooperation and therefore enhance the re- jvery capability of listed species, the concept of experimental popula- IjOns was developed during the reauthorization of the Act in 1982. It s hoped that this designation would encourage greater State and local Tticipation in recovery efforts by reducing Section 7 (consultation) d Section 9 restrictions identified in the Act.
jction 9 strickly prohibits the taking of Endangered species. Under e experimental population designation. Endangered species would be eated as Threatened. This less restrictive designation can allow for 're exceptions to the taking prohibitions by developing special regu- tions (50CFR 17:84-86) for the management of each individual popula- on. The special rule would also include the specific geographical cation of the experimental population and any special procedures to used in its management.
Iction 7(a)(2) prohibits Federal agencies from authorizing, funding, or rrying out any activity that would be likely to jeopardize the contin- d existence of an Endangered or Threatened species. This provision uld continue to apply for essential experimental populations and all perimental populations (both essential and nonessential) located on tional Wildlife Refuges or National Parks. It would no longer apply 1' other nonessential experimental populations. However, Federal agencies li'uld still be asked to confer (a non-binding process) with the Service ■d to treat nonessential experimental populations as if they were pro- jised species under Section 7(a)(4). Incident ially, it should be pointed {.t that before individuals intended to comprise the experimental popula- l.on are removed from the "donor" population, it must be determined that jieir removal does no violate Section 7(a)(2) of the Act.
— EndangeAed Specxe^. TecknlcaZ ButtoJU-n ' Uol, IX, Mo, 2 „
187
1984 MARKED BY SETBACKS, SUCCESSES
FOR ENDANGERED CALIFORNIA CONDOR
By
Alan
Ve,panXme,nt o{^ the, InteAton.
I,
i:
!;
The discovery in late March of a dead California condor is viewed as an \ unfortunate setback in what researchers is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife || Service had otherwise characterized as the most successful year to date l; in the effort to improve the chances for survival of this severely endan- gered species.
Radio signals led scientists to a remote section in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California on 22 March, where they discovered a dead male condor, thought to be between 5-6 years old. Preliminary results following necropsy at the San Diego Zoo by the zoo's veterinarian and a scientists from USFWS have not established the cause of death. The bird ^ had not been shot. A small (8mm by 1 mm) piece of metal, of unknown con- tent and origin, was found in the gizzard and is being analyzed. Tissue j analysis is also being conducted to pinpoint the cause of death. '
The immature condor had been tagged with two miniature radio transmitters' in October 1982 in an effort to track its movements in its range through-; out the rugged coastal hill country north of Los Angeles. Scientists j became concerned when radio signals indicated the bird's movements had stopped. I
(■
"We have no clues yet about the cause of death of this condor," said I
Robert A. Jantzen, director of FWS which sponsors the condor recovery [
project along with the California Dept, of Fish and Game, National Auduboi[l Society, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management. "The only ( positive aspect we can take from this situation is that it demonstrates [
the critical value of radio telemetry in allowing us to investigate condoil,
deaths that we know are occurring in the wild, but that have previously t been nearly impossible for us to document." f
There are only an estimated 16 California condors known to exist in the i wild, with another nine birds in captivity in zoos. |
The latest death follows what scientists hail as the most successful !
season yet in the ongoing attempt to remove condor eggs from breeding pairs in the wild and hatch them in captivity. Six condor eggs have beenf removed from four wild pairs this season and placed in incubators at the San Diego Zoo. Four eggs and two nestlings were removed from the wild (; last breeding season. Researchers are also heartened by the discovery | of a fifth breeding condor pair, thought to be nesting in the most unusua!| location yet spotted — halfway up a 200-foot giant sequoia tree in Sequoia} National Forest. Prospects for discovery of additional condor eggs in th<! future are good, scientists say. I
188
984 MARKED BY SUCCESSES/SETBACKS FOR CALIFORNIA CONDOR, ConUnucd
lemoval of condor eggs to the carefully maintained environment of arti- icial incubators stimulates production of replacement eggs by breeding airs, a phenomenon known as "double-clutching.” The removal can also ignificantly lessen the chances that eggs or chicks might fall victim to redators or nesting squabbles between adult condors.
Egg production has been excellent this year and we anticipate good chick urvival, "Jantzen said. "The encouragement we take from this news is empered by our concern over the deaths of two wild condors. We are still .n need of a more complete understanding of the reasons for condor mortality."
,1. young female California condor was also found dead in Kern County, lalifornia last November.
FILM OFFERS VISUAL DELIGHT. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Submitted by Bob BoAghcUoA VkiladoJiphdjCi Zoo, VhhadoZpInla., PA
have recently viewed for the second time what I consider one of the most eautiful and informative wildlife films 1 have ever seen — "Korup". It is I film about the forest of the same name located in the West African nation f Cameroon. The area is one of the most diverse in life forms of any frican forest and has recently been declared a national park. "Korup" was ilmed over a three-year period by an Englishman, Phil Agland. It has the learest film footage of forest primates you will ever see: Red Colobus, langabey. Guenons, and Drills. Nocturnal shots show Potto and Angwantibo. [long with the primates, birds are also represented. A long sequence takes lace at the nest of a forest-dwelling African Crested Eagle. The smaller 'nhabitants of the forest are also covered by the film. Those familiar ith tropical forest ecology know how fascinating invertebrates can be and his film gives excellent coverage of this topic.
jiombined with the film's outstanding photography is an informative narration, 'etching this movie, your visual senses are overwhelmed by the sights of the orest and your mind is broadened by the dissertation of Korup 's ecology, ihose of you who have seen the movie "Greystoke" will perhaps think that some j'f the scenery in Korup looks familiar. That is because the "on location i'ork was shot at the forest.
’ feel that "Korup" should be viewed by all zoo professionals. The film ;ives one an idea of what can be lost if a forest like Korup is allowed to 1)6 destroyed. The film is now being used by an organization called Earth ijife (started by the filmmaker) which is attempting to raise money to help ':he Cameroon government preserve Korup. Obtaining this film for zoo employe- jis or zoo members would make a worthwhile AAZK Chapter project. If you are jlnterested in getting a copy of Korup or want more information on Earth Life, |:ontact A1 Imhoff, Suite 700, 1990 M. Street, N.W. , Washington, D.C. 20036 j:202) 223-4300. ^
189
WEAR YOUR PRIDE
Join the celebration
Animal Keepers Forum invites you to celebrate its ten year anniversary. To commemorate ten years of publication, we are proud to offer you a limited addition anniversary T-shirt. Show your dedication We know you are deeply committed to your work and professional animal care. Why not tell the world how you feel? You can wear your pride when you buy
your anniversary T-shirt, your money will ; directly benefit the : AAZK Conference and AKF.
Order yours today
These shirts are made of quality 100% heavyweight cotton r and are only I
available through the ! P84AAZK i
Conference. This | limited edition T-shirt is ' available to you for s $7.50 and includes postage and handling. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery ; of your T-shirt.
Send this form to:
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Attn: Judie Steenberg
Name
Address
City/State/Zip
Color:
□ Powder blue □ Beige
Size:
□ Small □ Medium □ Large □ Extra Large
Enclosed is a check for $_ ^payable to the Puget Sound AAZIC
Chapter Conference Account.
190
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE NOW AVAILABLE
Entitled Zoo Keeper Safety, An Attitude Adjustment, this first tape at- tempts to create a safety attitude and presents a systematic safety approach to the job of zoo keeping. All proceeds generated from the [sale of training tapes will be used to finance production of future "training tapes.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PURCHASE AGREEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE BUYER
1) The tape may not be duplicated or made available to any person or institution for the purpose of duplication.
2) The tape may not be utilized for any commercial purpose.
3) Should the buyer decide the tape will not be useful to their training program, the undamaged tape may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a partial refund--$10 for BETA and VHS, $18 for 3/4 inch.
I, the undersigned, accept responsibility for the restrictions listed labove.
liNAME: (TYPE OR PRINT)
SIGNATURE : DATE :
I ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION: :
I SHIPPING ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE: ( )
^ TAPE TITLE:
FORMAT: BETA
$25.00
VHS 3/4 INCH
$25.00 $35.00
.Make checks payable to: "AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PROJECT".
I Mail to: B. Wayne Buchanan
* Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
I 5500 Phinney Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
JyL6:fJXLvtloiu Making to advoAtu^o, mploymzwt oppontanttl^A 0x2, cukzd to ^md p2/vttvi(int data by tho, 15tk oi mch month to: OppontavuXy Knocks, AKf 635 Gage Blvd, , Topeka, KS 66606. Thexe ti no ekaxge (^ox ^ueh tlAttng^ . :
Please tnelude cZo6tng dateA lox po^ttton6 avatZabte.
EXECLITJVE DIRECT OP. . .for Zoological Society of Florida, Miami. Salary ope DOQ. Reports to Society Board of Directors. Responsible for staff selec 1 tion and supervision. Functions include development, fund raising, educa : tion, membership development and support, volunteer program management am marketing. All efforts support Miami's world class Metrozoo. Requires su' stantial related experience including management expereince, preferably 1 in a zoological environment. Budget $600k. Society has 13,500 members. Send confidential resume to: Robert E. Slavin, Korn/Ferry International, ! 1900 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1900, Los Angeles, CA 90067 by 11 June, 1984.
ZOOKEEPER. . .responsible for animal care and public interaction in child- ren's zoo. Salary $600/biweekly . Contact John Donaho, Curator, ChildrenI Zoo, Houston Zoological Gardens, 1513 Outerbelt Dr., Houston, TX 77030, i| (713) 520-3250.
BIRV KEEPER. .. responsible for care/maintenance. Requires one year experience in aviculture. Send resume to: Guy Farnell,
Curator /Birds, Audubon Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178.
POSTVOCTORAL POSITIONS. . .contact The Population Council, 1230 York Ave., New York, NY 10021 (212) 360-1000.
Available July - to study steroid regulation of gene expres- sion. Requires PhD, MD or equivalent, background in re- combinant DNA technology; experience in protein chemistry helpful. Send curriculum vitae and three references to Dr. Olli Janne.
Available August - to study sperm structure and motility/ in vitro fertilization in exotic mammals. PhD, DVM or equivalent required. Send curriculum vitae and three refer- ences to Dr. David Phillips.
SUPERi/JSOR/KEEPER. . .responsible for care/maintenance of hoofed stock/cats/mammals . Will supervise staff. Elephant handling preferred. Salary $15,000, plus benefits. Send resume by 18 June to ' Dave Jeffers, Director, Kings Dominion Zoology Dept., Doswell, VA 23047. I
'll |j
Poi>tttonii avcuZable at IntexnattonaJi Wtldtl^e Paxk, Gxand Pxatxle, TexoM: |
ELEPHANT SUPERl/ISOR. . .requires 5 years' experience with elephants. Train-; ing expereience desirable. Salary based on experience. ^
BIRV KEEPER /SUPER[/JS0R. . .requires three years' expereince as bird keeper. >! Salary based on expereince.
For either position send resume c/o Wildlife Manager, International Wild- life Park, 601 Wildlife Parkway, Grand Prairie, TX 75050. t
GRAPHICS VESIGNER. . .requires knowledge of print graphics, interior/exter- ior interpretive and signage graphics, exhibit techniques and client relationships. Send resume with salary requirements to Angelo Monaco, 1 Personnel Manager, New York Zoological Society, 185th & Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460. EOE
|
0 |
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f |
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p |
k li |
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0 |
n |i |
|
r |
0 |
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192
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name
Check heAc renewal. [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional VuUi-tAjmc KccpoA^
$25.00 International Alt mmbeu ouuts-ldc the U.S, and Canada
$10.00 Associate lndAvd.dLiaJU> not connected njtth an animat coAe iacJJJXy
$15.00 Affiliate
Otken. i>taii and votuntee/u
$50.00 Contributing
0H.ganlzattoni) and J ndlvlduati U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Vln,ecton.y Injonmatlon
loo
b)on.k kn.ea
Special lYitexe^tM
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Animat KeepCU ' foA.um, The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Animat KeepeA^ ' foAum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles .
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and i tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page ' size of no more than 6” x 10" (15 cm x 25^1 cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include ' scientific names.
Articles sent to Animat KeepeA6' foAum will be reviewed for publication, i No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- I lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be I separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial I staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- I tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials i submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
; DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
I Antlcte^ pAlnted do not necoJi^oAlty Aeitect the
i opinions 0^ the Animat KeepeAS ' VoAuum edltoAlat
I ^ta{){, oA oi the AmeAlcan l^^odatlon oi loo KeepeAS.
j Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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JULY 1984
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser JULY 1984
Managing Editor: Susan Chan VOLUME ELEVEN
Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman NUMBER SEVEN
AlUmal Ke.e-peA^' foAum (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of Kyumcdi KeepeA^’ VoAum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS.; Postmaster; Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, IWC. NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE SLi/V., TOPEKA, KS \ Votly Cla/ik, AdmTyi{J>tAcutlv2, SiicAoXoAg
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center PAOJ^TdlWi
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park l/T^ce PAC6Tdi2.yiA
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs GoAoZd Pay no., VatAo-ct loo
Continuing Keeper Education
Jactie S-te.mbeAg, Woodland PoAk
Historical Committee LaAAy SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, {JJcuhlngton PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator
Connie Cloak, Nashville, TN
Research/Grants Committee fAank Kohn, National Zoological PoAk Awards Committee Mike CAockeA, VlckeAi>on PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kevin Conway, NZP /CPU, PAont Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aim, iJJoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms SeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, VetAo IX Zoo
Infant Development
Sieve TayloA, Louljivllle
Keeper Accomodations List
OllvcA Clai/^ey, MelAo ToAonlo
Keeper
MoAy Slaybaugh, San Antonio S Vav<
Library Resource /Book Review
Ellen Leach, bJoodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
MoAy Muac, San FAancl6co Zoo Diet Notebook
South FloAlda ChapteA, Miami Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Vlane FoAi>ytn, AkAon Zoological PoAk Data Survey
!. OAndoA^^, Sea Wo Aid ShoAk Institute
Mike
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P^eHeA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne VllleAi LoAAy SammoAco Vlane KAiig Alan SkoAplej) Vacancy Candy Kao it
LauAence Gledhlll Joanie Stinion Vacancy
REGIONAL COORDINATORS
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo VetAolt Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo RlveAbanks Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
Woodland PoAk Zoo Phoenix Zoo
VlAectoA
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT l| NV 1 PA,NJ,MV,VE : VA,W,VA,V.C,
MI I IN,0H,KV I WI,IL,MO,MN,IA !■ TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA I AR, MS, LA j TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NEJ SV,NV
WA,0R,IV,MT,WV,AK CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI j Canada '
CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, W.V, Stone MemoAlal Zoo
\ku> month' 6 Kce.peA./ A/LtUt Cathy Tcolbbt, a kce.peA tn tha Reptile Vupt. U th2. Atlanta Zoological Rank. Cathy' 6 dkawlng Li> o^^ a Rcd-Ea/ied Guenon C2AcopltheaiL6 cAythAotu> ) . Thaniu, Cathy!
Scoops ^ ' and/'^^uttlebutt
|V\ZK BOARD APPROVES NEW RC APPOINTMENT
The AAZK Board of Directors congratulates Diane Krug of the Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia, SC on her appointment as Regional Coordinator for North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. We know her interest and her enthusiasm will benefit all AAZK members in her region.
INFORMATION SOUGHT ON INSTITUTIONS OFFERING ZOO CURRICULUM
Dear Fellow AAZK Members,
A question that we are often asked by our public and our personal friends is where can one go to school to learn zookeeping, or where can one find bourses that relate to captive animal care. I have undertaken a project to identify these sources and will appreciate any help that you can give me. I thought that there would be an easily obtainable list of institu- tions and curricula, but it seems that universities do not share that iinformation. The next most logical step is to ask for sources that you know.
I am familiar with the programs at Santa Fe Community College and at Moorpark College. Please let me know about full programs and even single classes that are available and that relate to zookeeping. I will especial- ly appreciate leads to already established lists to use as guides.
Thank you for your help in increasing AAZK's sources of professional in- j format ion.
jPa;£ Samma/Lco, Zoo KeepcA Lincoln PoAk Zoo, Chicago, IL
from the President
iro Mike Coker, Former AKF Executive Editor:
bn behalf of the AAZK Board of Directors and our general members, thank you for the work, guidance and inspiration in putting out the monthly (issue of Animal Keepers* Forum from 1977 to 1984.
hooking back through my copies of AKF it becomes evident that you have [overseen the development of a quality publication for AAZK. Year in and [year out I have never been disappointed by the AKFs I receive each month. When I consider that your editorship of AKF is not your principal job.
193
SCOOPS AND SCUTTLEBUTT, ConUna^d
I'm even more impressed with the production quality. Additionally I need to thank you for probably inspiring and training your staff replacements.
I seriously doubt that I will notice any significant change in the AKF format due to your departure. This is a sure indication of your regard for AKF and AAZK that such a smooth transition should occur upon your leaving the publication.
I hope that all continues well for you in your professional career and that you will continue to support AAZK and its publication. Animal Keepers* Forum. Thank you for your efforts on behalf of zoo professionalism and animal care.
Sincerely,
Kevin Conway AAZK President
Nixon Griffis Establishes Fund For Zoological Research
New York Zoological Society trustee, Nixon Griffis, has established a unique fund for zoological research. Open to zoo and aquarium scientific staff members across the nation, fund recipients may be curators, keepers, veterinarians, and research and consulting biologists. Programs to be considered for support include those in: animal behavior, veterinary medicine, reproductive biology, genetics, exhibition design and other research areas that address the care, management and propagation of wild- life in captivity.
Mr. Griffis, a long-time supporter of zoological research and education, has been active on behalf of the New York Zoological Society through his work at the New York Aquarium and Bronx Zoo. Collecting trips for these institutions have taken him to such destinations as Cameroon to collect goliath frogs, Fiji for sea snakes and, recently, Papua, New Guinea in search of the rare green lace scorpionf ish .
In describing his motivation for establishing the fund, Griffis comment- ed, "With the world's wildlife both above and below the water threatened as never before, this fund will support research which will help zoos and aquariums fulfill their ever-increasing role as repositories of life".
Grants, not to exceed $3000, will be awarded biannually. For information about the Fund and grant applications, interested persons are urged to write to the Nixon Griffis Fund for Zoological Research, c/o New York Zoological Society, 185th Street and Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460.
194
Coming Events
AAZPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
September 9-13, 1984 Miami, FL
BLACK-FOOTED FERRET WORKSHOP
September 18-19, 1984 Laramie, WY
Held at the University of Wyoming, the purpose is the first comprehensive meeting on the endangered black-footed ferret since their rediscovery in 1981. Biologists will discuss research, searching, and management. The workshop will close with a panel presentation and discussion on the direc- tion of black-footed ferret research and management in the future. Regis- tration fee is $20/general, $10/student. Fee includes published proceed- ings. For more information contact: Conference & Institutes, P.O. Box 3972, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071-3972.
THE 4TH ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL HORTICULTURE CONFERENCE
September 19-22, 1984 Brookfield, IL
To be held at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Blvd., Brookfield, IL 60513. Those interested in attending please contact Bill Torsberg at the above address.
AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at the Maidson Hotel. For information contact Mary Bennett, Registrar, 5500 Phinney Ave., North, Seattle, WA 98103.
ECOLOGY RESTORATION SYMPOSIUM
October 11-12, 1984 Madison, WI
To be held at the University of Wisconsin, the two-day symposium focuses on the scientific value of attempts to restore ecological communities and ecosystems. For information contact: Nancy Dopkins, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WI 53711 or call (608) 262-2746.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL DR. SCHOLL CONFERENCE ON
THE NUTRITION OF CAPTIVE WILD ANIMALS
December 7-8, 1984 Chicago, IL
Held at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens. For further information contact Thomas Meehan, DVM, Staff Veterinarian, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
195
f
Births|^ Hatchings |
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS Sandy HokzA
May B&H include: Mammals - 3.1 Nyala, 0.1 Greater kudu, 4.5 Thomson's i
gazelle, 1.0 Reticulated giraffe, 8.13 Impala, 0.0.1 Ring-tailed lemur,
0.1 Muntjac deer, 0.1 Kafue (Red )lechwe, 0.1 Roan antelope, 2.0 Dorcas .j gazelle; Birds - 11 Orinoco goose, 5 Crested tinamou, 19 Indian peafowl i!
(blue phase), 3 Indian peafowl (white phase), 20 Mandarin duck, 2 Illiger’s ; macaw, 3 Green-cheeked conure, 1 Black-necked swan, 4 Mexican military j
macaw, 0.1 Lesser Bahama pintail, 1 Blue and gold x Military macaw, 9 jj
Redhead duck, 3 Golden-capped conure, 4 Moustache parakeet, 4 Scarlet ibis, 2 Golden (Queen of Bavaria) conure, 1 Green (white-eyed) conure,
1 Greater sulphur-crested cockatoo, 6 Abdim's stork, 2 Pied cockatiel, ..
3 Black swan, 2 White-bellied carique, 4 Severe macaw, 1 Ringed teal, 3 Yellow- cheeked (red lored) Amazon and 1 American flamingo.
I!
DALLAS ZOO Taml JoKieA
B&H for May 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Slender-horned gazelle, 0.0.1 Spider monkey, 2.2 Ruffed lemur, 3.1 Markhor, 0.1 Kirk's dik dik, 0.1 Speke's gazelle, 1.1 Snow leopard, 0.1 Hamadryas baboon, 1.0 Bison; Birds - 0.0.2 Green-winged parrot, 0.0.3 Spur-winged lapwing, 0.0.1 Coscaroba swan, 0.0.1 Philippine duck, 0.0.1 Abysinian ground hombill.
0.0.1 Double-striped thick-knee, 0.0.2 Mute swan; Reptiles - 0.0.18 Bismarck ringed python (Lta2>^ boa) , 8.6 Green tree python ( Ckond/LOpytkon viV'idJji ) , and 0.0.6 Children's python ( LaL6-c6 c}uZd/LQ,¥li)
TOPEKA ZOO Atcce HUoJi
May and early June 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0 Degu, 1.0 Dama wallaby, 1.0 Japanese macaque, 1.1 Cotton-headed tamarin (DNS), 1.1 Siberian tiger
(0.1 DNS; first born at TZP, part of SSP program/sire is at Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE) , 1.1 Przewalski wild horse (part of SSP; 10th birth at TZP of which 2 DNS), 0.0.? Bobcat (mother and kittens are in seclusion due to mother's past history of eating her kittens); Birds - 0.0.3 Lilac- breasted roller, 0.0.3 Red-crested cardinal, 3.0 Trumpeter swan, 0.0.4 Darwin's rhea (first at TZP; artificially incubated; 0.0.2 DNS).
MIAMI METROZOO lonl B/iuckhe^
The following are the B&H for May 1984: Mammals - 0.2 Defassa waterbuck, 2.0 Himilayan tahr, 1.1 Impala, 1.0 Markhor; Birds - 0.0.16 Ostrich (0.0.4 DNS), 0.0.4 Ruddy duck (0.0.3 DNS), 0.0.3 Wood duck (0.0.1 DNS), 2.1.9 Mandarin duck, and 0.0.3 Red-crested pochard (0.0.1 DNS).
THE LONG BEACH ZOO l/^cXoa Pant
Recorded B&H from November 1983 through March 1984 include: Mammals - 2.1.8 Virginia opossum, 0.0.7 New Zealand rabbit, 0.0.9 Beveren rabbit, 1.2 Pygmy goat (1 DNS), 1.0 Angora goat, 11.2 Chinchilla; Birds - 13 Rhode Island red, 8 Reeves pheasant, 3 Golden pheasant, 2 Ringneck phea- sant, 14 Pharaoh quail, 6 Plum-headed parakeet, 8 Cockatiel, 24 Zebra finch, 10 Society finch, 2 Indian ring-neck pheasant (DNS); Reptiles - 1 Banded gecko, 6 California desert tortoise (1 DNS), 2 Texas desert tortoise, 14 Southern alligator lizard, 6 Western fence swift, 22 Ribbon snake; Fish - 47 Sailfin mollies, 52 Black mollies, 31 Jack Dempsey's,
14 Angelfish, 100+ Platt ies; Invertebrates - 2 Praying mantis. j Amphib- ians - 4 Fire belly toads. ’
196
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, CoyvUmtd
METRO TORONTO ZOO. ......................................... OUvoA ClaU^y
B&H for March and April 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.16 Kowari, 0.0,6 Egyptian fruit bat, 0,0.2 Ringtailed lemur, 0,0.6 Plains rat, 3.0.1 Hama- dryas baboon, 0.0,3 Hog-nosed badger (DNS), 0.0.1 Reeves muntjac, 0.0.1 Nubian ibex (DNS), 0.0.3 Common marmoset, 0.0.1 Geoffrey's cat, 0.0.1 American woodland caribou, 3.5 Aoudad, 1.1 Black lemur, 0.0.1 Dourou- couli; Birds - 0.0,6 Emu ( 2 DNS), 0.0.3 Black-footed penguin, 0.0.5 Sacred ibis, 0.0.2 S.A, ostrich, 0.0.6 Yellow-billed duck, 0.0.1 Tawny frogmouth; Fish - 0.0.70 Brichardi cichlid, 0,0,2 Striped panchax; Inver- tebrates - 0.0.25 Brazilian cockroach.
BROOKFIELD ZOO. .................... ............. .John S. StoddoAd
April and May 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.0,13 White-toothed shrew, 2.2.11 Domestic goat, 0.1 Llama, 0.0.2 Dali sheep, 0.0,2 Callimico mon- key, 0.0.2 Spiny mouse, 0.0.2 Acouchi, 0.0.3 Degu; Birds - 0.0.3 Inca tern, 0.0.2 Blue- shouldered robin chat, 0.0.2 Purple swamphen, 0.0,2 Purple honeycreeper (fledged); Herptiles - 0.0.3 Poison arrow frog and 0.0,4 Australian side-necked turtle.
BRONX ZOO. Ha/igoAoX PAice,
B&H for April and May 1984 are: Mammals - 2.0 Saddleback tamarin, 0.1 Pudu, 2,0 Lesser galago, 1.1 Axis deer, 3.0 Pen-tailed bettong, 1.0 Collared peccary, 4,0 Minnie down's mouse, 1.0 Red brocket deer, 2.1 Mongolian wild horse, 1.0 Slender-horn gazelle, 2.1 Pere David’s deer,
1.0 Gaur, 1.0 American bison, 0.1 Reeves muntjac, 1.2 Patagonian cavy,
1.0 Mandrill, 1.1 Maxwell duiker, 1.0 Egyptian spiny mouse, 2.0 Bara- singha, 2,0 Wild cavy, 1.0 Mexican fruit bat, 4.0 Snow leopard, 5,2 Thomson’s gazelle; Birds - 5 Red-crested pochard, 1 Green jungle fowl,
13 Crested tinamou, 4 Tawny frogmouth, 1 Mauritius pink pigeon, 2 Kooka- burra, 2 Humboldt penguin, 3 Black- rumped hemipode, 1 Malay peacock pheasant, 1 Rothchild’s mynah, 1 Edward’s lorikeet, 1 Inca tern, 1 Congo peacock pheasant, 1 Scarlet ibis, 2 Silver gull, 1 Andean gull, 1 Palawan peacock pheasant, 2 African purple glossy starling, 4 Lilac-breasted roller, 1 Hooded crane, 1 East African pratincole, 4 Kashmir koklass pheasant, 3 Melba finch, 2 White-naped crane, 1 American bam owl; Reptiles - 1 Travancope tortoise, 1 Siamese crocodile, 37 Russian viper and 9 Boa constrictor.
JACKSONVILLE ZOO. .......................................... Ann^ Wiggins
April and May 1984 produced the following B&H: Mammals - 0.1 Dama Wallaby, 0.1 Guanaco, 1.1 Eland (1.0 DNS), 0.2 Sitatunga, 0.0.1 Ring-tail lemur (DNS), 2.0 Cape hartebeest, 1.1 Grant’s zebra; Birds - 0,0.3 Nanday
conure, 0.0.6 Kookaburra (1 DNS), 0.0.8 Killdeer (1 DNS), 0.0.9 Masai ostrich (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Leadbeater's ground hornbill ( 1 DNS), 0.0.25 Wild turkey, 0.0.1 Pondicherry vulture, 0.0.1 Sacred ibis, 0.0.4 Indian spoonbill, 0.0.2 Rothchild’s mynah (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Mandarin duck.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO. .................................... .Ste^vm M. Wing
May 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0.1 Tree shrew (1.0 DNS), 0.0.2 Common marmoset, 0.1 Miniature horse, 0.1 Canada moose, 0.2 Caribou; Birds - 0.0.2 Mute swan, 0.0.3 Barn owl; Reptiles - 0.0.7 Yellow anaconda.
197
Front RovqI Visiting Keeper Program
Submitted By
Juidi-d StddYibdfiQ , Coon.dlnatoK ! AA2K Educat-ion ComnUttdd
A special program is being offered by the Staff at the Front Royal Conservation and i Research Center in conjunction with the AAZK Staff Exchange program. The Center, located near Frotn Royal, Virginia, offers the opportunity to learn about current con- t servation and research programs involving many species of birds, small mammals and ungulates.
The Visiting Keeper program would allow keepers to spend time at the Center in a working situation, learning and sharing information and ideas. Guidelines for the program would be as follows;
1. If the participating Zoo or Keeper requests that training /experience j:
be limited to either birds or mammals, the training period should cover a maximum of 4 weeks (mammals — 2 weeks in small mammals and ;
2 weeks in ungulates; birds — 4 weeks to cover this complex operation ; involving incubation room, rearing facilities, diets, etc.). I
2. If the participating Zoo or Keeper requests that training/experience ' be gained in both birds and mammals (several zoos have keepers work- ing both areas) , the training period could be extended to 6 weeks
(2 weeks in each "unit”).
Visiting keepers would benefit from experience gained while working at this i unique facility and the Center would benefit from the sharing of ideas and information as well as the additional help provided.
The Center would provide free-of-charge housing in the dormitory as it does for other volunteers. Participants would be responsible for their own transportation to and from the Center and for food while at the dormi- tory. Work would be on a regular 40hour/week schedule, which would allow time to visit the Tock Creek facility as well as other nearby institutions.
Examples of the variety of species currently being managed at Front Royal i are: Birds - Rothchild's mynah, Jobi Island ground dove, mountain witch
dove, blue-crowned pigeon, sun bittern, Schalow’s touraco, satin bower- bird, Szechwan parakeet, black palm cockatoo, European hoopoe, tule geese, white-winged wood duck, Teminck's tragopan, satyr tragopan, Koklass pheas- ant, various crane species including Mississippi sandhill, saurus, white- naped, red-crowned and Stanley’s. Mammals - Small mammal species include Matschie's tree kangaroo, golden lion tamarin, Goeldi's tamarin, clouded leopard, maned wolf, red panda and marsupial tiger cat. Ungulate species include Reeve’s muntjac, Eld’s deer, Pere David’s deer, reindeer, bactrian camel, wisent, sable antelope, scimitar-horned oryx, Przewalski’s horse, onager and zebra.
A maximum of two Keepers would be allowed to participate in the program at one time. Larry Collins, Mammalogist, DOC, will coordinate the pro- I gram. All inquiries should be referred to him at: National Zoological Park, Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA 22630. i
-HAVE YOU SENT IN YOUR REGISTRATION FOR THE AAZK CONFERENCE? I
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Stephen J. Danko, HiveAbank^ Zoo A AIK
by
VKe&ldent
Chapter
Riverbanks Chapter Hosts Successful First AAZK Regional
The Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter (Columbia, SC), decided to conduct a regional conference to further promote professionalism within the zoo keeping profession and to make the highly educational and Inspirational zoo keeper conference available to financially restricted animal keepers within our region. The conference was held April 19,20 and 21, 1984.
With these ideals in mind, it was decided to have only two and a half days of conference activities and that the conference would be managed in a "break-even" fashion for the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter. Cost cutting methods included: holding all conference activities at the River -■ banks Zoo to avoid renting any facilities; providing most of the meals thus saving by purchasing in bulk and saving on time and individual expenses of traveling to and from eating; selecting a fairly inexpensive but adequate motel located only a short distance from the Riverbanks Zoo; and soliciting contributions from various companies and individuals in the Columbia area.
To increase the educational value of this conference, we invited several noted individuals within the zoological profession. By inviting these people, we hoped to give our conference participants the opportunity to meet and talk with these individuals. We are extremely grateful to:
Dr. Joe Erwin, Dr. Kenneth Gould, Miles Roberts, Les Schobert, Guy Smith, Dr. David Taub, A1 Valenzuela and Bill Zeigler, who participated in the conference at their own expense!
The total conference intake including donations, registration fees and the auction amounted to $1,819.00. The actual conference cost amounted to $1,569.09, yielding a surplus of $249.91. As previously agreed, all profits generated were to be split 50/50 with National AAZK.
I would like to thank the AAZK Board of Directors for their support and the assistance of the Editors of Animal Keepers ’ Forum for making this conference possible.
This first AAZK regional conference attracted a total of 75 participants representing 20 zoological institutions and eight states! Hopefully we have sparked some interest in AAZK from several non-AAZK keepers who attended. We sincerely hope that the Riverbanks Zoo AAZK Chapter, by the attitude in which this conference was managed, fairly represented the goals and ideals of AAZK in regards to professional zoo keeping to the directors, curators and keepers who attended.
200
Viewpomf
A TRIBUTE
To A Man Who Has Made A Difference
By
\kidacLdi G. IIZlq, Avumat Ko^ojpdn. (jiIcU)ktn.gton VoAk loo, VonXtand, OR foAmeA EATM Student
There is a man whose major contribution to the animal business should not go unheralded. This man, William Brisby, is the Director of the Institute for Wild and Exotic Animal Studies at Moorpark College in Moorpark, CA,
30 miles north of Los Angeles. Ten years ago, "Briz”, as he is known to his students and friends, founded the Institute with one timber wolf and a dream that many believed would never come true. Today the collection comprises over 750 animals of 150 different species.
Competition for entry into the program is tough. There are up to 2000+ applications received every year for this 2^ year program where graduates receive an Associate of Science degree in Exotic Animal Training and Man- agement (EATM) . There are only 40 people chosen each year for the pro- gram. Applicants have ranged from those just out of high school to PhDs and Veterinarians.
What happens in this very condensed facility of Ihi acres in what makes William Brisby so remarkable. Briz has created such an environment of learning and hands-on experience that it may be the perfect start for those wanting to work with animals. The standards are very high in this program. So high, in fact, that often less than half of the students who start the program ever finish. Brisby demands 110% effort from every student 110% of the time. Students will attend a full-time academic program with such classes as Biology of Exotic Animals, Exotic Animal Behavior, Animal Health and Safety, Exotic Animal Nutrition, Exotic Ani- mal Care and Handling, Animal Parks Planning and Design, Veterinary Pro- cedures, Public Relations and Administration, among others.
Every one of the 750+ animals are cleaned and fed by 8 a.m. Every past and present EATM student knows that it is like to have a flashlight in one hand and a hose in the other on a dark winter morning, making sure the animals' quarters are spotless. A student must also maintain a "C" average, cannot fail any class, and can be absent no more than three times or they are out of the program. There are no vacations, no regular days off, and many times a student will stay at the animal compound all night for a scheduled "nightwatch" . In the program's ten-year history, there has been someone on the grounds every second. The students must also raise the majority of the operating funds themselves. So, along with their already grueling schedule of work and study, they put on hundreds of educational animal shows a year, and also an annual circus, among other fund-raising events. This all may sound rather harsh, but Briz has produced some of the most dedicated, hard-working people in the ani- mal business.
The graduates of the EATM program are in demand. Many students with no prior experience have successfully competed for jobs in zoos, aquariums and research facilities around the world. There are many former EATM students who are past, present and, I am sure, future presidents, vice presidents and other officers in AAZK Chapters all over the country. William Brisby has helped create a high degree of professionalism in the animal business.
201
A TRIBUTE- — To a Man Who Has Made A Difference, ConX>cnu2-d
Another dream is now taking shape for Briz and the faculty and students of the EATM program. The cramped Ihi acre facility will soon be moving to 9 acres adjacent to the Moorpark College campus. There is no doubt in my mind that with the standards that William Brisby demands, that this will become a zoo of the highest quality.
Personally, I cannot say enough about what being an EATM student has done for me and has meant to me. I just want to join with hundreds of "ex-EATM- ites” in thanking Briz for all the sacrifices he has made and all the work he has done to make us better animal people and to improve the care that is given to animals all over the world.
THINK Safety!
SA^sry- 6^5^ ^P’roj^jE, yoa /r /
202
Keepers and Computers. . .Part Six
SOME FINAL CONSIDERATIONS By
J-lm AtbeAt
Colony ManageA, BalconeA P/UmaXe LaboAoto/iy GAO-duatz Studo^nX, V2.pa/iXm2.yX oi AnXhAopology UnXv2A6AXy o{^ Texcu aX Aubi>tLn, AuufitXn, TX
It's time to finish this series on Zookeepers and Computers, and I'd once again like to address the rationale for keeper use of computers. The temptation to wax philosophical is great at this point, but I'll try to keep it short and simple.
We are in the midst of an "information explosion". The advances in many fields in the past five years are monumental compared to the gains over centuries previously. These major leaps in technology and science have helped make modern zoos possible, by creating the leisure time and finan- cial basis that makes parks a part of modern society, as well as contribut- ing to better construction of exhibits and superior veterinary care.
Along with the information explosion, and in part caused by it, there has been a population explosion, and while people have increased, so wild places have been decreased, and the numbers of many species have dwindled and in some cases, extinctions have occurred. Efforts to conserve many critical areas of unmolested habitat, particularly in the tropics, are relatively recent and are of uncertain success, while captive conservation has not been particularly successful in some cases.
What is needed to enhance both habitat conservation and captive mainten- ance is simply more information. Specific knowledge of an animal's habits is required to effectively deal with threats to its existence in the wild as well as to ensure its survival in the zoo. Such knowledge is notably lacking for many species. It is extrodinarily difficult to conduct re- search on many animals in their native habitats, due to difficult con- ditions, both ecological and political.
Laboratories hold animals for a variety of research purposes, and have made meaningful contributions, but the species that they have are limit- ed for the omost part, to "standard" research animals. The place where most of the animals about which more information is needed to ensure their survival are located is in the zoo. The person with the most constant exposure to the animals and with the most intimate knowledge of their be- havior is the zookeeper.
What is clearly needed is the transferal of what the keeper knows by routine observation or suspects by "professional intuition" from the keeper's private knowledge to a more public domain. AKF and AAZK con- ferences do much to meet this need within the zoo industry, and there are other, outside avenues as well.
Much about animals is subtle and complex. The professional keeper may nonetheless be aware that "something is going on", but unable to make systematic sense of it; this is where a computer can be of great assis- tance. The computer can also be useful in formalizing a report such that it commands the respect of the academic community, who may then turn their attention to the problem.
203
KEEPERS AND COMPUTERS, Part Six, Coi^nu^d
Zoos, zookeeping, and indeed our jobs will continue to exist only so long as there are animals to keep. Although the survival of many species in captivity is virtually a given thing, this is not so for a multitude of others, and numbered among them are many of the animals that "draw" people back to the zoo.
The computer is a product of the information explosion. I commend it to you as one of the tools that are useful in building our defences against the "extinction explosion", hoping that in putting computers to work, you have as much fun with them as I do.
Chapter
The Toledo Zoo AAZK Chapter is pleased to announce these newly elected officers for 1984:
Newly elected officers for the Brookfield Zoo AAZK Chapter are:
President ... .Barbara Clauson Vice-Pres. . . . Jan Ramer Assist. Vice-Pres ... .Mary Schollhamer Secretary ... .John Stoddard Ecology Off icer. .. .Fran Olson
President ... .Don Red Fox Vice-Pres. .. .Valerie Windus Secretary ... .Joanne Terry Treasurer ... .Terri Heminger Sgt.-at-arms. .. .Cheryl Hanzlick
We would also like to thank our outgoing officers for a great year in 1983. Our second annual AAZK haunted house (Halloween II) took in $4,800 for our chapter. Some of our guest speakers included local wildlife rehabilitators , our county game warden speaking on wildlife laws; Dr. Tramer who spoke about migrant birds in the neo- tropics, and a program by one of our keepers who traveled to Venezuela. The weekly summer volleyball games sponsored by AAZK gave everyone a chance to socialize while they exer- cised. Our successful Keeper Con- tinuing Education Program has become a part of the standing committees sponsored by the zoo. Keepers still sit on and chair the program, but we are no longer solely sponsored by the AAZK Chapter. The Toledo Chapter is participating in the KAL program and we welcome keepers from other zoos.
SubnUJXzd by HichMe. GAA.goAe.
News
?le.(ue, 6md ChapteA Nm6 to Luo, Payne., ChapteA A^atAi> CooAdinatoK, at the. VetAo-it loo. At&o 6 end a copy to the AKf edltoAial o^^tce.6, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
204
A HAUNTED HOUSE IN A ZOO?
By
It was a wild joke offered in response to a request for fund-raising ideas at an AAZK Chapter meeting. We didn't think anyone would take it seriously. Everyone laughed, but the man in charge, W. Dennler, TZ Director, was laughing as he said "yes" to the project. Beyond the basic idea of a haunted house, we had only Machiavellian fantasies. That was two years ago, and the "haunted house" is now a significant zoo event created and produced by the Toledo AAZK Chapter with the wholehearted support of zoo management, staff, volunteer organizations, members, vo- cational students, media, and private business. It has been an astound- ing success, especially financially.
If your chapter is looking for fund-raising ideas (and which chapter isn't?), you should consider a haunted house. The benefits are numerous and substantial, foremost of which is financial. This single annual event can significantly enrich a chapter's treasury. The first year our gross profit was $950.00; the second year it was $4,800.00! With our profits we help support the organizations that participate with us and other related professional organizations whose aims we share; we bring speakers to our zoo, fund zoo-related projects, and last, but not least, we have fun in the form of chapter parties and activities.
As long as we're talking about fun,, let us point out that doing a haunted house can be just that. In spite of all the frustrations, fits of des- pair, etc., it is entertaining and rewarding. I know, I've sworn after each "I'll never do it again... but. Oh, Damn! Here I go again, "Hmmm, Halloween III." What we offer is not just a haunted house but also associated activities, such as a graphics display describing Halloween traditions, halloween movies with live action, and for zoo members only, a free children's party with games, prizes, and refreshments donated by local merchants.
The haunted house is live theatre, pure and simple, with props, special effects, costumes, characterizations, etc. We let our imagination run wild and then use what fits or feels right. The creative freedom is exhilarating.
The event is definitely worth the trouble when you consider the benefits to zoo personnel relations, public relations, and more significantly the opportunity to make Halloween a safe, enjoyable holiday again. The time honored tradition of "Trick-or-Treat" is rapidly disappearing. We are all too familiar with the increasing incidents of razor blades, needles, etc. hidden in the treats given to unsuspecting children, "Well, maybe just one more time,"
Look at your zoo facilities* See what they offer or don’t offer and let imagination go to work. Focus on the real spirit of Halloween and let it happen.
Our Chapter has learned a lot in two years of trial and error and we would be happy to help any chapters interested in trying it. Perhaps we can spare you some errors. Write toi Totiido Zoo AAZK, 2700 ExoCLdiAXiy , Toledo^ OH 43609, Haltomm Commvttee,,
205
Reptile Care; Relating To The Inquiring Novice - Part 2
BUYING
By
Siuan M. BoAnoAd, Se^nloA Ke.e.peA V&pt, 0^ HeApeXology Atlanta Zoologtcal PoAk, Atlanta^ GA
The snake scam of Atlanta Wildlife Exchange should have stimulated every- one (especially zoo keepers) to inform the reptile novice about the legal- ities of any animals being acquired. While not always obviously protec- tive of our wildlife, animal welfare laws must be observed. Whether the reptile enthusiast is contemplating collecting an animal from the wild or purchasing one from an animal dealer, it is important to be familiar with federal, state, and local animal regulations.
Deciding on the "right” reptile often requires considerable thought. Novices must ask themselves why they wish to own a reptile. As they pon- der the reasons, consideration must be given to family members. Will the reptile in question be compatible with others who must live with it? How large will the animal be at maturity? Can it be financially afforded (housing, artificial environment, veterinary care, food, etc.)?
Once potential reptile owners have justified the need to own such an ani- mal, they can begin to become serious about the matter. There is a great deal of research to be done. It is the moral obligation of any animal owner to thoroughly research the requirements of the intended acquisition so that it will receive the proper care. Also, background information about the particular animal is essential to know, its age, disposition, and current state of health, etc. However, the novice should not rely entirely on information offered by the seller. It will be necessary to exercise good judgement. If possible, the animal should be viewed be- fore purchasing. It is also helpful if the novice invites an experienced herpetologist along to assist in choosing "the best of the lot"!
Some factors to consider are the animal’s weight: is it in a proper state of flesh? Is it vigorous or listless? Does the animal look dehydrated? Are there any scars or cuts on its body? Are there missing appendages or broken bones? Check for retained sheds and eyecaps. Is the animal gaping (may signify mouth rot or respiratory problems)? Is it being housed in the same cage with other reptiles? If so, what kinds and how many others? What is the condition of the cagemates? Is there fecal material present, or is the cage clean? Does the animal have access to water, and if so, check for cleanliness and the presence of drowned mites.
If all seems in order, and before a purchase, the novice should be pre- pared to properly transport (Part 3) and house the new reptile.
THE REPTILE NOVICE SHOULD NEVER ACQUIRE A VENOMOUS ANIMAL
206
National Conference SEATTLE 1984
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM
Sept. SO^Oct. 4, 1984
Please type or print. One name per form.
Return form with your fee toi
Mary Bennett, Registration Coordinator Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 625-5488
Make checks payable to Puget Sound Chapter AAZK.
Deadline for Pre-registration is August 15, 1984.
1984 Registration Name
ADDRESS
CITY STATE/COUNTRY_
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
ZOO AFFILIATION IF APPLICABLE
AREA OF INTEREST
VEGETARIAN YES NO
WILL BE SUBMITTING PAPER YES NO
($20.00 will be refunded on acceptance of paper! '
AAZK MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND FEES:
|
MEMBER OR SPOUSE |
$50.00 each |
|
NON-MEMBER |
$70.00 each |
|
LATE FEE |
$15.00 |
|
(After Aug. 15th) |
|
|
TOTAL FEES ENCLOSED |
$ |
ONE DAY RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT MARY BENNETT FOR INFORMATION.
Are you interested in purchasing a conference T-shirt?
YES NO Size S M L XL
(This will help us provide adequate inventory)
Papers^ Papers^ Papers! ! !
As this issue goes to press, the deadline for papers is at hand. We hope your abstracts are in the mail and on the way. If you missed the deadline but have a peper, contact Phil Pennock right away. No guaranteed, but we’ll try to squeeze it in. If you have a paper but aren’t sure if you’ll be able to come to the conference, let Phil know. Depending on the situa- tion, we can try to work something out.
Auction Items
If you have an item for the auction, please consider sending it to us ahead of time, if at all possible. It might make your traveling easier and it will definitely make auction arrangements here go much smoother. Send all items to:
Woodland Park Zoo 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 ATTN: Pat Maluy
No cod’s, please.
Day Fees
Sunday $10.00
Monday $10.00
Tuesday .... $ 5.00
Wednesday. .$15.00 Thursday. . .$15.00
Thursday . . .$25.00 ( evening )
includes includes includes from WPZ includes includes evening covers ba
ice breaker evening tour of lunch, dinner &
buses all day, lunch at hotel .
nquet & evening
Seattle Aquarium buses to and
lunch and dinner Does not cover
at Space Needle
Tentative Schedule
SUNDAY
Board Meeting Registration Ice Breaker
MONDAY
Opening presentations Morning paper session Lunch on your own Evening tour of Seattle Aquarium
TUESDAY
Bus to Woodland Park Zoo Morning- tour s
Lunch provided by WPZ docents Afternoon-workshops, tours Dinner provided by Seattle Zoological Society
WEDNESDAY
Bus to Pt. Defiance Zoo, Tacoma Morning-tours
Lunch provided by Pt. Defiance Early afternoon— demonstrations Bus to Northwest Trek, Eatonville Tram tours, walking tours Dinner provided by Northwest Trek
THURSDAY
Morning paper session Lunch provided at hotel-awards given Afternoon-AAZK general membership meeting
Banquet at Seattle’s famous Space Needle
209
ONLY 2 MONTHS TO GO
ELEPHANT SET
ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN MID-1982 TO EARLY 1984
Part 2 By
Vo6kl, yOYidtCLYli
looVoJilloo VeA-lgn B Education Lab Kobe, Japan
(EcUtoA*^ note: The ^ottoujlng aa VoAt 2 oi a two-pant ^entoA on the hjAtony and cunjient i>tatuA o^ elephants In capttvtty In Japan. Only mlnon. edttontat changes have been made ^n-om the ontgtnal tex.t to pn.ovtde conttnutty oa It woa oua Mtsh not to negate the ontgtnal Intent ^ {^lavon oi Vo^ht. '4 maniucntpt. )
Captive Records
Records showing that many elephants were kept in the same location at the same time is included in the following matters.
In the Japanese Zoo-world, a real raising of elephant herds began at the Miyazaki Safari Park that is the first typed facility of this kind from 1975. This herd was made up of 8 African elephants.
Twenty-two African elephants (5.17) consisting of two groups, each with a matriarch, resided at the Africa Safari, Oita from September 1977 to April 1980. At the same time, three female Asians (=lndian elephants) were there, too. A a supplementary thing, 10 African elephants exist together with 27 Cheetahs, 10 White Rhinos and 2 African buffalos in
I a mixed species exhibit in the same zone now.
I I must mention three big elephant events in Japan. For one thing, many j Asian elephants came from Thailand to Japan in order to join in a cere- mony, "National Day" for Expo ’70 in 1970. Twenty elephants (8.8 adults
land 4 calves) marched in the street on foot from the port of Kobe to the i suburbs of Osaka. This is the only time such a thing has happened in 'Japan. And then, these elephants spent hh months from early May until September at the Expo grounds. Moreover, it is worthy of special men- tion that the breeding success had been observed there. *See an item on "Breeding" for details.
I By the way, 1 female calf of that group was purchased by the Phoenix I Natural Zoo after Expo ’70 came to a close. And more, 1 female calf was ! donated to the Osaka munucipal Tennoji Zoo as a substantial reminder of i the exposition by the government of India. She is doing well now.
As another thing, 11 Asian (Thai elephants) group came to Japan to appear ' on stage in a special elephant show which the Nagashima spa in Mie prefecture provided as entertainments for 50 days from mid-March to early ^May in 1979.
I
I In a similar idea, 12 Asians came again to promote freindly relations j between our country and Thailand on a larger scale. Their exhibition jwas held in the Nanki Shirahama-Adventure World for 165 days from mid- 1 March to the end of Eugust in 1981. In rememberance of this elephant’s I festival, 2 females (4 and 3 years old) were presented by the government of Thailand on 13 August, 1982.
211
ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN, ConUnued
Longevity
Thirty-one elephants (3.28) had been with current owners for more than 20 years at the time of the survey (see June 1984 AKF for other survey |
results). However, the years indicated (See Table II) represent only the period in which the animal was maintained by the surveyed owner and may not state the animal’s total years in captivity. All animals listed ^ in Table II are Asians. In addition to those elephants listed in captivit! in zoos and/or safari parks, I supposed 5 Asians (^females) over 20 years |1 old at five different institutions including circus-companies, ;
The oldest elephant in the survey was 49-year-old "Indira” in the Ueno (pronounced ”Way-no”) Zoo, Tokyo. She arrived at the Zoo on 25 Septem- ber, 1949 at the age of 15. The late premier, Nehru of India, presented ' here to the people of Japan as a messenger of peace. Her name was callec after his daughter, who is currently Prime Minister of India, Madame Indiil Gandhi .
The ceremony celebrating Indira’s 30th anniversary since her arrival in [ Japan was held in the presence of an ambassador of India on 22 September, t
1979. 1
Indira died at 1:42 a.m. on 11 August, 1983. Since 1967 when she injured [ her haunch in an altercation with another female who shared her night \ quarters, Indira couldn’t lie down and had to sleep in a standing positiorj Due to this hard work, she was old for her age and this hastened her deattl
I
Captive Situation of Male Elephants
i.
As matters stand currently, male elephants in Japan are not very experi- enced in propagation. However, it is said that there is possibility of breeding success. From my point of view, some institutions which keep groups of Africans (1.1 elephants or more) may have the possibility for {
success in the future. But there is little chance fot the Asians. I ^
think that most of Japanese Zoos need to solve many problems such as correspondence of puberty, a disparity of the pair’s ages, and a capacity j: of supervision of the males.
There are 11 Zoos and Zoo-related institutions that maintained male elephants in the past days no matter how short the term of keeping (more than 1 year) might be, I supplement 2 circus-companies to the |
above mentioned matter in 1984. [
Asians ... .Asahiyama Zoo, Hamamatsu Zoo, Tennoj i Zoo, Ikeda Zoo, l
Cable Rakutenchi, Phoenix Natural Zoo, Hanayashiki [
(-closed zoo), Yano Circus, Kigure Circus
I'
Africans ... .Namegawa Island, Kanazawa Zoo, Yatsu Zoo (- a closed zoo) ( and Shirahama Adventure World j
i
At the present, 25 institutions have males including Asians and Africans. Two institutions have males of both species. The total number of males j in captivity in Japan is 31. Twenty-four of them were older than 10 ^
years of age. They included 12 Asians (including 1 Ceylonese) and 19 Africans (including 1 Forest elephant) in 1984. i:
212
I lEPHANTS IN JAPAN, CoyvUnmd
1 Asians. .Ueno Zoo (the individual number—l) , Tama Zoo (1 *Ceylonese) ,
‘ Toyohashi Zoo (1), Takarazuka Zoo (1), Oji Zoo (1), Hirakawa
Zoo (1), Kannawa Zoo (1), Elza Wonderland (1), Korankei Snake Center (1), Nasu Safari Park (1), Nagasaki Bio Park (1) , Fureai Children Zoo (= a strolling zoo) (1) .
Africans. .. .Kushiro Zoo (1), Yagiyama Zoo (1), Tobu Zoo (1), Tama Zoo (1) , Higashiyama Zoo (1) , Asa Zoo (1) , Okinawa-Kodomonokuni ’ (1 ^Forest elephant), Iwaki World Safari (1), Nasu Safari
Park (1), Gunma Safari World (1), Fuji Safari Park (2), Himeji Central Park (2), Akiyoshidai Safari Land (1), African Safari (2), Miyazaki Safari Park (2)
Asian & African. .. .Tama Zoo, Nasu Safari Park
||l Historical Review
[Three institutions no longer maintain any elephants but have had experi- mce in keeping them in the past. The Asians were in two places (Kochi /.oo: total 2 females; Matsushima Aquarium; total 1 female) and the African was in one place (Namegawa Island; total 1 male and 2 females).
iChere were six institutions that went through the keeping of both species ip to this time. It didn’t always follow that those Asian and African ilephants were kept during the same period.
...Kanazawa Zoo, Oji Zoo, Tokuyama Zoo, Omuta Zoo, Yatsu Zoo (“ a closed Zoo, *Forest elephant), Elza Wonderland (^Forest elephant) .
[ncidentially, there are eight institutions that maintain both species (Without regard to the sex distinction at each place at the present time.
...Asahiyama Zoo, Yagiyama Zoo, Tama Zoo, Higashiyama Zoo, Nasu i Safari Park, Gunma Safari World, Nanki Shirahama Adventure World,
' African Safari.
3 reeding
Che Takarazuka Zoo received a pair of elephants from Thailand in 1950.
)n 10 April, 1962, they mated for the first time. The male was 13 years bid and weighed 2.8 tons, the female was 14 and weighed 2.6 tons. After
|:hat, they mated every 30 days until the following May. The female was ?iven a pregnancy test in August 1963. The result was positive. Around February 1964, her belly began to get large and her breasts to swell.
Dn 6 May, 1965 at 8;47 a.m., a male baby was born. But it died of asphyxiation just before birth. It weighed 133.3 kg, and measured 87 cm from the ground to the shoulder, 224 cm from tip of trunk to tip of tail, the girth of the chest measured 113.5 cm, the trunk 44 cm, the tail 51 cm, the right ear; 30.5 cm by 27 cm. This was the first pregnancy and birth of an elephant in Japan.
The male of the pair died from complications of a dislocated forefoot |3n 9 June, 1964. At this time, their delivery room was much too small jDeing only 45 square meters. Also, their enclosure was by the side of [a railway and they were always troubled with the train’s noises. The female, who is 35 years old, lives in the same place even now.
213
ELEPHANTS IN JAPAN, Continued
Moreover s it is worthy of special mention that the breeding success had been observed there when Expo "70 was held in Osaka. A male baby elephant, was born on 16 August at about 2 a.m. This fact was the so called second 1| birth in my country. The baby's mother was estimated at 18 years old ; and had given birth twice before. The calf measured 92 cm from ground |i to shoulder, length (from head to the root of the tail) 102 cm, the girth ;i of the chest measured 120 cm, the trunk, a little less than 40 cm, the P left ear: 30 cm by 25 cm. I;
On 31 January, 1984, one African elephant was born at the Gunma Safari World. It was a male, and before everything else, it was the first case !|
of this species in Japan. However, his mother had a hard labor and the ij
birth took 16 hours. Unfortunately the African baby died from breathing li dif f iculities about 30 minutes after birth. ■
His mother, "Sakuve" was estimated at 15-16 years of age and she was im- ported through the International Animal Exchange, Detroit in the U.S. in < March 1979. The sire was estimated to be the same age as the mother or
perhaps one year older. The baby weighed 125.7kg and his length was
1,22 m. The remaining three females at Gunma Safari World are all preg- ! nant and so we are looking forward to catch the good news at next time indeed . j:
* Compare with the first elephant pregnancy at the ;
Takarazuka Zoo ,
Symbol Mark (used as an institution’s logo)
Several Zoo-facilities are putting to use the symbol mark from sittings j;
given by an elephant at this time in Japan. ;
In case of an African elephant, Gunma Safari World, Nanki Shirahama
Adventure World and Asa Zoological Park used it. I
In another Asians, Obihiro Zoo and Dogo Zoo used it.
In addition to them, the Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and
Aquariums had a symbol mark of the Asian elephant. This organization |
affiliates 124 members being organized of 74 Zoos and 50 Aquaria in earlyf
1984. Six institutions are currently applying for membership.
Lists of literature cited
Kawata, Ken and Bennett, Joe/Tulsa Zoological Park, OK
"Elephants in U.S, Zoos mid 1976"; AAZPA Regional Workshop Proceedings 1979, 164-180.
1
"Annual Report of 1981" by Japanese Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums, 1982. i
Sunamoto, Etsujiro, "The Elephants"
Koto, Natsuki, "Animals in Zoos" (Vol. 17, No. 7) published by Tokyo Zoological Park Society, 1965.
Otsuka, Kazuo, "Animals and Zoos" (Vol. 22, No. 11) published by Tokyo i| Zoological Park Society, 1970. ’
Komori, Atsushi, "Animals and Zoos" (Vol 36, No. 1) published by Tokyo J Zoological Park Society, 1984.
214
"LEPHANTS IN JAPAN, Cowtinao^d
P^.E.P. Delaniyagala, Some extinct elephants, their relatives and the two living species/National Museum of Ceylon, 1955.
'The 100th annuals of Ueno Zoological Gardens" compiled by Ueno Zoo, 1982.
'Animals in the World/Classification and rearing", series 3 published by Tokyo Zoological Park Society, 1983.
I
iSpecial thanks to the following individuals/institutions who cooperated
in this survey.
Associate Members
Nakayama, Fumiyoshi
Animal care keeper, Yagiyama Zoological Park-Sendai Nagase, Kenjiro
Zoo veterinarian, Osaka municipal Tenno j i Zoo Hayashi, Teruaki
Zoo veterinarian, Nanki Shirahama Adventure World (E. I.G. /Elephant Interest Group-member)
Information Offers
Hashimoto, Shoichi
General Curator, Kobe-0 ji Zoo
Araki, Kaoru and Saburi, Takashi
Animal care keeper and Zoo veterinarian, Takarazuka Zoological & Botanical Gardens
Nagata, Shingo
Zoo Director, Misaki Park Zoo & Aquarium Abe, Tatsuo
Superintendant , Gunma Safari World Kurihara, Ikuo
Zoo veterinarian, Akiyoshidai Safari Land Nakagawa , Ayato
Animal care manager, Miyazaki Safari Park Ikeda, Yoshiaki
Administrative staff, Nogeyama Zoological Gardens of Yokohama
Fuji Safari Park; public relations unit
African Safari
Kofu Yuki Park Zoo
Elza Wonderland
Ishikawa, Takeshi A.N.C. (New York), U.S.A.
Advisory Board
Kawata , Ken
General Curator, Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee, WI, U.S.A (E. I.G. -member)
Table II
Elephants Kept in Zoos Over 20 Years
|
zoo |
House-name |
Species (sub-species) |
Sex |
Presumed- age |
|
Sapporo-Maruyama Zoo |
Hanako |
Asian |
F |
36 |
|
Obihiro Zoo |
Nana |
Asian |
F |
22 |
|
Yagiyama Zoo- Sendai |
Toshiko |
Asian |
F |
27 |
|
Hitachi City- Kamine Zoo |
Hanako |
Asian |
F |
28 |
|
Gunma Safari World |
El i eMay |
Asian |
F |
31 |
|
Ueno Zoo, Tokyo |
Indira |
Asian (Indian) |
F |
49 (deceased) |
|
Jambo |
Asian (Thai ) |
F |
39 |
|
|
Menam |
Asian (Thai ) |
M |
20 |
|
|
Tama Zoo, Tokyo |
Anura |
Asian (Ceylonese) |
M |
29 |
|
Gacha |
Asian (Cambodian) |
F |
above 25 |
|
|
Takako |
Asian |
F |
35 |
|
|
Inokashira Park Zoo, Tokyo |
Hanako |
Asian (Thai ) |
F |
37 |
|
Nogeyama Zoo, Yokohama |
Hamako |
Asian (Thai?) |
F |
37 |
|
Mariko |
Asian (Thai ) |
F |
29 |
|
|
Rakujuen |
... |
Asian |
F |
above 21 |
|
Kanazawa Zoo |
Miyako |
Asian (Thai ) |
F |
40 |
|
Izu Natural History Park |
Asian |
F |
29 |
216
; TABLE II, Continued
|
ZOO |
House-name |
Species (sub-species) |
Sex |
Presumed- age |
|
Ayameike Zoo, Nara |
Hana |
Asian |
F |
22-23 |
|
Misaki Park Zoo |
Izumi |
Asian |
F |
28-29 |
|
Midori |
Asian |
F |
28-29 |
|
|
Tennoji Zoo |
Haruko |
Asian |
F |
above 24 |
|
Yuriko |
Asian |
F |
above 24 |
|
|
Koshien Hanshin Park |
Akiko |
Asian (Thai ) |
F |
37-38 |
|
Kikuko II |
Asian |
F |
33-34 |
|
|
Takarazuka Zoo |
Mary |
Asian |
F |
35 |
|
Kobe-Oji Zoo |
Taro |
Asian |
M |
36 |
|
Suwako |
Asian |
F |
40 |
|
|
Himeji Zoo |
Himeko |
Asian (Thai) |
F |
above 33 |
|
Ritsurin Park Zoo |
___ |
Asian |
F |
above 21 |
|
Tokushima Zoo |
Asian |
F |
above 21 |
|
|
African Safari |
Winky |
Asian |
F |
29 |
|
Hirakawa Zoo, Kagoshima |
Dorn |
Asian |
M |
above 33 |
CORRECTION: In Vcwt 1 oi tku ^qvqarI mls^pellycng^ Xn the, mmeA
0^ Japanese. zoo6 lm.dvQAt<L¥M.y ^tlpp^d thAough. The. ^otlouiing oAe tko^d QAAoh^ and tho, (ioAn.tcX ^poZlying^:
Rage, 180 - OdiooAa loo should be. OdawoAa Zoo
lluhima CTXy PoAk, Rakujuen should be. Mt&fuma CTXy PoAk
Page. 182 - Touhoko SaioAi, PoAk, EukLuhTm^ should be. Touhoku Sa^au.
PoAk
Nagaskd. Kio-PoAk ^houtd be. Nagasaki Eio-PoAk Page. 184 - KAjne.jd. Ce.YvtAal. PoAk skouZd be. Hime.ji. Ce.ntAaZ PoAk
We apologize. ioA theMe, eAAoAS to the. authoA and to the. zoos involve.d. It should oLso be. note.d that Table. 1 tute.d the. zoos In gtogAaphtcjoZ oAdeA {^Aom noAth to south and not by size. OA e.x.peAie.nce. oi the. iacAltttes,
217
Legislative News
Comp^e,d by Kev^n Conway AAZK Lugi^latlve, Coordinator
GUAM RAIL GIVEN EMERGENCY PROTECTION
A small, flightless bird, the Guam rail (RaZZiLi OW6tont} was listed as an i Endangered species under an April 11, 1984 emergency rule (F.R. 4/11/84) which will be in effect for 240 days. This bird, found only on the island) of Guam in the Mariana Islands, has declined drastically over the past few. years in numbers and distribution. An emergency situation developed when ) the U.S. Air Force was about to begin clearing an area adjacent to Ander- ■ sen Air Force Base to enhance base security. The habitat that would have > been cleared is one of the few areas still occupied by the rail. After concern was raised about the rail habitat, the USAF suspended its land clearing plans while it works with the USFWS and Guam wildlife officials to find a way to conserve the rail and still improve base security.
The severity of the rail's decline is illustrated by the fact that, over just the past 15 years, its numbers have declined 99 percent. By 1983, fewer than 100 birds were thought to survive, and the population may be down to fewer than 50. Besides habitat destruction, other possible reasons for the rail's decline include predation by an introduced snake species (brown tree snake), lizards, rats, dogs and cats. Another sus- pected cause for the sharp plunge in numbers is the possible spread of a yet undetermined avian disease.
Under the emergency rule, the Guam rail and its habitat will receive full protection of the Endangered Species Act for 240 days. In accordance with Section 7 of the Act, all Federal agencies, including the USAF, are re- quired to ensure that any actions they fund, authorize, or carry out are not likely to jeopardize the survival of the Guam rail or degrade its habitat. A proposal to list the species permanently as Endangered was published in November 1983 in the F.R. , but that proposal is still under review.
— EndangQAQ,d Specter Te.ckntcaZ Bulletin i/ol, IK, hio, 5
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT FAVORABLY REPORTED OUT OF HOUSE/SENATE
On 8 May, the Senate Commerce Committee favorably reported out S. 2584, the reauthorization of the Marine Mammal Protection act. The bill would require that nominees to the Marine Mammal Commission — the body respon- sible for monitoring how the Act is carried out — be the unanimous choice of the Smithsonian, the Council on Environmental Quality, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation. The bill would require the Marine Mammal Commission to maintain a minimum staff of 11. The staff has been steadily decreasing since 1972, and yet their duties have been increasing. Finally, the Act would extend the marine mammal permit currently held by the American Tunaboat Association and would in- clude that foreign nations which export tuna to the United States will be required to meet restrictions on incidental killing of porpoise.
S 2584 is now ready to go to the Senate floor for a vote.
On 10 May, the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee favorably reported out H.R. 4997, its version of the Act's reauthorization. The bill had been amended to include several of the same provisions as the Senate bill. There was no attempt in the House Committee to amend H.R. 4997 to mesh it with those provisions in the Chandler bill which would prohibit the public display of killer whales. H.R. 4997 also is ready to go to the House floor for a vote. — AAZPA HmileXtM.
June 19B4
218
■ EGISLATIVE NEWS, ConUna^d
ySFWS COMPILES LIST OF 1,000 INVERTEBRATES AS POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES LISTING
rhe Interior Department's USFWS has published a notice of review that identifies over 1,000 species of invertebrate animals as candidates for possible addition to the U.S. list of endangered and threatened species, jrhe notice, published 22 May, 1984 in the Federal Register, is the first such candidate list drawn up for invertebrates. Publication of the can- ididate list does not constitute formal proposal of the species for addi- ction to the endangered species list, however.
irhe Endangered Species Act directs the FWS to review the status of species
iwhen scientific evidence indicates they may be endangered. To obtain that Idata, the Service has periodically compiled candidate lists as a tool to identify species for which formal listing may be justified. The notice mentions all known invertebrate species native to the U.S. that may war- rant protection under the ESA, based upon the best available data, as well as those species for which listing could be considered once more conclu- sive data becomes available.
The Service has assigned different levels of status to the species on the candidate list, based on nearly three years of data collection and review.
Of the 1,000 invertebrates, the Service considers 35 species as meriting formal listing based on existing biological information. Of the remainder, the Service feels that 841 species could be proposed for listing only if additional information about their status and biological vulnerability becom4s available. A separate category of 141 invertebrates has been com- piled to include those species whose extinction is suspected, or that do not meet criteria for listing under the act. The Service, however, is |Soliciting any additional data from the scoentific community that might support a change in status of these latter species.
The candidate list of invertebrates is dominated by 335 species whose habitat is limited to the unique ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands. These, and many other invertebrates in the list, represent aniamls that have (evolved in very specialized areas—caves, windswept sand dunes, and iso- lated springs, for example. These restricted habitats, in many cases, make the species that much more vulnerable to natural or man-made disrup- tions.
— Ve,p(VjJynQ,vit T-wtoAd-on.
News Rete£U>e.,
HARBOR PORPOISE PROPOSED FOR ENDANGERED LISTING
The National Marine Fisheries Service, which has management authority over most marine mammals, has proposed listing the cockvto , or Gulf of California harbor porpoise [Pkoc.oe.nci sd.niLS ) , as an Endangered species (F.R. 4/25/84). It is believed that only one small population remains, and that it has been seriously affected for over 40 years as an accident- ally taken species during commercial gillnet fishing within its restrict- ed range. Estimates have been made of an annual incidental catch of tens to hundreds of the porpoise.
— EndangeAe.d Spe.CA.es Te.chnlc.cil Battctln l/o£. IK, No, 5
219
Education Alternatives
{EdJXo^'6 Note: Ike ^ottoootng cute tmo o£ a. tmtnlng vtdeotape
entUZed "ReseoAch Methods ioA Stadytng AnZmaZ BehavZoA Zn a loo SeZtZng^' u)hZek W(U eo-pAodueed by the WcuhZngton PoAk Zoo and the MZnnesota Zoo, The tape Zs avaZZabZe Zn eZtheA 3l4~Zneh oZdeocxLSSette OA UZ-Zneh l/HS ioAmat; ha^ a pZayZng time o^ SO mZnutes dZvZded Znto two poAts and eomei wZth ten copZes o^ text whZeh outZZnes the tape contents, gZves examples Ofj ethogAom^, bZbZZogAaphZes oi AeseoAch methodology and checksheets luec ioA 6coAing the tempting methods. The coi>t i^ HOO and the tape may be puAchased {^Aom the Minnesota Zoo,)
Review By
fAank Kohn, ChalAman
AAZK ReseoAchlGAants Committee
"Research Methods for Studying Animal Behavior in a Zoo Setting" is a multimedia project assembled jointly by the Washington Park Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo. A two-part video tape presentation— the first part an introduction to research and the second part an exercise in observationa] skills — is supplemented by a workbook, and combines excellent video foot- age with straightforward examples. The tape is geared to, and easily comprehended by, all individuals interested in gathering behavioral infoi mation in a systematic and organized fashion, regardless of previous ex- perience.
Keepers will be pleased to learn that no distinction is made between keepers and researchers; keepers are considered researchers and are, as noted in the tape, one of the researcher’s important sources of informa- tion of a given species.
The major issues addressed in the first tape include; Careful definitions! of behaviors; an emphasis of the distinction of mutually exclusive be- haviors; and the simplicity of the construction of an ethogram. In the second tape, six methods of studying interactions and recording predeter- mined parameters are presented using birds, mammals and reptiles as models. Although not exhaustive of all observational techniques, the j
video-workbook gives ample exposure to methods for the collection of |
basic meaningful data. An extensive bibliography is the workbook will aid beginners observers to major sources of research methods.
But the workbook also implies that research is as useful as a management | tool for the study of endangered species and not as an end in itself.
This point is an essential concept for the observer to realize.
I highly recommend any institution interested in training keepers, volun- teers and students to obtain the tape. Although the cost is expensive, the benefits derived from its use will surpass the price. ;
Further information can be obtained from Jill Mellen, Washington Park Zooj 4001 S.W. Canyon, Portland, OR 97221.
220
RESEARCH METHODS VIDEO TAPE REVIEWS, CoyvUme^d
ke-vlm By
B. OJayno, Buchamn, ChcuAman . AAZK KeepeA Education \/ld2.ota,p(Z. CommUXtd
Iriginally designed for undergraduate students, this 80 minute video tape rogram is a very good introduction to behavioral research methods. It rovides simple, yet clear explanations of the proper steps and their roper sequence for establishing a behavioral study that will yield ob- ective, useable data. To zoo keepers, the usefulness of such a skill ould be limited only by their imagination.
unique feature of this video program is the extensive "practice" section, lere, using checksheets provided in an accompanying workbook, one actually collects data from various taped animal sequences. A variety of situations [and collection techniques are practiced in this manner. This learn by doing approach should prove quite effective.
rhe above mentioned workbook contains virtually all the information in the video tape plus useful bibliographies. It would, in itself, be quite informative and valuable as a reference.
In general, the video quality is good with only minor, occasional flaws, rhese are by no means a significant distraction and would likely not even be noticed by most people.
rhe makers of this program state, and rightly so, that "statistical analy- ^sis of data is beyond the scope of this text." One may therefore require assistance in this area. Such help should be fairly easy to obtain, but one should also remember that many of the questions a zoo keeper seeks to answer require only very basic analysis.
The program was produced by the Washington Park Zoo and the Minnesota Zoological Garden. The latter is marketing the finished product. It is available in either 3/4 inch or VHS format and comes with 10 copies of !the workbook. Beta format is apparently not available. The only real problem I see with this package is the price - $200! This puts it out of reach of most individuals and possibly even some institutions. How- ever, this is not really a surprising price for such a specialized video.
I suspect that any responsible zoological institution will recognize the value of a keeper staff with basic research abilities and likely find the funds for quality instructional material such as this. I strongly encourage their efforts.
221
ANIMAL INTRODUCTIONS:
Some Suggestions For Easing The Trauma
By
Pebble HmXtt, Keeper.
San Vi-ngo Zoo, San VIq^qo, CA
There are a number of factors to consider when introducing new individual to an established social situation or to an entirely new arrangement.
Every situation is different, characterized by species, environmental, social and individual differences. The objective of a successful intro- duction is to reduce the risk of injury or death by applying techniques which fit the particular situation.
Two general statements about natural populations should be kept in mind a- you plan. First, fear of strangers is a normal adaptive response. It is the animal's way of protecting their resources, such as feeding trees, nest sites, territories, or mates, from rivals. A strange individual ' evokes an aggressive response when it intrudes into another individual's ■ living space. Through this aggression, an intruder is either repulsed or gradually integrated into the social order. Second, animals in nature display a great variety of social arrangements. Therefore, the success of a social arrangement in captivity depends on how consistent it is with the natural tendencies of the animal in question. For example, it is easier to achieve heterosexual pairing for a social primate than for a solitary carnivore which has a very limited capacity for living in close j proximity to others.
Because of nature's diversity, guidelines for introducing new members r must be broad in scope and adaptable to the specific case. In order to predict the response of group members to a new individual, several ques- ' tions need to be considered:
1. HOW DO THE INDIVIDUALS RELATE TO SPACE? If territorial, what is | defended? At what time of year, and by whom? Which class of individuals usually assumes the defensive or protective roles?
2. HOW DO THE INDIVIDUALS RELATE TO EACH OTHER? What is the compositior of the social unit in nature (monogamous pairs, harems, multi-male group)? Is there a status hierarchy? Which sex is usually dominant? Are allianc- es formed during conflict? Is infanticide known to occur?
3. WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCAL GROUP? FOR EXAMPLE; ;
A. Ranks of individuals
B. Age/ sex composition [
C. Reproductive status of females (in estrus, pregnant, lactating, quiescent)
D. Kin ties or "friendship" i
E. Developmental history, particularly as it may affect sociality ■
F. Individual temperament
4. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW SPECIMEN (S)?
A. Rank in past group, if known
B. Reproductive state, if female
C. Developmental history, i.e. normalcy
D. Immediate past history, e.g. length of isolation period
E. Temperament
F. Physical attributes
222
r
\NIMAL INTRODUCTIONS; Some Suggestions For Easing The Trauma, Cant'd
.’he information derived from these questions will usually help to pre- lict the source and direction of conflict. In most instances conflict ls inevitable, but by understanding its source and function, there are
Procedures to follow to reduce its intensity. The three types are:
i
„ 1. Handicapping those individuals which will be in a dominant position.
I 2. Permitting integration to proceed as far as possible before physical [ contact occurs.
3. Managing the physical environment in ways which will reduce negative social interaction.
1. HANDICAPPING THE DOMINANTS
L. Bring the dominant to the subordinate’s home turf.
2. Place all in a new environment at once.
3. If there are multiple newcomers, introduce all at once to reduce the j chances of concentrating aggression on one individual.
!^^. Remove temporarily, allowing a subordinate newcomer to become acquaint- ed with lower risk members.
■5. Socially distract, i.e. if the newcomer is female - introduce while j in estrus.
6. Encumber with casts, bandages, etc.
7. Use drug therapy
8. Use negative conditioning, e.g. hosing, shock collar, etc.
PRE- CONTACT INTEGRATION
1. Visual, olfactory, and auditory familiarization with either juxtaposed cages or a cage within a cage.
2. Limited contact, such as grooming, licking, or muzzling through a wall.
NOTE: A. Familiarity does not equal integration. A new individual must still establish its niche within the system, and can only do I so after full introduction.
B. Care must be taken to avoid injury to appendages during initial I familiarization.
I C. Monitoring the interactions during pre- introductory familiar iza
I tion allows one to predict more accurately whether the intro-
j duction will be successful. Some pairings will never work,
and should not be forced or even attempted.
MANAGING THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
1. Space; the larger the cage, the better. Use of adjoining cages with a door between them adds flexibility to the introduction process.
2. Escape routes: apparatus or corridors for individual travel should be well defined.
3. Retreats: resting areas should be provided for the harrassed individual such as a single-animal perch high on the cage wall.
4. Sight barriers: even temporary barriers, which can be removed later, are a consideration.
5. Displacement material: hay, straw, browse, grain, or other innocuous onjects can be used. However, regular feeding may increase competi- tion and should not be used in this context.
In addition to the foregoing, thought should be given to the most propit- ious time for initial contact. For instance:
223
ANIMAL INTRODUCTIONS: Some Suggestions For Easing The Trauma, Cant'd
1. New infants should be introduced at dawn, as occurs in nature for diurnal animals.
2. Consider the time factor of the female reproductive state. Offspring , are most vulnerable during pregnancy (fetal stress) and during lact- ation (infanticide).
3. Take into account the timing of surrounding activities. Any change in the immediate vicinity would excite the animals, such as the appearance of visitors, construction, etc., and should be avoided.
PREPARING THE ENVIRONMENT '
1. Are there any adjoining cages or pens available for the introduction phase?
2. Are there escape routes, visual barriers, safety perches, or other physical structures which would provide refuge for an individual?
3. Are there any potentially dangerous cage features which should be (
modified prior to introduction, such as moats, etc.?
4. Is there a plan for quick separation, if necessary? \
5. Are there any outside disturbances (construction, view of other ani- i
mals, visitors, etc.) which may unnecessarily arouse the animals? j
6. Is there a more appropriate time of day to schedule the introduction, '■ for instance, during periods of low activity or during feeding time? ^
7. Is there a plan to monitor the situation until stability has been
achieved. \
8. Have preparation been made to insure that feeding will not trigger |
violence? To insure that everyone gets food and shelter? ^
9. Is emergency equipment (nets, hoses, etc.) available and working?
10. Has the veterinary staff been alerted?
11. Is there a plan to record results accurately to benefit future intro- ductions?
EVALUATING THE ANIMALS
1. Is the proposed arrangement socially compatible with what occurs in the wild state? If not, do the animals display enough flexibility to allow an unnatural arrangement to succeed?
2. If any young individuals, would their safety be jeopardized?
3. Is there a risk to submissive or low-ranking individuals? Can this situation be changed to reduce risk?
4. Are there any physically handicapped individuals with limited mobil- ity?
5. Does any individual display sterotypic behavior, e.g. bizarre limb
movements, self-biting, or unusual locomotor activity, to indicate inadequate early socialization? *
6. Are there pregnant females which may be unduly stressed?
7. Can the sexual state of the females be used to advantageously divert males from aggression?
8. Are there any obvious temperamental traits (such as hyperaggressive- ness, assertiveness, alertness, or their opposites) which will affect the outcome?
9. Regarding the animals to be combined, has there been any previous exposure to one another?
10. Are all the individuals equally familiar with the exhibit cage or pen?
11. Have previous caretakers been consulted about past experiences with the individuals?
12. Are there any individuals which should be temporarily handicapped with drugs or any form of restraint?
224
I
SnIMAL INTRODUCTIONS: Some Suggestions For Easing The Trauma, Cant'd
[3. Can the introduction be gradual— a few minutes or hours a day?
-4. Will the temporary removal of certain individuals facilitate the
I integration of a new member?
5. If more than one new individual, is introducing one-at-a-time or all-at-once more likely to succeed?
" Animal Introduction Form
lipecies
[.ocation Time
•taff in Charge Weather
New Subject (s) Recipient Population
[lumber
l^qe
'?ex
^epro. State_
)rigin
^ast History
Number
Age
Sex
Repro. State
Origin
Past History_
Outcome
Terminated
Physical Injury
Extreme Aggression, Risk
Failure to Stabilize Socially
Successful
Initial Aggression, gradual decline
Tense and wary, but non- aggressive
Immediately Compatible
Details
A NOT TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL HATCH ING OF A GREEN MAMBA
By Dave, So^Q^n^on, Rovqa and
Ctlii Van Bzok, Ro^ptULo, Kee.peA UUwauke.e, County loo, Mtlwauk<iz, WI
On 18 January, 1984 the Milwaukee County Zoo received a female Green Mamba {V(indA.oai>pLi) VVtLdJjb ) from a reptile dealer in Florida. This animal had been imported from Liberia. On 24 February, she deposited seven eggs on the floor of her cage. The eggs were transferred to a plastic sweater box filled with wet vermiculite. The mixture of water/ vermiculite was not measured out. The eggs were incubated at a fairly constant temperature of 83®F, although there was a brief drop to 80°F once, during a power failure.
Three of the seven eggs were almost twice the size of the other four, and it was assumed the four smaller eggs were infertile. The four smaller eggs quickly discolored and, upon dissection, showed no signs of fertility. Of the remaining three eggs, two began to show signs of spoiling and were opened on the 13th of April. They showed signs of having been fertile, but there was no visible embryo.
The remaining egg was first weighed on 8 April, weighing 51 grams. It continued to grow in size (see Table) until being slit on 19 May at about 4:30 p.m.; (it had weighed 109 grams earlier that day). After dis- covery of the slit, a small hole was cut in the top of the egg using a surgical scalpel. No measurements of the egg had been taken, but its approximate size was 4cm x 8cm.
Table
Egg Weight
|
Date |
Wt. |
Date |
Wt. |
|
4-8-84 |
51.0 g |
5-1-84 |
72.0 |
|
4-13-84 |
55.0 g |
5-2-84 |
73.5 |
|
4-17-84 |
58.0 g |
5-4-84 |
76.9 |
|
4-19-84 |
60.2 g |
5-6-84 |
79.6 |
|
4-21-84 |
62.0 g |
5-9-84 |
84.5 |
|
4-23-84 |
63.6 g |
5-14-84 |
95.7 |
|
4-25-84 |
65.3 g |
5-17-84 |
104.7 |
|
4-28-84 |
68.5 g |
5-18-84 |
107.1 |
|
4-30-84 |
70.7 g |
5-19-84 |
109.0 |
The following day, as the young snake had not appeared and no new slits were evident, it was decided to investigate further. The juvenile, visible through the opening in the egg, was touched, and when no move- ment was seen, the egg was cut open. Unfortunately the young mamba was dead. There was a small yolk sac still attached to the apparently normal and fully-formed male. The snake and yolk sac weighed 22 grams. Its TL was 44cm; with a SVL of 34cm; and a tail length of 10.1cm. The ventral scales, which were divided, numbered 213; subcaudals 101+; midbody 13. Coloration was like that of an adult, dark green with black borders on each scale. The only difference between it and the adult was a yellow tail tip, a familiar juvenile characteristic in many snakes. Perhaps this is used as a caudal lure for lizards, etc.
Since the female who laid the eggs was intended as a mate for our male mamba, it is hoped that in the future we may again have the opportunity to try our hand at hatching out and raising green mambas.
We were unable to find any references to egg laying or hatching and raising of young for VmdAOCUptt vtAtdU in any literature seen by us.
If anyone has any information on this species, or for further information on our experience, please contact the Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226.
226
WEAR YOUR PRIDE
I Join the celebration
j Animal Keepers Forum invites you to celebrate its ten year anniversary. To commemorate ten years of publication,
: we are proud to offer you a limited addition anniversary T-shirt.
I Show your dedication We know you are deeply committed to your work and professional animal I care. Why not tell the world how you feel? You can wear your pride when you buy
your anniversary T-shirt, your money will directly benefit the AAZK Conference and AKF.
Order yours today
These shirts are made of quality 100% heavyweight cotton and are only available through the P84 AAZK Conference. This limited edition T-shirt is available to you for $7.50 and includes postage and handling. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery of your T-shirt.
Send this form to;
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Attn: Judie Steenberg
Name
Address,
i City/State/Zip
Color:
^ □ Powder blue □ Beige
Size:
□ Small □ Medium □ Large □ Extra Large
Enclosed is a check for $ payable to the Puget Sound AAZK
Chapter Conference Account.
w^hlng to adveAtu><i mployrmnt oppontuyutlt6 cuio, cuked to ^end peAttmnt data by tk<L 15th o{^ moh month to: Oppoatuyilty Knoalu/AKf, 635 Gage. Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606, ThoJte no change ^oa 4ac.fi Lutings , Please tnclude clo^tng date6 iofi po^aXtoyu available.
ANIMAL TECHNICIAN {\Jet:eAtna/iy Techntetan] . . .requires completion of 2-year veterinary assistant, animal health technology or equivalent program and 2 years’ related experience. This person will assist full-time veterinar- ian in all aspects of zoo animal health operation including animal treat- ment, surgical assistance, and veterinary laboratory technology as well as direct animal care in the zoo nursery. This is a supervisory position, thus prior supervisory experience is desirable. Salary $1 , 111-$1 , 582 per month, plus excellent benefits. Send resume directly to:
Earl Unell, Chief Examiner, City Hall, Personnel Dept.,
414 E. 12th St., Kansas City, MO 64106. Closing date is 31 July 1984. EOE.
ASSISTANT ZOO MANAGER, . .requires BS in zoology or other life science and zoo management experience. Duties include care of animals and maintenance of buildings/grounds. Salary $1 ,933-$2,350 per month. Send resume and application to City of Fresno, Personnel Office, 2348 N. Mariposa, Fresno,
CA 93721.
STUVENT INTERNSHIP, ,, available at the Animal Rehabilitation Center within the Conservancy Nature Center in Naples, FL.
The Animal Rehabilitation Center (Project A.R.C.) is a community-supported program where native, injured wildlife are brought in for treatment, and released, if possible, back to their environment. Internship involved wildlife, as well as educational programs and special projects. Interns "" must be available for up to five months. Qualifications: a ^ college student or recent graduate, studying wildlife or ^
related field; some experience with people and animals; a sincere concern and interest in working with animals. $55 /week stipend, housing provided. Internships available year-round. To apply, submit resume, statement of goals and three references to : Julie Wasserman, Supervisor, Animal Re- habilitation Center, Conservancy Nature Center, 1450 Merrihue Dr., Naples, FL 33942, (813) 262-2273.
CURATOR, , .new position, to be responsible for planning and operation of proposed aquarium at the Denver Zoo. Applicants must be skilled in technical management of aquatic life forms. BS degree and 2 years' pro- fessional experience required. Salary begins at $27,228 with excellent benefits. Mail resume to: Clayton Freiheit, Director, Denver Zoological Gardens, City Park, Denver, CO 80205. EOE.
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1
MOVING???
Please send change of address as soon as possible to:
Vo tty Cloak, Admtnt^taative SecaeXaay Ameatojan A^^oclatton oi loo Keepeau, Inc.
635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606
228
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name
C/iecfe hoAQ, li Kmmal [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional Vutl-tlme, KeepeAi
$25.00 International Alt mmbe/u 0iit6-ld^ the, U.S. and Canada
$10.00 Associate IndUvldaaJU not conmctcd lotth an awmaJi coah ^acJJJjty
$15.00 Affiliate
OtfieA Jt^taii and voluntQ,QJU>
$50.00 Contributing
OA-gayitzatton^ and IndivtduaLs U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
VdAiZ(iton.y Jn^oAmatton
j Job l^Jo/ik hida SpJcJM~TntJ^tJJti
I
! [Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American 'Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, {635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
I
I Membership includes a subscription to the Antmal Ke.e.peA^ ' Fo^um. The I membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums j in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
! AntmaZ ' FoKim publishes original papers and news items of inter-
est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and I tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page i size of no more than 6" x 10” (15 cm x 25^1 cm.). Literature used should jl be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to AntmaZ KQ,2,p2A^’ Fo^um will be reviewed for publication.
I No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- j lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be I separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- i tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials I submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- j addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
AjittcZoA pfitwtdd do not n(ic.2^i>aJitZy h-ziZdct: thd optntoni oi thd AntmaZ Kddpd/u ’ FoAum ddttoAtaZ 6ta{){^ on. oi thd Amdntcan f^hoaZatton oi loo Kddpd'u,
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
AUGUST 1984
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
AUGUST 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER EIGHT
An^al Von.um (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the
American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual piablishing costs of Ayiuncit Kc.C.p2A^’ foAum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster Please send address changes to:
f AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC.
I ^'ATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE ELUV., TOPEKA, KS 66606
V
Vo-tty CloAk, AdmTnJj>tn.atlv(i SdcAOJtoAy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center Front Royal, VA 22630 Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Pn.2J>Tde.nt l/Xce Pn.z^ldQ.Yvt
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
G^Aold Payne., VotAoiX loo
Continuing Keeper Education
JacFtc StcmbeAg , {Woodland PoAk
Historical Committee LoAAy SammoAco, Linaoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, WaAklngton PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator Connie Cloak, NoAhv-ltln, TN
Research/Grants Committee
F/iank Kohn, National Zoological Pcuik
xAwards Committee
Mike CAoekeA, Dicker on PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee Kevin Conway, NZP/CRC, PAonX Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Am, bJoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms EeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Library Resource/Book Review
Eilen Leach, Woodland Park Biological Values Booklet /Gestation
MoAy MuAe, San FAaneiAco Zoo
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, VetAo it Zoo
Infant Development
Steve TayloA, LoiuAville
Keeper Accomodations List
OtiveA Clayey, M^tAo ToAonto
Diet Notebook
South Flo Aida ChapteA, Miami Membership Directory Pat SmmoAeo, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Diane FoAAytn, AkAon Zoological PoAk
Keeper Data Survey i-
MoAy Slaybaugh, San Antonio S Dave OAndoA^^, Sea WoAld ShoAk Institute ||
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mike CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, ViAectoA
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P{^eiieA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne Villens LoAAy SammoAco Diane KAug Alan ShaAple6 Vacancy Candy KAo{,t
{fJ.D. Stone MemoAial Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo DetAoit Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo RiveAbanks Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhill Woodland PoAk Zoo
Joanie Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NY
PA,NJ,MD,DE
VA,W.VA,D.C.
MI
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,MT,WV,AK
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
:i Tkli, month' ^ KeapeAl A/itt6t t6 Steve. Gtngna6, Mho at the tune he mbmit- ! ted thJji (pLOWtng^ ivcu a Keepen. Tooo Mon.ktng wJth eati>!pnJjfnatei>fpola/i bea/u i at the Uttca Zoo, Uttea, MV, Thanks, Steve!
Scoops
?5^L/^Scuttlebutt
I DIET NOTEBOOK
j Here is a unique opportunity to share with other keepers the types of diets used to maintain exotics in captivity. This project has the poten- i tial to develop an excellent reference on captive diets but only if you participate.
;i Forms may be obtained from the Collection Centers listed below and when li completed they should be sent to the appropriate center. Please type j or print information, use metric units whenever possible and refer to i, the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names.
Please become Involved.
I BIRD COLLECTION CENTER:
I MAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER;
ALL OTHERS:
KelLL OJeJitb^ook Little Rock ChapteA AAZK Jone^boAo Vntve Little Rock, AR 72204
TeAnte lonxell SedgMtck County Zoo 5555 Zoo SoulevaJid Wtehlta, KS 67212
South Vlontda ChapteA AAZK eto Vebbte Bu/ich 17S60 S(jU 112 Count Iklamt, FL 33157
Keeper’s Alert
SPECIAL SESSION ON STAFF TRAINING IN MIAMI
A special one-hour session has been set aside at the AAZPA Conference in Miami on the subiect of Staff Training. The session will take place on Wednesday, September 12th from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. in the La Brisa room of the Omni hotel.
:! The AAZK Keeper Training videotape "ZooKeeper Safety - An Attitude Adjust- ' ment" will be shown and information will be distributed on additional train- i ing videotapes. The Staff Exchange project will be updated and discussion I will center on Staff Training.
For more information contact Judie Steenberg, Woodland Park Zoological Gardens (206) 625-5498.
229
SCOOPS AND SCUTTLEBUTT, CoyvUnmd
AAZK SENDS GREETINGS TO ABWAK ON ITS lOTH ANNIVERSARY
[EdiXon.' 6 noto.: The. {^ottoMTng a leXten. 6e.vvt by AAZK Vn.eJilde.Yit Kevtyi Conway avid InteAncutlonal kHadJUi CooKcilnaton. ConvUe. Cloak to Mn., John Vantyvldge., e,dJXon. o{^ RATEL, the. jouAnal o{^ the. A^^oatatton oi BnJJUj>h {jJTJid Avujnal Ke^peAJ> . )
Dear Mr. Partridge:
On behalf of the Board of Directors of AAZK and all our members please accept our best wishes on the tenth anniversary of your founding. We will look forward to your second decade of existence with the excitement of what you will achieve for your members and the zoological collections you represent.
Since our founding in 1968, our organization has grown in ways that per- haps were not anticipated by the founders. Nevertheless, we now hold annual national and regional conferences, represent zookeepers all over the North American continent, we comment on and are asked to comment on matters of zoological interest and we continue to expand the information we provide our members each month in Animal Keepers’ Forum. A review shows that our publication alone has expanded significantly in just the last eight years. When we review the recent progress of our own organiza- tion, we are able to see the future potential for ABWAK.
The most significant achievements of ABWAK must be the establishment of your four major objectives; these being:
1. To provide facilities for the meetings of keepers of wild animals in the British Isles.
2. To improve cooperation and communication between keepers and zoos, both nationally and internationally.
3. To improve the standard of all animal collections by promoting the education of all those involved in wild animal husbandry.
4. To support any projects of conservation that the association shall, in its discretion, think fit.
The establishment of such objectives and the work towards achieving them shows the dedication and professional attitude of your members on behalf of the animals placed in their care. We are very impressed with your desire to educate your members through meetings and actual class work provided by the Animal Management Course.
As you begin your second decade of existence please accept our offer to work closely together with you on behalf of international zoological cooperation. As you have found out through your meetings, the exchange of information between animal caretakers is one of the best ways to pro- vide quality care for the animals we keep. This type of exchange on an international level is what we need now to insure the survival of both natural wildlife and captive wildlife.
From a sister organization, congratulations on your first decade and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
CoYLYite. Cloak Kevin. CoYiway^ AAZK Pn.eJ>ldeYit
InteAnatlonal A^^alA6 CooKcUnaton.
230
Births|^ Hatchings
TWIN BISON CALVES BORN IN BATTLE CREEK Kcuim JUmbeAgeA
I On 15 April, 1984, twin bison calves were born at the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI. The 1.1 calves appear to be very healthy and are eat- i ing well. To our knowledge, very few cases of twin bison calves have been reported. Any additional information regarding the number and origins I of twin calves would be greatly appreciated. Send pertinent data to:
Binder Park Zoo, 7500 Division Dr., Battle Creek, MI 49017.
KANSAS CITY ZOO Pee
B&H for April and May 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.1 Patas monkey, 1.1 jYak (0.1 DNS), 2.0 Bison, 3.0 Barbados sheep, 0.0.1 Colobus monkey, 1.0 Roan antelope. 1.0 Blesbok, 0.0.2 Giant Indian fruit bat, 0.2 African ! pygmy goat, 1.0 Ayrshire/Holstein calf; Birds - 0.0.4 Grey-necked wood rail (2 DNS), 0.0.4 Emu, 0.0.5 Bali mynah, 0.0.2 White-tailed sea eagle (1 DNS), 0.0.2 Ostrich, 0.0.1 Victoria crowned pigeon, 0.0.5 Dyhal thrush, 0.0.1 Fairy bluebird (DNS), 0.0.2 Brazilian teal, 0.0.8 Northern pintail, 0.0.1 Umbrella cockatoo, 0.0.1 Shama thrush, 0.0.1 Brazilian cardinal (DNS), 0.0.2 Red-vented bulbul, 0.0.7 Ringed teal (5 DNS), 0.8 Trumpeter swan.
INSTITUTE FOR WILD AND EXOTIC ANIMAL STUDIES (JilUUam L. BAU>by
April and May 1984 B&H from Moorpark include: Mammals - 4.0 Raccoons, 1.3 Coatis, 1.0 Reeve's muntjac, 1.4 Bengal tiger, 2.1.1 Coyotes, 1.0.2 Rhesus macaques; Birds - 0.0.15 Blue peacock.
BROOKFIELD ZOO John S. StoddoAd
June 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.0.3 White-toothed shrew, 1.0 Collard peccary; Birds - 0.0.1 Golden-eared tanager, 0.0.1 Paradise tanager, 0.0.2 Violet touraco, 0.0.4 Spur-winged plover, 0.0.1 Red and white crake, 0.0.11 Hooded merganser, 0.0.2 Ruddy duck and 0.0.3 Trumpeter swan.
TOLEDO ZOO Md^cheZln GAAgoAo,
!
iB&H from April through June 1984 include: Mammals - 2.0 Snow leopard, 0.0.1 ^Diana monkey, 0.0.1 Sooty monkey, 0.0.2 California sea lion; Birds - 0.0.2 I Long-tailed grassfinch, 0.0.1 Lilac-crowned amazon, 0.0.6 Orange quit, 0.0.2 I Plush-crested jay, 0.0.5 Black swan, 0.0.2 Blue-streaked lory, 0.0.1 Superb [Starling, 0.0.2 Violet-backed starling, 0.0.3 Golden pheasant, 0.0.5 Swin- hoe’s pheasant, 0.0.2 Herring gull; Herpetiles - 0.0.7 Haitian forest frog, 0.0.3 Indian pythons, 0.0.3 Cuban boa, 0.0.10 Monacled cobra, 0.0.7 Leopard gecko, 0.0.2 Tokay gecko, 0.0.4 Cone-head lizard and 0.0.4 Basilisk lizard.
HONOLULU ZOO Gtovo, RobAn^on
May through July 15, 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.1 Pygmy hippo (DNS); i Birds - 1.1 Grand eclectus parrot, 0.0.2 Burrowing owl, 0.0.1 Temple dove i (Ringed turtle dove), 0.0.2 Blue and yellow macaw (DNS), 0.0.1 Scarlet i macaw, 0.0.3 Red-billed hornbill, 0.0.1 Turkey vulture.
!
i
231
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, CowUnuzd
SAN ANTONIO ZOO Vnbonah Reed
Recent B&H at San Antonio include: Mammals - 1.0 Greater kudu (DNS), 1.0 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.0 Addax, 1.1 Topi, 1.1 Thomson's gazelle (0.1 DNS), 0.1 Arabian sand gazelle, 0.1 Springbok, 1.2 Aoudad, 1.0 Himalayan tahr (DNS); Birds - 1 Sacred ibis, 2 Scarlet ibis, 9 Moluccan radjah shelduck (1 DNS), 9 Cinnamon teal, 7 Ringed teal, 1 Ruddy duck (DNS), 2 Roul-roul (1 DNS), 2 Palawan peacock pheasant, 23 Ocellated turkey (5 DNS), 2 Crested seriema, 2 Black-necked stilt, 2 Double-striped thicknee, 1 Inca tern (DNS),
2 Galah, 1 Queen of Bavaria conure, 1 Painted conure, 1 Pygmy kingfisher (DNS), 2 Dyhal thrush (1 DNS), 3 Rufous treepie, 1 Picathartes; Herptiles -
3 Central American milk snake, 5 Mexican milk snake; Aquarium - Koi, Tomatoe clownfish and Sarasota Springs pupfish (1st time in collection).
TAMPA/BUSCH GARDENS Siaan Rackle^
B&H for June 1984 include: Mammals - 2.4 Thomson’s gazelle, 5.0 Impala, 2.1 Nyala, 1.0.5 White-bearded gnu, 4.2 Grant’s gazelle, 0.1 Scimitar- horned oryx, 1.0 Muntjac deer, 0.1 Sitatunga, 0.1 Kafue (Red) lechwe, 0.1 Sommering’s gazelle; Birds - 1 Hahn’s macaw, 4 Orange-winged amazon, 8 American flamingo, 8 Crested tinamou, 2 Golden (Queen of Bavaria) conure, 4 Abdim’s stork, 11 Mandarin duck, 1 Rosybilled pochard, 8 Scarlet ibis,
1 (white) Egyptian goose, 2 Stone curlew, 1 Red-crested touraco, 1 Bare- eyed cockatoo, 1 Egyptian goose, 1 Blue-fronted amazon, 2 Sun conure, 9 Ringed teal, 1 Fischer’s x Black masked lovebird, 3 Mitred conure, 2 Scarlet macaw, 2 Lear’s macaw, 1 Pied cockatiel; Herptiles - 0.0.17 Nile crocodile and 0.0.2 Ball python.
RIVERBANKS ZOO Lex, GloveA S Tony 1/eceIu.o
Jan. to June 1984 — The start of 1984 has proved to be a very exciting time for the staff at Riverbanks. On 10 May, 1984, we successfully hatch- ed a Cinereous vulture {Ae,gypTuJ> monaahiU ) . To the best of our knowledge this will be the first successful breeding for this species in the western hemisphere. The chick, which is being hand-raised, is doing great. The adults laid a second egg which they hatched, but the chick did not survive. Other hatchings include: 5 Stella’s lory (2 DNS), 3 Black-footed penguin,
2 Victoria crowned pigeon (1 DNS), 10 Crimson seedcracker, 3 Blue-bill weaver, 3 Gouldian finch, 1 Tawny frogmouth (DNS), 3 Cape teal, 1 Roul roul, 4 Black-necked swan, 4 Coscoroba swan (1 DNS), 2 Military macaw,
4 Emerald starlings (1 DNS), 1 Leadbeater’s cockatoo, 7 Mute swan, 18 Hooded merganser (9 DNS), 18 Wood duck, 7 Red-crested pochard, 11 Ringed teal, 2 Bare-eyed cockatoo, 2 Barn owl, 2 Green-winged macaw, 7 Sun conure, 10 Mandarin duck, 14 Ruddy duck (2 DNS), 1 Pintail, 2 Toco toucan (DNS),
2 Burrowing owl, 3 Rhea (1 DNS), 2 White-lined tanager, 1 Blue-necked ostrich .
The Mammal Department also is having a very successful year. We’ve had our first gemsbok birth (a male), and second generation births of both Black howler monkey and White-faced saki monkey. Other mammal births include: 1 Ground cuscus, 2 Matschie’s tree kangaroo, 2.1 California sea lion (2.0 DNS), 1 Indian fruit bat (DNS), 1 Dusky titi monkey (DNS), 1.1 White-faced saki monkey, 0.1 Mandrill, 1.0 Ring-tailed lemur, 1.1 Black- and-white ruffed lemur, 1 Lion-tailed macaque, 6 Capybara (4 DNS), and 4 Golden lion tamarin.
232
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUna^d
I DALLAS ZOO Taml Jone^
June 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.1.1 Axis deer, 1.0 Suni, 0.0.1 Bolivian
I grey titi monkey, 0.0.5 Pygmy hedgehog tenrec, 1.1 Pygmy goat, 0.0.1 Patagonian cavy, 0.0.1 White-handed gibbon, 0.0.1 Red panda; Birds - 0.0.2 Himalayan impeyan pheasant, 0.0.1 Bleeding heart pigeon, 0.0.3 ' Red-vented bulbul, 0.0.1 White-winged dove, 0.0.2 Pied crow, 0.0.3 Double- striped thick-knee, 0.0.2 Red-legged seriema, 0.0.2 Hybrid sacred x I oriental ibis, 0.0.2 Sacred ibis, 0.0.2 Roseatte spoonbill; Reptiles - ; 0.0.2 Children’s python {LuUdj> ckit(PiQ.yU.) , 1.2 Mexican milksnake
I, ( iampKopel^tU, -t/Uangulum annulataj and oTo.ll Pueblon kingsnake ( Lampn.0- pttU> t/uxanguJiLm C-cmpboUH] .
On an exhausting trip to Costa Rica, Herpetologist Donal Boyer, Bill Corwin and Dr. Jonathon Campbell managed to bring back an extraordinary assortment of amphibians and reptiles. These specimens were collected for the Dallas Zoo and the Herpetology Museum at U.T.A. Those in paren- ( theses were collected for U.T.A. On their first trip they explored Sierra de la Muerte where they collected the following: 1.0 Palm Viper [BothAOpi) latoAXitU, ] , 0.0,4 Wi2.b-toQyi> ^olamandeA [BotUXoglo-i>sa ^ubpalmcUuml 0.0.11 Red-eyed tree frog [ AgaZ^ckyuJ) C,(lttldAyci6 ] , 0.0.4 Small-headed tree frog [Hyta nU.CA0C2,pkaJia] , (Alligator lizard, BaAAJ>Aji mowtiC-Ot^, Montane swifts, ScijiopOAiLi> mcLl(lcJnZtic.uui> , Brown basilisk, Bo6lLt{>C.uu{> VAjXcutlU, Smokey jungle frog, L2.ptodacXytLU> socles.) From there they visited Pavones on the Atlantic side where they collected: 0.0.3 Costa Rica tree frog [Hyla AjnbnAcaXa] , 0.0.2 Spiny tree frog [Anothe.c.a 6p-lno6a] ^ 0.0.18 Blue^^^ legged strawberry frogs [VundAobcitOA pumitlo], 0.1 Double crested basilisk [Ba2>TXtACU2> pl.umt^A0H6 J , (0^.1 Bushmaster, Lciche^xc muXa 6t2.nophAy6 , Eve lash viper, EothAop i>C.hJi(igdLi. )
MIAMI METROZOO loAi BAuckheAin
B&H for June 1984 include: Mammals - 1.1 Himalayan tahr, 1.0 Cape buffalo; Birds - 0.0.3 Hottentot teal, 0.0.6 Mandarin duck, and 0.0.1 Stanley crane
LITTLE ROCK ZOO ChvU Rcuum^
Recorded B&H for the first half of 1984 include: Mammals - 1.1 Sloth bear (1 DNS), 1.0 Muntjac, 1.0 Capybara, 1.0 Wallaby, 0.0.1 Spider monkey, 0.1 Diana monkey (DNS), 0.0.1 Red kangaroo, 1.0 Geoffroy's cat, 2.1 Binturong (DNS), 0.0.2 Cotton-eared marmoset, '2.1 Coatimundi, 2.1 Bobcat, 0.2 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.5 Nilgai, 1.0 Rock cavy, 1.0 Cape hartebeest ; Birds - 0.0.6 Canada goose (2 DNS), 0.0.12 Wood duck, 1.1 Red-crested pochard (1 DNS), 1.2 Australian black swan, 0.0.1 Rhea, 0.0.1 Red crested cardinal (DNS), 0.0.10 Peafowl, 0.0.1 Bar-headed goose.
TOPEKA ZOO ALldz Uc6eA
An unusual occurance happened in July with the birth of twin (1.1) Grant’s zebras. The foals, both stillborn, weighed 37 lbs and 46 lbs. respectively. Keepers were also able to determine that the female bobcat who was mentioned in last month’s AKF as having given birth to an unknown number of kittens, indeed produced 0.0.3 offspring and is caring for them. This female had a history of killing her kittens and had been isolated to give her maximum privacy.
&
233
Coming Events
AAZPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
September 9-13, 1984 Miami, FL
BLACK-FOOTED FERRET WORKSHOP
September 18-19, 1984 Laramie, WY
Held at the University of Wyoming, the purpose is the first comprehensive meeting on the endangered black-footed ferret since their rediscovery in 1981. Biologists will discuss research, searching, and management. The workshop will close with a panel presentation and discussion on the direc- tion of black-footed ferret research and management in the future. Regis- tration fee is $20/general, $10/student. Fee includes published proceed- ings. For more information contact: Conference & Institutes, P.O. Box 3972, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071-3972.
THE 4TH ASSOCIATION OF ZOOLOGICAL HORTICULTURE CONFERENCE
September 19-22, 1984 Brookfield, IL
To be held at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Blvd., Brookfield, IL 60513. Those interested in attending please contact Bill Torsberg at the above address.
AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
Hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK at the Madison Hotel. For information contact Mary Bennett, Registrar, 5500 Phinney Ave., North, Seattle, WA 98103.
ECOLOGY RESTORATION SYMPOSIUM
October 11-12, 1984 Madison, WI
To be held at the University of Wisconsin, the two-day symposium focuses on the scientific value of attempts to restore ecological communities and ecosystems. For information contact: Nancy Dopkins, 1207 Seminole Highway, Madison, WI 53711 or call (608) 262-2746.
FIFTH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1984 New Orleans, LA
Hosted by the Audubon Park Zoo. Watch for further information and call for papers in the September issue of AKF.
234
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When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets foryour feeding program, caii Animai Spectrum today.
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In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
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Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
Santa Barbara Zoo Keeper
Education Program
SubrrUJXdd By
Nancy HolZmbcck, Education Cu/iatoa Santa BoAba/ia Zoo, Santa Ba/iba/ia, CA
Last year’s articles on Continuing Keeper Education started a trend at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Beginning in August, 1983, monthly, hour-long sessions were estab- lished for guest speakers to address our keeper staff. The speakers have included veterinarians, professors and other special- ists from the area, as well as zoo volun- teers and staff.
The following topics have been discussed
Primate Enrichment Elephant Medicine Zoonotic Disease
Comparative Anatomy and Fossil Bones Play Behavior in Squirrel Monkeys Safety on the Job
Visual Acuity and Concept Formation In Asian Elephants: A Santa Barbara Zoo Research Project
Sea Lion Enrichment: A Santa Barbara Zoo Research Project Dolphin Training Disability Awareness
Topics we are looking forward to this summer are:
Public Presentation
Time Management
Routines in Veterinary Care
Our Public Relations, or What Do You Say To the Hundreth Person Who Says "What Kind of Bird Are You?"
The Keeper Education Program has been extremely rewarding and useful.
It has also served a purpose to generate interest in the zoo for our guest speakers. It is easy to set up and we would encourage other zoos to develop similar programs. We also would like some exchange of ideas for topics and speaker sources.
ANIMAL MANAGEMENT COURSES
Submitted by Judic SteenboAg , CooAdinaton.
AAZK Education Committee
During the past month several letters have been received by the Educa- tion Committee requesting information on courses pertaining to animal management. Following is a list of addresses for two college programs that have established degree programs, and two correspondence courses on the subject.
236
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN, CoyuUnu^d
TWO-YEAR:
Biological Parks Training Program and Teaching Zoo Santa Fe Community College P.O. Box 1530 3000 N.W. 83rd St.
Gainesville, FL 32602
...or a total four-year program in conjunction with:
State University of New York at Oswego Oswego, NY 13126
Attn; Sigurd Nelson, Jr., Chairman Dept, of Zoology
Moorpark College
Exotic Animal Training & Management Program 7075 Campus Road Moorpark, CA 93021
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES:
Seminars in Ornithology (bird biology correspondence course)
Laboratory of Ornithology
Cornell University
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14853
Animal Management Correspondence Course National Extension College Dept. Z, 18 Brooklands Ave.
Cambridge CB2 2HN ENGLAND
I [EcUton.’6 no to,: An opm to tke, mmbe/uklp ^Aom Vat SammoAco
AdqUid^tlng tnloHmatton on tn6tttutton6 oHoAtnQ zoo-AoZatdd cuA/Ucutum MU published on page. 193 oi the, July 19S4 t66ue oi AKF. ^ yoa have, inionmatlon on mah tiUttXuutionA and the, coiiUeA the,y o^eA, ple,oii>e, i>e,nd peAtlne.nt data, tncJtuding contact: peA6on and addAeA6 to Vat at the,
Lincoln VoAk Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Va, , Chicago, IL 60614.)
Information Please
Information is needed on the husbandry, breeding and hand-rearing of the Bat-eared Fox [Otocyon mcgatotli) ) . Any information would be greatly ap- I predated. Please contact: Kaoru Araki, Takarazuka Zoological & Botanical Gardens, No. 1-57, Sakee-machi, 1-chome, Takarazuka, Hyogo pref.-665, JAPAN.
: RESEARCH ASSISTANGE NEEDED: Request for ectoparasites, endoparasites, and I fecal material from all zoo animals except birds, rodents, and ruminants.
I Parasites and fecal material should be preserved in 10% formalin or 70% j alcohol. If collecting vials and preservatives are needed, please contact Sue Barnard, Senior Keeper, Dept, of Herpetology, Atlanta Zoological Park, 800 Cherokee Ave., S.E., Atlanta, GA 30315.
237
'A QUESTION OF PRIORITIES
Viewpoiimf;
By
VZctoK S, MoyiAoQ, BloloQ-Li>t and HoApoXo legist OnRngdvalo,, CA
Today’s zoological parks are in dire need of well-educated, well-trained, dedicated professionals. Reptile collections require specialists with the aforementioned prerequisites, as do the carnivores, ungulates, and so ] on down the line.
General purpose keepers who, "learned their trade on the farm", cannot, in my opinion, be expected to function in the capacity required by today's zoos. Medical procedures, habitat design, nutrition, and captive propa- gation require more than mere "on the job training".
Our world of declining species demands that keepers are biologists, zoolo- i gists, veterinarian technicians, or nutritionists. This can be achieved by separate members of a team effort, or by individuals with a duplicity j of qualifications. j
How many zoos presently require a college degree as a condition for keeper employment? Of those few that do, how many require that degree to be with- j in a related field? Of the twenty-two major zoological parks contacted by this author, only two answered "yes" to either question. ;
One might assume that there is a shortage of qualified personnel, forcing zoos to hire both non-grads and applicants from other academic disciplines, j A reasonable assumption, but entirely false. The real problem is more complex, and more demoralizing.
Most zoos, due to financial considerations, operate under local govern- I
ment jurisdiction requiring applicants to face the bureaucracy of the pub- ' lie emplo5niient procedure. Reams of paperwork, inadequate testing pro- cedures, outdated hiring lists, and unions designed for city maintenance ' workers, are a few of the obstacles.
But these are by no means the only hurdles to be crossed — add nepotism, hiring freezes, and unqualified personnel protected by seniority. Of course money is the root of all evil, but the elimination of merely half of the above-mentioned obstacles would ease the burden. Besides, what realistic job hunter is our field expects to become wealthy?
A lack of qualified applicants? Explain impacted programs in wildlife biology, zoology, and their related fields. Explain high unemployment rates for graduates in the field, while non-grads, art majors, and city j
maintenance workers draw pay as full-time keepers.
Are these self-defeating procedures the means to achieve the goals of any quality zoological park? Are English teachers allowed to perform surgery, or salesmen to pilot commercial jetliners? Is the field of zoology less important? Is our mission less crucial?
Changes in the system are overdue, and critically important. It is up to responsible administrators and concerned keepers to demand professional- ism through education, training, and practical application. There are creatures depending upon us that do not have the time to wait.
238
zoo News From Japan
SEA OTTER BIRTH FIRST IN JAPAN
£/iom iyubmltto^d by
Mcuano/U NyUfU, AAZK JnXeAnatlonaZ MembeA
One young male and three adult female sea otters ( Enkyd/ui tuJyvii) ) were accepted by the Toba Aquarium after being caught off the Alaskan coast last October. They have been housed in a specially constructed, tempera- |i ture-controlled water tank designed for sea otters and built at a cost of 200 million yen (about $87,000). The tank is 3.5m deep and the sea otters are being fed freeze-pasteurized shellfish.
On the morning of 23 February of this year, a keeper unexpectedly found ' a baby on the belly of one of the females. The infant had a body length of 40cm and a body weight of 1.5kg. None of the staff or veterinarians were aware that the female was pregnant or showed any signs of impending birth. Since the gestation period for sea otters is about 10 months, the female must have been pregnant when she was captured. The infant's sex is still unknown at this time.
I The birth of a sea otter in captivity is quite rare and only 24 such instances have been reported in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to this fact, there is almost no example of long-term captive raising of a baby sea otter with the exception of the Seattle Aquarium's longevity record of two years. The Toba Aquarium contacted the Seattle Aquarium for the necessary technical information on captive husbandry prior to the sea otters' arrival and sought further advice following the birth of the baby.
On the tenth day after the birth the baby nearly drowned because the mother took a long dive after being frightened by the shadow of a kite j flying over the tank. But after that incident, the baby has been grow- ing well with no other problems so far. The baby was named "Cha-Cha" by a fifth-grade schoolgirl.
' According to the Japanese newspaper VorrujuAUi Sklnbun of June 18, 1984,
[ "Sea Otter Fever" has hit the Toba Aquarium. The baby and nursing mother ; have become very popular attractions and attendance at the aquarium has doubled since the baby's birth. The Aquarium staff is making careful daily observations of both mother and baby using both videotape and color slides to document information in anticipation of future sea otter births. Observation records have been made available to the visiting public. In- cluded were the following daily entries:
— 20 March, 1984 - the baby took a bite off a fish and ate it for the first time.
— 27 March, 1984 - the mother broke a shell and handed it to the baby. The shell-breaking practice has begun.
— 13 April, 1984 - the baby becomes capable of diving to the depth of 1.2m under water picking up and playing with ^ a shell.
— 1 June, 1984 - the baby's downy fur has started to turn from brown
to black. The body length has grown to 85cm and the weight to 7.2kg.
This rare growth record and nursing behavior will be officially reported at the Marine Mammal Convention for Japanese marine biologists which is planned for December of this year.
239
Let your t-shirts do the talking . . . Information about endangered species and environmental issues printed on high quality 100% cotton t-shirts. Also, exquisite artwork. Many printed front and back. Satisfaction guaranteed. Send for free catalog. Designs include: elephant (front)/ rhino (back), dolphin/whale, wolf/ eagle, polar bear/harp seal, clean air/acid rain and more. JIM MORRIS T- SHIRTS, P.O. Box 2308, Dept. EH4, Boulder, CO 80306 or call (303) 444-6430.
.-ENVIRONMENTAL-, - - - T - S H I R T .S - - -
i
li
{
FOREIGN OBJECTS IN EXHIBITS: AVERTING A TRAGEDY
By
H-lckaul J. Sdhoildid Ij
Ca/witon. oi kvimal^
Scxence Cdwtdn. I
MA
On 20 June, 1984, our 7h month old female Polar bear maAJJUmuJ> ) \
was found with a loop of i^-inch reinforcing wire seven inches in diameter ! encircling her neck. Apparently she had found the loop of wire in a hole she had been excavating in the exhibit and managed to squeeze it over her head. A frantic half hour ensued whereby the young bear tried to remove j
the wire from her neck and the mother bear made several attempts to assist |
the youngster. We were able to isolate the juvenile in the den complex ;
and successfully removed the wire in the following manner:
A blunt hook with a long shank was secured to a four-foot length of one- inch PVC pipe. Electrical tape was used to secure the hook to the pipe to ensure that the hook would break before damage to the bear's neck could occur. The bear cub was then encouraged to face the 4-inch by 10-inch keeper's viewpoint in a shift door and the wire was then hooked.
The juvenile backed up as was expected and the wire was pulled safely from her head. A simple solution to a possible tragedy, but the best ..
solution is routine daily examination of exhibits for foreign objects. ’]
We were lucky. Think twice the next time an animal is seen playing with > ;i| something seemingly harmless. Maybe it isn't.
^ :■
fall
240
10th National AAZK Conference
September 30th - October 4th HOSTED BY
WOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
JOIN
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984
Please type or print. One name per form.
Return form with your fee to:
Mary Bennett, Registration Coordinator Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Phone: (206) 625-5488
Make checks payable to Puget Sound Chapter AAZK.
Deadline for Pre-registration is August 15, 1984.
1984 Registration
Name
ADDRESS
CITY STATE/COUNTRY
ZIP/POSTAL CODE
ZOO AFFILIATION IF APPLICABLE
AREA OF INTEREST
VEGETARIAN YES NO
WILL BE SUBMITTING PAPER YES NO^
($20.00 will be refunded on acceptance of paper")
AAZK MEMBERSHIP STATUS AND FEES:
|
MEMBER OR SPOUSE |
$50.00 each |
|
NON-MEMBER |
$70.00 each |
|
LATE FEE |
$15.00 |
|
(After Aug. 15th) |
|
|
TOTAL FEES ENCLOSED |
$ |
ONE DAY RATES FOR INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE EVENTS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE CONTACT MARY BENNETT FOR INFORMATION.
Are you interested in purchasing a conference T-shirt?
YES NO Size S M L XL
(This will help us provide adequate inventory)
CONFERENCE UPDATE
Weather
Weather in the Pacific Northwest is often unpredictable. Early fall is often cool, sunny days (50's-60's). We will be outside for several days and evenings during the conference, so a light, warm jacket and possibly a raincoat and hat would be good items to bring. You might also find a small daypack handy.
Hotel
Remember to register as soon as possible, before the registration dead- line, so you will be eligible for winning a free night!
Although the hotel does require evening attire in the top floor restau- rant and entertainment longue, it is casually elegant. Jeans are quite acceptable for all other areas of the hotel. Also, if you do wish to be matched with a roommate, be sure and make that clear when calling in your registration.
OUT OF STATE.... 800 426-1172
IN STATE 800 851-8010
LOCAL.. 206 583-0300
Auction
If you have an item for the auction, please consider sending it to us ahead of time, if at all possible. It might make your travel- ing easier, and it will definitely make auction arrangements here go much smoother.
Send all items to: Woodland Park Zoo
5500 Phinney Ave. No. Seattle, WA 98103 ATTN: Pat Maluy
No cod's please.
Seattle, The Emerald City.
Day Fees
Sunday $10.00
Monday $10.00
Tuesday $5.00
Wednesday. . .$15.00
Thursday $15.00
Thurs. eve.. $25. 00
includes ice-breaker
includes evening tour of Seattle Aquarium includes lunch, dinner & buses to & from WPZ includes buses all day, lunch & dinner includes lunch at hotel; does not cover evening covers banquet & evening at Space Needle
243
Conference 84
1984 AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULED PAPERS
These papers are listed in order of presentation; numbers 1 - 14 are scheduled for Monday; numbers 15 - 23 are scheduled for Thursday morning.
1. "Gorilla Management at Lincoln Park Zoo", Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo
2. "Death of an Alpha Guinea Baboon {Paplo paplo) - the Effects on the
Offspring", Lynne Villers, Indianapol is Zoo
3. Jones and Jones, Zoo and Landscape Architectural Firm, Seattle, WA
4. "ZooCamp - A Learning Experience", Diane Krug, Riverbanks Zoological
Park
5. "Activity Patterns and Sexual Behavior in Two Pairs of Snow Leopards",
Elayne Barclay, Washington Park Zoo
6. "Establishing a Pride of Lions at the New Pittsburgh Zoo", Regina Greeb,
Pittsburgh Zoo
7. "What to Do When Your Zoo Doesn't Have a Graphics Department", Cathy
Taibbi, Atlanta Zoo
8. "Husbandry and Breeding of Water Ouzels ( C^ncZiu mexx^c.a.n(L6 ) , at the
Washington Park Zoo", John H. Houck and Ralph Arrison, Washington Park Zoo
9. "First Captive Breeding of the Common Trumpeter [P^opkla c. cAzp-ltayis
Jim McNeal and Eric Kowalczyk, Woodland Park Zool ogi cal Gardens
10. "Horticultural Enhancement of Exhibits at the ASDM", George Montgomery,
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
11. "Guidelines for Aquarium Designs in Zoos", Dave Gordon, Point Defiance
Zoo and Aquarium
12. "The Modern Keeper in a Small Growing Zoo", Wayne Sager, Valley Zoo,
Alberta, CANADA
13. "Sliding Door Nestboxes at Front Royal", Kevin Conway, National Zoo
Conservation & Research Center
14. "AAZK Exhibit Design Form", Diane Forsyth, Akron Zoological Park
15. "Illness and Recovery of a Male Koala - A Case History", Don Richardson,
Los Angeles Zoo
16. "Training Asian Elephant Cows for Artificial Insemination", Mary Dukes,
Santa Barbara Zoo
17. "The Keeper As an Educational Resource", Joanie Stinson, Phoenix Zoo
18. "Creating An Ethogram: A Fundamental Tool of Ethology", Diane Forsyth,
Akron Zoological Park
19. "Management and Husbandry of the Western Tarsier, T(vu^ bancayiuA,
at the National Zoological Park", Frank Kohn, National Zoo
20. "Social Behavior of Two Groups of Lion-tailed Macaques", S.G. Hornshaw,
J.D. Rempel , The University of Western Ontario
21. "Investigation into Maintaining, Exhibiting and Breeding the Tailed
Frog, A^daphuU) t/Luol,. in a Zoological Park", Stanley Held, Washington Park Zoo
22. "Fresno's Wolf Woods: Frustrations Resolved", Mary L. Swanson,
Fresno zoo
23. "Animal Keepers' Forum: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Challenge",
Susan Chan, Topeka Zoological Park
{SdVQAjot Icutd oAnlvaJU) ojid htWi undeA coyu>ld2Aatlon. WoA.k^kop6lVLi>ucJ>6-lon>!il Vmov\^tAjcutloYUi wWi foe tiitdd vKDct month. )
244
teptlle Care: Relating To 'he Inquiring Novice - Part 5
^^^{fehibian .
^ potpourri
TRANSPORTING AND HANDLING
By
Silvan M. BoAmAd, Se.vilon. K^^peA Vept. 0^ HeApetology Atlanta Zoologtcal. PoAk, Atlanta, GA
Transport and inexpert handling is stressful to an animal, and the risk )f injury to them is increased. Too often a snake is transported around in owner's neck, in a paper bag, in a pocket, or by other undesirable nethods. A reptile, being transported, should be placed in a clean, well- stitched cloth sack such as a pillow case (sacks must be made of a mater-
|Lal that will allow a reptile to breathe) . To prevent an animal from
jiscaping, the sack should be carefully inspected for holes. If all appears In order, the sack's opening can be secured with tape, string, or by knot- ting the sack itself.
|)nce the reptile is secure within the sack, it is placed in an insulated container (styrofoam) of appropriate size. Unless the reptile is to be containerized for several days, it is not necessary to riddle the con- tainer with air holes. If an owner is concerned about a pet receiving in- sufficient air, a few holes can be placed on each end of the container, lowever, one should keep in mind that the more holes, the less effective
the insulation will be. The zoo keeper should explain to the novice that
insulated containers are used to prevent the reptile from being exposed to drafts and extreme temperatures.
ilhe container should be secured with tape in the event the animal escapes from the sack. Also, it is desirable to label all containerized reptiles with their common and scientific names, the number of animals within, and the fact that they are non-venomous.
It cannot be stressed strongly enough that containerized animals should never be left in direct sunlight or in any other place where temperatures can exceed 90®F. Too often a reptile owner planned to make a "quick" stop somewhere, but upon arriving back to a sunbaked car, has found dead or overheated reptiles. Reptiles overheat quickly, so transport directly from point A to point B.
|lf many animals are being transported, the owner should avoid overcrowd- jing. When sacking reptiles for transport, accidents can be avoided by |ip lacing one animal per sack. This is especially important with "snappy" animals that tend to bite each other.
After relocating a reptile according to the prescribed method, the sack(s) and insulated container should be washed and sanitized with a mild solu- tion of Clorox® and then thoroughly rinsed and dried.
Most reptiles bite! Even the "tame" one that has been captive for years !may have an unpredictable moment. Large specimens such as pythons can 'inflict severe wounds which may require medical treatment. A snake's [recurved teeth may break off in a wound and must be removed. Whether a [reptile is wild-caught or has been captive for years, proper handling 'will reduce the incidence of bite wounds. The first step in safe handling ! is to firmly grasp an animal with a smooth, rapid, and confident motion.
245
REPTILE CARE: RELATING TO THE INQUIRING NOVICE - PART 3, ConX^nued
Hesitation upon an approach may provoke a bite. A larger and/or aggres- sive animal should be gently pinned behind the head with one hand while using the other hand to support its body. If an animal is too large for one person to comfortably support, employ an assistant.
Aggressive turtles, such as snapping turtles, can be held by the base of the carapace and/or plastron. Be sure that the novice understands that these animals must never be restrained by their legs or tails. Also, many lizards have fragile tails; therefore they must not be grasped by this appendage.
While leather gloves may prevent scratches and bites from a struggling animal, they are bulky and can prevent a firm grasp. Weak grips may allow an animal to injure itself or squirm free and escape.
Zoo keepers should attempt to instill confidence in new reptile owners, since their desire to own a reptile is greater than their experience.
If one is determined to work with reptiles, one must not have a phobia for being bitten. Animal bites can be avoided with forethought and smooth technique.
Be certain that the inquiring enthusiast understands that one must NEVER HANG A SNAKE AROUND THE NECK! Even small snakes can inflict an injury to the face and neck when frightened. A gentle squeeze from a large snake can cut off circulation of blood to the brain causing unconsciousness and possible death to the handler. vlJ'
iPcuit 4 oi thAj> uoM. dual ''Hou6Xng: Ve^Xgn and Con^tnucXXon" .)
AAZK Committee Reports
PUBLIC EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Submitted by Eileen GeAity ChaJjvpenJiOn oi AAIK Public Education Committee
Although apparently silent, the newly-formed Public Education Committee has been hard at work. The committee has been contacted by many interested individuals from various sectors of the country concerning possible sub- committee ideas.
One suggestion, submitted by Oliver Claffey of the Metro Toronto Zoo, was on an SSP booklet; preparing keepers to answer questions from the public professionally, as this is an important aspect of public education.
Another suggestion was the preparation of a booklet containing commonly asked questions concerning the animal kingdom. This will offer the keepers insight into the type of information in which the public is interested.
Finally, an informative program educating the public concerning the life of a zookeeper has been suggested. Perhaps this could be achieved with a display demonstrating the daily activities of the zookeeper so that the public can see how the zookeepers interact with the various species of animals .
V
The Committee welcomes the suggestions of other members of AAZK and re- quests any ideas be forwarded to Eileen Gerity, Educational Coordinator,
Van Saun Park Zoo, Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652.
246
I:
{Education Alternatives...
i SOME OF THE ANIMALS WORK FOR A LIVING:
' THEIRS AND OTHERS
By
HeyCcU Emlty Sdvilo^ AvumaZ HandteA Ayilmal CklX-Chat Skom SpucAjoZ Evzyiti) V(ipa/UmQ,vvt San VZe.go Zoo, San VZugo, CA
Che San Diego Zoo has, for years, had a very extensive Education and Pub- lic Relations Department. Creative and innovative programs have been developed by the instructors, who not only hold classes in our education- al facilities all year around, but also go out to schools in order to aring "the Zoo to You". Animals have always been a vital part of these arograms; a visual and tactile tool to get the children and adults closer to the theme — animal natural history and conservation.
Jntil recently, the animals used for education have been similar to those ised by most zoological gardens; small, easily accessible, and common tandidates such as: reptiles, raptors, psittacines, and small mammals. Jsually these animals have either been donated pets, young, abandoned.
Local wildlife, or acquired animals known for their tolerance of human tontact .
decause of the demand by the public to see and hear about new things, we lave had to acquire other types of animals in order to avoid repetition. Some of the newly acquired animals are surplus, and they will stay with IS throughout their lifetimes. Others are temporary animals that we house, ^7ork and show during a transitional period of their lives here at the Zoo. rhese animals are carnivores. They are a part of our educational animal collection and they are enclosed primarily in one area. They are cleaned, landled and talked about by a limited number of handlers.
I
IChese animals* participation in educational and public relations activit- ies not only generates a substantial income for the zoo, but also intro- duces innumerable people to the plight of animals in the wild and to how bur captive management goals are faring.
iere in sunny San Diego, the zoo is open 365 days out of the year. Our public is exposed to one of the largest collections of animals in the <7orld. All of these animals are housed out-of-doors and, because of the [lemperate clime, all are pretty active subjects for the over four million j/isitors a year. We are also fortunate to have an environment ally- briented press and, of course, donors. Because of this interest, the demand to see exotics close-up has increased over the years. Our Good-
IA^ill Ambassador, Joan Embery’s appearances on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show, among others, has definitely added to their popularity.
In 1983 alone, our small collection of educational animals participated In quite a few public-oriented activities. The chart illustrates the diversity, and the following descriptions, hopefully, will depict just what it is that we do.
I
I
School programs - off zoo grounds. We have an educational van that transports two to three animals in crates to schools for these assembly urograms entitled "The Zoo and You". It is designed for grade levels <-6, and each program lasts about 50 minutes. It includes a short slide
247
SOME OF THE ANIMALS WORK FOR A LIVING: THEIRS AND OTHERS, CoyiUnLie,d
show introducing the conservation theme. The animals’ spots are con- ducted by the handlers, and they exhibit the animals’ uniqueness, natural history and allow some petting.
School programs - on zoo grounds. Kinderzoo, Juniorzoo and Summer school sessions bring grade levels K-12 to the zoo. The students are brought to our animal compound for an introduction to more specific ani- mal information, i.e. adaptation, animal classification, behavior, care and management. There is some hands-on experience. j;
Special Tours - behind-the-scenes groups are led on a three and one j, half hour tour of different areas in the zoo; one being our animal com- i| pound. The smaller groups are invited into the animals’ houses in order j to get an "up close and personal" experience with our family. V.I.P j
tours, of four hours duration, allows a smaller group (usually a family) { an exclusive tour.
Parties - day and evening parties are booked either in our catering i facilities or at a local hotel/restaurant. They are usually held for promotional purposes for the zoo. Animal Pals is a package deal which j includes a presentation with animals. This can be an informal walk- around during the pre-feed serving period, or a formal presentation. The I price is determined by the number of animals and handlers requested, the i length of time for the appearance, and whether or not we need to load | and transport the animals to an out-of-zoo location. The larger activit- i ies, numbering up to 3,000 people are usually fund-raising enterprises i for the zoo. '
Media exposure - this includes a wide variety of television photo ;
sessions and filming for special segments on T.V. , and for commercials. Newspaper interviews and photo shoots are for both local and U.P.I. use. These sometimes occur spontaneously and can be either in our compound or at the studio. ;
I
All this is in addition to the 700-odd Animal Chit-Chat Shows a year in which our animals perform. We have one amphitheater at the zoo which ^
seats 2500+ people. The shows are held twice daily, seven days a week, and are free.
Who are these animals? Our family of educational/public relations ani- mals include:
Red-tailed hawk, 1.0, 6 years old |
Great-horned owl, 1.0, 6 years old
Indigo snake, 1.0, 8 years old
California Harbor seal, 1.0, 8 years old
Guanaco, 0.2, 3 years and 1 year old
Mini-horse (registered) 1.0, 10 years old
Emu, 1.0, 6 years old
Eastern-grey kangaroo, 0.1, 8 years old Indo-Chinese leopard, 0.1, 2 years old South African cheetah, 1.0, 3 years old Golden Retriever, 0.1, 3h years old Timber wolf, 0.1, 12 years old Bengal tigers, 1.2, 1 year old Asian lion, 1.0, 8h months old Dhole dog, 1.0, 1 year old
248
[
I SOME ANIMALS WORK FOR A LIVING: THEIRS AND OTHERS. Continued
Educational Animal Activity Chart Jan. -Dec. 1983
|
j Activity |
Animal Chit Chat-total number in- volved in. |
Total part- icipants |
Pee |
Total re- venue |
Animals part-, icipating |
|
School proerains (off grounds) |
48 schools |
19,500 students |
3150.00 for first pro- gram, $50. for addi- tional programs |
$7,600.00 |
all but, seal, horse , emu , roo 8ind wolf |
|
School programs (on grounds) |
76 classes |
2,815 stu- dents |
$18.00- $40.00 /person /session |
$77,607.00 |
all |
|
Special tours |
76 tours |
approx , 13,162 people |
$5.75-$l3.25 /person $300.00 for a V.I.P. tour |
approx, $101,979.63 |
all |
|
Parties |
68 appear- ances |
3,284 peo- ple (partial) |
$150.00- $500.00 |
$2,250.00 (partial) |
all but, wolf and leopard |
|
Media ex- posure — M„ |
63 ses- sions |
undetermined |
free |
undetermined advertise- ment val- ue |
all |
Associated animals:
Macaw (Blue and Gold), 1.0, adult Boa constrictor, 0.1, adult Rosey boa, 0.1, adult Tawny Frogmouth, 1.0, 2 years old Ferrets, 2.1, adults Kinkajou, 1.0, 14 years old
Coatimundi, 0.1, 5 years old Hedgehog, 1.0, adult Barn owl, 1.0, 15 years old Burrowing owl, 1.0, adult Green Iguana, 0.1, 6 years old
249
SOME ANIMALS WORK FOR A LIVING: THEIRS AND OTHERS, CowUnu^d
I!
i! f
The permanent "lifers" you can probably guess. The transitional animals i are the large carnivores; they have been rejected and hand-raised and are ear-marked for future breeding ventures. These animals have become j too large for the Children’s Zoo nursery facilities, but are still too i
young to be introduced to a viable breeding group. The wolf and the 1
harbor seal are exceptions; these two were abandoned animals that have proven themselves tractible in adulthood. The leopard, tigers, and lion will, when sexually mature, be used either in our zoo as part of a | breeding program, or loaned out to other zoos for the same purpose. |
f
The cheetah is another exception. His acquisition as an education ani- mal was funded by a private group of zoo donors. His is an inbred «
specimen and will not be used as a breeder, hence the dog as a companion.
At over three years of age, he has proven himself well acclimated to public perusal. "Anna" and "Arusha" are zoo favorites.
We feel strongly about not keeping a viable breeding animal out of a concerted breeding effort. Carnivores seem to acclimate easily, and the hand-raising and personal contact they receive as juveniles and adolescents does not seem to deter their natural instincts when they mature.
Our cats are not declawed or defanged, and it is always a very challeng- ing experience for the handlers. We have the discretion of dictating what our animals will tolerate. We basically call the shots as far as the strange environment, public handling, and length of exposure they may tolerate. Fortunately, everyone listens to our edicts.
We have an exceptional group of animals that tolerate a lot of strange people up close. We’d like to think that we are very protective of what they can and will do. In the process we have disseminated some important animal information, and our "show" animals have, perhaps, made it a little easier for the public to understand what other, less accessible animals need to survive. Our kids really work for animalkind!
Statistics indicated in the chart were compiled from information provided by: Education Dept., Special Tours/Group Sales Dept., Catering Dept., Animal Chit-Chat/Carlee Robinson.
Anyone having any questions, or possible animal alternatives for future animal acquisitions please contact: AnAjncit ChiX-CkoX, San V'izgo loo,
P.O. Box 551, San Vd.ago, CA 92112.
250
Legislative News
Comp^dd by Kdv-in Comay AAZK LdgLilatlvd Coo/idlncuton.
CHANGES TO THE MIGRATORY BIRD TREATY ACT REGULATIONS
I On 7 June the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a proposal to j enable all accredited institutional members of AAZPA to buy and sell law- : fully acquired migratory birds or their progeny, parts, nests or eggs. Currently only zoological parks that are open to the public and not oper- ated for profit are exempted from the migratory bird permit regulations and thereby permitted to buy and sell lawfully acquired migratory birds. AAZPA has been working with officials from USFWS for some four years in efforts to change these regulations.
In their published proposal, the USFWS noted: ..."propagation of various migratory bird species (i.e. flamingos, ibises, etc) benefits the migra- tory bird resource through the production of captive-bred birds, thereby ipromoting knowledge useful to their conservation, increasing the captive population, and reducing the demand for taking such species from the wild The Service wants to encourage these zoological parks and aquariums to I continue these activities by granting them an exception to the migratory bird permit regulations."
— AAZPA Nm^ldtteA., JuZy 1984 and Vnd^Aol RdQl^toJi, 1 Jund, 1984
MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT PASSES HOUSE
On 5 June, the Marine Mammal Protection Act reauthorization passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote. There were no amendments to the bill (H.R. 4997) on the Floor. The bill contains no prohibition for the public display of killer whales.
--AAZPA July 1984
i
(
' FINDING ON ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE PETITION
After a review of available biological information on the status of the alligator snapping turtle {!^acAocI.dmy6 tdmmlndkl] , the USFWS has conclud- ed that a proposal to list this species as Endangered or Threatened is I not justified at this time. The review was carried out in response to 1 a Feb. 23, 1983 listing petition from Dr. Peter C.H. Pritchard. Although the data gathered by the Service is not sufficient to warrant a listing j at this time, they will continue to monitor the species status.
— EndangeAdd Spddld6 TdC-kniaat BuZldtin Uol. IK, No, 5
251
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, ConUnu^d
MINNESOTA WOLF REGULATIONS AMENDED
The Federal regulations governing management of the gray wolf (CaiiX6 tapiU>) in Minnesota, a species which is classified as Threatened in that State, have been amended (F.R. 8/10/83). This revision will allow a limited, controlled taking of wolves by the public, as well as designated Federal and State agents. The FWS’s current wolf depredation control program also will be modified. Sales of tagged Minnesota wolf parts will be permitted i in interstate and international commerce. Wolf densities in the affected management zones within Minnesota will be maintained at or above the levels recommended in the Eastern Timber Wolf Recovery Plan.
In response to comments on the proposed rule, several changes were made in the final rule. Until a stable wolf population is established in Wisconsin, wolves may not be taken, other than in direct response to de- predation, in the areas of Minnesota from where wolves are beginning to colonize northern Wisconsin, unless depredation in those areas becomes chronic. The regulations have also been modified to make it clear that they do not authorize trade in living wolves.
— Endange/ied Spe.Cyiej> T o^akyilcal BuZleJxn Uol, l/JI, No. 9
SELKIRK MOUNTAIN HERD OF WOODLAND CARIBOU NOW ENDANGERED
The southern Selkirk Mountain herd of woodland caribou, considered the Nation s most critically endangered large mammal, has been listed as an endangered species by the Interior Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife j
Service. The action became effective on 3/30/84. [
The herd, now estimated to number only about 30 individuals, twice was i
granted endangered status under emergency provisions of the Endangered Species Act; formal listing will now extend the protections of the act to the species permanently. ;
The Selkirk Mountain herd is the only caribou population that is found in the lower 48 States, occurring in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington as well as southern British Columbia. Critical Habitat for [
the species has not been designated because the Service feels such a pre- cise description could lead to illegal take of the few remaining animals. ,
The woodland caribou was once found throughout the northern tier of States that border Canada; by the 1950 's the last remaining population had drop- I ped to an estimated 100 animals in the Pacific Northwest. Reasons for the species’ decline include once-legal hunting, poaching, habitat degradation, low calf survival, and the absence of immigration from other herds in Canada.
--EndangeAed Sp^(Ue^ T^chwlcat BiMeZin Vol. 1, No. B
252
A COMMENT ON THE SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN
By
Jo6zph W. MaynoAd, VVidcXon.
Exotic. EqjHvlc Breeding Compound, Inc,
Rosamond, CA
[Editor’ ^ Note’- M/l. Haynaxd'^ ojvticle xM tn ^2J>pon6e to an oAttcle entit- led "Tke SpecteXi SuAvtval Plan; A Suitable Coj>e Eon. Tn.eatment" LcnttXen by Hike Clank, {^onmen keepen Jen^ey Zoological Pank, and Voug RlckancUon, keepen at the Hoi0lett6 Zoo Pank. Tkli antlcJte Mas published on Page 142 oi the May 19S4 ti6ue o{i AKE. )
I agree with Mike Clark and Doug Richardson on their overall view of the SSP, but I think we should elaborate a little more on past management policies .
As most will agree, even though it may be a hard pill to swallow, that past management policies are the cause of today’s overpopulation of poor stock, i.e. mixed breeds and uncontrolled in-breeding. Also, but possibly not as well known, past personality conflicts and ego have served well to eliminate genitically pure animals from current breeding stock. It wouldn’t serve any purpose to dwell on this, but we should be able to utilize these past breeding mistakes in a constructive way.
Although in some cases euthanasia may have to be considered, instead of Mass Euthanasia, consider the following: Why not take these animals and use them for exhibit purposes and take the rarer animals off display to be used as the nucleus for the SSP project.
As Leopards ( Panthena unlca) were used in the original article, let us continue to use them in this discussion as an example.
To the general public a ’’Leopard is a Leopard”. This is not meant as a derogatory slap in the face at the public, it is simply that the public at large does not know that there are different species or sub-species of Leopard. The same hold true about Tigers. A good example would be:
How many of us at our facilities have both a normal Spotted Leopard and a Melanistic or Black Leopard? Those that do and have been present at the exhibit during visiting hours have undoubtably heard the visitor re- mark upon seeing the Black Leopard, ”000 a Black Panther”. If you try, you stand about a 50-50 chance of convincing them that both the Spotted Leopard and the Black Leopard are the same animal right down to their spots.
j What all this boils down to is that most of the species of felines do 1 not breed well when constantly on exhibit, and since the general public i is mainly interested in the larger more colorful cats like the Lion, Tiger and Leopard, there shouldn’t be any reason why mixed or hybrid animals that have been neutered or spayed couldn’t be put on exhibit and pure stock isolated until such time there is a sufficient number available to put back on display.
We believe the above is at least worth considering as it alleviates two .current problems in a mature way. One, it eliminates empty exhibits when animals are removed for breeding, and, two, it is a humane way to deal with past mistakes.
Again, Mike and Doug used the population figures for the Snow Leopard as j an example — take a look at you zoo’s most recent ISIS Species Distribu- i tion Report. What about the Temmincks Golden Cat, and Clouded Leopard, Pallas Cat, Flat Headed Cat, and on and on? All of these animals show only a decrease in population. Why? What is the reason? Let us just say that if old policy, and ego were eliminated from consideration, the SSP just might work. There are a lot of good people directing the efforts of the SSP Program. Let’s all work together to help them.
253
HAND-RAISING INFANT INSECTIVOROUS BATS
By
Siuan M. BaJinjOAd, SdviLon. Ke.a.peA Ve.pt. oi HeApeXology, Atlanta loo Atlanta, GA
Because of their small size, insectivorous bats are very difficult to hand-raise. The odds are against success; and even if the bat survives, it is unlikely that it can be returned to the wild. A training program of this kind is beyond the expertise of most people. Therefore, those attempting to hand-raise an infant insectivorous bat should be prepared to keep the animal, or turn it over to an institution housing captive bats of the particular species.
As soon as possible, the recently obtained bat should be identified as toi genus/species. It is not enough to know the animal is a bat; each species differs in weight, and to determine if the bat is growing properly, its 1 adult weight should be known. Furthermore, knowledge of the animal's weight will be useful in estimating the orphaned bat's age. For example, t a Big Brown bat ( ) may range in adult weight from 11 to ( 16 grams. As Eastern Pipistrel fPtpt6tAellco!> ^ubfjlaviUjmay range in adul! weight from 4 to 6 grams. The newborns may exceed 25% of the mother's ; post-delivery weight. f
r
In temperate regions, bats give birth in May and June. They are hairlessP but have milk teeth which allow them to cling to their mother's teat. i These teeth are useless for eating insects, so beginning food must consist of a prepared milk diet such as Espilac® Avoid supplementing the milk j with syrups or vitamins as these may cause diarrhea. Infant bats should , be fed frequently (approximately every 2 hours), but never overfed. Most, will accept food readily, a drop at a time, from the palm of the hand . (see Fig. 1.) [
ft'g. 1. An Infant tn^Q,CLtlvon.OLLi, bat' 6 mouth Ta too 6maIZ to 6uak {^Kom dvm a tiny doll bottle. The animal can dcAlve enough nouAl6hment by racking daiopi> oi milk ^^om the palm o£ the hand. Vuuithenmofie, this methi help^ prevent the Infant ^A,om a^pl^Lotlng the ^luld Into Its lung6. (Phot' Rick PeAAy] .
254
HAND-RAISING INFANT INSECTIVOROUS BATS, CoyvUnu2,d
Baby bats grow very quickly. At the first sign of hair growth, the infant can be transferred gradually to a more substantial diet of glop. In most instances, the orphaned bat will probably be at an age where it can be fed this artificial diet immediately. There are many variations on the bat glop theme. I successfully raised several insectivorous bats on the fol- lowing :
Daily, mix equal parts of Gerber ’ s^ strained baby egg yolk
Gerber's strained baby banana Sour cream Mealworm guts
To this add — 1 or 2 drops Polyvisol multivitamin infant drops,
^Bat glop should be slightly warmed prior to feeding, and offered from the ipalm of the hand. Baby bats dehydrate easily. After each meal of bat jglop, offer the animal several drops of tap water, also from the palm of jthe hand. Most insectivorous bats are ready to fly at about 3 to 4 weeks ;of age. By this time their milk teeth have been replaced by their per- imanent teeth, and the infant is ready to receive chitin in its diet.
IChitin constitutes the insect's exoskeleton, and is important to the bat for the formation of firm stools. Begin replacing the mealworm guts with finely chopped whole mealworms. Gradually decrease the amount of egg yolk, banana, and sour cream mixture each day until the bat is eating 100% insects. When the pure insect diet is started, place 1 or 2 drops of hiultivitamins in lOmls of water. To prevent drowning, use shallow water tcontainers such as small petri dishes.
jlhere is no definite rule to the number of mealworms a bat should consume each day. Variables include time of year, size (species) of bat, room temperature, and the amount of daily activity. My rule of thumb for deter- inining what a bat should eat is by feeding it as much or as little as nec- I essary to maintain a healthy weight. This can be determined by the animal's ilflight ability. Lean bats fly well, while fat bats can barely get airborne. ilFrom March through September, I maintain my Big Brown bat at between 14.5 and 15 grams which requires the consumption of 6 to 14 large mealworms daily. During the animal's dormant months (October through February) she received 1 to 4 worms weekly since it is a constant struggle to prevent ler weight from increasing beyond 18 grams. On the other hand, I spend all year trying to drop the Eastern Pipistrel to ^ to 5 grams. Rarely does this animal receive more than one to three small mealworms daily. Dur- ing the winter months I drop her mealworm intake to 1 to 4 small worms per •^eek. However, always provide fresh water daily with 1 or 2 drops of multi- vitamins. To insure that a bat is being maintained at a proper weight, it ■/ill be necessary to weigh the animal at least once a week on an appropri- ate scale - I use a triple beam balance.
lousing can be a problem, especially during the early hand-rearing period, it is very likely that anyone raising a baby bat will have to commute with Lt back and forth to work. The infant's home should provide it with warmth, safety, and security. It should be lightweight for ease of transport, and asy to keep clean. I have experimented with several designs and have ound that a 5 gal. plastic container works best (Fig. 2). Within this :ontainer place a heating pad (be sure it is on lowest setting) , and 1 or I rumpled pillow cases (Fig. 3). Notch the container to allow the heat- ing pad cord to exit the container while the lid is tightly in place. It /ill also be necessary to drill air holes in the container's top to pro- vide ventilation.
255
HAND-RAISING INFANT INSECTIVOROUS BATS, ConUnued
Fd.g, 2, - Tkt& bcutmoblto. tkn li o{j many aJXmpts to dej>ta. the, mo6t 6LLitable, nun^oAy ion. tli "mn,ktng mothoA." . |'
(Photo: Rtck PeAAy) |
I'
Ftg. 3. - In addUtton to a he,at- tng pad and n,umpte.d ptltoM aobOAf one. on. two ple.c.eA oi Lightweight conk bank may be tncludcd in the nuJueny contatneA, Bats miut have a noagh ^aniace upon which to hang (upside down) .
(Photo: Pick Penny)
AND-RAISING INFANT INSECTIVOROUS BATS, Continued
'/hile this "batmobile" is suitable during the few weeks necessary to iiand-raise the animal, it should not be used for permanent housing. I lave found that cages designed for arboreal reptiles are also suitable ;or housing insectivorous bats. Only the size of the cage needs adjust- ing according to the bat species. For example, a 1 ft. deep X 2 ft. wide 1 3 ft. high structure is suitable for the Big Brown bat. It should be front opening, and a 25 watt red light bulb should be mounted at the top
i) f the cage, on the cage’s exterior. My Pipistrel is housed in a 1 ft. jleep X 1 ft. wide X 2 ft. high snake cage. However, unlike a reptile :age, a bat requires a rough interior surface. Cage contents should in- i;lude non-resinous hardwood branches, and a substrate of newspaper or itaper towels. Branches should be properly secured to prevent accidental .njury to the bat, or cage damage.
pie cage sizes do not permit flight. However, my bats are removed from iheir cages each evening for an hour of socializing and flying. I soc- ialize the animals by placing them in my bathrobe pocket until each ani- lal voluntarily leaves the pocket to fly. The time varies from 5 minutes :o about an hour. If at the end of an hour the bats do not voluntarily .eave my pocket, I remove them, one at a time, and encourage them to fly
j) y gently tossing them in the air. This is a dangerous time for the bats, because of their small size, they can easily be lost under or behind house :iold furniture. Furthermore, it is absolutely essential that other pets
)e put outside while the bat is flying.
5at experts have observed flight differences between differing bat species fly bats are also different in their flying styles. My Big Brown bat flies jiore quickly and for a longer period of time than my Eastern Pipistrel bat
he Big Brown bat may fly from 5 minutes to about 15 minutes each evening, hile the Eastern Pipistrel tires after about 5 minutes. However, what :nthusiasm she lacks in flight, she makes up for on the ground. She pends about 5 to 10 minutes more flipping about the floor like a moth.
advocate a reasonable amount of exercise to maintain a strong, healthy lat. For additional information on the care of captive bats, see BIOLOGY )F BATS OF THE NEW WORLD FAMILY, ?kytloi>tomcutidcLQ,, Part I, Care in Captiv- -ty, No. 10, Pgs. 89-131, by Arthur M. Greenhall; Special Publications lie Museum, Texas Tech University.
iLee Catalogue of Government PubI ications Available
You can get a free bimonthly listing of all new and revised Government books and periodicals for sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office. Entries (including regulations, economic and labor statistics, reference works, grant information, etc.) are arranged alphabetically by subject. Each issue includes an order form. To be placed on the mailing list to receive New Books without charge, write to: New Books, US Government Printing Office, Stop: MK, Washington, DC 20401.
257
THINK Safety!
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WEAR YOUR PRIDE
Join the celebration
Animal Keepers Forum invites you to celebrate its ten year anniversary. To commemorate ten years of publication, we are proud to offer you a limited addition anniversary T-shirt. Show your dedication We know you are deeply committed to your work and professional animal care. Why not tell the world how you feel? You can wear your pride when you buy
your anniversary T-shirt, your money will directly benefit the AAZK Conference and AKF.
Order yours today
These shirts are made of quality 100% heavyweight cotton and are only available through the P84AAZK Conference. This limited edition T-shirt is available to you for $7.50 and includes postage and handling. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery of your T-shirt.
Send this form to:
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Attn: Judle Steenberg
Name
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Enclosed is a check for $ payable to the Puget Sound AAZK
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259
JvUititutioyii) waking to advQJitLi>e mptoym<iyit oppo^taultt^^ oaq, cuked to 6md peAttmnt data by tke, 15th o{^ mck month to: Oppoatantty Knocks /AKF, ; 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, 66606. TheAe no ehoAge ioA ^aeh tUtingi> . |'
Please tncZade elo^tng date6 ioA po^yUtion^ avallabte. j
CURATOR Of EVUC ATI ON .responsible for planning, developing, and adminis- i taring a comprehensive zoo education program. Also included are coordina-j tion of volunteer program, public relations, and fund raising. Requires j] a degree in education, biology, or zoology with a teaching credential preferred. Two years' experience in the development and organization of i educational programs. Salary begins at $21,120 with excellent benefits. j For an application, contact Personnel Department, City of Santa Ana, P.O. ]i Box 1988, Santa Ana, CA 92702 (714) 834-4154. Application deadline is J 31 August, 1984. Some interviews may be scheduled during the AAZPA Con- 5 ference in Miami, September 9-13. j,
ASSISTANT CURATOR. . .requires BS in related field with 1 year management experience. Responsible for animal care/ management. Elephant experience preferred. Equivalent training/experience will be considered. Salary $17,014. Send resume to Personnel Department, City of Louisville,
609 W. Jefferson St., Louisville, KY 40202.
ASSISTANT CURATOR Of MAMMALS/GRASSLANVS. . .requires BS in zoology or related field plus 2 years' experience in recog- nized zoo, or 2 years of college with emphasis in biology and 4 years' experience. Duties include staff supervision and management of Grasslands section. Salary $13,800/yr. Contact Sam Winslow, Curator of Mammals, Audubon Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178.
PRIMATE KEEPER WITH SPECIALITY IN fOLIi/QRES. . . requires experience caring for leaf-eating monkeys. Will develop captive management protocols for proboscis monkeys.
Experience in the tropics, animal health and skill training locals to care for primates preferred. Knowledge of botany useful. Salary $14,000-$20,000. Position will run for two years Sabah, Malaysia. Contact Diane Brockman, San Diego Zoo, P.O. Box San Diego, CA 92112 by 31 August, 1984.
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Please send change of address as soon as possible to:
Volly CloAk, AdminyUtAotlve SecAetoAy AmeAtean A66oetatlon oi loo KeepeAS, Inc.
635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, K6 66606
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name Check heAc ficnmat [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional Valt-tmc KccpeJU
$25.00 International Atl mmb(2A6 oiuUi^dc the U.S. and Canada
$10.00 Associate IndUvldaaJU) not connected uftth an avLunat ca/ie {^acAItty
$15.00 Affiliate
OtkeA i,taii and volunteenA
$50.00 Contributing
0n.gantzcutiovii> and Jndtvtduat6 U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Vtn.ecton.y Jn^oAjnatton
Too Wo/tfe hiea Spectal Jnten.e6ti>
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Animat KeepcU ' foaum. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Animat Keepea6 ' foaum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6" x 10” (15 cm x 25^1 cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to Animat Keepea6’ Foaum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
A/ittctefi painted do not necoA^aaity ae^tect the optnioYiA ol the Animat KeepetA ’ Foaam editoatat 6ta{)^ oa oi the Ameaican AA-6ociation ol loo KeepoAA,
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser SEPTEMBER 1984 Managing Editor: Susan Chan VOLUME ELEVEN Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman NUMBER NINE
AyiimaZ VoM^um (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the
American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of Anuncit KccpcAi ' FO/ium. Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster Please send address changes to:
I AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Of ZOO KEEPERS, INC,
j ^'ATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 66606 '
y.
Dolly Cla/ik, Admlyili>tn.cutlvz SdcAoJjcuty
J
BOARD Ot- UiREClORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center PH.ili>ld<lvvt
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park l/Xcc. PKOAlddYUt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs G^ald Payne,, V<zdyiolt loo
Continuing Keeper Education
JadLio, StembeAg, Woodland Pcuik
Historical Committee loAAy SammoAco, Lincoln Pa/ik Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, Washington Pa/ik
International Affairs Coordinator Connie Cloak, Nashville, TN
Research/Grants Committee
faank Kohn, National Zoological Paak
Awards Committee
Mike CaockeA, Dickenson PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee
Zoo Kevin Conway, NZP/CRC, faont Royal PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aim, Woodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms Beanie Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Program Library
Anne M, Payne, VetAo It Zoo
Infant Development
Steve Tayloa, Loalsvlile
Keeper Accomodations List
OllveA Clayey, Metao Toaonto
Keeper
MoAy Slaybaagh, San Antonio S Vav<
Library Resource/Book Review
Ellen Leach, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
MoAy Muac, San faanclsco Zoo Diet Notebook
South flonlda C hapten., Miami Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Diane foAsytk, Akaon Zoological Paak Data Survey
L Oandoaii, Sea WonJid Shaak Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mike CoApentea, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, Dlaecton.
Linda RohA Vacancy Gene P^e^^en. Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne i/ltteas LaAAy SammoAco Diane Knug Alan ShaAples Vacancy Candy Kao it
W.D. Stone Memoalal Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo NatlonaZ Zoo Detaolt Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln Paak Zoo RlvQAbankA Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio Gaande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Woodland Paak Zoo
Joanle Stinson Phoenix Zoo
Vacancy
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NV
PA,NJ,MD,DE
VA,W,VA,D,C,
MI
IN,0H,KV
WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,MT,wy,AK
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
TluA month' ^ oAtwon^k t6 by Gmn Vo^htmuAa who iA a KnnpoA at the. Honolulu Zoo In Hawatt, This month’ 6 aoveA ti> cl Kookabu/iAa, Thanlu, Gwm!
Scuttlebutt
NEW EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY AAZK DIRECTORS
The AAZK Board of Directors is pleased to announce the official appoint- ment of Jay Jason, Marilyn Cole, Russ Mennard, Marcelle Guidry and Ken Reininger to the Keeper Education Committee. This is one of the most active and dynamic AAZK committees. The combined leadership of Judie Steenberg and Pat Sammarco and contributions of committee members help to achieve the objective of Article II section 3 of our consitution ;
"to establish materials beneficial to zoo keeper education." We look for- ward to the input and ideas of the new committee members.
REPTILE COLLECTION CENTER COORDINATOR NAMED TO DIET NOTEBOOK
Brit Spencer at the Minnesota Zoological Garden has been selected to coordinate the Reptile Collection for the Diet Notebook. Let's all make Brit feel welcome by sending him the diets of all those reptiles we're caring for!
INDIAN ZOO SEEKS ASSISTANCE/SUPPORT
The Friends of Mysore Zoo in Mysore (south India) is working hard to try to improve the conditions in their and other Indian zoos. This first and only zoo volunteer society in that country faces innumerable difficulties in trying to achieve these goals but their dedication and hard work is certainly a fine example of "ticktoitism" . AAZK has sent this group back issues of AKF and other publications for their infant library. AAZPA has also donated materials. Sally Walker, Convenor and Secretary of Friends of Mysore Zoo welcomes all donations of printed material, particularly those dealing with zookeeper training. These materials can be sent to either of the following addresses:
Ragni Darashan Sally Walker, Convenyor/ Secretary
89 Park Street Friends of Mysore Zoo
Montclair, NJ 07042 Padmanilaya, 9th Main, 2nd Cross,
Saraswathipuram, Mysore-570 009
Sally also mentioned in correspondence that if any AAZK members are plan- ning of a trip to India, she would be pleased to have them visit Mysore (with advance notice please) for a tour. She hopes that anyone doing so might be willing to donate a few hours instructing volunteers and/or keepers in various aspects of animal care.
261
BRONX ZOO
Ma/LgoAet PnJ^cLii
June and July 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 4,3 Formosan sika, 0.1 Blesbok,
0.1 Himalayan tahr, 2.1 Large Malayan mousedeer, 4.0 African spotted grass mouse, 1.0 Reeves muntjac, 1.0 Pere David’s deer, 7.0 Minnie down’s mouse,
5.0 Egyptian spiny mouse, 1.0 Black-backed duiker, 0.1 Maxwell duiker, 1.0 Wisent, 1.0 Capybara, 2.0 Axis deer, 1.1 Gaur, 3.0 Red brocket deer, 1.0 Pen- tailed bet tong, 0.2 Barasingha deer, 2.0 Common marmoset, 0.1 Blackbuck,
1.0 Pygmy hippopotamus, 0.1 Mandrill, 1.0 Talapoin monkey, 0.1 Pudu, 0.1 Mongolian wild horse; Birds - 12 Crested tinamou, 2 Temminck’s tragopan,
1 White-naped crane, 2 Tufted puffin, 1 Crested guinea fowl, 1 Northern masked weaver, 2 Giant laughing kingfisher, 4 White-headed jay thrush, 7 American ruddy duck, 1 Emperor goose, 4 Malay peacock pheasant, 3 Tawny frogmouth, 1 White-headed piping guan, 1 White-quilled black bustard, 2 Satyr tragopan, 19 Mandarin duck, 7 Marbles teal, 4 Green wood hoopoe, 2 Andean gull, 1 Wood thrush, 1 Ovenbird, 1 Louisiana water trush, 1 Ocel- lated turkey, 1 Humboldt penguin, 2 Common rhea, 3 Rothchild’s mynah, 1 American eider duck, 2 Caribbean flamingo, 1 Mauritius pink pigeon, 1 Red-crested touraco, 1 Hooded crane, 1 Black-winged stilt, 2 Chilean fla- mingo, 3 Red-crested pochard, 2 Lilac-breasted roller, 1 Impeyan pheasant,
2 Patagonian conure; Reptiles - 2 Tracancore tortoise, 20 Yellow anaconda and 9 Mojave sidewinder.
DALLAS ZOO
Taml Jone^
B&H for July 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 Yellow-backed duiker, 2.2 Suni,
1.0 Pygmy x white goat, 0.0.1 Dusky leaf monkey; Birds - 0.0.2 White- winged dove, 0.0.2 Red-vented bulbul; Reptiles 1.1 San Lucan speckled rattlesnake ( CA,otalui6 m, mltcheltij , 0.0.1 Texas rat snake ( Elapkd ob^oloXa lyindheMneAi) , 0.0.4 Grey banded kingsnake { Lomp^op^ldU^ CiltOAna] , 0.0.3 Mexican milksnake ( Lomp^opeldU^ tKAjCLvituMm ~a,VLVLaZcUjOi ) , 0.0.8 Ottoman viper ( l/^pe/KX xantkina 2.xcitklnci] and 0.0.2 Mexican king snake .
BROOKFIELD ZOO ..John S. StoddoAd
B&H for July 1984 include: Mammals - 4.0 Sitatunga, 1.1 Collard peccary, 0.1.2 European wisent, 0.0.3 White-toothed shrew, 0.0.2 European harvest mouse; Birds - 0.0.1 Blue-shouldered robin chat, 0.0.1 Paradise tanager, 0.0.2 Purple honeycreeper , 0.0.2 Brazilian cardinal, 0.0.2 Purple swamphen, 0.0.4 Grey-headed kingfisher, 0.0.1 Red and white crake; Herptiles - 0.0.8 Poison arrow frog.
TOPEKA ZOO .A^Tce MkAeA
Recent B&H at Topeka include: 0.0.1 Burrowing owl, 2.2 Puma and 0.0.2 Brown' headed tamarin.
LoaI BAuckheMn
MIAMI METROZOO
July 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.1 Red deer, 1.0 Cape buffalo, 0.1 Greater kudu; Birds - 0.0.5 Ostrich, 0.0.1 Grosbeak starling, 0.0.9 Java tree duck and 0.0,1 Sarus crane.
i
262
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUnmd
SAN ANTONIO ZOO. ............................................... .V^bl Reed
July 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 5 Four-toed African hedgehog (4 DNS),
0.1 Aardvark, 1.0 Chapman’s zebra, 0.1 Greater kudu, 0.1 Scimitar-horned oryx, 0.2 Brindled gnu (DNS), 0.1 Blackbuck (DNS), 0.1 Markhor (DNS), 0.1 Thomson’s gazelle; Birds - 8 American flamingo, 2 Crested screamer (1 DNS),
4 Cinnamon teal (2 DNS), 1 Rosy-billed pochard, 5 Ocellated turkey (2 DNS), 1 Black-necked stilt (DNS), 1 Sun Bittern, 1 Inca tern, 3 Diamond dove, 1 Crested quail dove, 1 Painted conure, 2 Green-winged macaw, 1 Burrowing owl (1st time in collection), 2 Yellow-headed rockfowl (1 DNS); Reptiles - 1 Honduran night lizard (DNS), 3 Dumerk’s ground boa, 5 Baird's ratsnake,
3 Palestine viper, 7 Taylor’s cantil (1 DNS); Aquarium - 12 Seahorse (DNS), Casseopia jellyfish. Glass shrimp and Tomatoe clownfish.
In other news, we’ve received 1.1 Black-footed penguins and will receive 0.0.3 mire. All will be in a breeding situation. We are constructing a seal /sea lion exhibit and our new Children’s Zoo is primarily complete.
A Langur exhibit has begun construction. We are truly growing!
TAMPA--BUSCH GARDENS. .Siuan Rackle.y
Included in July 1984 B&H are: Mammals - 1.0 Thomson’s gazelle, 2.0 Grant's gazelle, 0.2 Scimitar-horned oryx, 0.2 Addax, 3.1 Impala, 0,2 Uganda Kob, 0.0.1 Chimpanzee, 0.0.1 Grant's zebra, 2,3 Greater kudu, 1.0 Gerenuk,
0.0.1 White-bearded gnu, 0.1 Topi, 1.0 Soemmering’s gazelle, 1.0 Reticulat- ed giraffe; Birds - 13 American flamingo, 18 Indian peafowl (blue phase),
7 Redhead duck, 2 Blue and gold macaw, 1 Forsten’s lorikeet, 7 Jandaya conure, 1 Garganey teal, 1 Red-necked ostrich, 1 Indian peafowl (white phase), 3 Red-crested touraco, 7 Sun conure, 3 Abdim's stork, 4 Violet- crested touraco and 2 Red-crested touraco.
JACKSONVILLE ZOO. ........................................ .Anne E. DJlggM
June and July 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0 Sitatunga, 1,1 Eland, 0.1 Cape hartebeest, 0.1 Brindled gnu; Birds - 0.0.4 Nanday conure, 0.0,4 Whooper swan, 0.0.1 Red head duck, 0.0.2 Wild turkey, 0.0.3 Indian spoon- bill, 0.0.2 Mandarin duck (1 DNS), 0,0.1 Golden pheasant, 0.0.1 Lesser tern; Herptiles - 0,0.2 Aldabra tortoise, 0.0.12 Red rat snake, 0.0.2 Indigo snake, 0.0.27 Florida water snake, 0.0.2 Leopard gecko, 0.0.24 Florida coolers, 0.0.5 Yellow-bellied sliders.
ATLANTA ZOO. ................................................ Alan ShoApleA
Recent B&H at Atlanta include: Mammals - 0.1 White-handed gibbon, 0.0.1 Mandrill, 0.0.2 Caracal (1st at AZP) , 0.1 Grant’s zebra, 1,0 Domestic donkey, 1,0 Rothchild’s giraffe (1st at AZP, stillborn); Birds - 0.0.2 East African crowned crane; Reptiles - 2 Spotted turtle, 2 Mexican beaded lizard (1st at AZPO, 11 Black rat snake, 15 Corn snake,' 12 Black racers,
1 Northern pine snake, 8 Leopard gecko, 1 Eastern diamondback (DNS), 11 Urocoan rattlesnake (1 DNS), and 1 Bog turtle.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO. ...................................... .SUvm M. WTwg
B&H for June and July 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Red kangaroo, 0.0.3 Common marmoset, 0.0.2 Squirrel monkey, 1.0 Mandrill (DNS), 0.1 Greater kudu, 0.0.1 Bongo (DNS), 0.1 Impala; Birds - 0.0.3 Common pintail, 0.0.1 Wood duck, 0.0.2 Laughing gull, 0,0.2 Morning dove, 0.0.1 Barn owl.
263
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, Continued
SAN DIEGO ZOO AND WILD ANIMAL PARK Jodi/ CouAtnei/
Selected B&H for April through June 1984 include: Mammals - 3.2 Golden lion tamarin, 0.1 Northern Douc langur, 1.1 Goeldi's monkey, 0.0.3 Ring- tailed lemur, 5.4 Black and white ruffed lemur, 7.6 Red ruffed lemur, 1.1 East African bongo, 0.1 Black lemur, 0.1 Clouded leopard, 2.3 Slender- horned gazelle, 0.0. 2/1. 2 South African cheetah, 3.4 Arabian oryx, 1.0 Mhorr oazelle, 0.1 Przewalski's wild horse, 1.0 Barasingha deer, 1.0 Indian gaur, 1.1 Addra gazelle, 0.0.1 Queensland koala, 1.5 Scimitar- horned oryx, 1.2 Formosan sika deer; Birds - 0.1.5 California condor, 1.0 Andean condor, 2.2 African pigmy goose, 0.0.2 Congo peafowl, 0.0.5 Chinese monal, 0.0.16 Temminck’s tragopan, 0.0.1 Tahiti blue lori, 1.1 Nene goose and 0.0.3 Brown eared pheasant.
Coming Events
AAZK NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Sept. 30-0ct. 4, 1984 Seattle, WA
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
ZOO VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
October 12-14, 1984 Louisville, KY
Held at the Hyatt House. Registration fee is $60.00 which includes all lectures, the business luncheon and banquet dinner. Student fee is $35.00 and includes everything except business luncheon and banquet dinner. All interested persons are encouraged to attend and are eligible for either registration fee. Preconvention activities will be held on Friday, Oct. 11, and includes transportation and admission to the Spendthrift Horse Farm and the Keenland Race Track. The fee for these activities is $10.00. All checks are to made payable to Virginia Morton (Louisville Zoological Gar- den, 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville, KY 40213. Phone No. (502-459-2181). For a listing of scheduled lectures contact Barb Baumeister, Oklahoma City Zoo, 2101 N.E. 50th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73111. Phone; (405-424-3344).
FIFTH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1984 New Orleans, LA
For further information, contact: Carol Sullivan, Audubon Park and Zoo- logical Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178, (504) 861-2537.
See CALL FOR PAPERS on page 270 of this issue of AKF.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL DR. SCHOLL CONFERENCE ON
THE NUTRITION OF CAPTIVE WILD ANIMALS
December 7-8, 1984 Chicago, IL
Held at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens. For further information contact Thomas Meehan, DVM, Staff Veterinarian, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
A Look Back At The Accomplishments Of The AAZK
Education Committee
By
Judie, St2.mb2Ag
Cooh-dUncutoA., AAZ/C Education Committee
As the annual Education Committee meet- ing draws near, I’d like to recap the goals that were set for 1984, a year ago in Philadelphia.
— To identify and phase in a new Educa- tion Committee Coordinator by October 1984.
Accomplished ; Pat Sammarco will assume all duties and responsibilities as of September 30th.
— To establish a liasion from the AAZK Education Committee to the AAZPA. This is very near happening and should be accomplished by October.
— To distribute the videotape on ZooKeeper Safety and produce two additon- al tapes.
Accomplished ; This project is right on schedule and the new tapes are expected to be ready for viewing in Seattle.
— To pursue the possibility of having a special session on staff training at the annual AAZPA Conference.
Accomplished; A special session on staff training was help on 12 Sep- tember at the AAZPA Conference in Miami.
“ The Manual Review Project and Reference Search Project are both in the process of additional development, the results of which will be pre- sented in Seattle.
— The Exhibit Design Form is ready for publication and will be presented and distributed to the membership in Seattle with subsequent distribu- tion to zoos.
— The Zoonoses Reference Guide (or Notebook) will be ready for Committee and Board review and approval in Seattle.
— The ZooKeeper Husbandry Fundamentals Project is underway. This will be at least a two-year project.
Work is being done on the Animal Management course, Zoo/University Relation- ships, Information Brochure and the Staff Exchange by various Committee mem- bers .
Following is the schedule for the Committee at the Seattle Conference:
Pre-conference: All project coordinators will submit written reports for Board review.
Sunday Board Meetings: Updates by each coordinator and
discussion of each project. Decisions will be made on budgets.
265
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION, conUna^d
Monday Committee Meeting 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Hospitality Room
Tuesday Preview and approval of new Keeper Training Videotapes
by the AAZK Board and Education Committee.
Thursday Project Reports at the General Membership Meeting
Throughout the paper sessions at the Conference, Committee members will be stationed at a table displaying materials from the various projects. It is possible there will be another early morning meeting of the full commit- tee on Thursday in addition to the sub-committee meetings of members work- ing on various projects.
As you can see, the Committee will be hard at work all during the Conference. If you are attending the Conference, please plan to attend the workshop and feel free to discuss Keeper Education with committee members. If you can’t attend let Pat Sammarco (Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Canon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614) know if you have a special interest or need regarding Keeper educa- tion. This is your Association and the Committee is working on behalf of all Keepers in the on-going effort to improve animal care. Remember our motto, "Dedicated to Professional Animal Care"; this can be accomplished through "Continuing Keeper Education".
In closing, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all who have served on the Education Committee and to all who have given encouragement and sup- port to our efforts. A special thank you to the Woodland Park Zoological Park Staff for their support of the Committee and all AAZK projects at both the Chapter and National levels. A large debt of gratitude is owed to Rick Steenberg for his patience, understanding and help. Serving as Coordinator of this Committee since its inception in June, 1982 has been a very reward- ing experience.
Dear Fellow AAZK Members,
Judie Steenberg has been doing an incredible job of coordinating the Keeper Education Committee. The committee has been active in a number of directions, and within many projects meeting the stated purposes of our association "through projects that will strengthen the zoo keeper’s job knowledge," and "to establish materials beneficial to zoo keeper edu- cation". Judie ’s logic and organizational skills have kept this very busy group of keepers working together for the good of us all. We all appre- ciate her efforts, and will show it by continuing the committee’s programs as she takes a break from the leadership responsibilities.
As we go through discussions with the AAZK Board members and the members at the National Conference, some projects will come to completion, some will be further defined, some will grow and others will find birth. The magic of our association is that we are enthusiastic professional Zoo Keepers who realize the need to share the knowledge each of us has gained, to further the quality of care our captive wildlife deserves. Those who coordinate projects know that the rest of us will do our best to contrib- ute ideas and data and inspire more enthusiasm.
I hope that each of you will look carefully at all of the AAZK projects and commit to add information to existing activities as well as suggest- ing new ways for AAZK to help us all be better keepers. Reports on each project will be published after the conference and you will find questions to answer and to ask. As I assume the coordinating position in the Keeper Education Committee, I will appreciate all your help and will try to insure that the committee continues to help you. Thanks for your support.
Sincerely,
Pat E. Samma/Lco Zoo Ke,e,p2A
266
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Rffitile Care: Relating To The Inquiring Novice - Part 4
HOUSING
(Design and Construction)
By
SiL6an M. BoAnoAd, S2,viloA Kee.peA Ve.pt. 0^ HeApetology AttaAta Zoolog teal PoAk, Atlanta, GA
Before purchasing or constructing an enclosure for a reptile, there are important questions the new reptile owner must ask. Will the pet be turtle, lizard or snake? How large will the chosen reptile become by maturity? What is its habitat (land, underground, trees, or water)? Will it have cagemates? Is its enclosure easily cleaned and secure?
Arboreal reptiles require clean, non-resinous, hardwood branches. These should be placed in such a way as to provide the tree-dweller with several basking areas to allow it to regulate its body temperature. To prevent an animal injury or death the branches should be properly secured.
Terrestrial turtles and tortoises require greater space than their semi- aquatic counterparts. During warm weather, the reptile owner may wish to consider outdoor facilities for all chelonians; these can be moveable wire enclosures. Routine moving of wire enclosures provide fresh grazing areas and prevent the accumulation of pathogens. However, outdoor enclosures must be predator-proof as well as escape-proof. Zoo keepers should remind the novice that chelonians can escape by digging under or climbing over wire fencing.
Semi-aquatic snakes should be maintained in the same manner as terrestrial snakes. Semi-aquatic snakes will soak excessively if large water bowls are provided, causing them to develop skin problems. Large water bowls should only be provided during feeding. However, the novice should never deprive the animals, or any reptile, of water.
Semi-aquatic chelonians require water sufficient to bathe and feed, and basking areas of floating bark are essential. Avoid explaining complicated designs and enclosure contents. Simplistic enclosures provide ease of cleaning, and prevent the accumulation of pathogens from excreta and un- eaten food. Unless filters are employed, the use of gravel or other sub- strates should be avoided. While aquariums provide excellent enclosures for small species of semi-aquatic chelonians, cattle stock tanks are more suitable for large specimens. Only overhead lighting should be used as heating devices since they simulate the "natural" heating of the water environment. Since water provides a means of cooling for basking chelon- ians, reptile enthusiasts should avoid the use of underwater heating devices .
Open bottom caging (Fig. 1) for giant boids prevents excessive humidity since these animals excrete large quantities of fluid. Built-in shelves for basking offer safe alternatives to tree limbs. Furthermore, the larger the bold, the less likely it is willing to sit on a tree limb.
These animals require sturdy and comfortable support features for basking.
268
REPTILE CARE: RELATING TO THE INQUIRING NOVICE - Part 4, CowUnae^d
!
FXg. 1 - Opm-bottom cageA cuid g-lant bod,dU>. W-Oid lloonlng ■
pn.2VQ,yvU the. acaumalatton mot^tuAe., A colZe-ctlng tAag aan be. bnWt-tn OA plcLc.e.d undeA the. cRge., Mew^papeA plac.e.d oveA the. mAe. ^looAtng mag ^eAve. CL& the. ^ub^tAote., oa addlttonal mateAtat {non-oAomcutlc muLtch OA gAaveJi can be. placed on top oi the new^papeA; nejM^papeA (A)tll pAevent mo^t the ^ub^tAote mateAtal ^Aom lotting thAough the MtAe me^h llooAing. [JltutAa- tton by Rick VeAAy] .
Great Ape Loan In Atlanta
The Atlanta Zoological Society and the Yerkes Primate Center signed an agreement on 11 July, 1984 for the interim support of gorillas and orangu- tans destined for exhibition at the Atlanta Zoo in 1986/87. A portion of the cost of feeding and maintaining these animals at Yerkes will be assumed by the AZS. When a naturalistic facility of sufficient size and complex- ity is built, these animals will be placed on breeding loan to the zoo.
The zoo hopes to exhibit at least two families of gorillas (1.3 to 1.4 size plus assorted offspring), a third pair or trio and our present soli- tary gorilla Willie B. The plan permits flexibility in management includ- ing the potential for resocializing Willie.
The orangutan plan is equally dramatic, calling for separate male areas and female-only access routes to all males. The total number of orangs exhibited would likely be 3.5 plus assorted offspring (10-12 animals total). Pairs of gibbons would be satellite exhibits completing the Asian Rain Forest effect.
When the design phase is entered, the keepers will play an important role in planning the exhibits.
269
COUNTERVIEWPOINT - Education and Exotic Animal Keepers
By
Kaxm SaZe^rmn-BoAmag y kvianat Ca/ioXakoA GAe.enpoAt LA. ^ NY
A Question of Priorities, an article which appeared in the August 1984 issue of Animal Keepers * Forum has upset me greatly »
I am an Animal Caretaker, very interested in obtaining work in a zoologic- al park. Though my practical experience has been with domestic animals,
I feel I would do a darn good job as a keeper. Even though I am not, as Mr. Monroe would put it ” a professional'* in the field of exotic animal management, my dedication and concern for today's wildlife is something which I believe overrides my lack of a degree in the field.
I think I speak for many people struggling to involve themselves in wild animal conservation who, for various reasons (most because of lack of availability of wild animal management degree programs), have not obtain- ed a degree as "a professional" in the field. Many PhD's, biologists and the like aren't half as dedicated as those who fight for emplojment on sheer sincerity.
Alot of zoos, I am sure, have employees there that are much less concern- ed than others. But I feel the majority of people working with exotic animals are there because they have a genuine love and concern for wild animals. So why can't a non-grad work as a keeper so long as he shows a commitment to the field and an eagerness to learn "on the job"?
Sure, today's zoos need professional biologists, veterinarians and nutri- tionists,but why shut out inexperienced personnel because they don't have a piece of paper declaring their book knowledge?
If the majority of employees working as keepers are there working towards a common objective - then half the battle is over. Instead of complain- ing about "un-professionals", why not work towards having every zoo employ- ees having the same dedication and commitment that we, as non-grads, strive twice as hard to achieve?
CALL FOR PAPERS — - 5th Annual Elephant Workshop
Members are invited to submit abstracts and papers for consideration for presentation at the Fifth Annual Ele- phant Workshop to be held in New Orleans, LA, 29 November to 2 December, 1984. Presentations to be 30 minutes, abstracts to be submitted by 25 October, 1984; final manuscript prior to 25 November, 1984. Please submit to: David E. Anderson, Audubon Park and Zoological Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178 (504) 861-2537.
270
ZOORIFIC EXPERIENCE
By
Moa/UIuq. TmoXt Voliinto-ZA
La^ayQXXe. lootoQlccUi Vcuik Uon-iotk., l/A
There has never been a time when I wasn’t simply infatuated with animals. When I was little, I ran around on "all fours" pretending to be a dog, horse or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. As I grew, I focused my attention on collecting model horses (instead of baby dolls) and reading every book I could get my grubby little hands on. With my career goal set on being a veterinary surgeon, I readily accepted volunteer experience at the local Zoo. I fully expected to do nothing more than clean and sometimes feed, nonetheless I was in the presence of hundreds of animals! Little did I know that as I proved myself dedicated and trustworthy, I gained enough freedom from the keepers to make "poop scooping" the most self-expanding experience of my life.
The amount of knowledge and handling experience I received vastly contra- dicted my original expectations. I was allowed rapport with the animals. Such a handling experience was the one I shared with Jill. On my very first day, while being introduced to the barn animals, I noticed the black Sicil- ian donkey that David called Jill, run out of the door every time one near- ed her stall. As the days progressed, I was able to groom her stablemate, the loveable Jack, but poor Jill always remained aloof. I started talking softly to her and tossing tidbits of apple to her. The process was time consuming, but I gradually found her trust. After several weeks she would come within a foot of eating an apple out of my hand. Even later,
I succeeded in hand-feeding her. Gradually I began to pet her and touch her halter. She began to nibble at my shirt the way Jack did. The affec- tion-starved creature eventually brayed a welcome every morning when I walked into the barn. This valuable experience taught me that laughter isn’t the best medicine, patience is.
Working at the Zoo also gave my "animal sense" a chance to blossom. That is, I gained valuable insight into the psychological characteristics of man as well as beast. Obviously my "cutsie", "Bambi-syndrome" attitude was abolished and I became less tolerant of those who are unaware of the damage a sweet little monkey can do. I have picked countless plastic bags, paper boxes, cigarette butts, and even aspirin out of the goat yard although the sign explicitly say "Please do not feed". People like to pretend Zookeepers do not exist, and that animals do not defecate by snobbily turn- ing their heads at a smelly, but knowledgeable keeper. Some idiots go as far as to try to climb into enclosures containing bears, rhinoceros and the like. I am infuriated when I find rocks that have been thrown at poor Leona the lion to make her roar. Observations such as these have led me to conclude that I prefer the animals inside the cages!
Finally, my work at the Zoo has brought me closer to life and death situa- tions. The episode most clear in my memory concerns shipment of doomed wallabies. After almost finishing the required 30-day quarantine period, we lost a new wallaby to pneumonia. The hairless joey in her pouch was placed in a incubator to hand raise. Two days later, two more of the re- maining three wallabies, one with another joey, were found dead in the yard, their faces bloodied. Closer inspection revealed that the wallabies had been frightened by local feral dogs, and had banged themselves into the fences until their muzzles were crushed and they drowned from fluid
271
ZOORIFIC EXPERIENCE, ConX^nacd
filling their lungs. The final wallaby escaped death but severaly damag- ed her jaw. The staff was outraged at losing four thousand dollars worth of animals because of neglectful citizens. Authorization to shoot the dogs was given, and a hunt organized. Although the keepers felt relief at not finding any dogs to kill that night, the anger was still present.
I witnessed the last of the joeys die in a tear-eyed keeper's hands. As it did, she declared "Damn those dogs." My thought were "Damn their owners!" Through all the pain of death, a little light must shine. Later that after- noon, a baby Aoudad (Barbary sheep) was born. As 1 witnessed the mother licking the wobbly thing dry, an intense feeling of exhilaration filled me as I thought of a new life replacing that of the ones that died. I went home and had peaceful, instead of vengeful, dreams that night.
The Zoo has been a major part of my life for three years now. I have grown as a person from working there. The keepers and the animals are very dear to me. The handling experience, the insight I have gained, and the massb;e emotional experiences are unequalled. There is so much more to the Zoo than cannot be expressed, that no one but I could understand the state of euphoria 1 was in when Ed, the supervisor, declared he no longer considered me a volunteer.
Keeper’s Alert
DIET NOTEBOOK
Here is a unique opportunity to share with other keepers the types of diets used to maintain exotics in captivity. This project has the poten- tial to develop an excellent reference on captive diets but only if you participate.
Forms can be obtained from the Collection Centers listed below and when completed they should be sent to the appropriate center. Please type or print information, use metric units whenever possible and refer to the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names.
Please become involved.
BIRD COLLECTION CENTER:
Kilttl [)J2^tbn.ook LdJXtii Rock ChaotoA AA2K ^1 3oYici>bon.o VnAVC iWUic Rock, AR 72204
MAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER
Tcn/u-c CoK/ioZ ScdgM^ck County Zoo 5555 loo Blvd. {^IchUa, KS 67212
REPTILE COLLECTION CENTER
BnJJ: Spmccn.
Mtnnc^ota loologtcat Gcutdcn Apptc VaZtcy, MW 55124
ALL OTHERS:
South Rlo^da C hapten. AAZK . c/o Vcbbtc BuAch 17S60 SW 112 CouAt Mtamt, fL 33157
111
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Quality exotic animal diets Fixed formuiation Nutritionally balanced Economical
Frozen feline diets Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
7u/Pteettf
Feline canned Primate canned Marmoset canned
Omnivore dry Primate dry
SPECTRUM
Banana flavored primate, 15% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% protein Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets for your feeding program, call Animal Spectrum today.
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In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
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Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
San Diego Zoo Was Birthplace Of American Association Of Zoo Keepers
By
MeXX6-6a. fo/meA Editor
Zoo \}i.m
San Vd.ago looj WEZd kvianaJi Vank San Vke.go, CA
Everyone knows that AAZK stands for the American Association of Zoo Keep- ers and that the San Diego Chapter has monthly meetings with interesting discussion, informative films and GREAT food. But, few people know that this national organization began right here at the San Diego Zoo.
The Association, founded by seven San Diego Zoo zoo keepers, was organiz- ed "...to promote and establish a means to stimulate incentive and create greater interest in the zoo keeper profession, and to exchange ideas and ideals beneficial to the field of animal care." Four of the founding mem- bers are still at the Zoo — Dick Sweeney, Animal Care Manager/Mammals ; Red Thomas, Senior Elephant Trainer; Dennis Melvin, Senior Keeper; and Ken Willingham, Animal Care Manager/Mammals . (Conrad Grayson is now a deputy sheriff; and two of the former keepers, Carl Pyle and Walt Bromley, have passed away.)
On December 5, 1967, the first chapter of the AAZK, the San Diego Chapter, was chartered with 29 participating keepers. The founding members began promoting their fledgling organization through the mail. At first, people joined as affiliate members of the San Diego Chapter, but then Cincinnati Zoo and the Central Park (N.Y.) Zoo founded chapters of their own. By the fall of 1968, the organization had grown to include 44 zoos in 25 states.
At that time, Dick Sweeney, the first President, presented the organiza- tion to the AAZPA (American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums) meeting in Los Angeles. In his address to the members, he asked that they endorse the organization and pointed out that "...we keepers have a sin- cere desire to contribute our best to make our zoos successful."
There are now over 30 active chapters in North America (two in Canada) with a membership of approximately 1700 all over the world. (An AAZK committee for international affairs keeps in touch with sister organiza- tions overseas.)
Not all members are professional zoo keepers. People associated with a zoo or an aquarium may join as affiliate members and interested individ- uals may participate as associate members.
AAZK's purpose is to foster communication among professional zoo keepers and to provide them with educational information. Animal Keepers’ Forum, a monthly publication, is the national association’s major means of meeting these goals. Contributions range from book reviews, to scientific articles; from articles on animal-related legislation to animal/human interest stories. Committees and projects headed by members report their progress in the pages of the Animal Keepers' Forum.
The association has produced video films on keeper safety. Research grants made to keepers by the association have resulted in books, articles and studies on subjects such as animal nutrition and reptile parasites.
274
San Diego Zoo Was Birthplace of AAZK, CoyvtinuQ,d
On the local level, the San Diego Chapter is still carrying on the fine work begun here nearly 20 years ago.
Every month, in keeping with the association’s stated purpose of provid- ing 'materials beneficial to zoo keeper education', the chapter arranges for a guest speaker and a film or slide presentation on a subject of interest to the membership. According to current President Connie Carson, Senior Keeper, the meetings are attended by about 60-70 people, but keeper attendance is sometimes disappointing.
The chapter is self-supporting. It uses the proceeds from keeper T-shirt sales and raffles to pay for general expenses and to fund the cash prizes for the annual photo contest. Often, the proceeds from a particular meet- ing will be donated to a worthy organization. The topic of the March meet- ing was the Muriqui (or wooly spider monkey). Members held a raffle, sold Muriqui T-shirts and posters and donated the money to the "Save the Muriqui Foundation" .
In the future, Carson hopes for stronger participation in Animal Keepers' Forum, development of keeper training films and development of a news- letter for the San Diego Chapter. Plans are also being made to expand the speaker series and to sponsor more educational programs.
AAZK memberships — and meetings — are open to everyone who is interested in learning a little bit more about animals, particularly the professional zoo keeper who is charged with their care.
[Eduton,'^ Yiotz: Tka> oAtlcle, onJ^glnally appe/med dn thd KpnJJi 1984 -Li>6a2. oi th(L mployzu. ol the. Sm Vte.go loal^iLd AyiunaZ VoAk.
It AJi n.2.p/ilnte.d heAe. maXH the. peAml6^ton the author and the eu/uient editor Peggy Ble^^tng.j
Information Please
Salmonier Nature Park is planning to display several Labrador species.
We are requesting any husbandry or diet information on the following or similar species: Little brown bat, star-nosed moles, ungava lemmings, northern bog lemmings and water shrews. Please send any information to; Kevin Moore, Salmonier Nature Park, P.O. Box 190, Holyrood, Newfoundland AOA 2R0.
Information is needed on Ajioto eephaZai> aLLStAatyCs (South American fur seal) regarding diets fed, supplements, molt patterns, seasonal weight fluctua- tions, fur problems, nutritional and/or housing problems. Please send any
of the above information, or referrals
Sita & Uwe Horn or
c/o Holiday Park
6733 HaBloch
Pfalz, West Germany
Europe
to people and/or literature to:
Sita & Uwe Horn c/o Diana Guenero P.O. Box 154 Laytonville, CA 95454
275
AAZK Committee Reports
COMPLETING A THOUGHT
By
V-iano. CM, Von^ytk Vn-OjdcX. Head-Exkib^ VeJ>Zgn Eom Akkon CklldAm' ^ Zoo, Akkon, OH
If you look for information on, for example, black bears, you can find volumes dealing with their wild habitat, behavioral patterns, nutrition- al requirements, blood values, and reproductive information. If you turn to ISIS, you can find out how many zoos have how many bears, each bears’ lineage and so on. The volumes of information are blank, or at best scattered when you research turns to enclosure specifics for your ani- mals; strength and type of wire, substrate materials, drains, ponds, fur- niture, plantings, etc. To gather information of this sort takes hours of gleaning small paragraphs here and there from the written information and countless phone calls and visits to zoos across the country to view, review, question and then revamp their enclosures to your landscape, terrain, and price range. Not to be found is a handbook on "Building an enclosure for your Black Bear" with a variety of sizes, shapes and price ranges from which to choose. Creating a workable and useful exhibit that will serve the animal, the keeper and the public is an extensive research proposition. Few zoos have the time or funds for such an extensive endea- vor .
Exhibit planning is obviously not a perfect science. Mistakes can easily be made in all aspects of exhibit designing. Too often the ideal exhibit for the animal creates an unviewable situation for the visitors. Fre- quently the beautiful exhibit plantings are destroyed by the animals, or closer to home, the keeper finds that the journey to the drain is all uphill !
This lack of available information coupled with the prevelance of avoid- able mistakes during designing led to my decision to creat the Exhibit Design Form for use by all AAZK members. I don’t for a minute profess to know everything that should be done to make the ideal exhibit. I do claim a curious mind, four years of keeper experience, and a passion for learning. My primary goal and the goal of those who have helped me "think through" this project is to offer a useful exhibit design tool to be used in conjunction with architectural planning, overall zoo design and staff brainstorming. The success of this goal is based on the know- ledge and experience available to the members of AAZK through our own membership. Zookeepers carry around with them a lot of the information needed for exhibit designing. We are the ones who know that our tamarins are shy, that the screech owls need a cavity to nest in, that the rheas will destroy the three-foot area of grass in no time, that the scarlet macaw will eliminate that wooden cage and on, and on. We’re also the ones who have to make the water flow uphill to the drain, who bang our heads on too-short entry doors, who create hiding places for our tools because the architect didn’t leave room for storage, etc. How often have we con- ferred with each other, cross-country, for breeding information, train- ing hints, medication suggestions, all questions difficult to impossible to find answers for in publications but frequently obtainable to a per- sistent keeper.
Completion of each Exhibit Design Form will utilize most departments with- in the zoo. The bulk of the information can be gathered by the exhibit keeper. Maintenance personnel will be helpful when diagraming the exhibit.
276
COMPLETING A THOUGHT, ConUnue-d
directors and curators will be needed to supplu cost analysis. Two sides of every problem are sought in each category; the advantages and the dis- advantages. The reasoning behind each phase of the form is extensive, but one thing stands out as a positive result of the form completion - coopera- tion is a necessity. Cooperation underlines all aspects of the form; the request from one zoo to another, the staff answering the questions, the staff that receives and reviews the questions, the director that uses the form in conjunction with other exhibit design sources.
\
Because of the knowledge available to us to organize and publish, this form exists and will be available to members as early as the 1984 National conference. Those requesting forms for use or interested in further in- formation are urged to write; VAJinc, C.M. Voft^yth, AkAon ZooLoQ'Lc.cit PciA.k, 500 Edgmood Ave., AfeAon, OH 44307,
A special and heartfelt thanks to Judie Steenberg, Beth Poff, Jay Jason and the AAZK Board who helped an idea take *'form” and take off!
(The following is a condensed version of the Exhibit Design Form. Spaces normally provided for answering questions are omitted due to space limita- tions in AKF. )
EXHIBIT DESIGN:
Specifics: Enclosure, Species, Keeper
Scientific Name;
Common Name;
Contributor;
Institution:
Designer/Architect ;
Year of exhibit construction;
Total cost of exhibit:
Local weather conditions; (C)
Mean;
Extremes;
Director’s signature:
I. ENCLOSURE SPECIFICS;
A. Description of exhibit including; Terrain previous to building, dimensions, area, substrate materials, barriers (glass walls, moats, fencing. Tec,), roofing, lighting, humidity and/or heat controls, and any features within enclosure (trees, specific plantings used, apparatuses, etc.) A labeled drawing should be included. Attach sheets if necessary.
1. List the advantages of the enclosure in respect to keeping techniques, public education and viewing, animal needs (psycho- logical/behavioral needs, flight distance, stress factors, re- curring problems, etc.)
2. List the disadvantages of the enclosure (include specifics listed above) .
B. Shift and/or off-exhibit areas: Dimensions, substrate material, barriers (see A), roofing, features within area, keeper areas, etc. Labeled drawings should be included. Attach sheets if necessary.
1. List any advantages to this area taking into consideration animal's needs (solitude, separation, reproductive needs, etc,), and keeper considerations .
1. Requesting Institution
2. Collecting Institution
3. Contributing Institution
277
COMPLETING A THOUGHT (Exhibit Design Form), Con^tlnued
2. List disadvantages of the shift area considering all factors as above .
3. Describe in detail the method used for shifting (including dif- ficulties encountered, positive/negative reinforcers used, etc,)
4. Describe in detail any part of the off-exhibit area specifically designed for unique purposes; Built-in squeeze cages, special maternity dens, etc.
C. Enclosure Inhabitants:
1. List the total number of inhabitants within the exhibit includ- ing a ratio of males/females; adults/subadult/inf ant .
2. Mixed exhibits; List the total number of inhabitants: co-inhabit- ants and ratio of male/female; adult/subadult/ infant/species/ species .
a. Discuss the benefits of this mixed exhibit. Include: Public reactions, educational aspects, etc.
b. Discuss the problems encountered within a mixed exhibit. In- clude: feeding difficulties, aggression, reproductive prob- lems, etc.
II. SPECIES SPECIFICS:
A. Handling and/or moving of species: List reasons for so doing, problems, encountered and solutions to these problems.
B. Common or recurring medical problems: List reasons for these problems, possible solutions, treatments, etc.
C. Routine medical treatments: Annual vaccinations, procedures for eliminating and/or controlling parasites, etc,
D. Diet (per animal): Include favorite foods, problem items, vitamin/ mineral supplements, etc,
III. KEEPER SPECIFICS:
A. Suggestions for keeper and animal safety when working with this species. Include: Special techniques, flight distance, daily routine, etc.
B. Specific husbandry tools used and address for their acquisition.
C. What degrees of maintenance effort is required for the upkeep of this exhibit (i.e. daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc.)?
D. Suggested reference material for further research on this species.
Publications Available
Bear Essentials is an American Source Book and Guide to Planning Bear Education Programs. An ideal guide for teachers, interpreters, outdoor group leaders, wardens, conservation officers, or anyone who may be giv- ing talks on bears. In a simple step-by-step process, the guide can help you plan, present, and evaluate your talk on bears. Bear topics covered in the guide include safety, history, biology and ecology, as well as many suggestions on program presentation and information sources. Bear Essentials can be ordered from the Great Bear Foundation, P.O. Box 2699, Missoula, MT 59806. The cost is $6.00.
278
The logo for this year's Conference, a male Lion-Tailed Macaque, was drawn by Judy Sievert. Judy is currently part of Woodland Park's Pri- mate Crew, working the Gorilla unit and the Primate house. She started as a volunteer, was hired full time in 1979, and has since worked sever- al areas around the zoo. Prior to becoming involved with the zoo, she studied art at the Cornish Institute in Seattle. Her skills as an artist are very evident and we thank her for all the time she has spent prepar- ing this excellent drawings for the conference
1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEETING: Proposed Agenda
Sunday, September 30
1
MORNING 8:00 a.m.
Keeper Education Committee Zookeeper Fundamentals I Exhibit Design Form Reference Search Staff Exchange Public Education I Library Resources Program Library Zoonoses Notebook Diet Notebook
Infant Development Notebook Biological Values Book Membership Directory Book Reviews
Animal Keepers Forum (Membership and Career Brochures)
AFTERNOON 1 p.m.
AAZK History
Awards Committee
Research Grants Committee
Keeper Data Committee
Professional Standards Committee
Legislative Information Committee
Regional Coordinator System
Chapter Affairs
International Affairs
National Headquarters
Keeper Care Buttons
Logo T-Shirts
Logo Decals
AKF Anniversary T-Shirts Keeper Accomodations List (KAL) Animal Data Transfer Forms (ADT) Conferences Proposal s
There will be a limit of 40 minutes discussion per topic.
279
CONFERENCE UPDATE
Weather
Weather in the Pacific Northwest is often unpredictable. Early fall is often cool, sunny days (50'-60's). We will be outside for several days and evenings during the Conference, so a light, warm jacket and possibly a raincoat and hat would be good items to bring. You might also find a small daypack handy.
Hotel
It isn't too late to register to stay at the hotel. The accomodations are excellent and we feel you'll find the Conference much more enjoyable if you join the other delegates at this central location.
Although the hotel does require evening attire in the top floor restau- rant and entertainment lounge, it is casually elegant. Jeans are quite acceptable for all other areas of the hotel. Also, if you do wish to be matched with a roommate, be sure and make that clear when calling in your registration.
OUT OF STATE 800 426-1172
IN STATE 800 851-8010
LOCAL....... 206 583-0300
Transportation
Members arriving at Sea-Tac Airport are reminded to either take the Airporter bus directly to the Madison or to call or write ahead and let the Committee know when you will arrive so that you can be picked up at the airport. Members are discouraged from taking a taxi to the hotel as the fare is around $25.00.
Auction
Don't forget to bring your auction item. The greater variety of items to bid on, the more fun for everyone involved. And keep in mind... this is where we show our support for National AAZK by generating money for the treasury. (Most other monies just cover the actual cost of putting on the Conference).
A successful auction means a healthy treasury, with benefits for all members.
Day Fees
Sunday $10.00
Monday. .... .$10.00
Tuesday $ 5.00
Wednesday, . .$15.00
Thursday $15.00
Thurs. eve.. $25. 00
includes ice-breaker
includes evening tour of Seattle Aquarium includes lunch, dinner & buses to & from WPZ includes buses all day, lunch & dinner includes lunch at Hotel; does not cover evening covers banquet & evening at Space Needle
DON'T FORGET THAT ATTENDING AN AAZK CONFERENCE IS TAX DEDUCTABLE!!!! SO SAVE THOSE RECEIPTS
280
HOI E L • SEAT! LE 515 Madison
Seattle, WA 98111 (206) 583-0300 Local
Our conference headquarters is the Madison Hotel, a quality hotel within Seattle's business and financial district. Shopping, entertainment and many of Seattle's scenic and historic attractions are within a easy walk.
Each of the Madison's 575 guest rooms has its own seating area with sofa and chairs, from which you can enjoy a sweeping view of Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
Special room rates for the conference delegates are: $55.00 single
$60.00 double
Use the toll free number (800 number) to make your reservations, and identify yourself as being with the American Association of Zookeepers.
If you wish to be matched with a roommate, let the hotel know when you call, and they will attempt to do so.
We feel the Madison offers a unique mixture of "new hotel", while retain- ing a sense of warmth in its smaller size. With the busy schedule we have planned, it would be advantageous to stay with us at the hotel. It is one of Seattle's finest hotels and we think you will enjoy it, espec- ially at our reduced conference rates.
NOTE: The hotel also has a swimming pool and health club so you will want to bring your swimsuit! There is nightly entertainment at Visions, a video disco. Their rooftop restaurant, Pregos, serves a fine Italian cuisine. Be sure to bring evening attire for these.
Transportation from Sea-Tac Airport to the Madison is easy! Just take the Airporter bus directly from the airport to the hotel. The Madison is the first stop! It leaves every half hour from United Airlines Bag- gage Terminal, and the ride takes 20 minutes--Cost $4.75.
800-426-1172 Out of State
800-851-8010 In State
Tentative Schedule
SUNDAY
Board Meeting Registration Ice Breaker
MONDAY
Opening presentations Morning paper session Lunch on your own Evening tour of Seattle Aquarium
TUESDAY
Bus to Woodland Park Zoo Morning- tours
Lunch provided by WPZ docents Afternoon-workshops, tours Dinner provided by Seattle Zoological Society
WEDNESDAY
Bus to Pt. Defiance Zoo, Tacoma Morning-tours
Lunch provided by Pt. Defiance Early afternoon — demonstrations Bus to Northwest Trek, Eatonville Tram tours, walking tours Dinner provided by Northwest Trek
THURSDAY
Morning paper session Lunch provided at hotel-awards given Af ter noon- AAZK general membership meeting
Banquet at Seattle's famous Space Needle
281
SCHEDULE FOR TOURS. WORKSHOPS & DISCUSSIONS
Woodland Park Zoo
October 2n(
During the morning: Brief introduction and orientation to WPZ
Self-guided tour of zoo through lunchtime. Docent- tours until lunch.
Demonstration of giraffe squeeze cage. Demonstration of mountain goat chute/ restraint sys' Workshop on plants in small tropical exhibits. Lunch: 11:30 to 1 :00
In the Afternoon: Specialized discussions about: 1) Night Keeping am zoo security; 2) The gorilla collection of WPZ; 3) Small felines in captivity - Results of a national questionnaire; 4) Animals in education - Running your own business.
Main afternoon workshops: 1) AAZK Education Commit projects; 2)Research in zoos.
Volleyball,
[Some of the above workshops will run concurrently Dinner: Sponsored by Seattle Zoological Society.
1
to
e
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Tacoma
October 3rdi,
During the morning: 45 minute bus ride to zoo. Brief orientation on bf. Tours of zoo most of the morning.
Lunch: 11:30 |
In the afternoon: Handling demonstrations and feeding programs for: i elephants, llamas, raptors. Beluga whales, dolphin and seals. [These will also be given in the late ' morning.]
Northwest Trek (North American Wildlife), Eatonville October 3rd,
Powered tram tours of part of the nearly 600 acres* of exhibits. Tour and video tape presentations on ^ large mammal handling systems. Walking tours of smaller exhibits. '
Dinner: 6:00 i
...[See August AKF, pg. 244, for a list of schedules papers.] '
[jJatch ion. ConieAe.nc.^ Committdd mmbeA^ Pebb-ce Ste.c.h2A. and Pkil Pmnoak ov ABC 6 Q^anty mon.nA.ng pn.ogn.am "Good Uon.nA.ng AmoAlca" , Monday, OcXobnA ■ wdXh "hMo-6" in.om tko. SJatconal AAZK ConioAmce. In SmttlC.
A
282
Research
i RESULTS OF A POST-RELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY
INVOLVING BARN OWL [Ti^to alba p/mUncola)
, IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS
' 1983
By
Joan M. Vanl2,ts
Sdnlon. Kz^poA-IBAjid P/Log/Lom Supe/Lvl60A BAookiileld Zoo '-6 Chhdn.m'-6 Zoo Chicago Zoological SocloXy
The {following papen. n.cponl^ the oi a 6tady conducted by the
lUhoA. In coopenjotlon wTlh the VuPage County Ton.ei>t ?n.u>2Ave VTjitAlcl, TlloiA)bn.ook {^JTldltie Haven, and Vn.. Vanlet Luckolg PhV. )
[he purpose of this release was primarily to observe the behavior of two Udio-tagged juvenile barn owls [Tyto alba pH-Ollncola) before and after Release. During the pre-release training, hacking and post-release periods ■he methods being used were evaluated for future reference.
here are a number of theories as to why the barn owl population has de- jlined in the midwest (Peterson 1979, Steeg 1981, Colvin 1981). Many of hese theories have been debated but one fact still remains true, there xe definite underlying problems, such as secondary rodenticide poisoning, !hat need to be considered and studied so that the problems affecting the opulation can be corrected.
(.ack of nesting sites and suitable hunting territories are thought to be wo of the major factors contributing to the decline of barn owls. (Colvin, i981). Illinois has enough rural and protected areas available to support t least small isolated populations of barn owls where now none are pre- !;ent. An extensive nest box program was developed in Illinois to provide ^uitable places for owls to raise their young, but this has not improved I he situation in that state. The lack of suitable hunting territory is (ot a valid reason for a decline in the barn owl population because other 'wl and raptor species are unaffected by prey availability. Recently, a ellet study done on long-eared owls ( A^lo otlL6 ) in northern Illinois [very close to the release site) showed that these birds, which are simi- jar to the barn owl in prey habits, are fairing well on the prey avail- ible in the area. (Darmofal, 1983). Illinois has never had a large barn wl population in comparison to the great-horned owl (Bubo vTAglnlanu^ )
[nd others, but small numbers should not make this valuable species any jess important when considering the possibility of a re-introduction effort 'n their behalf.
’here is some question about linking a decline in the barn owl population dth the barn owl’s tendency to migrate southward or with the increasing- y severe winters. Banding reports and analysis (Stewart, 1959 and 1980) lave shown that northern range species very seldom show a southern migra- ion. The barn owl is not tr'uly a migratory species; however, there is some northward movement in spring and southward movement in autumn. Adult •arn owls are very site loyal and seldom leave the nest area. If they jlo, there is a high chance of spring returns to preferred nesting sites, j’herefore, the decline of the barn owls in Illinois is most likely not due 'o a natural trend of the birds to move southward. Surrounding midwestern >tates are having success re-establishing dwindling populations of owls,
[ind the birds are remaining in suitable habitat. (Colvin 1981, Denne 1979, ’eterson, 1980).
283
RESULTS OF A POST-RELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY INVOLVING BARN OWLS IN
NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 1983, ConUna^ ~~~
Periods of extreme cold and snow cover adversely affect barn owl population throughout the U.S. The barn owl has low fat reserves and can survive only 4 to 7 days without food. Heavy rains following spring hatchings can also affect the population of juvenile birds, especially in areas where the adulj; choose nesting sites that are not sheltered. Severe population declines i occur following winters with large amounts of snowfall, but populations us-1 ually recover within the next breeding season. (Bunn, 1982). The decline in Illinois birds has never recovered and is not just a trend resulting fro! bad weather. j
The final, but least understood theory on population decline is related to I the effects of pesticides and rodenticides on the barn owl. Because the barn owl preys mainly on mammalian species, it is generally accepted that | they are not affected by pesticides which readily accumulate in avian prey. However, the effects of rodenticides in the secondary poisoning of the barnj owl (1953-1963) was listed as the number one factor contributing to the de- cline of the barn owl in Europe. (Bunn, 1982). The use of these compounds has increased over the past decade here in the U.S., especially in the mid- western states. A study done on the effects of six anti-coagulant rodenti- cides on the barn owl showed these compounds in moderate levels cause major hemmorhages of subcutaneous tissues and the ultimate death of the bird. (Mendengall and Pank, 1980) . Some studies have concluded that the use of primary generation rodenticides do not contribute to the decline in natural populations studied. (Kaukeinen 1982, Clark 1978). However, second genera- tion anticoagulants (considered more lethal), brodifacom in particular, are still under investigation. Small levels of rodenticides may be causing the barn owl problems such as weak egg shells, infertility, and lowered hunting ability. The neurological effects of the toxins could also make the birds more likely to have collisions with cars and electrical wires. The barn owl could be exposed to these low levels of rodenticides by ingesting ro- dents that are carrying toxic residues in their tissues from sub-lethal t
dosages of the poison. It has been found that there is a larger range of rodenticide sensitivity among animals. (McKelvie and Anderson, 1981). It } is therefore possible that the barn owl, because it is a species with loweri i fat reserves, is more susceptible to low levels of rodenticides. This woul; then explain the strong populations of other raptors that share the same prey as the barn owl as compared to their dwindling populations.
Whatever the cause of the decline, measures should be taken to insure the survival of this rare raptor in the midwest. The following study provided i an opportunity to develop a number of options for improving re-introduction- efforts. These options are discussed at the end of the paper. 1
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The 1.1 young were hatched on 18 and 19 July 1982 by a pair of captive barn, owls at Brookfield Zoo's Children's Zoo. The owlets were raised by the i parents without human interference. Cage cleaning and feeding was done wit; minimal disturbance. Generally, the diet consisted of killed domestic mice- (MLt6 mLL6CuXiU> ) , leghorn chicks and ZuPreem Bird of Prey diet. As the owl- ets developed, live food was introduced so that the parents could demon- strate "hunting" techniques.
The owlets were removed from the parents' cage at three months of age, 22 October 1982. The birds were then color banded, weighed, measured and ex- amined for physical abnormalities. Both birds were in excellent condition and were determined to be male and female due to differences in coloring, wingspan, and body weight.
284
I RESULTS OF A POST-RELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY INVOLVING BARN OWLS IN
I NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 1983, CoyiX^nu^d
Release of the birds was anticipated after a period of live food training, but the release was delayed until the proper permits could be obtained from the Illinois Endangered Species Board. The optimal time to release owlets is considered to be 8-10 weeks. (Bunn 1982, Hancock 1981). Under normal conditions young fledgling owls begin a progressive dispersal from the nest site at 66 days of age, reaching peak dispersal at eight months of age. (Stewart, 1952).
The birds were released into a small barn loft (60ft. long X 20ft. wide) ijith a floor covered by dried leaves and straw and a few logs placed on the floor. The owlets were fed a diet of dead and live animals according to methods outlined by McKeever (1979). They were offered cottontail rabbit ' {SylVAJicigiJU> ^toAA-daniU } white-footed mouse {?2Aomy6CiU l^ucoptU ) , domestic rah [RcuttiU, nOA-ve.g^CLL6 ) and meadow vole ( MccA0tiL6 pznyL6 in addition to laboratory mice and chicks in order to introduce some of the wild prey they would be encountering after the release.
The owlets were observed frequently and weighed every week to assure that they were hunting and maintaining their weights. They were maintained in the loft until transferred to the release site.
The birds were removed from the loft on 1 March 1982, banded with USF&W lock-on leg bands, weighed and measured. The 1.1 birds weighed 561 and 669 grams respectively. The color bands were removed and telemetry trans- :‘niitter backpacks were attached. The birds’ reaction to the backpacks and ■:the operation of the transmitter was observed for 8 days prior to transfer- iring the birds to the release site. During this observation period, the backpacks did not seem to bother or hinder the birds in any way. They ate normally, passed pellets, and spent a great deal of time exploring the I bam loft. The transmitters produced strong regular signals.
»'Ihe transmitter harness (Fig. 1 and 2) consisted of teflon coated antenna wire fastened around the birds in a backpack fashion with the transmitter [in the middle of the bird's back. The teflon coated wire prevented the [Ibird from chewing through the harness and eliminated hard edges that would cut the bird. The wire was tied in square knots and sealed in heat shrink Tubing so that the knots would not untie. The transmitter and battery were [sealed in dental acrylic. The acrylic package had two small holes for the lantenna wire. The antenna was trimmed to a length slightly longer that jthe retrices. The backpack system was used instead of the traditional tail mount because of the small size of the retrices. 1
:jThe release site was a large abandoned barn adjacent to Pratt-Wayne Forest Preserve in northwest DuPage County, IL. This area consists mostly of tall ijmeadow grass fields, marsh and wet prairie and a small lake and streams. iThe area was selected because of the variety of habitats and the abandoned harn. There were a number of barn owl nest boxes in the area, and the prey population was considered adequate. The prey in the area included: meadow
rTelemetry equipment: AVM Instrument Co., Dublin, CA, Portable Telemetry receiver, hand-held Yangi antenna and car mount whip antenna. AMI trans- mitter: Frequency - 150.000-150. 714MHz, Pulse rate - 8'Obpm. Mercury bat- |tery - Life span - 4 months. Total weight - 5 grams.
I
!
285
RESULTS OF A POSTvRELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY INVOLVING BARN OWLS IN
NORTHERN ILITMTsTID^ Con^nu^ ~ ~
Square knot
286
ESULTS OF A POST-RELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY INVOLVING BARN OWLS IN
lORTHERN ILLINOIS, 1983, Coyitlna2.d
M^cAotiU pOJin^ytvcivUxiu^] i white-footed mouse ( PQAomy-&ciLi> tO-U-COpu^ ) , mask- id shrew ( SoH-tx CA^neAuXT, short-tailed shrew ( BtoAina. bn.2vZ(lcuxdcL] \ house lOuse (Ma6 mu6 ctiZu^ ) , and muskrat {Ondcutytci ZyCboXhtCLib ) . Sightings of num- trous raptors in the area indicated that the prey population was viable, he raptors sighted included: red-tailed hawk {BuLtO-O jamCLlce,/i&^} , rough- ; egged hawk iBiit£,0 tagopix^ ) , marsh hawk [CaJicu^ Q^yanohi] ^ kestlrel {Val.c.0 ipOAveAAJLU) ) , and the great-horned owl (Bubo vlAgA^yiLanu^] . The small town .f Wayne is 3.2 km. south of the release site but most of the surrounding ’.rea consisted of open farmland, pastures and horse barns.
he barn from which they were released was secured earlier by placing bur- ap over windows and openings, a burlap flap was attached over the door- ray to prevent the owls from escaping when anyone entered to feed. The )arn was well ventilated and had more than adequate perching space, as veil as two nesting boxes on either end.
he owlets were then released in the barn for a nine day "acclimation" )eriod in the hopes that they would utilize the barn after the release, hey contined to receibe a daily supply of dead food on feeding platforms ind the barn was "seeded" to encourage wild mice to enter the barn and rrovide the owls with a chance at hunting. The owls utilized the entire )arn, including the nest boxes. Pellets were collected during the nine lays for later analysis.
before release a small perch was placed at the entrance to the barn. An )pening to the barn was made on 22 April 1983. After release the birds ;ere checked during the day to determine roosting sites and were followed It night for 6 to 7 hours to determine hunting activities and patterns.
RESULTS
Che birds were followed from the time of release until they could no longer )e located on 26 April 1983. A Department of Conservation helicopter was hen commissioned to help locate the birds, using a direction three-element iCagi antenna on 17 May 1983. This attempt was unsuccessful even though an iirea of approximately 706 sq/km around the release site was searched. Con- lentrated search efforts were made on the area up to 25km southwest of he site because the birds seemed to have been moving in that direction throughout the ground tracking period. The owls did not return to the release site at any time during the tracking but did utilize a field adjac- ent to the barn for what appeared to be hunting activities.
)AILY ACTIVITY
rhe owls left the roost site a few hours before sunset each evening (1715) at an average time of 1950 hours.
BOOSTING SITES
rhe birds utilized tree lines, hedgerows and large conifers as roost sites. However, four of the six roost sites observed were in residential areas, sometimes even in residential backyards. The two owls overlapped in roost site area utilization. The birds seemed to be attracted to roost sites with a light source nearby, such as house lights and streetlights. The ibirds averaged 2.9 km away from the release site.
RESULTS OF A POST-RELEASE TELEMETRY STUDY INVOLVING BARN OWLS IN
NORTHERN ILLINOIS, 1983, Co^vUnu^d
MOVEMENTS
Both owls returned to the barn area to hunt at night but did not enter the barn or utilize it as a roost site even though food was provided in- side the bam. Generally, the birds stayed in the area from four to six days before leaving the area and moved in a southwesterly direction. Aft , 14 days without contact, an aerial search was conducted, but the birds co d not be located within a 20 km radius of the release site.
HELICOPTER AERIAL SEARCH
A 705.6 sq/km radius was covered. Efforts were concentrated in the area directly SW of the release site and a distance of 24.5 km was covered in that direction and 19.5 km in a SE direction.
DISCUSSION
The most pressing question posed by this study was why the birds left the study area so quickly. There are several theories concerning this ques- tion. Normally, the optimal time to release barn owl fledglings is at 3 months of age. The bam owls were released at 9 months of age due to the delay in obtaining permits. According to Stewart (1952), fledgling owls usually begin to roost away from the parents at two months of age and beg; a progressive dispersal at 3 months of age. The peak dispersal is reachec, by 8 months of age and usually averages 10-11 km away from the nest site. Due to the age of the owls they may have been simply dispersing from what they considered their "nesting area". If the birds were released at a younger age they may have remained close to the release site for a longer period of time. There are other possible reasons why the birds left the area, such as pressure from resident raptors (great-horned owls in par- ticular) or predation by other raptors, but these are not the likely cause
An obvious improvement for this type of study would be constant monitor- ing of the birds from the ground and routine aerial searches. Other im- provements are related to the hacking of the birds. On site propagation and release of bam owls may be a valuable alternative to hacking birds from a release site because the owls do not seem to be site loyal unless dispersing from a nest site as youngsters. The parent owls could be main- tained in release "barn" while they raise the youngsters and then the your owls could be allowed to leave the barn when they are at an appropriate age, along with the parent owls. This type of release would allow more observation and increase the ability of the researchers to insure the survival of the owlets after the release. Thie type of program is also less time consuming than hand-raising the release candidates and then hacking them from a release site. Other types of release and captive breeding schemes have been suggested (Binn, 1982) that combine a number oi possible alternatives to the traditional methods of re-introduction. Thes different schemes should be tested so that the most efficient method of re-introducing this species can be determined. In conclusion, the dwindl- ing numbers of barn owls in our midwestern states may be a sign indicating future problems with other raptor species. If we continue to ignore the urgent need for measures to insure the survival of this species, in an area where it was once abundant, what will happen when we begin to see a dying off of other raptors?
288
LITERATURE CITED
, unn, D.S., A.B. Warburton and R.D. Wilson
1982. The Barn Owl
Buteo Books. Vermillion, South Dakota
‘ lark, D.D.
1978. Control of Ground Squirrels in California Using Anti-
coagulant Treated Bait.
Proceedings of the 8th Vertebrate Pest Conference, Sacramento, California, pp. 98-111 olvin, Bruce A.
j 1981. Nest Transfer of Young Barn Owls
Ohio Journal of Science. (3) pp. 132 .raighead, John H.
I 1970. Predation by Hawks and Owls
Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit USF&W Service armofoal, Leslie M.
1983. Pellet Analysis of the Long-eared Owl (A2>L0 0-ta6 ) in Northern Illinois.
amilton, K.R. , Neill, Robert L.
' 1981. Food Habits and Bioenergetics of a Pair of Barn Owls
and Owlets .
The American Midland Naturalist. Vol. 106 No. 1. pp. 1-7 ancock, Besty., Ducey, Jim., Lock, Ross A.
1981. Captive Breeding of Barn Owls in Nebraska Nebraska Bird Review, pp. 49. (2) pp . 31-33 [awbecker, A.C.
[' 1945. Food Habits of the Barn Owl
Condor. Vol. 47. pp. 161-166 , aukeinen. Dale E.
f 1982. A Review of Secondary Poisoning Hazard to Wildlife from
I the Use of Anticoagulant Rodenticides .
Pest Management 1 )11) :10, 12-12; 1 (12) : 16, 17-19 /aestrelli, J.R.
' 1972. Propagation of Barn Owls in Captivity
I; Auk. 90 (2) pp. 426-428
cKeever, Katherine
1 1979. Care and Rehabilitation of Injured Owls
W.F. Rannie. Lincoln Ontario, Canada cKelvie, D.H. and Anderson, A.C.
[ 1963. Neonatal Deaths in Relation to the Total Number
? Production in Experimental Beagles to the Weaning Age
Laboratory Animal Care. 13:725 iendenhall, V.M. , Pank, L.F.
I 1980. Secondary Poisoning of Owls by Anticoagulant Rodenticide
I Wildlife Society Bulletin 8 - #4
leterson, LeRoy
I 1980. Status of Bam Owls in Wisconsin
l|. Department of Natural Resources. Madison, Wisconsin
, Report //7
hillips, R.S.
I 1951. Food of the Bam Owl in Hancock County, Ohio
I Auk. 68 (2) pp. 239-241
iyan, Richard A.
' 1979. Barn owls for Pest Control
New Jersey Audubon. May- June pp . 75-76 mith, Dwight., Gilbert, Ray.
I 1981. Backpack Radio Transmitter Attachment Success in
Screech owls
[ N.A. Bird Bander. Vol 6. No. 4, pp. 142-143
i “
289
Legislative News !
CompiZnd by K<ivam Comay i IZQAJitcUAVz Coon^dlnaton. f,
AMERICAN ALLIGATOR PROPOSED FOR RECLASSIFICATION IN FLORIDA
. 1'
On 20 June 1984, the USFWS published a proposed rule in the VddoAaJi tOA to reclassify the legal status of the American alligator {ktHigatoK int2>2>^2>-Cpp-tg-t^5-t2> ) in Florida to threatened due to similarity of appear- j ance under provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The proposal is 'I based on evidence that the species is not biologically threatened. Re- - classification of Florida alligators would reduce restrictions on the State for future management and research while still protecting look- ”1 alike species and other populations of American alligators. Certain pop-' ulations in other southeastern states have already been reclassified to this same status. *
— AAZPA
AagiLbt 19B4 "
FINAL RULE ON SNAIL DARTER RECLASSIFICATION
The USFWS published its final rule reclassifying the snail darter ( V^XCAM tavUiCLi) from endangered to threatened in the VddQAjOiZ R2,QAj>t2A. on 5 July 1984. Recent field surveys have located additional small populations of snail darters in six tributaries of the Tennessee River and in the main stream of the river near the mouth of these tributaries. Threatened clas- sification is thought to more accurately reflect the true biological status of this species. Because of habitat vulnerability, however, the Service does not believe that a complete delisting of the snail darter is warranted and it will continue to receive protection as a Threatened specJl
— EndangeAe.d 5pecx.e^ Tdchyilcat BuJtteJxn, Vot. IK, Wo. 3
EXTINCTION OF RARE BUTTERFLY MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY ERROR
Earlier this spring, when a swatch of dry scrub on a steep hillside was plowed under. Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca. , got rid of far more than a fire hazard. Federal officials now fear that for the first time ever, one I of the 286 creatures protected by the federal Endangered Species Act has ! become extinct: a rare butterfly that lived only amid patches of loco- weed on the staggered terraces of the Palos Verdes Peninsula south of Los Angeles.
The embarassing demise of the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, a tiny powder- | blue creature whose liking for foggy canyons and terraces kept it undis- covered by scientists until 1977, came after a series of missed opportunitj ies to preserve its dwindling breeding grounds. The apparent first loss of; an endangered species already has triggered a round of finger-pointing among environmentalists. Rancho Palos Verdes officials and the federal ; Fish and Wildlife Service, which has the legal duty to protect the insect.!
The city says that it tried to save the butterfly, which has distinctive | dark camouflage markings on the undersides of its wings, but was never properly instructed on how to go about it. Environmentalists say that the Wildlife Service stood by while a three-year building boom decimated the indispensable locoweed patches, and then lagged in investigating who
290
^1
IgISLATIVE news, CoyiJU,natd
is responsible for the destruction. Fish and Wildlife officials deny tting on anything, and say that they still may file criminal charges if
ong doing
is found.
d a California entomologist who spent five years and a chunk of federal joey charting the butterfly’s decline says that it sometimes seemed as I nobody cared much whether the creature lived.
She Fish and Wildlife people did not always keep the city advised of the atus of the colonies," said Richard A. Arnold, the University of Calif- linia, Berkley, scientist who had a federal contract to work on the diur- il insect's preservation, "And the city had some bad advice and maybe no [I'.mpathy for the butterfly as well."
pderal officials hold out the hope that more of the Palos Verdes blues, jsich have been confined to the peninsula because they depend for food ^'d egg-laying sites on a strain of locoweed found there, will turn up sain—perhaps after next year’s spring mating season. But Arnold is jss optomistic. An intense search has turned up no eggs, caterpillars I butterflies in any of the remaining areas where the insect should be fund, he said. "The likelihood is very high that it’s extinct, he said, 'here’s always a chance that it will pop up again. But in this case, lie habitat destruction was so complete and so quick that I think that's Try unlikely."
---L.A. TAMU-WcL&hyLngton Vo&t SeAuXce Ju-Vit 19S4
k.RECTJ ONS/ AW JT JONS: The following corrections and/or additions should E/ noted in the two-part series on "Elephants in Japan" which appeared in I June and July issues of AKF.
TE issuer
jp, 180 “ Asahikawa-Ashiyama Zoo should be Asakikawa-Asahiyama I - Tatsu Zoological & Botanical Gardens should be Yatsu..,,
“ Tobu Zoological Park is a private institution and therefore I should not be noted with an asterik (*)
p. 182 ” Omutu Zoo should be Omata Zoo
- Africa Safari should be African Safari
I “ Phoenix Natural Zoo, Miyazki should be Miyazaki
- Okinawa-Kodomomokuni should be Okinawa-Kodomonokuni
j This institution is a public one and therefore should be
noted in Table 1 with an asterik (*) jp. 183 - Kakima Circus should be Kakinuma Circus
I “ in section (a) Nanki Shirahama Adventure World has 0.2 Thai
ij elephants NOT 2.0 as listed
|t
1y issues
'p. 216 ~ Add the following to the bottom of the table II on that page:
! Nagoya-Higashiyama Zoo A-ko Asian F 21
Martha African F 20
^|p. 212 - Additional information from the author notes that there are I 34 (4.30) elephants which have been with current owners for
more than 20 years at the time of the survey,
; p. 213
Additional information from the author notes that there were four places which maintained elephants in the past but no longer are doing so. These four are: Kochi Zoo, Matsushima Zoo, Higuchi Zoo of Atami-city and the Saki Zoo, Osaka.
291
Chapter
TOLDEO ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
Chapter Secretary Joanne Terry reports that Michelle Grigore has been appointed Historian.
The Chapter has established the following goals for this year:
1. Achieve 100% Keeper membership
2. Attain a more active group with greater participation.
3. Promote relations between AAZK and administrative staff.
4. Organize community service projects.
5. Contribute articles to AKF
6. Standardize Board meetings.
7. Restructure parts of the by-laws through the constitution committee.
Our activities during the past year include;
1. Working with Boy Scout/Explorer Post .
2. Haunted House Project
3. Volleyball game and ski trip
4. Speakers on wildlife rehabilita- tion, bird migrations, Ohio game laws. Beaded lizards, and South American wildlife.
5. Tour of Medical College of Ohio Research Facilities
6. Christmas Bake Sale
— Joanm ToAAy Se,cA2J:a/Ly
METRO TORONTO ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
It is with deep regret that we have to report the passing of Gary Belz, a long-time member of our local chapter and an enthusiastic devotee of gorillas. Gary was an active member, turning out for almost every meeting and he will be greatly mis- sed. In his memory, we have made a donation to the Digit Fund.
— Ma/Myn Coin
Ht \/lc.n-?n.Qj>ldnyvt
I
I
COLUMBUS ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
The Columbus Zoo is proud to announce the reinstatement of the AAZK Chapter in Columbus, OH. The new officers are;
President. . . .Andy Lodge 1st Vice Pres.... Ted Spellmire | 2nd Vice Pres.... John Becker j
Secretary .... Stacy Katz j.
Treasurer ... .Brad Booth |
i
The Columbus Zoo AAZK Chapter has 1: many fun & exciting projects in tl! making. For example, A Keepers ' Octoberf est/campout ; Olympics with the Keepers and a Keeper exchange ; program. We are very proud that I our fine organization has once again come together and united 1 with AAZK. I
f,
— Stacy Katz f
SccActoAy i
News
VlcoAc -6 end ChapteA New^ to Lee Payne, ChapteA A^^oaas Cooadtnatoa, at the VetAott Zoo. Atso 6end a copy to the AKF ecUtoAlal o^^tces, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
HINK Safety!
RADIATION SAFETY
By
VoJofia. Schmo/unan \/ 2J:QAA,n(Viy Ivutoxn (JJoodZand Pa/ik loo SmiXZz, m
(kd ioltoMlnq AJi an a/uticZd pn.o\)lddd by JucUe. Stdmb^Ag on fiRdlatlon xioZy. It u)a6 p/LdSdntdd at a montkly tA.atntng 6^^ton at the, ifJoodtand Pik Zoo 06 an atd to kddpoA^ tnvotvdd tn thd manimt fioJitAjolnt oi avumaJU on, x-hjay. The, Woodland Va/ik Zoo has an ongoing -6a^ety poiogxiam, cUi do e^ x6ch Ga/iddfU. I mold be. lnteAe.6te.d In knowing wkeXkeA any otkeA zoo6 ■xve, 6lmltaA 6et-up6, I am oJUo ^tlll looking ion, volante,eJU to handle,
'he, AAZK Safety Buttons and BumpeA StlakeAi,, Thl6 would be, a yilce. ckapteA \\oje.cZ, 0^ It lj> AeZatlvely Inexpensive, and easy to put togeZken.. Please \end all contAlbutlons to this column - anZlcles, pamphlets, cantoons - jjO: Jill GAade, Station Managen., InteAnatlonal Bln,d House, 956 W. Hu/ion it., Chicago, IL 60622,]
here are just a few simple concepts which need to be understood in order
0 know how to protect yourself from X-ray exposure. Perhaps the most Ifficult of these is convincing people that there is a danger. X-rays on’t hurt when they enter the body but they certainly damage . Most eople are aware of the birth defects which can occur when a woman is xposed to X-rays in the early stages of pregnancy. The damage to gonads Iso seems to be fairly common knowledge, but few realize that blood f or- ation and the immune system can also be impaired by X-ray exposure. An increased incidence of cancer is also seen in people exposed to radiation iepeatedly. Examples of this include:
1 1. Survivors of nuclear explosions in Japan have an increased inci- ' dence of leukemia, bone cancer, colon cancer, and cancer of the
cervix .
2. People treated with X-rays for irregular bone formation in the i spine (ankylosing spondylitis) are prone to leukemia.
3. Children treated with X-rays for ring worm in the scalp are prone
to cancers in the head and neck areas as adults.
i 4. Radiologists and radiology technicians have a greater chance of I having children with birth defects and of developing cancer.
jany of these problems were unknown until recently because the results of |ow level repeated exposure to radiation takes 10-20 years to develop, jhis disconnection of cause and effect by so long a time interval makes "t easy to think that the radiation is having no effect. In fact, it 'ook careful retrospective studies to discover this serious danger, but hw that this information is known, we should take advantage of it.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
|i-rays are formed in the head of the X-ray machine and are allowed to scape through a collimator which directs the X-rays toward the target „nd minimizes escape of radiation in other directions. Collimators are imply moveable lead shields which are opened and closed to change the lidth and length of the area to be exposed. The X-rays which are allow- jd to escape in this fashion are referred to as the primary beam. A jegular white light is also located in the X-ray machine head and shines in the same area that will be exposed by the X-rays. By watching the white ight you can tell where the actual X-rays will be going. This is impor-
293
RADIATION SAFETY, CoyvUnixtd
tant to the technician so the correct portion of the animal can be ex- posed but it is also important to the animal holder so exposure to this primary beam can be avoided.
The X-rays in the primary beam are very high energy radiation so most wil pass through your body and come out the other side without damaging any thing. However, because there is so much total radiation, the amount damaging your body cells is significant. On the other hand, scattered radiation (which comes from bouncing off of the patient, film cassette an floor or table) is too low energy to pass through your body. This means that most of it remains within your body to damage things. Therefore, although the amount of scattered radiation is low, nearly all of it is interacting with cells, so again the amount damaging body cells is signif cant .
SUGGESTED PRECAUTIONS
1. Anyone within 30 feet of the machine should be wearing an apron and gloves. This means that you shouldn’t be in the same room with the X-ray machine unless you are protected. If you are not needed in the room at the time the X-ray is taken, LEAVE.
2. When possible, animals should be anesthetized and/or taped to the cassette so hands can be kept out of the primary beam.
3. Hands, even when protected with lead gloves, should not be in the
primary beam as the lead is strictly to eliminate low energy scatter. One thickness of lead which is thin enough to be worn will not always ’ stop all of the primary beam. i
4. Gloves should be worn, not laid over hands, because much of the scatter' from which you are trying to protect yourself is bouncing from the i cassette/floor/ animal .
5. Gowns should be hung, not folded or dropped in a heap on the floor be- ■ cause folding will cause cracks through which radiation can leak.
294
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LAST CHANCE! 11-YOUR ORDER MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 4th. ...the last day of the Conference.... |
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Send this form to:
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 5500 Phinney Avenue North Seattle, WA 98103 Attn: Judie Steenberg
Name
Address
City/State/Zip
Color:
□ Powder blue □ Beige
Size:
□ Small □ Medium □ Large □ Extra Large
Enclosed is a check for $ payable to the Puget Sound AAZK
Chapter Conference Account.
295
JyUitltuutloyU) Milking to advoAXA^z mptoym<iyvt oppontavuXliiA a/id (uke.d to ^md poAXlndnt data by the. 15tk o^ daoh month to: OppoAtantty Knocfu/AKh , 635 Gago, BZvd. , Tope.ka, KS 66606, TheAH t6 no choAge. ^oA ^aoh lJj>tingi> , Vlo-OAd tncZadd clo^tng dateA ^OA po^tttons avalZabZe.
ZOOLOGICAL CURATOR iRe.pttteA>} .responsible for acquisition and mainten- ance of reptile collection. Requires degree and considerable experience |j in field. Salary range $26,400 - $29,100. For application, contact f; Detroit Personnel Department, 314 City County Building, Detroit, MI 48226 Application deadline; 30 days from date of publication. We are a merit i; system and equal opportunity employer. jl
CURATOR /BIRDS. . .requires advanced degree with supervisory, managerial anc| captive management experience. Will be responsible for large bird collecj tion. Salary negotiable. Send c.v. by 15 October to: Sandy Friedman, | Search Committee Chairman, Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd., Brookfield, IL | 60513.
ZOO DESIGN SPECIALIST. . .requires BA in art-related field plus experience and working knowledge of contemporary materials and techniques. Will design, engineer, super- vise and construct zoo and museum exhibits. Salary $16,740 - $24,852. Contact Tom Evanhoff, Exhibits Curator,
Tulsa Zoo, 5701 E. 36th St. N. , Tulsa, OK 74115.
BIRD NURSERY SUPERi/ 1 SOR. . .requires data recording /communica- tion skills. Responsible for supervision of employees and care of psittacine nursery. Experience preferred. Will work directly for Director and Staff Veterinarian. Salary $1,400 per month. Contact Dale Thompson, Director, Avicul- ture Institute, 16425 Placerita Canyon Rd., Newhall, CA 91321 (805) 252-4871.
STUDENT INTERNSHIP. . .available at the Animal Rehabilitation £ Center within the Conservancy Nature Center in Naples, FL. «
Involves wildlife as well as educational programs and special I projects. Interested applicants must be available for up to __ five months. Housing and $55/week stipend provided. Intern- y ships available year round. To apply send resume, statement of goals and three references to : Julie Wasserman, Supervisor,
Animal Rehabilitation Center, Conservancy Nature Center, 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, FL 33942. Phone : (813) 262-2273.
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MOVING?????
Please send change of address as soon as possible to:
Dotty CloAk, AdmtnUitAatlvQ, SdcAotoAy AmeAtcan A66octatton oi Zoo KeepeAA, Inc. 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
ame
Check heAc AcnewaZ [ ]
ddress
$20.00 Professional fM-Zunc Keeper
$25.00 International All. mmbcu oatiXefe the U.S, and Canada
$10.00 Associate IndivldaoJU not connected Mttk an animal cane i^aclttt^
$15.00 Affiliate
OtkcA Jbtail and volunteefu
I $50.00 Contributing
i O^gantzattoni) and JndtvtdualJ)
! U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
lAecton.y Jn^oAmatton
\dd iJJonk Anea Special JntoACAt^
ail this application and check or money order, payable to American ssociation of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, i35 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
embership includes a subscription to the Animal KeepcU ' Foaam. The lembership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums n the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
nlmal Keeper ' FoA-Um publishes original papers and news items of inter- !St to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit rticles.
rticles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and ables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page jize of no more than 6" x 10" (15 cm x 25h cm.). Literature used should je cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include cientific names.
rticles sent to AnlmaZ Keepea6' Fonum will be reviewed for publication.
'o commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- ish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be eparated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial taff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- ion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials ubmitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- iddressed envelope.
ielephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions jre accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will jot be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
I DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
I AAtlcleii painted do not nece^^aaily ae^lect the
0 pinto n6 o{f the Animal Keeper ’ Foaum editoaial 2>ta{){^ oa oi the American f^i,ocA.atX.on oi loo Keepeai>.
;ems in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication ! requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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^dicated to Professional Animal Care
OCTOBER 1984
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
OCTOBER 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER TEN
Ayujncil. Ke.2.pCA^' VoAim (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of AyUmat Ke.2,peJU>' VoKum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC. NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BLi/V., TOPEKA, KS 666-06 Dolly Clcoik, AdmlvbUlAativQ. SdcAdla/iy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP/Conservation & Research Center PXiz^lduvit
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park l/^CC PH.QJ>ld<l.VVt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs GoAold Pay no., VodyioiX Zoo
Continuing Keeper Education
Jadle. StumboAQ, Woodland Pcuik
Historical Committee La/iAy Samma/Lco, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan NcCoy, Mcuklnglon PoAk
International Affairs Coordinator Connie Cloak, Nashville, TN
Research/Grants Committee pAank Kohn, National Zoological PoAk Awards Committee Nike CAockoA, VlckcnjiOn PoAk Zoo Legislative Action Committee
Zoo Kevin Comay, NZP/CRC, PAonl Royal PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange ElandAa Aim, OJoodland PoAk Animal Data Transfer Forms BeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Progra^m Library
Anne M. Payne, DqXaoaX Zoo
Infant Development
Steve TayloA, LouuJiVltte
Keeper Accomodations List
OZlveA Clayey, NetAo ToAonto
Keeper
NoAy Slaybaugk, San Antonio S Vav'
Library Resource/Book Review
Ellen Leach, Woodland PoAk Biological Values Booklet/Gestation
NoAy Nllac, San FAancl6co Zoo Diet Notebook
South FloAlda ChapteA, Nlaml Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Exhibit Design
Diane Fon^ytk, AkAon Zoological PoAk Data Survey
!. 0AndoAl{^, Sea WoAld ShoAk Institute
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Nike CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, DlAectoA
Linda RoHa \/acancy Gene P^e^eA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne {/ltleA6 LoAAy SammoAco Diane Knag, Alan ShoAple^ i/acancy Candy Kao it
W.P. Stone NemoAlal Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo DetAolt Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo RlvQAbanks Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
LauAence Gledhlll Moodland PoAk Zoo
Joanie Stinson Phoenix Zoo
i/acancy
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NV
PA,NJ,ND,DE
i/A,(jU.{/A,D.C.
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IN,0H,KV m,IL,N0,NN,IA TN,NC,SC FL,AL,GA AR, NS, LA
TX,NN,C0,0K,KS,NE,
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Canada
Tkl6 month’ ^ coveA ojvt by AAZK A^^ocLlate, mmboA VoJil-i Me^^tngeA who WCL6 ionm<inZy at the. Se.dgwtck County Zoo tn WtchUta, KS and auKAdvitty JbOJwtng tn the. ?e.ac.e. Con.p^ tn K^ntaa, Thank, Vet^tl
Scoops
and
Scuttlebutt
QUESTIONS NEEDED FOR 'FEED BAG' COLUMN
Do you have a question about the present diet being fed the animals on your routine or perhaps a question concerning dietary changes and its I effect on an animal? AKF needs your help in getting the ’’Feed Bag" column active again. Dr. Sergio Oyarzun, Nutritionist at the Metro Toronto Zoo is willing to answer your questions in this column. Please send ques- tions, including pertinent data, to Dr. Oyarzun c/o Metro Toronto Zoo,
' Box 280, West Hill, Ontario, Canada MIE 4R5.
DIET NOTEBOOK
Here is a unique opportunity to share with other keepers the types of diets used to maintain exotics in captivity. This project has the poten- tial to develop an excellent reference on captive diets but only if you participate.
Forms can be obtained from the Collection Centers listed below and when completed they should be sent to the appropriate center. Please type or print information, use metric units whenever possible and refer to the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names.
Please become involved.
BIRD COLLECTION CENTER;
Ketit WeJ>tbA.ook Little. Rock ChapteA AAZK Jonc6boA.o VAtvc Little Rock, AR 72204
MAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER:
TeAAtc ConAeJi Sedgwtek County Zoo 5555 Zoo Blvd. Wtehtta, KS 67212
REPTILE COLLECTION CENTER;
Bntnt SpcnceA
Htnnc6ota Zoological GoAden Apple Valley, MW 55124
ALL OTHERS:
South VloAtda ChapteA AAZK do Vebbte BuAch 17S60 5W 112 CouAt liiamt, FL 33157
297
1985 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS AWARDS
Tkd ^oiZooolng oujoacU weAe pn.ej>2,nt2.d cut the, AAIK Nattoncut Con^eAe.nce held tn Sexvttle,, WA ovi S^ptembeA 30 - OctobeA 4, 1984, The, Exc,eIZe.nc.e, tn loo Ke.e.ptn.g, f^eAdtontoiu Ac,hA,e,veme,nt and CeAttltcate, ^OA HeAtt tn Zoo Ke.e,peA Edacxutlon AwoacU, oAe ^eZe,cte,d by the. AAIK AwoAd^ Commtttee., Mcfee CAoefeeA 0^ the. VtckeAAon PoAk Zoo tn Sp/itng^tetd, MO ti Chatman oi tht& c,ommitte,e,. The, Exc.eZte,nc,e, tn JouAnaLUm ALOoAdU cuie, 6eJie.cjte.d by the, Antmat Ke,e.peA^' PoAum zcUXontat ^ta{^£,
1984 EXCELLENCE IN ZOO KEEPING AWARD WINNERS Ste.ve.n M. Wtng, Mttwauke,e, County Zoo, Milwaukee, WI PatAtcta E. SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Zoologtcal GaAde,yui,, Chtcago, JL AlbeAt WoAneA, Phtladelphta Zoologtcal GoAdM, Phtladelphta, PA Eugene Matintak, Nattonal Zoologtcal PoAk, Washington, V,C,
Antta CAomm, Sedgwick County Zoo, Wtchtta, KS
AAIK MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
In recognition of outstanding contribution in the field of wildlife conservation and animal husbandry
Janet McCoy, Washington PoAk Zoo, Portland, OR
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT FOR ZOOKEEPER EDUCATION
Woodland PoAk Zoological Gardens Seattle, WA
AAZK OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
In appreciation for hosting the 1984 AAZK National Conference
Woodland PoAk Zoological GoAdens Seattle, WA
CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION
GoAy K. CloAk, VlAectoA Topeka Zoologtcal PoAk, Topeka, KS
1984 AKF EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS
Outstanding Mammal Article: "Elephants in Japan Mid-1982 to Early 1984"
Vosht. Vonetant, Zoo/VEL, Zoo Design and Education Lab, Kobe, Japan
298
AAZK AWARDS, CoYVtinatd
Outstanding Herpetology Article: "The Care and Reproduction of the Giant Day Gecko at the Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo"
Brenda Bn,ock(it(u.n, kttanto., GA
Outstanding Avian Article: "Artificial Incubation of Bird Eggs"
Km KeyitUngeA^ BuAneX. Pa/ik loo, SymciUt, NV
Outstanding Narrative Article: "A Unique Zoo in Chiapas, Mexico"
Va, John P. EhAmbeAg, BaZtanoAe., MV
Outstanding Exhibit Design Article: "From Giraffes to Tree Kangaroos"
I
JadLLe, Ste.mbeAg, Woodland PoAk Zoological GaAdcn6
Outstanding Series: "Keepers and Computers"
JameJi Alb2At, UvUveA^lXy oi Tcxa^ out koJitin
Outstanding Uncategorized Article: "Beneficial Aspects of Photographic Documentation of Captive Wildlife by Animal Keepers"
MMon H, TleAncy Ja, , Motional Zoological PoAk, Washington, V,C,
Outstanding Cover Art Award: Jan. 1984 Issue of Animal Keepers' Forum Vonna Mason Smith, BlAmlngham, AL
HONORABLE MENTION AWARDS
Mammal Articles
"Readapting a Tropical Species to the Tropics" by Sally Lieb
Dreher Park Zoo
I West Palm Beach, FL
i "Maternal Behavior and Infant Development of the Lowland Gorilla at Metro Toronto Zoo" by Marilyn Cole and Linda Ervine Metro Toronto Zoo Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cover Art
September 1983 Issue of AKF - Artist: Mike Turri, Memphis Zoo, Memphis, TN November 1983 Issue of AKF - Artist: Cathy Taibbi, Atlanta Zoo, Atlanta, GA
m
299
Births^ Hatchings
KANSAS CITY ZOO Pee (Uo^e,
B&H for June and July 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.1 Meerkat (DNS), 5.2 Eland, 2.2 Himalayan tahr, 3.1 California sea lion (0.1 DNS), 8.8 African pigmy goat, 0.0.1 Caracal (1 DNS), 1.0 Yak; Birds - 1.1.4 Brazilian teal (1 DNS), 0.0.1 Emu, 0.0.3 Hooded merganser (3 DNS), 0.0.5 Grey-necked wood rail (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Shama Thrush (DNS), 1.0.2 Mandarin duck (1 DNS), 0.0.1 Palawan peacock pheasant, 0.0.1 Rosybill pochards (DNS), 0.1 Canvasback, 0.0.1 Speckled pigeon, 0.0.9 Red-billed whistling duck (1 DNS), 0.0.2 Ruddy duck and 0.0.1 Double yellow-headed Amazon parrot.
PITTSBURGH AVIARY CllU Robbing
Hatchings for April through July 1984 include; Birds - 0.0.1 Elegant Crest- ed tinamou (DNS), 0.0.5 Green-backed heron (5 DNS), 0.0.5 Ringed teal (5 DNS), 0.1 Gray junglefowl, 0.0.1 Lady Amherst’s pheasant, 0.0.1 Palawan peacock pheasant (DNS), 0.0.2 Malay great argus pheasant, 0.0.8 Moorhen (3 DNS), 0.0.2 Sun Bittern (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Killdeer, 0.0.2 Red Lory, 0.0.4 Plum-headed parakeet, 0.0.4 Greater roadrunner (4 DNS), 0.0.2 Burrowing owl (2 DNS), 0.0.1 Speckled mousebird (DNS), 0.0.1 Kookaburra, 2.3.2 African gray hornbill, 0.0.3 Black-collared barbet (2 DNS), 4.6 Levaillant’ barbet (0.1 fledged April, hatched March), 0.0.2 Pale-mandibled aracari (possible first captive breeding), 0.0.2 Magpie robin (1 DNS), 0.0.2 Blue- necked tanager (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Troupial (possible first captive breeding 1 DNS), 0.0.2 Red-winged pytilia (2 DNS), 0.0.9 Blue-capped cordon-bleu (7 DNS), 0.0.4 Gouldian finch, 0.0.3 Phillipine glossy starling (2 DNS), 0.0.2 Purple glossy starling, 0.0.4 Blue-eared glossy starling X Purple glossy starling (4 DNS), 0.0.7 Ruppell's long-tailed starling (4 DNS),
0.0.4 Chestnut-bellied starling (possible first captive breeding, 3 DNS), 0.0.9 Rothchild's mynah (3 DNS), 0.0.1 Hill mynah (1 DNS); Reptiles - 0.0.8 River cooter {Chiy6my-i> concycnna aoncUnna) .
CENTRAL FLORIDA ZOOLOGICAL PARK KaXky Spe,ckman
B&H for April through July 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 Margay, 0.1 Black howler monkey, 0.0.1 Squirrel monkey; Birds - 0.0.3 African grey, 0.0.3 Medium sulphur-crested cockatoo, 0.0.6 Rothchild’s mynah (4 DNS), 0.0.7 Fischer’s lovebird, 0.0.1 Rhea, 0.0.3 Budgerigars, 0.0.3 Cherry-headed conure; Reptiles - 0.0.16 Eastern garter snake and 0.0.7 Common snapping turtle.
BLACK HILLS REPTILE GARDEN BM TexeX
The first half of 1984 produced the following B&H: 1.2 Pygmy goat, 0.0.2 Albino black-tailed prairie dog, 1.2 Sicilian donkey, 0.1 Miniature horse, 0.0.10 Zebra finch, 0.0.? Giant cockroach; 0.0.12 Red rat snake, 0.0.31 Banded water snake, 0.0.6 Columbian rainbow boa (DNS), 0.0.12 Prairie rattlesnake.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO Steven M. t^tng
B&H for August 1984 include: 0.0.1 Red rattlesnake, 0.0.3 Etaphe ob^oteta X guttata i 0.0.7 Snapping turtle, 0.0.4 Common turkey, 0.0.2 Indian
fruit bat, 2.2 Tree shrew, 0.1 Black and white colobus, 2.1 Acouchi, 0.0.1 American elk and 1.0 Greater kudu.
300
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUnui^d
SAN ANTONIO ZOO V2.bomh Reed
August 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 0.0.3 African hedgehog (2 DNS), 0.0.3 Kusimanse (2 DNS), 0.1 Chapman's zebra (DNS)^ 0.0.1 Nile hippo, 1.0 Cape buffalo, 1.3 Greater kudu (0.1 DNS), 0.1 Common waterbuck (DNS), 1.1 Beisa oryx, 0.1 Blackbuck, 3.4 Dama gazelle (1.0 DNS), 1.0 Thomson's gazelle, 0.1 Springbok; Birds - 0.0.2 Scarlet ibis, 0.0.2 American flamingo, 0.0.4 Moluccan rad j ah shelduck, 0.0.1 Palawan peacock pheasant, 0.0.2 Goeldie's lorikeet (1st time in collection), 0.0.1 Galah, 0.0.3 Lilac-breasted roller, 0.0.1 Pygmy kingfisher (DNS), 0.0.3 Dhyal thrush, 0.0.1 Yellow-headed rock- fowl (DNS); Reptiles - 0.0.6 Amazon tree boa, 0.0.6 Dumeril's ground boa, 0.0.5 Albino corn snake, 0.0.2 Honduran milk snake, 0,0.6 Palestine viper; Aquarium - Peppermint shrimp. Sulphur-headed cichlid. Golden zebra cichlid, Kribensis, Brichardi cichlid and Tomatoe clownfish.
TAMPA-BUSCH GARDENS Suusan Racklo^y
August 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 3.0 Sable antelope, 2.3 Greater kudu,
2.4 Grant's gazelle, 0.1 Soemmering's gazelle, 1.0 Nyala, 2.0 Kafue (Red) lechwe, 1.0 Gerenuk, 0.1 Scimitar-horned oryx; Birds - 2 Hahn's macaw, 10 Scarlet ibis, 2 Gray cockatiel, 4 Goldie's lorikeet, 8 Indian peafowl (Blue phase), 3 Fischer's lovebird, 1 Green-cheeked conure, 4 Sun conure,
6 Eyton's tree duck, 3 Severe macaw, 4 Ringed teal, 1 Comb duck, 2 Blue and gold macaw, 2 Black-masked lovebird, 3 Golden-capped conure, 2 Black- capped lory, 1 Chattering lory.
DALLAS ZOO Taml Jone^s
B&H for August 1984 include; Mammals - 0.1 East African bongo, 0.0.1 Celebes crested macaque, 1.0 Reticulated giraffe, 0.0.1 Hamadryas baboon; Birds - 0.0.4 Spur-winged lapwing, 0.0.2 Red-vented bulbul, 0.0.1 Pekin robin; Reptiles - 0.0.5 Grey-banded kingsnake { Lamp/LOp^ZtiJi atteAna] ,
0.0.4 Cone-headed lizard ( Lae/nancXLL6 4 eAACUtlU ) , 5.3 Sinaloan kingsnake iLampA.opeZtl6 tnZangulum ^-Inaload) , 0.0.14 Pueblan kingsnake ( Lcmpn.op2lXZb Puangulum CLompbdttl) .
SAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK Jody CoiMmy
July B&H include; Mammals - 1.0 Prezwalski's wild horse, 2.2 Barasingha deer, 1.1 Formosan sika deer, 2.0 Addra gazelle, 1.1 Arabian oryx, 0.1 Great Indian rhinoceros, 1.0 Red ruffed lemur, 1.0 White faced saki, 0.1 Diana guenon, 0.1 Sumatran orangutan, 0.2 Mhorr gazelle, 0.0.1 Queensland koala; Birds - 0.0.1 Andean condor, 0.0.2 Palawan peacock pheasant, 0.0.1 Temminck's tragopan, 0.0.1 Pesquet's parrot, 0.0.2 Dumont's mynah and 0.0.2 Red-breasted goose.
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOOLOGICAL PARK SUvo. ConnoJU
May through July 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 0.0.1 Syke's guenon, 0.0.1 Mayotte Island brown lemur, 0.1.5 Alpine ibex, 1.0 Lowland gorilla (DNS), 1.4 Rocky Mountain goat, 2.0 Snow leopard, 1.0 Sumatran orangutan, 0.0.4 Addax, 0.0.1 Musk ox, 0.0.4 Himalayan tahr, 0.0.1 Patas monkey; Birds - 0.0.3 Blacksmith plover, 0.0.2 Superb starling, 0.0.4 Indian blue peafowl; Reptiles - 8.6 Burmese python, 1.1.5 Great Basin gopher snake and 2.3 Central Plains milk snake.
301
Coining Events
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
ZOO VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
October 12-14, 1984 Louisville, KY
FIFTH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1984 New Orleans, LA
For further information, contact i Carol Sullivan, Audubon Park and Zoo- logical Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178, (504) 861-2537. See CALL FOR PAPERS on page 270 of September issue of AKF.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL DR. SCHOLL CONFERENCE ON
THE NUTRITION OF CAPTIVE WILD ANIMALS
December 7-8, 1984 Chicago, IL
Held at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens. For further information, contact I Thomas Meehan, DVM, Staff Veterinarian, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
1985 SCHOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
FOR ZOO AND AQUARIUM PERSONNEL
February 3-7, 1985 Wheeling, WV
Held at Wilson Lodge, Oglebay Park. For further information, contact i Kelly Krump, North Carolina State University, Division of Continuing Education, P.O. Box 5125, Raleigh, NC 27650 (919) 737-2261.
1985 AAZPA CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 3-5, 1985 Oklahoma City, OK
1985 AAZPA WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 17-19, 1985 Anchorage, AK
1985 AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 31-April 2, 1985 Birmingham, AL
1985 AAZPA GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 14-16, 1985 Cleveland, OH
1985 AAZPA NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 28-30, 1985 Boston, MA
302
SreCTRUM
Quality exotic animal diets Fixed formulation Nutritionally balanced Economical
Frozen feline diets Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
Feline canned Omnivore dry
' Primate canned Primate dry
Marmoset canned
Banana flavored primate, 1 5% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% SPECTRUM protein
Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets for your feeding program, call Animal Spectrum today.
NE CALL DOES IT ALL 1 m
In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
Animal SPECTRUM Inc.
Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
HOUSING
(Dimensions, Contents, and Other Considerations)
By
SuLSan M. Bcuina/Ld, S^yUo^ Keeper Vcpt, oi HeAp^tology Atlanta lootogi-caZ Vank, AkJUiYitci^ GA
In Part IV of this series, cage design and construction were discussed.
In addition to those factors, the novice will want the keeper to offer more specific concepts in cage design such as suggested dimensions. While reptiles require relatively less living space than mammals and birds, ade- quate space must be provided for their basic physiological needs such as regulation of body temperature, territorial requirements, exercise, etc. Table I lists cage sizes that have proven appropriate for housing reptiles.
There is no single substrate that is totally acceptable. Some cage litters do not have good absorbent qualities, while others are so absorbent that dehydration has caused severe shedding problems. Furthermore, problems can be incurred by the animal ingesting the litter, causing gastrointestinal impaction. Some litters cause hygienic problems since they are excellent media for pathogens. The use of newspapers or towels will eliminate most health problems caused by substrates since they are the most hygienic. Furthermore, paper is the most suitable for arboreal and terrestrial rep- tiles. However, the reptile owner should not rule out the use of gravel for arboreal and terrestrial reptiles since this substrate can be disin- fected, washed, dried and reused. Peat and sphagnum mosses are suitable substrate for fossorial animals since they allow these animals to burrow with ease. The depth of this litter should be about 1/4 of the fossorial animal’s length. Reptile owners using mosses as a litter for fossorial animals should be reminded to stir the litter regularly to allow drying of moisture that may drain to the cage floor. Mulch and gravel substrates should be replaced with fresh material about every 3 months to prevent un- pleasant odors and the proliferation of pathogens.
Ground corn cob (Sanicel) , while frequently used as a substrate, can cause intestinal impaction, if ingested by small snakes and large lizards. When trapped in the mouth, Sanicel may also irritate the oral mucosa and cause mouth rot (Ulcerative Stomatitis) . Pure sand as a substrate is generally hazardous to the reptile's health; it can cause intestinal impaction, and eye and scale irritation and infection. The zoo keeper should emphasize to the inquiring reptile enthusiast that materials such as kitty-litter must NEVER be used because it is extremely dehydrating. Other materials that should be avoided as a substrate are wood chips and other aromatic material These items can cause chemical pneumonia and death. It is generally wise to avoid the use of natural vegetation and soil since these may expose the captive reptile to parasites or toxins. If soil is to be used as a sub- strate, it should be heat-sterilized first. While this procedure may not eliminate the possibility of exposing the reptile to toxins, it will des- troy parasites.
Water as a substrate for aquatic and semi-aquatic animals should be kept at a depth of about 1/4 of the animal's length. Marine or pelagic rep- tiles require sea water; Instant Ocean (Aquarium Systems) should be sug- gested to the inquiring public because it is convenient to use and rela- tively inexpensive. Also remind the inquirer that pH is an important con- sideration in the prevention of shell-rot. The recommended pH for all aquariums is 6.8 to 7.0 (Merhtens, J., Know Your Turtles ; Pet Library, Ltd. New York, NY) .
304
REPTILE CARE: RELATING TO THE INQUIRING NOVICE - PART 5, CowUnuo^d
The zoo keeper should not overlook suggesting to the reptile novice that his animal will most probably need a hiding area. A variety of items suet as cardboard boxes, flower pots, and crumpled newspaper are appropriate as hiding areas for terrestrial reptiles. Cork bark, or other appropriate objects that float, provide seclusion for semi-aquatic animals.
If the animal in question is an arboreal reptile, multiple basking areas must be provided by the use of non-resinous tree limbs. Limbs should be strong enough to support the animal's weight, and properly secured to pre- vent injuries or cage damage. Semi-aquatic species can be provided with basking areas with the use of cork bark, rocks, or a tilted aquarium or stock tank.
The keeper must also keep in mind that lizards and snakes must have some- thing to shed against. Rocks for ground-dwelling snakes and lizards, and tree limbs for basking arboreal or scansorial animals provide shedding aid
The reptile owner must avoid overcrowding animals. Housing two or more an mals in the same cage may lead to competition for food. Timid animals oft' starve, and cage mates often devour each other while attempting to eat the same food item. Two or more feeding areas for several land chelonians hou; in a single enclosure may insure that all will receive food. Young animali should be isolated from adults to prevent injuries, cannibalism, or compet; tion.
TABLE I - Suggested Housing Dimensions for Reptiles
|
Reptile |
Relative Dimensions |
|
Chelonians |
Length : 5X animal's length Width : 3X animal's length |
|
Height: Enough to be escape-proof, or use a cover |
|
|
Crocodil ians |
Length: 5X animal's length Width: 2X animal's length Height: Enough to be escape-proof, or use a cover |
|
Lizards |
Length: 3X animal's length Width: 2X animal's length |
|
Height: Arboreal and semi-aquatic: 2X animal's length Terrestrial: minimum 1 ft.; maximum 6-8 ft.; use judgement Fossorial: 1-2X animal's length |
|
|
Snakes |
Length: 3/4 animal's length Width: 1/3 animal's length |
|
Height: Arboreal or scansorial: 3/4 animal's length All others: 1/2/ animal's length; minimum 1 ft.; maximum 8 ft.; use judgement |
305
{EdUXoA,'^ Note,: The ^ottoivTng pom Tji i.n K-OJ^povUiZ to the two optvitoYU> ex- pn.e^^ed by Vteton. S. Mon/ioe tn the August "l/tewpotnt" and Kcuien SaZe^men- Ba^may tn the SeptmboA "Utmpotnt" . The pom wa6 written and ^ubnuXted by kShienne \hWien., a keeper at the RogeA [fJtlZtam^ Vcuik loo tn PAovtdenee, R.I.)
Let us respect each other's individual education.
It gives us all a particular qualification.
From textbooks and classrooms we get people with knowledge Of Chemistry, Biology, and such, learned in college.
But years spent in labor can give the ability To interprete an animal's fright or tranquility.
All zoos need a mixture from both of these schools For to be a good keeper there's no strict set of rules.
We must learn from each other and never stop caring. Because a zoo is its best when its keepers are sharing.
/
"KUNIK" TO HELP SCIENCE
The Metro Toronto Zoo in cooperation with the Canadian Wildlife Service, has launched an experiment to help understand more of the natural history of the Polar bear.
At the center of this understanding is "Kunik", a 270 kilogram male bear at the zoo. This former resident of the Northwest Territories has been outfitted with a prototype of a radio transmitter ear tag. This small device has been attached to his right ear by zoo veterinarians in an effort to determine the life span of this new transmitter.
The transmitter will eventually be used by the Canadian Wildlife Service to track bears in the Hudson Bay area to determine their population and to learn more about these large northern carnivores.
At the Polar bear exhibit, a radio receiver and speaker have been added so that the public can hear the device.
— MetAo Toronto Zoo New6 Release
306
LIMITED EDITION PRINTS FOR SALE
Atlanta Zoo Keeper, Cathy Taibbi, is offering signed and numbered litho- graphs from her original pen and ink drawings. Five designs are available
in editions of 200 each. Prints are shipped flat, unmatted and unframed.
Please add $1.50 per order for postage and handling. 10% of proceeds are being donated to the Atlanta Zoo Chapter of AAZK.
Prices for prints shown here are:
*Spotted hyena with pups
Size: Hi X 17i, Price: $15
*East African crowned crane with chick Size: Hi X 17i, Price $15
*Lion-tailed macaque with infant Size: Hi X 17i, Price $15
*Agamid lizard with hatchling
Size: 8 3/4 X 11 1/2, Price $10
*Galapagos seal ion with pup L
Size 8 3/4 X 11 1/2, Price $10
*Set of 5: $60
Prints may be ordered by writing Cathy at the ATLANTA ZOOLOGICAL PARK, Dept, of Herpetology, 800 Cherokee Ave., SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, or by telephoning (404) 658-7994 between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday through Wednesday.
Chapter
SAN ANTONIO ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
The San Antonio Zoo was fortunate to have ’’Puuya'', a koala from San Diego Zoo on loan for the month of June. At a beer and tamale party for employees that the zoo spon- sored for the arrival of the koala, the Chapter bought several differ- ent "koala items" at cost from the zoo's gift shop and gave them away in a special drawing for keeper's only.
At our June meeting, Jane Jacobson, the keeper who accompanied the koala gave an excellent talk about her work with the koala colony at the San Diego Zoo.
ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
We are pleased to announce that our first year as an AAZK Chapter has been a great success! During our first year we have had the follow- ing fund-raising activities:
1. A Holiday "Turkey Raffle" with prizes kindly donated by local business people.
2. Our own specially designed zoo poster sold through the zoo gift shop .
3. Sale of handmade sheep made with fleece shorn from our own farm- yard sheep .
With some of the profits from our fund-raising activities, we were a able to purchase a brooder and 25 Rhode Island Red hens. After the chicks left the brooder they went into our farmyard exhibit and the brooder continues to be used in our nursery.
Our Chapter, along with the Docent Council, sponsored a "Wool Fair" at the zoo. This fair included spin- ning, weaving and carding demonstra- tions as well as the main event, the public shearing of our farmyard sheep. We also took part in an "Animal Awareness" display coordinated by our zoo's education department at a local mall. Our exhibit was that of a work- ing zookeeper and his tools.
Our Chapter meetings have involved a combination of guest speakers and j field trips to nearby animal care ; facilities. We recently held elec- ^ tions for the fiscal year September ( 1984-September 1985. The new offic- ers are:
President Liz MacLaughlin
Vice Pres Sarah Ballou
Secretary Adrienne Miller
Treasurer Rhonda Menard
Board Member at Large...
Russell Menard
We are looking forward to our second year with great expectations.. We hope to improve our fund raising techniques as well as get more in- volved with the local community through public relations activit- ies .
Our Chapter logo is of a female Golden Eagle and her three chicks, commemorating our zoo's successful parental rearing of three eaglets from one breeding pair in 1982.
Our logo is "Alis Volat Propriis" which in English means "He Flies By His Own Wings".
— Ad/bimne, UdZteA StcAoXoAy
AUDUBON PARK ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
Yes, the AAZK Chapter at the New Orleans Audubon Zoological Garden is alive and well after a period of dormancy. Our meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. Our new of- ficers were selected in May and they are:
President Teresa Barnett
Vice Pres/Sec. .. .Sue Harries Treasurer Dee Nelson
And yes, we have been busy. We recently contributed $500.00 towards the Species Survival Plan Program and we would like to challenge other zoos to contribute something as well. We are also sponsoring an Advanced First Aid
308
CHAPTER NEWS, Cowtinue^d
AUDUBON PARK CHAPTER (con't)
Course. This course is held twice a week with each session lasting about two hours. Any zoo employee is allowed to register for the course at no cost to them. It is paid for by the AAZK Chapter and the Audubon Zoo. As a First Responder in this course, you learn CRP, splinting and treatment for injuries exter- nal and internal, shock, child- birth and other medical emergencies. It is a great course and we would recommend any zoo to consider their employees participation. For more information write :
David Lawrence
EMS Instruction Coordinator
4137 Laurel St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Our Chapter also assists zookeepers financially who wish to attend con- ferences and other animal-related educational programs. Our maximum limit is $200.00 per individual per conference.
Most of the money raised for our Chapter comes from the coins col- lected weekly from the moats in the zoo and we also collect and re- cycle aluminum cans.
— TeAe2.cc C. BcuinoXt ?A.ii6lde,wt
TOPEKA ZOO AAZK CHAPTER
The members of the Topeka Zoo AAZK Chapter recently participated in the Friends of the Zoo's annual fund-raising event "Animal Fair" which is held on the Sunday prior to Labor Day. At their booth, the Chapter sold jewlery made from molted feathers, feather quill pens, "Elephant Tea" (bolus complete with instructions for making solution for fertilizing house plants) and other animal artifact items. A popular seller were the limited edition Elephant Foorprints made by the Zoo's 23-year-old female Asian "Sunda".
The Topeka Zoo Chapter is consider- ing hosting a Great Apes Workshop
309
during 1985. It is hoped this event would be similar to the Tropical Habitats Exhibit Workshop, the Chapter held in May of 1982. The Chapter would be interested in knowing from those who might want to attend the following: (1) What time of year would you prefer; (2) What part of the week would you prefer; (3) How many days you feel would be adequate for a workshop of this type; and (4) If you would be interested in presenting a paper. All interested persons are asked to write to Alice Miser, c/o Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
— BoAvile, feXdman
News
6md CkapteA to lee Paynt, ChaptoA CooKdlnaton.,
at the, VoXA-oit: loo. kJU>o ^md a. copy to the AKV cdUtoAXat oiltcQJ>, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Vonty-day-otd RockhoppeA. P^ngcUn cfUck and poAnyvt. Photo by GoAy Utc.hae£.
BREEDING THE ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN
{Eadgpt^A cAe^taMu)
AT THE ST. LOUIS ZOOLOGICAL PARK
Bg
Gcoig A. Ko^npoA
St, LoLila loologtaat PoAk St. Loluu^ mo
: Penguins in zoos are very popular avian exhibits. Many zoos display pen- !| guinss but only a few have been successful in their husbandry and repro-
i duct ion.
! The Rockhopper penguin, Eudgpt^t CAUtatut , is one of the penguin species I exhibited at the St. Louis Zoo. The exhibit consists of nine adult birds, il all of which were wild-caught. Two of the group were captured in rte
ii Falkland Islands in May, 1981, A five-year-old male (also from the Falk-
: lands, and the only sexed specimen) was received as a loan from the Bal ti- ll more Zoo in June, 1977. An additional six birds, collected from an island off the coast of South Africa, were received in February, 1981. In October of 1983, four rockhoppers formed two nesting pairs. Four eggs were laid; three eggs hatched; and two chicks were reared.
I The rockhopper penguin exhibit is located in the Zoo's Aquatic House and i is a fiber glass representation of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic island habitats. The smooth surface is terraced by a series of steps formed in I the face of a slope which inclines from the pool to the rear of the exhibit. !■ The pool is sufficiently large for the birds to exercise and benefits from , an efficient water-handling system. The surface of the pool is approxi- mately 72 square feet (6.7 meters), its depth is 4 feet (1.2 meters), and 1 its caplclty is 1,000 gallons (378.7 decaliters). The water-handling opera- . tion is a freshwater system which makes use of a skimmer and a high pressure sand filter. It is designed to both filter and cool. Gross contamination which settles to the pool floor and evade the filter are removed through periodic drainings of the pool. City tap-water is added constantly. This i reduces chemical contamination caused by materials which accumulate be- 1 tween cleanings, and also acts as a skimmer by overflowing surface water [’into a sewer drain. Water is recirculated, at a rate of 32 gallons (121 liters) per minute, through a sand filter which removes some sediment and ■most small debris. The pool water is cooled to 44®F (6®C) .
iThe Rockhopper enclosure has its own air-handling system. It consists of an air-moving unit that forces air through a screen, which nets large particles; through a charcoal filter, which traps small particles and I gases; and finally through a cooling coil, which cools the air to 48®F I (9®C) . Since the air Is recirculated through a closed system, there is i no difference in the atmospheric pressures of the interior and the exter- i ior areas of the exhibit.
p Fluorescent lights illuminate the display. The photoperiod is regulated to match that of the austral seasons, according to the following schedule;
|
March |
16 |
4;00 |
a.m. ~ 8:00 |
p.m. |
16 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
March |
23 |
4:00 |
a.m. - 7:00 |
p.m. |
15 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
March |
30 |
5:00 |
a.m, - 7:00 |
p .m. |
14 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
April |
6 |
5:00 |
a.m, - 6:00 |
p.m. |
13 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
April |
13 |
6:00 |
a.m. - 6:00 |
p.m. |
12 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
April |
20 |
7:00 |
a.m. - 6:00 |
p.m. |
11 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
April |
27 |
8:00 |
a.m. - 6:00 |
P *111. |
10 |
hours |
of |
light |
311
BREEDING THE ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN AT THE ST. LOUIS ZOO, CorvUnaed
May 4 ’ May 11
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
9 hours of light 8 hours of light
* At this point, half of the light bulbs are removed to reduce light intensity.
|
August 17 |
9:00 |
a.m. - |
6:00 p.m. |
9 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
August 24 |
9:00 |
a.m, - |
8:00 p.m. |
11 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
August 31 |
7:00 |
a.m. - |
8:00 p.m. |
13 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
September 7 ** |
7:00 |
a.m. - |
10:00 p.m. |
15 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
September 14 |
5:00 |
a.m. - |
10:00 p.m. |
17 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
September 21 |
5:00 |
a.m, - |
12:00 p.m. |
19 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
September 28 |
3:00 |
a.m. - |
12:00 p.m. |
21 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
October 4 |
12:00 |
a.m. - |
12:00 p.m. |
24 |
hours |
of |
light |
|
** At this point. |
the light bulbs |
are returned |
to ; |
Increase |
light intensity.
The natural diet of the rockhopper is almost exclusively crustaceans and squid. We substitute two species of marine fish: caplin, HoLiotUi^ vJJitoitLU and American smelt, 0i>mQAuA> moK.dax ♦ Both fish are high in protein and in longchain highly unsaturated fatty acids. However, considerable nutrient loss occurs in the fish during storage and thawing; and we compensate by giving each bird one-half of a Sea Tabt^^ tablet daily. The birds are fed all they will consume in two hand-feedings per day.
A great deal of attention is paid to hygiene — in the routine maintenance of the exhibit abd in the preparation and storage of fish. Once a week the entire exhibit is scrubbed with Roccal-D*-^-* , and the constant in- fusion of chlorinated tap-water helps control the growth of bacteria with- in the pool. Items such as trays, storage pans and buckets are also dis- infected daily, and the use of separate cleaning 'equipment eliminates cage-to-cage contamination. Air-thawed fish are placed in clean pans and are stored in the refrigerator. Thawed until pliable, the fish are rinsed in cold water before delivery to the exhibit in clean "food only" buckets. Uneaten fish are removed from the exhibit to reduce bacterial growth.
On 16 October 1982 a single nesting pair (ages unknown) produced one egg, the first in the colony, but it was found three days later on the floor of the pool. On 3 October I had observed that one of the birds appeared attracted to and aggressively defended a particular site, a high plateau which sloped into the pool. On 4 October this individual was observed placing stones on that pleteau, and two days later a cagemate joined in the activity. The first individual, unlike the second, remained at the site, refusing to move to the location to which the colony had been con- ditioned for hand-feeding. The pair's nest-building and the one bird's fasting and aggressive defense of the nest continued until the egg was laid. Incubating duties were shared. I concluded that the first indi- vidual was a male and the second a female, after comparing their behavior to Warham's (1963) description of pre-copulatory behavior of rockhoppers in the field. That conclusion was confirmed by observations made in 1983.
In October 1983 the pair mated again and reoccupied their former nest site We had anticipated their doing so and had used silicon rubber to fasten stones to the fiber glass ledge to keep eggs from rolling into the pool.
A second pair formed, nesting approximately two feet away from the first, on the same plateau. Their choice of a high, flat nesting site is signifi- cant in that rockhoppers show the same preference in the wild. The pairs displayed the pre-copulatory behavior observed in 1982 and vjere also ob-
312
BREEDING THE ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN AT THE ST. LOUIS ZOO, CoiUinued
served copulating. Each pair produced a clutch of two eggs. Three of the four eggs were laid between 15 and 21 October; the date of the fourth is I unknown. Beginning on 15 October, and continuing until the chicks were no longer being guarded by their parents, we reduced our amintenance activ- ities to approximately five minutes a day and avoided the nest site as much as possible. Following a period of shared incubation duties, three chicks hatched over a two-day period (21 and 22 November) . The fourth egg was found displaced from the nest on 24 November, and examination revealed that the embryo was dead and virtually decomposed.
Based on their appearance and on Keith’s (1956) report, the three precoc- ial rockhopper hatchlings were estimated to weigh approximately 100 grams each. One chick died at eleven days of age. A necropsy was perfromed, and starvation was the suspected cause of death. Williams (1980) reported that when both eggs hatched at a rockhopper nest in the field, one chick died of starvation within twelve days. With that report in mind, we had ; begun offering the parents fish five times a day, as soon as the first chick (emerged from the shell. The chick that died had appeared very active, relative to its siblings, and has competed successfully for food.
jThe surviving chicks, one from each brood, ceased to be guarded at the nest ! by their parents at 31 days, and the youngsters huddled together in a i creche until 73 days of age. Their natal down was molted in 15 and 24 days respectively, and molt was completed at 83 and 87 days of age. The juvenal plumage of the rockhopper is a drab version of the adult's, without the yellow crest plumes, and only a faint yellow stripe on the side of the head is present. The chicks were observed swimming for the first time within 24 hours after completing their molt.
On day 114 we removed the chicks from the exhibit. They each weighed ap- proximately three pounds (1.36 kg), or one-half adult weight. The adult rockhoppers has begun their annual molt, which normally follows the breed- ^ing season. In the pre-molt stage, the colony had sharply increased its : f ood consumption, adding fat reserves to attain the proper weight for fast- liing. In the wild, when rockhopper parents begin to fast, they force in- Ijdependence upon the chicks (Warham 1963). Our adult birds appeared to re- duce the number of chick feedings, but the chicks refused to be hand-fed; instead, they chased after their parents, begging for food. The chicks became a threat to their parent's health, interfering with the adult's ^proper weight gain and conditioning; and so the chicks were removed.
["Weaning" penguin chicks to hand-feeding is a difficult but necessary pro- |Cess. The rockhopper chicks were weaned in four and eight days. The general procedure is to isolate the chick from the parents, to maintain iit in visual contact with the keepers, and to offer it a whole, hand-held I fish at least once each hour during the working day. The fish is held near
I to or rubbed on the bird's mandibles. Until the chick accepts the fish, the youngster is force-fed, one fish per day containing one-half a Sea Tab tablet. Force-feeding is not concurrent with the offering of hand- held fish so that the chick does not associate hand-feeding with the restraint and handling involved in force-feeding. After learning to accept food from the hand, repetition is required to guarantee the chick's accepting it as routine. Our present plan is to reinforce thie feeding iraethod for thirty days. Following this period, and as soon as their par- jents have finished molting, the young rockhoppers will be reintroduced to ithe exhibit.
BREEDING THE ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN AT THE ST. LOUIS ZOO, Continued
Acknowledgement
I am grateful to the following persons who assisted and advised me on this project: Stephen R. Wylie, General Curator and Curator of Birds; and Lee Jackson, keeper, who made observations in my absence.
Products mentioned;
[1] Sea Tabs, a vitamin and mineral supplement for marine mammals. Pacific Research Labs., P.O. Box 1877, El Cajon, CA 92022.
[2] Roccal-D, virucidal and bactericidal disf inf ectant. Sterling Animal! Health Products, Sterling Drug Inc., New York, NY 10016.
\
Literature cited:
Warham, J. 1963. The Rockhopper Penguin, Eu.dtfptQJ> cJaKif^OCOmZt at Macquarie Island, AUK 80; 229-256
Williams, A.J. 1980. Offspring Reduction in Macaroni and Rockhopper Penguins . AUK 97: 754-759.
Sdx-day-otd RockhoppeA PmgtLln ckick and paA2.nt, VAow-lng by Gcuiy MZahaet.
&
314
Education Alternatives
Environmental Institution Management Internships Offered
: The Delaware Nature Education Society is offering internships in Environ- mental Institution Management. Internships provide an intensive 5-week,
; full-time combination of instruction and practicum each January at the , Ashland Nature Center near Hockessin. Launched in 1983 in cooperation with the University of Delaware, the program is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. It was designed to fill an educational void : for potential managers of environmental centers well-schooled in related science disciplines but without training in administrative subject areas.
In seminar sessions with DNES staff and guest lecturers, including attor- neys, investment counselors, and advertising professionals, students study all aspects of the founding and operation of an environmental center. The array of topics covered includes budgeting and financial development, goal definition and long-range planning, programming and public relations, staffing and personnel policies, building and grounds management, the con- servation and preservation roles, and legal considerations. Individual and group projects allow participants to both integrate the knowledge gain- ed in a summary manual and to apply it specifically to a simulated center of their creation.
Students are exposed to an assortment of environmental institutions in the Greater Delaware area and gain insights into their administration by in-depth, on-site interviews with staff members. Places visited in- I elude the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science, the Brand3n^ine Con- servancy, and the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens.
i. A certificate and letter of evaluation are furnished upon successful com- I pletion of the program. Graduate credit can be arranged independently.
I The internships are open to graduate students and post-graduate science I professionals only. The fee is $500 payable in two installments. Four ‘ $500 Ashland Prize Scholarships are available including a waiver of the : course fee.
The program is limited to six students on a competitive basis. Appli- j cants are required to submit a statement of purpose, transcripts, and [references. Applications are due by November 18 for the following Jan- uary’s internship. Selection Committee decisions are announced in early ,, December .
I For more information and internship applications contact?
Environmental Institution Management ■ Internship Coordinator
Delaware Nature Education Society P.O. Box 700
I Hockessin, DE 19707
(302) 239-2334
315
THINK Safety!
J-lZt G/iade.
Sa^iOXy Column Coon.cLlnouto^
The following are excerpts from a safety handout used at the Woodland Part Zoo. It is provided by the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department as a reminder to THINK SAFETY. If your facility uses similar literature, I would like to reprint it in this column.
The safety message cartoons appearing in many issues of the AKF were pro- vided by Lynn Ash from Busch Gardens. I would like to thank Lynn and Judie Steenberg of Woodland Park Zoo for their participation in this colun Without their contributions, there would be no safety column.
Safety is a subject we are often uninterested in until an accident affecti us personally. We just don't think much about it as we go through our daily routines. Much of our work is repitious, and we assume that we will automatically follow safe procedures. We are not generally sensitive to safety requirements in the many little jobs that make up our work routines
The purpose of this column is to provide an awareness of safety hazards ai their remedies - to keep "safe keeping" on our minds as we go about our daily tasks. We need contributions to this column. A button and bumper sticker campaign would also be helpful in constantly reminding us to THINI SAFETY. We need volunteers to produce and distribute this material. Con- tributions should be sent to: Jill Grade, Station Manager, International Bird House, 956 W. Huron. St., Chicago, IL 60622.
Let's get involved before we get hurt.
SAFETY - Your Responsibility
"Tko, SqjouWLq. VupcuiXmiivvt PaAlz6 and RzcAoxubion ^ commUXdd to providing -i>a^2. and hojitt^ul mn.klng aondltton^ ion. itii mploy^.^. In tvoin, each, employe.^ muAt accept pe/uonal n.e^pon6tbttity ion mnklng ^aioZy. Voun. mZtlngne^^ and ability to mnk minty 1j> a condition oi employment Mlth oun Vepantment,"
{)JalteA R. Hundley Supe/Untendent
LEARN the safe way to do your job before you start. Follow instructions. If you do not know the rule or the proper procedure ASK.
THINK safety, and act safety at all times. Work in accordance with safe working practices.
OBEY safety rules and regulations, they are for your protection.
WEAR proper clothing and protective equipment. Check with your super- visor regarding safe clothing and prescribed protective equipment.
CONDUCT yourself properly at all times, horseplay is prohibited.
OPERATE only the equipment you are authorized to use. Use, adjust and repair equipment only when authorized.
INSPECT tools and equipment for safe condition before starting work. Use the right tool for the job. Use it correctly and safely.
316
THINK SAFETY!, ConUnue,d
ADVISE your supervisor promptly of any unsafe conditions or practice.
HELP keep everything clean. Keep work areas clean and orderly at all times.
LIFT and handle material properly. When lifting, bend your knees. Know your limitations and get help with heavy and awkward loads.
I REPORT all accidents to your supervisor immediately. Get first aid promptly. I Know emergency telephone numbers and emergency procedures.
j SUPPORT the Department safety program. Make safety suggestions. Serve 1 on the safety committee.
REMEMBER - Efficiency on the job means the job was done safely.
&
5URI/I1/A1 OF THE FITTEST
The. took oi tile. tn thoJji
but thuy got bo^e.d, you can tolt l^om theJji ^Igh^.
They have good ^ood and 6ccu/Uty,
they get lots o^ love, but they're not in.ee.
It mold be gn.eat li they could n,oam, but u)e humayis have desVwyed theJJi hornet.
Some iolks think the Zoo ts 6ad,
but thanks to humans, tt'^ all they have,
When Mill Me even. n.ealtze, without animats the eanth will die, li tve'/ie to i>uxvlve, they mu6t too;
It'^ pant oi human natune'^ nule,
Vejs yeanjs ago when Hie began, all anlmaJts had the nun oi the land.
Then came along Intelligent beings, and slowly took away theln means.
On goes the ^tnuggle to ^unvlve.
Animats and Humans, will we live on die?
by Alyce Onn
CentAol Flonlda AAZK C hapten.
317
Wildlife Research
In 1981 the Columbus Zoo's bald eaglet that hatched was sent to Land Be- (' tween the Lakes in Golden Pond, KY to be released into the wild via hack- o ing. We recently received word from the Tennessee Valley Authority that | our eaglet "Freedom” had returned to the valley with a mate, nested and reproduced one offspring.
According to the TVA NEWS, our eaglet has set three records for the Tennessee Valley's reintroduction program. They are as follows: ,
1)
In 21 years it has been the first successful eagle nest, second in the state since 1961. !
(
2) First return and nesting of a captively-hatched and raised eagle
in the Southeast, fourth in the nation. (
3) Finally, and most importantly, it is the youngest bald eagle (3 yrs) : believed to reproduce successfully. Prior to this biologists assumed eagles did not reach sexual maturity until the age of four ;; or five. . I
The above information was taken from the Tennessee Valley Authority News- n letter by Scott Seiber. .]
ll
Since the first successful breeding of bald eagles at the Columbus Zoo in 1978, we have hatched and raised four eaglets. 1978 's eaglet was sent to : the Detroit Zoo to pair with a lone male. 1980' s eaglet was sent to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in Seneca Falls, NY to be released via 1 hacking. 1981 's eaglet was removed from the nest and placed in an unpro- ductive nest of wild bald eagles on the Great Lakes Region of Ohio. The last effort was what our staff and the Ohio Department of Natural Resource;] staff had been striving for during the past five years. The nesting be- havior finally coincided and the program was successful.
Hopefully with the result of our 1981 eaglet's reproducing in the wild, , it will encourage other states that are not presently involved in the reintroduction of bald eagles back to the wild by way of captive propaga- L tion to become active in this most worthwhile project.
by Vvonm Cllpplngz^
Ho^ad
CoZumbu6 loo, ?0LVe.tl, OH
&
318
Legislative News
CompiZnd by Ke.v^n Comay Le,g-t&lcitlve, Coo^dinatoA,
SUCCESSFUL EMBRYO TRANSPLANTS BRING NEW HOPE FOR ENDANGERED
I
Successful births of interspecies embryo transfers have elated scientists and raised the possibility of increased reproduction among rare and en- dangered species without transporting the animals from the wilds to con- trolled mating locations. Recently, in Kentucky, a horse gave birth to a zebra; at the Bronx Zoo in New York, a dairy cow gave birth to a member of an Asian species of cattle (gaur) ; and within the past few months, two rare African bongo antelopes were born at the Cincinnati Zoo — • one to a surrogate bongo and one to an African eland. In the case of the bongos, the embryos were obtained from an animal at the Los Angeles Zoo and trans- planted with a hypodermic-like device so the risk of surgery was elimin- ated.
—Ecology USA Jane 19B4
INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION MEETING
In June, Edward Asper attended the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting as an official delegate of the U.S. The meeting was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AAZPA, which qualified this year as a non-gov- ernmental organization, is allowed representation at each IWC meeting.
A topic of particular interest to AAZPA was the discussion of the Non- Consumptive Use of Cetaceans. A Working Group, established specifically to address that topic, discussed the Whales Alive report - a product of a conference held in Boston in June 1983. That conference was sponsored by the IWC and several conservation groups.
The Working Group did not accept any of the recommendations of the Whales Alive report. In fact, both the USSR and Japan challenged that the IWC lacked the competence to discuss the non-consumptive use of whales. The Japanese representative referring to the Convention for the regulation of whaling said, "It is quite clear from the title, preamble and the provisions themselves of the Convention, that the Convention is for the consumptive use of whales."
The AAZPA report "Animals on Display; Educational and Scientific Impact" the product of a special meeting in Chicago last February, had been made available to the Working Group as resource material.
—AAZPA Hm&lcJXoA
ScptmbeA 1984
WOOD STORK LISTED AS ENDANGERED SPECIES
The U.S. breeding population of wood stork ( HyclOJila cunc/LtcancL ) has de- creased over 75 percent from its 1930 levels, leading the USFWS to list this large bird as an Endangered species. It is the only true species of stork breeding in this country. Without a change in current trends, the wood stork population could become extirpated by the turn of the century. Destruction and alteration of feeding habitat are the main reasons for its decline in range and numbers.
319
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, dowUnuo^d
Wood storks are large, long-legged white wading birds with an unfeathered , gray head and a thick, dark bill. They frequent freshwater and brackish wetlands, feeding primarily on small fish that they locate by groping in i shallow water with their long beaks. Wood stork nests are constructed in I cypress and mangrove swamps, habitat types that have been steadily reduc- ed in acreage over recent decades. The U.S. breeding population of the wood stork has declined from an estimated 20,000 pairs in the 1930 's to fewer than 5,000 pairs each year since 1978. Artificial manipulation of r natural water regimes, particularly in the important south Florida area, has decreased prey fish numbers and availability. Losses of nesting habi-i tat also may be affecting storks in central Florida. Disturbances by hu- mans during the nesting season at some rookeries has caused adult birds | to leave their nests, exposing the eggs to predators and the elements.
Breeding wood storks in the U.S. are now restricted to parts of Florida, southeastern Georgia, and South Carolina. (Formerly, nesting occurred also in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.)
As an Endangered species, the U.S. breeding population of the wood stork i receives all of the protection authorized under the Act. Taking, possess-, ing, transporting, and engaging in interstate or international trade in this species are among the activities prohibited. Other benefits to the ' wood stork of the listing are a wider public knowledge of its reduced s status, possible Federal funding of State conservation programs for the species, and the development of a recovery plan.
— EndangeAdd SpecteA Tdchttlcal BiMdtin Volumd 1K, Numbdn. 3
RECENT ACTIONS UNDER ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT
In recent actions under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service has:
(1) Issued a final ruling designating Endangered Species and Critical Habitat Status for the Clay-loving wild-buckwheat ( EAiogonum pdtdnophyitum ) j found only on 120 acres of private land in Delta County, CO, effective August 13, 1984; (2) Issued a final ruling designating Endangered Status for (a) Ashy dogweed {Vy660(iia tdphAoldUCa} and (b) Key tree-cactus (CeAdlU ' A-Ob-ll^cl} , both effective August 20, 1984; (3) proposed Endangered Status for Lakela’s mint {Vlc.QAand/ia Immadiitata] ; (4) Proposed Threatened Status for Blue Ridge Goldenrod [So^dago ^pyitkamcLdCi] .
In further action, the USFWS issued notice of finding on petitions as '
follows: '
(a) April 12, 1973, petition from the Desert Fishes Council to list 17 desert fishes — FWS found listing warranted for 16. Proposal for list- i ing of the 17th, Little Colorado spinedace ( Ldp-i-dornddd VAJXcLtci] is ex- pected to be published in the near future. The 16 to be listed now are: Desert dace, Hutton Spring tui chub. Fish Creek Springs tui chub, Owens tui chub, Yaqui chub. White River spinedace. Big Springs spinedace, Pecos bluntnose shiner, Foskett Spring speckled dace, Modoc sucker, Warner sucker, June sucker. White River springfish, Hiko White River springfish. Railroad Valley springfish and Desert pupfish.
(b) April 30, 1984, petition from Ms. Marie C. Peromme of Clarence, NY, requesting Endangered Status for the grass owl {Tyt.0 EoyigAMQJfnbAiyi) ) and the long-legged bustard {SyphdO-td,d2J> d,HcU-CLd) , and Threatened Status for
320
■ EGISLATIVE NEWS, ConUnu^d
for the white- stemmed evening-star {MQ,ntz2/yia. atbd.C.CUJLJtU> ) , and the peach- leaved willow {Satix. cmydcit0yid<2J> ) , and three milkworts [PotygaZa atba, p. pa.U.CA.{^oUjlf ancf~^, V^AXA^cJJJicuta. ) — FWS found no data indicating threats |to any of the species and rejected the petition.
(c) March 16, 1984, petition from Dr. Jeffrey A. Cox of the Florida State Museum requesting Threatened Status for the Florida scrub jay [ApkoZocoma CO M-iiZoA C€,yL6 CO C€,n6 ) — FWS found listing warranted.
(d) February 3, 1984, petition from the Pacific Legal Foundation, Save
I Our Shellfish, and the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers, requesting the delisting of the southern sea otter ( Enhyd/ia lut/LU> nQA2Jj> ) , current- ly classified as Threatened — FWS rejected the petition.
|i(e) May 1, 1983, petition from Friends of the Sea Otter, requesting the jreclassif ication of the southern sea otter from Threatened to Endangered: FWS found listing as Endangered not warranted at this time because the idanger of extinction does not appear to be immediate and because a recov- ery plan for the sea otter is currently being implemented.
1(f) March 17, 1984 petition from M. Alan Herndon of Florida International jUniversity requesting that two Florida plants, Fabaceae ( AmOApha CA.Q,niLtouta.) and Fabaceae [GaZcictAJX ^mCiLLLi) be listed as Endangered — FWS found action '[may be warranted and placed the plants in category 1 of the notice of re- view on candidates.
FWS would appreciate any additional data, comments or suggestions, from the public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific com- munity, industry or other interested party concerning the Florida scrub jay, and the two Fabaceae.
— ECOLOGY USA August 13, 19S4
HUSBANDRY HINTS
AN EASILY-CONSTRUCTED SEAL RESTRAINT NET
By
Linda Gott6 chalk Vont IfloHlh Zoo, VokX. Wonlk, TX
The harbor seals (Phoca vHuLina] at our aquarium are occasionally in need of veterinary attention, and the problem of how to restrain them for ex- amination and treatment was vexing. Our pools have a limited amount of above-water-level rock work, but no way to trap them there. The pool sides are steeply sloped, and even when dry are tricky to maneuver. We needed a strong but lightweight trap that could be lifted up over the guard rail while keeping the seal securely supported but unable to escape.
We solved this problem by constructing a 102” X 93” (259 X 236 cm) rec- tangular net with support poles on the long sides, and a gathering rope woven into each short side. The pool was drained, and the desired seal was isolated on the inner pool floor. With one person holding the two pole ends up and a foot or so apart (net slightly gathered) , another per- son encourages the seal to waddle into the lowered and wide-open other end of the net. Using a broom or pole is helpful in keeping a safe dis- tance. When the seal is approximately at the center of the net, one or
321
i
AN EASILY-CONSTRUCTED SEAL RESTRAINT NET, ConUnued
two persons grab the lower pole ends, lifting them up and together. With the poles held tightly together, begin rolling them down toward the seal, ’ taking up slack net and quickly having the seal snugly wrapped like a sausage. Pull the gathering ropes tight at the ends so the animal can’t wriggle out. Be sure to keep your hands out of biting range! Offering a bite stick (broom stick with rubber hose over it) may help while the ( vet is attending the animal. ^
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The netting used was 2” (5 cm) mesh opening creosote-treated cotton knot- J ted net. If the vet needs a larger area exposed, just snip the netting.
It can be repaired later. Nylon net would probably work as well — just be sure it's heavy-duty. 3/4" (1.9 cm) steel fence pipe make lightweight |>i but strong support poles. The net was securely lashed to the poles with nylon twine (60 lb. break test). The gathering ropes were ig" (1.3 cm) |
diameter nylon rope.
All the compounds were readily available and inexpensive. The construc- tion is simple. If a portable squeeze cage is too bulky or expensive for * your seal-catching needs, this restraint net may be an effective way to ? allow hands-on veterinary care.
& '
322
AAZK Accessories Available
'ins And Charms: Enameled three- [uarter inch pins and charms with ihe official AAZK logo are now livailable. They are done in the same colors as the AAZK Patch ind the charms are suitable for lecklaces (you provide the chain) » Tie price per pin or charm is $3,50 yhich Includes postage. To order lend your name, complete mailing iddress, number of pins or charms leslred to: AAZK National, 635 sage Blvd., Topeka, Ks 66606. lake check or money order payable CO AAZK National.
Buttons : For a "Keepers Care" Button, send the coupon and 50o to: Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
Decals : The official AAZK decal is available through the Memphis Zoo Chapter. The decal is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially a car window. Cost is $1.50 complete, prepaid.
Make checks payable to the Memphis Chapter, AAZK and send directly to Mike Maybry, Decal Project Coordina- tor, 1887 Crump Ave. , Memphis, TN 38107.
iZK T-shirts with the official emblem are now available from the Phoenix lapter. The price is $6.75 including postage and handling. Sizes Small, 'idium. Large, and Extra-Large are available in two colors: Tan with dark •own logo and Dark Brown with white logo. To order, complete coupon below • copy information and send with check or money order to: Mike Carpenter, 116 N. Hayden, #3, Scottsdale, AZ 85257. Make checks payable to "Phoenix |iZK Chapter". Shirts will be returned by 1st Class mail.
AAZK T-Shirt Order Form
lease send T-shirts at $6.75 each. COLOR: TAN BROWN
ZE: Smal 1 ^Medium Large Extra-Large
iME:
,IDRESS :
'TY: STATE: ZIP:
323
lyUitiXubioiU iA}Li>klng to adv2AtAJ>Q, mploymiint oppontunAttz^ a/io, (ukQ,d to ■ 4 end peAttnunt data by tkn 15tk o^ mck month, to: OppoAtuyUty Knoclu/AKf, ;l 635 Gago, Btvd, , Topo^ka, KS 66606. ThoAd Jji no akoAge. ^oA -6uck tl6ttng . Plda6d tnctude. cJto^tng dat2A> {^oA po^dtton avattabld.
ELEPHANT HANVLER. . .to assist trainer and participate in African elephant ‘ husbandry program/ exotic hoof stock management. One year elephant exper- ' ience is mandatory. Salary $995-$1330/mo . , benefits. Send resume by ' 1 November 1984 to Mike Blakely, Curator /Mammals, Kansas City Zoo, Swope \ Park, Kansas City, MO 64132. '
PARK OPERATOR. . . couple wanted to operate Park in N.E. New England special- izing in hoofed animals. Modern apartment plus generous salary. Send resume to "Animal Parks", 240 San Lorenzo, Coral Gables, FL 33146.
KEEPER. . .requires experience working with diverse collection of birds and mammals. Salary $6. 72/hr. Contact Gary Harwell, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Rt. 9, Box 900, Tucson, AZ 85743 (602) 883-1380, extension 260.
ZOOKEEPER. . .requires paid experience in husbandry skills with birds or mammals. Background in hoofed stock or cats preferred. Salary $10, 250-$12, 500 plus benefits.
APPRENTICE ZOOKEEPER. . .will learn all phases of care/ maintenance of animals. Salary $4. 20/hr.
For either position, send a resume to Ronald Young, General Gurator, Greater Baton Rouge Zoo, P.O. Box 60, Baker, LA 70704.
STUVENT INTERNSHIP. . .available at the Animal Rehabilitation Genter within the Gonservancy Nature Center in Naples, FL. Involves wildlife as well as educational programs and special projects. Interested applicants must be available for up to five months. Housing and $55/week stipend provided. Intern- ships available year round. To apply send resume, statement of goals and three references to: Julie Wasserman, Supervisor Animal Rehabilitation Center, Conservancy of Nature, 1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples, FL 33942. Phone: (813) 262-2273.
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Please send change of address as soon as possible to:
Dolly CloAk, AdmlyU^tAotlvd SdcAoJjoAy AmoAtcan AhhooAxjjtion o^ Zoo KddpdAA, Inc. 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606
324
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name Check koAc renewal [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional VuJUi-tlmc Kccpc/u
$25.00 International All mmbcu oivUldc the U.S. (XYid Cancida.
$10.00 Associate lYiduvtdLLcdU not connected (vtth an antmaZ ca/ie ^actltty
$15.00 Affiliate
Othen. ^taii and votunteeu
$50.00 Contributing
0n.Qavilzattoni> and 7 ndtvtduoLs U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
ViAectoK.y Injonmatlon
Too WoAfe kJtea Spectal InteAe^t^
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the AntmaZ KeepCU ' FoAum. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
AntmaZ KeepcU ' foaam publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page ! size of no more than 6" x 10” (15 cm x 25^1 cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to AntmaZ Keepe/U' foaum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- |j lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be i separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial I staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- I tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
AhXtcZet^ panted do not nece6^antZy ^eiZeet the I optnton6 oi the AntmaZ Keeper ’ fo/Lum edttontaZ
\ 6ta{){, OH. oi the AmenZean Pi^i>octatton oi loo KeepeHj^.
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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NOVEMBER 1984
dkated to Professional Animal Care
Forum
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM. 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
Executive Editor: Alice Miser Managing Editor: Susan Chan Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman
NOVEMBER 1984 VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER ELEVEN
kyumaJi Ke^peAd’ Von.m (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of Ayianat KeepeAA ' fo/LUm, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster; Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION Of ZOO KEEPERS, INC. NATIONAL HEAVQUARTERS, 635 GAGE BUJV., TOPEKA, KS 66606 Dolly Clcuik, AdmLYiii>tn.atL\}Q. SzcA2lxi/iy
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center PA.QJ>lde,vit
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park 1//CC.C. PKQJildHYVt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
GoAold Pay no,, DulAolt loo
Continuing Keeper Education
Pat SammoAco, Lincoln Pa/ik Zoo
Historical Committee LoAAy SammaxcLO, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan ^cCoy, Wcuhlngton PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator ''
Connie Cloak, Nashville, TN Research/Grants Committee j
E/iank Kokn, National Zoological PoAk Awards Committee i'
Mike C/LockeA, VlckeA6on Pank Zoo I
Legislative Action Committee '
Kevin Conway, NZP/CRC, Tfiont Royal j
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange
ElandAa Aum, Woodland PoAk
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, VetAodJ: Zoo
Exhibit Design
Diane ToAi>ytn, AkAon Zoo
Keeper Accomodations List
OllvQA Claliey, MztAo Toronto
Keeper Training Videotapes
Wayne Buchanan, Woodland Pa/ik
,Ltz McLaughlin, RogoA Williams PoAk
Animal Data Transfer Forms
BeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Membership Directory
Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Zoo
Diet Notebook
South Flonlda AAZK Ckapten. Biological Values/Gestation
MoAy Muac, San F^anclico Zoo Keeper Data Survey MoAy Slaybaugh, San Antonio Zoo :e Search
Zoo! Jenny Rent^/iow, Ma^on, Michigan
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mike CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, DlAectox
Linda RohA i/acancy Gene P^e^^oA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne i/ltleAi LoAAy SammoAco Diane KAug Alan ShoAplei) Uacancy Candy Kn.oit
LauAence Gledhlll Joanle Stinson Uacancy
W.D. Stone Memorial Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo DetAolt Zoo Indianapolis Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo RlveAbanks Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio G/iande Zoo
Woodland PoAk Zoo Phoenix Zoo
ME,UT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NV
PA,NJ,MD,DE
UA,W.UA,D.C.
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WI,IL,M0,MN,IA
TN,NC,SC
FL,AL,GA
AR,MS,LA
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SD,ND
WA,0R,ID,MT,WV,AK
CA,NU,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
This mo^h'6 aovoA oaZ Xm by R062. Palazzo, an oJi^ocAXitd membeA 0^ AA2K Mho M0Afi6 06 a ^MltchbooAd opeAato/i at the. Bn.onx Zoo In Neio VoAk. Thanks, Ro6z!
Scoops
and
Scuttlebutt
MEMBERS ASKED TO COMPLETE AND RETURN AKF SURVEY
During the recent 10th National AAZK Conference in Seattle, the AKF editorial staff passed out a survey to the delegates on Animal Keepers* Forum . We received quite a few in return but would also like to hear from the many members who were unable to attend the conference. The survey is printed in this issue of AKF as a tear-out. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and return it to us. We need members input to know what you like and don't like about the Forum, what changes you feel need to be made and what direction you would like the publication to take in the future. Please return the survey to: AKF/ Survey, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606 no later than January 15, 1985. We hope to be able to publish the results in either the February or March 1985 issues. Thanks for your help.
ADDRESS CHANGE FOR ORDERING AAZK T-SHIRTS
Members wishing to order AAZK T-shirts are reminded that orders should be sent to Mike Carpenter at the following address: 4409 E. Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85008. Details on prices, colors and sizes may be found on the accessories listing page of this issue.
DECEMBER ISSUE TO AGAIN CONTAIN AAZK CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
The December 1984 issue of Animal Keepers ' Forum will again be expanded to include the proceedings and the papers presented at the 10th National AAZK Conference held in Seattle Sept. 30-0ct 4. All members who are current as of November 26th will receive a copy. Those members who are delinquent or new members may purchase a copy for $6.00. A limited num- ber of extra copies will be ordered for the press run. Members are also reminded to PLEASE notify National Headquarters when you have a change of address. Notify National DIRECTLY even if you have filed a change of address form with the post office. Each form we receive from the P.O. costs us 25c plus the costs of 20c per change order to enter or delete information on the computer. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
SHIPPING AN ANIMAL?
Remember to include an Animal Data Transfer Form. These forms are avail- able FREE - a professional courtesy of AAZK. Contact: Bernie Feldman, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606,
325
FROM THE PRESIDENT
The Tenth National AAZK Conference concluded on Thursday, the fourth of October and now becomes part of AAZK history. For the benefit of those members unable to attend the conference. Animal Keepers’ Forum’s December issue will be devoted to the papers presented in Seattle.
The conference was very well attended. Seattle conference coordinators report that 195 delegates registered either for the full conference or on a day basis. The conference delegates represented twenty-one states and four Canadian provinces. This year we also had delegates attending from England, Israel and Japan.
Papers presented at the conference, along with workshops conducted at Woodland Park Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium certainly add- • ed to our knowledge of how to care for and handle exotic wildlife. As you will see in the December AKF, papers dealt with husbandry and manage- ment of wildlife. Also discussed were zoo horticulture, exhibit design, graphics and the role of the zookeeper in all of the previously mention- ed areas. Informal interactions of delegates during the week, at the zoos visited, and the conference hotel, added to the overall opinion that today's zookeepers can and should be included in all the various aspects of running and maintaining a zoological facility. It is heartening today to see an increased acceptance by zoo managers of suggestions made by their zookeepers about their individual facilities.
All of the scheduled workshops were well received and they provided an ! excellent forum for the exchange of information and ideas. At Woodland Park Zoo four concurrent workshops were held dealing with Night Keeping/ ! Security, Small Felids in Captivity, Animals in Education and Gorilla I Management in Woodland Park Zoo. Additionally, there were AAZK workshops^ on the Research Grants Committee and the Continuing Keeper Education i Committee. At Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium there were four more work- shops; these dealing with Marine Mammals, Adaptations, Aquarium Mainten- ance and Elephant Training. At Northwest Trek Wildlife Park the staff ^ gave an in-depth explanation and tour of their stock restraint system.
As part of the standard conference proceedings, the AAZK Board of Direc- tors held its board meeting on Sunday, September 30th. In reviewing all | of the current AAZK projects and committees there were several vacancies ' created for project/committee coordination. If any member is currently interested in becoming a coordinator for Library Resources, the Infant Development notebook or Legislative Information, please contact me. Additionally, we are asking for volunteers to serve on the Nominations | and Election Committee. Former coordinator Lynne Villers has accepted reappointment to this committee but there are still four committee posi- tions to be filled. Both professional and affiliate AAZK members can hold appointed positions so if you desire to volunteer your time to the organization here are some good opportunities.
The list of people to be thanked for all their hard work in making this conference possible is a long one. On behalf of the Board of Directors and those delegates in attendance I would like to thank conference co- j coordinators Debbie Stecher, Phil Pennock and Harmony Frazier-Taylor . Thanks also to the staff at Woodland Park Zoological Garden, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Also thanks to the docents and volunteers at Woodland Park Zoo and Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium for touring and feeding us at your facilities. Finally, a thank-you to the Puget Sound AAZK Chapter for ; a national conference that will always be remembered fondly. '
Sincerelv,
326
Births|^ Hatchings
MIAMI METROZOO LoU B^uckhe^
August and September 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 0.1 Blackbuck antelope,
0.1 Orangutan, 1.1 Sambar deer, 1.0 Greater kudu, 2.0 Thomson’s gazelle,
0.1 Baird’s tapir, 1.0 Eld’s deer, 0.0.1 Red kangaroo, 1.1 Dama gazelle,
2.0 Nilgai, 0.1 Forest buffalo, 0.1 Malayan sun bear; Birds - 0.0.3 Stanley crane, 0.0.8 Ostrich and 0.0.1 Green junglefowl.
BROOKFIELD ZOO John S. Stoddaxd
B&H for August and September 1984 include: Mammals - 0.0.10 Harvest mouse, 0.0.2 California deer mouse, 0.0.2 Spiny mouse, 0.0.16 White-toothed shrew, 0.0.1 Cui, 0.0.1 Fruit bat; Birds - 0.0.1 Blue-shouldered robin chat, 0.0.3 Scarlet crowned barbet, 0.0.2 Red-crested cardinal, 0.0.2 Violet touraco, 0.0.1 Red and white crake; Reptiles - 0.0.15 Red Hispanolan boa and 0.0.9 Yellow rat snake.
ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO AcOUmne. MMca.
January through August 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 4.2 Barbados sheep, 0.1 Domestic nubian goat, 1.0 Ring-tailed lemur, 1.1 Domestic sheep, 0.0.2 Saddleback tamarin, 0.0.4 Aoudad, 1.1 Eland, 0.1 Bison, 1.1 Reeve’s munt- jac, 0.0.3 White-tail deer, 0.1 Sika deer, 1.0 Grant’s zebra and 0.1.3 Parma wallaby; Birds - 0.0.2 Golden eagles, 0.0.8 Guinea fowl, 0.0.30 Canada goose; Reptiles - 0.0.6 Corn snake.
BRONX ZOO MoAgaAed: PAcce.
August and September 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 2.0 Lesser galago, 12 Pen-tailed bet tong, 1.0 South American tapir, 9.0 Minnie Down’s mouse,
0.1 Maxwell duiker, 3.0 Wisent, 1.0 Himalayan tahr, 3.3 Guanaco, 2.0 Collared peccary, 1.0 Pere David’s deer, 1.0 Common tree shrew, 0.1 Black- backed duiker, 1.0 Lesser spear-nosed bat, 1.0 Douroucouli, 1.0 American bison, 5.0 African spotted grass mouse, 3.0 Egyptian fruit bat, 3.0 Cotton top marmoset, 1.0 Mongolian wild horse, 1.0 Acouchi, 1.0 Yak, 0.1 Gaur,
1.0 Axis deer, 3.0 Brown-antlered deer, 1.0 Blackbuck, 2.0 Formosan sika deer, 1.0 Mouflon, 2.0 Hammer-headed bat, 3.0 Capybara; Birds - 2 Chilean flamingo, 1 Mandarin duck, 4 Patagonian conure, 6 White-quilled black bus- tard, 4 Red-crested touraco, 1 Carribean flamingo, 6 Panama boat billed heron, 3 Malayan fairy bluebird, 4 Crested tinamou, 3 Greater rhea, 1 Red-crested cardinal, 2 White-browed robin chat, 2 Silver gull, 1 White- cheeked touraco, 1 Melba finch, 4 Common rhea, 1 Green wood hoopoe, 2 Malayan peacock pheasant, 8 Guinea fowl, 1 Palawan peacock pheasant, 2 Edward’s lorikeet, 2 Purple gallinule, 2 Striped crake, 4 Crested guinea- fowl, 1 Scarlet ibis, 1 Mauritius pink pigeon; Reptiles - 1 Brazilian rainbow boa, 6 Cuban crocodile, 2 Travancore, 11 Black-lipped cobra,
4 Chinese alligator and 12 Forest cobra.
DALLAS ZOO Tanvi Jonej)
B&H for September 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 Cape buffalo, 0.0.1 Hama- drayas baboon, 0.0.1 Kikuyu colobus, 1.0 Reticulated giraffe, 1.0 Suni,
0.1 Kirk’s dik dik, 0.1 Klip springer ; Birds - 0.0.1 Society finch, 0.0.2 African crowned crane, 0.0.1 Sacred ibis, 0.0.1 Nicobar pigeon; Reptiles - 0.0.4 Honduran king snake ( LompAopeZtld tACangulum honduAen6dJ> ) .
327
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, ConUnu^d
SAN ANTONIO ZOO VebZ Reed
September 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.3 Dama gazelle, 2.0 Javelina,
0.0.1 Colobus monkey, O.O^.l Gelada, 1.0 Impala, 1.0 Dorcas gazelle (DNS), 0.1 Lesser kudu, 1.0 Mouflon (DNS), 0.1 Topi (DNS), 0.1 Beisa oryx, 0.1 Thomson's gazelle; Birds - 0.0.4 East African crowned crane, 0.0.2 Yellow- backed lory, 0.0.1 Diamond dove; Reptiles - 1 Honduran milk snake, 1 Urutu, 1 Sinaloan milk snake, 3 Pueblan milk snake (1st time in collection) ; Aquarium Peppermint shrimp (DNS) and Seahorses (DNS) . In other news, the Education Center has been completed. The additional space will help us better handle school groups and increase our educational efforts.
COLUMBUS ZOO Staci/ Katz
May through July 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.2 Barbados sheep, 3.2 Silk deer, 1.0 Thomson's gazelle, 1.0.1 Damara zebra (DNS), 1.2 Snow leopard,
1.0 Squirrel monkey, 2.3.1 Cheetah (DNS); Reptile/Amphibian (approx.) - 300 Rkacopko/iiU lmc.omLf6tcix, 7 He,oz>my gmyicCu (2 VMS} , 9 Gnxiptmg^ jlavi.- macalata, 3 M^ayL0c.h2Zy6 tAtjuga tk(2Amatls, 6 Etapke, badjidt, 6 Hmlthaaonyx caudtctctiu [1 VNSj , 3 LampKoplilti^ t, polyzona, 2 Letohotz^odon madagab- c.ojLLi2,vu>xj> , 1 Oxybet^ ^ulgx,dLU, 10 AgkA^dyiodon b. btLinzata^ , 1 C/iotatuI adamanteuz, , and 11 CJwtaJt^ d. duAAJ>6iii>.
PHILADELPHIA ZOO Both BahnoA
January through June 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 2 Brush-tailed phalanger (1 DNS), 0.1 Vampire bat (DNS), 1.0 Red-fronted lemur, 1 Ring-tailed lemur, 1.2 Geoffrey's marmoset (DNS), 0.1 Drill, 1 White-handed gibbon, 0.1 Indian rhinoceros (DNS), 0.1 Guanaco, 1 Reeve's muntjac, 1.0 Gunther's dik dik,
1.0 Eland, 2.1 Himalayan tahr, 2.0 Chamois ( 1.0 DNS); Birds - 2 Humboldt penguin, 1 Scarlet ibis, 3 Hermit ibis, 5 Trumpeter swan ( 3 DNS), 3 Aleutian goose (1 DNS), 4 Cape Barren goose, 7 Hooded merganser (3 DNS),
3 American merganser (DNS) , 2 Palawan peacock pheasant (DNS) , 4 White- breasted pitta (3 DNS), 3 Scarlet tanager, 1 Blue-necked tanager, 1 Emerald starling; Reptiles - 1 Water monitor, 4 Madagascan hognose snake (1 DNS),
7 Sidewinder rattlesnake, and 25 Uracoan rattlesnake.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO SUvm M. iUlng
B&H for September 1984 include: Mammals - 0.1 Mandrill (DNS), 1.0 Thom- son's gazelle (DNS), 0.0.1 Indian fruit bat, 0.0.2 Mountain fruit bat iStmonyct2Atz> ta.no6UU>] , possibly the first captive births; Birds - 0.0.2 Mourning dove.
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS SlUclyi RaMzy
September 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.1 Nyala, 1.0 Muntjac deer, 1.1 Thomson's gazelle, 0.1 Dorcas gazelle, 1.0 Dama gazelle, 1.0 Impala, 2.3 Greater kudu, 0.2 Grant's gazelle, 0.1 Guinea (Western) baboon, 0.1 Soemmering's gazelle; Birds - 1 Scarlet ibis, 6 Jandaya conure, 1 Forsten's lorikeet, 2 Sun conure, 4 Scarlet ibis, 1 Black-necked stilt,
1 Indian peafowl (Blue Phase), 5 Fischer's lovebird, 1 Lear's macaw, 2 Violet-crested touraco; Reptiles - 0.0.32 American alligator.
328
BIRTHS AND HATCHINGS, Continued
BUFFALO ZOO, EUzabeth Sule^lU
July through September 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 2.0 Elk, 1.0 Bennet’s wallaby, 0.1 Potoroo, 0.0.1 Tree porcupine, 0.1 Gemsbok, 1.0 Bison, 7 Tenrec (4 DNS), 1.0 Clouded leopard, 0.1.5 Cotton top tamarin (4 DNS),
0.1 Axis deer, 0.1.1 Geoffrey’s tamarin, 0.0.3 Common marmoset (1 DNS), 0.0.4 Capybara, 1.0 Brazilian tapir, 2.2 Pygmy goat, 0.1 Mandrill, 1.0 Debrazza monkey, 0.0.7 Cuis (1 DNS); Birds - 0.0.7 Wood duck (1 DNS),
0.0.3 Blackheaded ibis (1 DNS), 0.0.1 Black swan, 0.0.2 Ross touraco;
Herp tiles ~ 0.0.2 Poison arrow frog, 2 Tokay gecko, 5 Indigo snake, 2 Puerto Rican toad, and multiple Mexican tree frogs.
LINCOLN PARK. ,Siuan
August and September 1984 B&H include; Mammals - 0.0.1 Chimpanzee (DNS), 0.0.3 Patagonian cavy, 0,0.1 Afghanistan leopard, 2.0 Grevy’s zebra, 0.0.1 Squirrel monkey, 0.0.3 Pygmy marmoset, 0.0.3 Jerboa (3 DNS), 1.1 Addra gazelle; Birds - 0.0.1 Nicobar pigeon, 0.0.1 Fairy bluebird, 0.0.1 Double- striped thicknee, 0.0.3 Jackson hornbill, 0.0.2 Superb starling (1 DNS); Reptiles - 0.0.1 Basilisk lizard, 0.0.5 Texas x Western long-nose snake, 0.0.1 Florida kingsnake, 0.0.5 Corn snake, 0.0.1 Boa constrictor and 0.0.6 Water moccasin.
Coming Events
FIFTH ANNUAL ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 1984 New Orleans, LA
Headquarters for the Workshop will be the New Orleans Airport Sheraton. Participation by registration only. Registration fee is $20 per person which includes admittance to all sessions and coffee breaks; the Ice Breaker Cocktail Party; tour of Audubon Zoo (including transportation to and from); lunch on Friday and on Saturday; and the Hospitality Room.
For further information contact; Carol Sullivan, Audubon P^rk and Zoolo- gical Garden, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70i78, (504) 861-2537.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL DR, SCHOLL CONFERENCE ON
THE NUTRITION OF CAPTIVE WILD ANIMALS
! December 7-8, 1984 Chicago, IL
I
i Held at the Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens. For further Information, contact: Thomas Meehan, DVM, Staff Veterinarian, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL
April 1-7, 1985 Missoula, MT
Sponsored by the University of Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Held at the Missoula campus of the University of Montana. For more infor- mation contact; Wildlife Film Festival, Wildlife Biology Program, Univer- sity of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812.
&
329
AAZK Conference Offers
Ideas. Info Exchange
By
Vout SammcULCo, Coo^dlnaton. AAZK Education Committee
The Conference was, as always, a wonderful exchange of ideas and an opportunity for all of us to share information on our professional con- cerns and about the activity within our professional association. From the viewpoint of Continuing Keeper Education, the Conference’s formal
presentations, workshops, tours and waterholes are the most direct means of educating each other in husbandry techniques and concepts. As we return home, we have the responsibility to share what we have learned with our partners in zoo animal care, and to apply what we have learned to improv- ing our routines and even beyond routine care.
Those who could not attend will appreciate the reports of those returning, what is printed in the conference issue of AKF, and may borrow presentations | from the Program Library or purchase the newest Keeper Training video tape. : Since the Conference delegates, representing approximately 20% of our pro- |i fessional members, had the opportunity for direct input to each other, the 80% that were left home to fill in and cover our runs will need input through " correspondence and response to surveys. We all know the importance of con- | tinning our education, of seeking new ways of improving the care we give our animals, and of increasing our contributions to our zoos. AAZK gives us |
many ways to gain and give information.
A synopsis of project activities and board decisions is part of the confer- j ence report. You will all see that increased response to and from members is a priority. Especially in the activities of the Continuing Keeper Educa- tion committee, all members are encouraged to share information, ideas, and sources with the rest of the Association. Watch carefully for your chance to contribute as various keepers coordinate the sharing of our collective knowledge.
* Elandra Aum will be looking for new entries for her Staff Exchange list.
* Liz McLaughlin and Jenny Rentfrow will be looking for our additions to their bibliography of captive care resources and are ready to answer our requests for leads to information.
* Beth Poff is seeking additional keeper training manuals and materials ' and will be advising us on the availability of these.
* Douglas Richardson will help us provide a testing site for those keepers who are enrolled in the Animal Management Correspondence Course and who are ready to be certified. He needs to identify who will be ready and when .
* Pat Sammarco is seeking to list universities and colleges teaching courses or classes related directly to exotic animal care, and has a partial list available.
330
f
CONTINUING KEEEPR EDUCATION, CoyitlnuQ.d
* With the coordination of Pat Sairanarco and Jim Ellis and a team of associate editors, we will be producing a book on the basics of zoo keeping .
* Other projects and other keepers will be asking for help.
DIET NOTEBOOK
Here is a unique opportunity to share with other keepers the types of diets used to maintain exotics in captivity. This project has the poten- tial to develop an excellent reference on captive diets but only if you participate.
Forms can be obtained from the Collection Centers listed below and when completed they should be sent to the appropriate center. Please type or print information, use metric units whenever possible and refer to the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names.
Please become involved.
BIRD COLLECTION CENTER: KMl We^tb^ook
LZttte. Rock ChaptoA AA2K Jonc6bo^o VhJjoc IMXlc Rock, AR 72204
MAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER; To/Uvic CoKAcl
ScdgM.lck County Zoo 5555 Zoo Blvd, Wtchtta, KS 67212
REPTILE COLLECTION CENTER:
Bntnt SpcnceA
Minnesota Zoologtcul Ga/idcn Apple l/aUcy, MW 55124
ALL OTHERS:
South Vlontda ChaptoA AAZK do Vcbbtc BuAch 17S60 SM 112 Count Itcaml, fL 33157
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331
Viewpoinf
WRITING ZOOKEEPER BLUES
By Otiv 2A CldUzy, S^i^coA. Ke.apeA.
Toronto Zoo
It's Monday, October 1st. This morning I got up early on my day off to watch "Good Morning America". Debbera Stecher and Phil Pennock said hello from the AAZK National Conference in Seattle.
I didn’t go!
There were several reasons why 1 decided not to attend this year; new furniture, a summer vacation with my family and a recently purchased synthesizer ate up time and money, but now that Conference time is here, it sure is a bitter pill to swallow.
As I went to bed last night, I thought of the Icebreaker in full swing.
As I write this, it's lunchtime between paper sessions.
I’m going to miss those friends I’ve made at the last three Conferences, and the new friends I would have made at Seattle. I’m going to miss the workshops and papers, the discussions and information trades with col- leagues, the thrill I always get when visiting other zoos, the volleyball and soccer games, the banquet, the pleasant and frivolous after-hours in the hospitality suite, and I’m going to miss the camaraderie, the glow within, the professional pride I feel surrounded by so many like-minded zookeepers.
I hope there is a Regional Conference in the Spring. And next October?
A herd of Yak bulls couldn’t keep me away from Miami!
MAKE THE MIAMI AAZK CONFERENCE A GOAL FOR 198511!
Information Please
The Audubon Park Zoo recently experienced an incident involving the death of a infant capybara and would like anyone having experienced a similar event to contact them with details. The infant, who was housed with its mother and siblings, was attacked and killed by a second female. Anyone having any information on such occurances is asked to contact Jan Pruitt, Audubon Park Zoo, P.O. Box 4327, New Orleans, LA 70178 or call (504) 861-2537.
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - Information is being gathered on the post-release behavior and survival of captive-reared and rehabilitated birds and mammals The objectives of this study are to assess the amount and type of work that has already been done, to summarize the available data and evaluate techni- ques, and define the reasons for the survival or mortality of released ani- mals. Published and unpublished reports and raw data would be appreciated. For additional information, individuals willing to cooperate please contact Daniel R. Ludwig, PhD, Willowbrook Wildlife Haven, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, P.O. Box 2339, Glen Ellyn, IL 60138.
332
Quality exotic animal diets Fixed formulation Nutritionally balanced Economical
NHBiiiii^AND Frozen feline diets
Frozen bird of prey diets Frozen canine diet
Chunk and chopped horsemeat, hearts, livers, rib, shank, and knuckle bones
Zu/Pteenf
Feline canned Primate canned Marmoset canned
Omnivore dry Primate dry
Banana flavored primate, 1 5% protein Banana flavored primate Pro-Plus, 25% SPECTRUM protein
Omnivore dry Polar Bear dry Ratite dry
Hoofstock supplement, with Selenium
When you need a complete line of high-quality dry, canned, and frozen animal diets for your feeding program, call Animal Spectrum today.
(0)
TOLL
FREE
ME CALL DOES
In Nebraska, call collect 402/488-6492.
Animal SPECTRUM Inc.
Box 6307 Lincoln, NE 68506-0307
Reptile Care: Relating To The Inquiring Novice - Part 6
R^pAifehib
^ poip
lan . pourri
By
Sii6an M. BoAnaAd, SenloA. KcepeA Vcp-t, 0^ He/ipeXology Atlanta Zoological Pa/ik, Atlanta, GA
ENVIRONMENT
(Temperature)
The reptile keeper will be asked to consult on a variety of reptilian prob- lems. I have found that most novices' problems with their ectothermic pets are the consequence of improper environment. Some lizards and snakes read- ily bask after feeding and will often discontinue basking after defecating; at this time they will seek a cooler area until their next meal. Cooler cage areas are also sought while the animal is preparing to shed. Some reptiles may not display heat-avoidance behavior when exposed to heating devices that permit direct contact. To prevent burns or hypothermia these animals should not be exposed to hot spots where direct contact to heating devices can occur, or where temperatures would rise above their preferred temperature (Table 1) . Tropical reptiles have less tolerance for low tem- peratures than those from temperate regions. Generally, snakes tend to maintain lower body temperatures than do lizards from the same geographic area.
Reptiles must always be given voluntary access to their preferred tempera- ture. Generally, the range for most reptiles is between 20° to 39° G (68° to 103° F) . The preferred temperature is sometimes close to lethal temperatures (Table 1), so cool retreats must be provided. Unlike endo- thermic animals, reptiles require ambient warmth for physiological pro- cesses such as digestion, defecation, reproduction and perhaps antibody production. Failure to provide preferred temperatures during digestion can result in decomposition of food in an animal's alimentary tract.
Nocturnal heat sources help to maintain reptiles within their thermal gradient (Table 1), allowing the animal to become cooler in the evenings but at the same time, preventing temperatures from dropping below their active range. These include red lightbulbs, either 25 watt (Colortone, Westinghouse ) or 250 watt infrared, heating cables (avoid for burrowing animals since these animals burrow to cool themselves), hot rocks, and heating pads (Warning: heating pad thermostats have been known to fail, and fluid soaked heating pads with holes have been known to shock animals) . All heating devices should be kept on the cage exterior to prevent acci- dental burns. These same precautions apply to daytime heating devices.
Environmental lighting will be discussed in Part 7.
REFERENCE
Wallach, J.D. : "Environmental and nutritional diseases of captive reptiles." J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc., 159: 1632-1633. 1971.
334
TABLE 1. Cloacal Temperatures of Some Reptiles (Wallach 1971)
|
Species |
Range of Active |
Preferred |
Critical |
|
Reptiles (*) |
Temperature ( |
**) High (***) |
|
|
American Alligator |
26. 0-37. OC |
32. 0-35. OC |
38. 0-39. OC |
|
(78. 0-98. OF) |
(89. 6-95. OF) |
(100. 4-102. 2F) |
|
|
American Chameleon |
22. 6-30. 4C |
41. 8C |
|
|
(Anolis lizard) |
(72. 3-86. OF) |
(107. OF) |
|
|
Boa |
24. 8-34. OC |
||
|
(78. 0-93. OF) |
|||
|
Desert Tortoise |
19. 0-37. 8C |
26. 7-29. 4C |
39. 5-43. OC |
|
(66. 2-100. 4F) |
(80. 6-85. IF) |
(103. 1-109. OF) |
|
|
Five- lined Skink |
13. 5-37. OC |
28. 0-36. OC |
41. OC |
|
(56. 3-98. 6F) |
(82. 4-96. 8F) |
(105. 8F) |
|
|
Garter Snake |
16. 0-35. OC |
20. 0-35. OC |
38. 5-41. OC |
|
(60. 8-95. OF) |
(68. 0-95. OF) |
(101. 3-105. OF) |
|
|
Gopher Snake |
16. 0-34. 6C |
22.0-310C |
45. 5C |
|
(60.8-94. OF) |
(71. 6-87. 8F) |
(104. 9F) |
|
|
Green Iguana |
26. 7-42. 4C |
29. 5-39. 5C |
46. 1C |
|
(79. 7-108. 5F) |
(85. 1-103. IF) |
(114. 8F) |
|
|
Painted Turtle |
8.0-30. 2C |
39. 0-41. OC |
|
|
(46. 4-86. OF) |
(102. 2-105. 8F) |
||
|
Racer |
24. 8-36. OC |
42. 5C |
|
|
(76. 0-96. 9F) |
(108. OF) |
* Thermal gradient temperature is the ambient temperature where reptiles remain active. This includes the preferred temperature, but below the thermal gradient temperature, the reptile becomes dormant.
** Preferred temperature is the temperature that reptiles voluntarily establish when a range of temperatures is available.
*** Critical high temperature is near lethal temperature.
335
THERMOSTAT-CONTROLLED HEAT LAMP SYSTEM
FOR ZOO ANIMALS
By
B^ack Ba/ikeA BlologldoZ PaAli6 StaH ScLYvtcL Fe Commmvujty Cottage. GcUna^vMie., fL
In the past, zoos have had to rely on numerous ways of keeping animals warm and protected from the winter's cold. Whether it has been from bringing animals indoors or letting them slowly acclimate, these methods have not been without their problems.
A method that we have used the last four years here at the Teaching Zoo works quite well. Through the use of thermostat-controlled heat lamps, we have been able to acclimate sub-tropical species and allow them to remain outdoors all winter.
True, the winters here in Florida are not as harsh as the ones experienc- ed in the northern climes, but we do get temperature drops down towards the zero mark. This coupled with the humidity can make for some miser- able periods of cold.
For our primates and reptiles, the use of the heat lamps are coupled with the existing night boxes and extra hay. For our birds, we provide the added protection of a wind-rain barrier of visqueen and parachute mater- ial or plywood.
Construction of the heat lamp system is fairly simple and low in cost when you take into consideration the replacement value of the animals involved. Also the exhibit value is maintained, for the zoo visitor can still enjoy the zoo and not look at alot of empty enclosures. Indoor captivity stress is also avoided both on the animal and the keeper.
The names and types of materials used may vary for yqur location, but the design is simple enough that you can improvise if necessary. First you need to take into consideration the type of animal, night box or enclosure to be served by the heatlamp. The number of heat lamps used are determined by the number of animals and whether they will get along to- gether socially in one area. Generally, we provide one infrared heat lamp per night box (36"x24"xl8") for our primates and one or two lamps for birds and reptiles.
Plastic five-gallon buckets are used for mounting on our primate night boxes and metal reflecting light fixtures are used for the birds and reptiles. The buckets can be obtained from restaurants or paint shops.
Construction is as follows: drill two holes in the bottom and center of the bucket. Using IV xlV' bolts and appropriate washers and nuts, attach the metal electric mounting box on the inside of the bucket. Next, drill another hole on the side of the bucket h” from the bottom edge. This is where your electrical wire will pass through. Wire and attach your por- celain ceiling lamp fixture to the mounting box. Next, attach a male electrical plug to the other end of the wire. The length of the wire used is determined by how far away you want the thermostat box from the heat lamp. After inserting an infrared heat lamp bulb, the bucket is ready to use as is or with an attached thermostat. The thermostats used are the liquid-filled double wafer copper type. Solid state transistoriz- ed thermostats are available at a higher cost, but these have not been used at this zoo.
336
NOT TO SCALE
THERMOSTAT-CONTROLLED HEAT LAMP SYSTEM FOR ZOO ANIMALS, CowUnuizd
L
337
THERMOSTAT CONTROLLED HEATLAMP SYSTEM
THERMOSTAT-CONTROLLED HEAT LAMP SYSTEM FOR ZOO ANIMALS, CoyiUnaQ.d
The thermostat is mounted in a wooden box of l''x6"s. Dimensions are (6h" X 6h" X 5”) . A hole must be drilled in the side of the box to accommodate the threaded adjusting screw. Two more holes are drilled, one for the wire with the female plug and one for the wire with the male plug. After the wiring is complete, tape the bare ends with electrician's tape and attach the cover.
What you have now is a heat bucket or metal reflecting light fixture that can be plugged into a thermostat box. Mounting of the bucket and thermo- stat can be accompanied by the use of metal 90 degree angles. Metal light ! reflectors can be attached using tying wire. '
Safety is of prime importance when using electrical objects around ani- j
mals. The wooden night boxes for our primates have 10" holes cut in them '
so the buckets can be mounted on the outside. Access to the light, by the primates, is prevented by sandwiching weldwire and porch screen be- tween two pieces of plywood and the night box itself. Access to the wires must be prevented as primates may use their tails to grasp the :
wires or birds may chew into them. The metal light fixture openings are
covered by porch screen material, not only to prevent access but in case ; a bulb shatters, the fragments will be contained. Another word of caution | is that if water splashes onto the infrared bulb when it is one, it will ji shatter. ii
Conclusion i
This heat lamp system has proven very effective for our zoo. Zoos in i
northern climes may not be able to utilize this system all winter due i
to factors such as snow and extended periods of freezing weather. How- i
ever, it may allow them to extend the period of time certain animals can | stay out before being brought in for the winter.
Most of the materials can be bought at hardware stores or local suppliers ! of farm equipment. The only problem encountered is that after long term j continued use, some of the parts wear out - specifically the metal wafers ' of the thermostats, the porcelain lamp holders and, of course, the heat i
lamp bulbs themselves. '
During non-use months, the systems are removed, serviced and put in stor- ] age to maintain longevity.
Products mentioned in text:
Thermostats - Marshfarms P.O. Box 7
Garden Grove, CA 92642
Valentine Equipment Co.
P.O. Box 53 Hinsdale, IL 60521
Heat lamp bulbs - General Electric
Infra-red Heat, Reflector bulb 250W 115-125V
338
I
For All You Do. .This One^s For You
1' Vq-oa EcLOtoA,
j I have, bum an anunaJi kmpoA (\OA 6mm um/u and a coApo^ntm {\OA thJjviz.m.
I I /icLue iAz.qaQ,My be appoLttd by tho. dim^wtoJiy dmlgn ilauo6 I ^Ind at mo6t zoo6--ilaw6 that got kmp2A6 and anZi7ial6 hunt, and ilcwo6 that uocLito, the. kmpm*6 tone,. I hopz you can lue. thc6e. 6tmpl2. nut6 and bolt6 con- tAtbutiows.
Tom Radotpk, S>mtoA AntmaZ KmpcA I GAmn6boAo UatuAot Scetncc CcnteA GAcm6boAo, Nontk CoAotlna
Don’t Just Shake Your Fist At the Sky
Our favorite brand of nationally advertised lock, the one that can’t be opened with a cannon, has a few problems that most locks share. In wet locations, such as feed tray slots and areas where rain splash reaches the lock, I have seen them rust out completely in as little as two years. In dry locations the same locks last as much as twenty years.
A solution is to hood the locks in various ways to prevent water from enter- ing the locks. In some places a sheetmetal hood can be attached above the hasp. On our guillotine doors, we place a soft plastic medicine bottle over [ the lock and retain the cover with cord so it will not become a toy for the I animal .
Preventing water from entering the locks also saves a lot of time and frus- tration when freezing weather arrives. I wish I had back a tenth of the time I have wasted standing in the freezing wind thawing out locks with my bare hands.
In bad weather I now carry both a butane lighter and a screw-top cosmetic bottle full of automatic transmission fluid. ATF is thin enough to pene- trate between the multiple plates of the locks and drive out residual mois- ture. You can watch the beads of water roll out of the bottom of the lock as the oil displaces it. ATF also does not thicken and become sticky in extreme cold. The cosmetic bottle allows me to carry the oil in an inner pocket to keep it warm. I take care to wipe off any excess oil because most lubricants are mildly toxic.
Safe Inspection
Due to design problems in our bobcat’s den, we were unable to monitor the progress of our three new kittens in their den box. To avoid the trauma, either to the keepers or to the cats, of forcibly removing the mother for inspection; we lashed a 10 x 8 inch pickup truck mirror to a push broom handle with electric fence wire. Standing behind a protective wall of welded wire, we can now satisfy our parental concern by poking the mirror into the box and shining a strong flashlight into the face of the mirror.
The light reflects on whatever the mirror is pointed at.
Gradients and Drainage in Zoo Exhibits
An old plumber once told me that, ”Po po does not flow uphill". This is the essential law of hydraulics, but it is understood by very few mainten- ance men and contractors. Continued dampness in animal enclosures is, in my opinion, one of the most common health hazards in the animal business.
339
FOR ALL YOU DO.. THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, ConUniiQ^d
Everything from thrush to unsightly algae and infectious diseases is sup- ported by damp conditions. I also wonder what the stress and discomfort of wet conditions does to promote secondary health problems.
Regrading concrete is not as difficult as it seems, and can frequently be as simple as pouring a skim, sloped toward the drain, on top of the old stuff. Gradients in zoo exhibits need to be more radical than those in regular construction. A gradient of 3/4 inch in 4 feet will assure good runoff on concrete; but in a household basement radical gradients cause tables to sit out of level and chairs to rock. Earth gradients often need to be very radical and may require special drain tiles, ditches, etc.
Most contractors actually understand gradient, but don't take it seriously If the importance of good drainage could be emphatically explained and en- forced with contract penalties; perhaps fewer zookeepers would spend their mornings squeeging water uphill towards the drain.
Temporary Quarters
I can't count the number of times I have ripped my clothes or my skin on sloppy work that was done by zookeepers. Usually under the auspices of "This is only temporary", or "We are in a hurry", some incredibly poor work gets done. Things like jagged edges of wire left undipped, pro- jecting bolts standing out, splinters unsanded, and nails hanging out are common hazards in the back holding areas of many zoos.
A friend of mine, who was inducted into the army in 1969, told me about the temporary barracks he stayed in. They constructed these barracks as temporaries during World War I and are probably still using them. I have decided that nothing we repair or build should be considered temporary; and I have noticed that messy patchwork stays around like a monument.
Folk wisdom says "If you can't find the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?"
The only standards I relax on "quick work" are those of fine finish. No one cares what a cage in the holding area looks like as long as it will safely hold the animal. As a habit I cut, smooth or bend back the expos- ed edges of wire, cut off projecting bolts and extract exposed nails.
When I work I bear in mind the times I have seen an excited animal snag itself and I try not to leave traps for future keepers, especially me.
Keeper’s Alert
The Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles has announced that proposals are now being accepted for the 1985 Grants-in-Herpetology Program. The program is designed to provide financial assistance to individuals or organizations involved in research and/or conservation of amphibians and reptiles. Applicants or their advisor or sponsor must be a member of SSAR. Grant proposals will be considered in five areas and each proposal must include specific information and meet certain criteria. Proposals must be postmarked no later than 12 April 1985. For additional information, contact: Dr. James Bacon, Department of Herpetol- ogy, Zoological Society of San Diego, P.O. Box 551, San Diego, CA 92112.
340
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE NOW AVAILABLE
Entitled Zoo Keeper Safety, An Attitude Adjustment, this first tape at- tempts to create a safety attitude and presents a systematic safety approach to the job of zoo keeping. All proceeds generated from the sale of training tapes will be used to finance production of future training tapes.
AAZK KEEPER TRAINING VIDEO TAPE PURCHASE AGREEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESTRICTIONS OF THE BUYER
1) The tape may not be duplicated or made available to any person or institution for the purpose of duplication.
2) The tape may not be utilized for any commercial purpose.
3) Should the buyer decide the tape will not be useful to their training program, the undamaged tape may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a partial refund--$10 for BETA and VHS, $18 for 3/4 inch.
I, the undersigned, accept responsibility for the restrictions listed above.
NAME: (TYPE OR PRINT)
SIGNATURE: DATE:
ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION:
SHIPPING ADDRESS:
ZIP
TELEPHONE: ( )
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341
Research
HABITAT PREFERENCE IN HOUSE CRICKETS
lAcketa dome^tZcuJl
By
Bn.mda CunyUngham VonmoA. SummeA InteAn Ncutloncil loo, Workington, VX,
House crickets {Adkdta domorttcur ) are a commonly used food source for many reptiles and mammals in zoological parks. Some animals eat crickets exclusively, for example, at the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., crickets are the primary food source for tarsiers, leopard geckos and oriental firebellied toads. Although crickets alone are not a nutri- tionally balanced diet, it has been found that through supplying the crickets with a special food, their nutritional, value may be increased (Allen and Oftedal, 1983).
The location and behavior of the crickets was found to influence the foraging behavior of the tarsiers (Roberts and Cunningham, in prep.).
In an effort to identify factors controlling foraging behavior and habitat use of the tarsiers, cricket behavior was experimentally examined.
Materials and Methods
Four factors that seemed to be important in cricket location were sub- strate color, texture, height and light intensity. Unless stated other- wise, each of these variables was tested in a plastic lined wooden cage 80cm long x 60cm wide x 45cm high. A 7.5 watt bulb was suspended above the cage. For each experiment 10 trials were conducted, each using 20 fresh crickets tossed into the cage. Numbers of crickets on each sub- strate were recorded 5, 10 and 15 minutes after initiation.
Experiment 1; Substrate color
To determine if the crickets had a preference for light or dark colored substrates, half of the floor of the cage was covered with brown pine bark chips and the other half with light colored pine shavings.
Experiment 2: Substrate illumination
To determine the effect of illumination on substrate preference, the floor of the cage was covered entirely with brown pine bark chips and a piece of cardboard was placed across half of the top of the cage to provide shade in that half.
Experiment 3: Substrate texture (perching)
To determine if the crickets preferred perching on smooth or rough sur- faces, half of the floor of the cage was covered with brown contact paper and half with brown pine bark chips.
Experiment 4: Substrate texture (perching)
To determine if the crickets preferred perching on a smooth surface or on one providing protective cover, half of the floor of the cage was covered with brown contact paper and half with dry leaves.
342
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16. Of the numerous regular and semi-regular sections in AKF. how do you rate the frequency with which you read the following: (Please circle response)
ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER
animal keeeprs' forum survey
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If so, did you receive any response to this request? YES
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Contents of AKF EXCELLENT GOOD FAIR POOR
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a yovA cwbim-i -tted an airtH-d** — dr-awi rv® YES WO
10.
11.
12.
Have you ever put in a request for "Information Please"?
If so, did you receive any response to this request?
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YES NO
YES NO
YES NO
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PLEASE RETURN COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO: AKF OFFICES, 635 GAGE BLVD. TOPEKA, KS 66606 NO LATER THAN JANUARY 15, 1985.
00
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ABITAT PREFERENCE IN HOUSE CRICKETS, Contlnuzd
'xperiment 5: Substrate texture (perching)
jo determine if the crickets preferred perching on a rough surface or on Ine providing protective cover, half of the floor of the cage was covered ith brown pine bark chips and half with dry leaves.
|xperiment 6: Substrate texture (climbing)
he cage was not used to test for a texture preference when climbing, hree tree branches were arranged in a circular pattern in a small plastic |ucket of 16 inches diameter. This arrangement was to encourage the crick- jbs to climb. The tree branches were of the same color, but varying tex- ures, the roughest branch having convoluted bark and the smoothest being ightly sanded. One intermediate form was also used. To prevent pre-
Iature orientation the crickets were dropped one at a time down a PVC Libe placed in the middle of the bucket. After 10 seconds the tube was amoved and the cricket was given 3 minutes to climb one of the three ranches to the height of 18cm. If the cricket failed to climb to 18cm in [tie allotted time, it was removed and nothing was recorded, however this Inly occurred twice. Sixty trials were conducted, each using a differ- nt cricket.
jicperiment 7: Substrate height
eight preference was examined in two enclosures, each containing one air of tarsiers (ToAA^gA bancccnLU>} . These enclosures were 5.1m long,
.6m wide and 4.5m high. They contained numerous tree branches, bamboo ales and dowel rods of varying diameters and angles of orientation Roberts and Cunningham, in prep) . Crickets were always present in the ..iclosure as they were the primary food source of the captive tarsiers, lawever 50 to 60 fresh crickets were added in each cage every day at 3 Lm. Cricket location was measured at 1 ft. intervals on two vertically riented tree branches in each room. Tree branches were chosen for this fxperiment as the crickets were found more commonly climbing on the trees ;!ian on either the bamboo poles or the dowel rods. Measurements were I'jiken at 3:30 p.m. each day for 10 days.
Icperiment 8: Cricket density on walls and floor
r. must be noted that although the crickets were found on the trees, they lire found in the greatest abundance on the walls of the enclosures, pecifically on unpainted patches near the floor. These patches were of rough texture and the crickets could always be found clustering on lese. Cricket density in each room was measured on these patches and ,,,i the floor by chalking out measured squares and counting the crickets j/ery day for 5 days.
1
[jiese experiments were analyzed using t-tests and chi-square testing ac- cording to Lehner (1979).
.,i suits
cperiment 1 cperiment 2 |jcperiment 3 II cperiment 4
Crickets showed a significant preference for pine bark chips, the darker material (t 12.65, p .05).
A significant preference was shown for the shaded substrate as opposed to that which was illuminated (t 7.8, p. 05).
A significant preference was shown for the rough textured pine bark (t 8.2, p .05).
A significant preference was shown for the dry leaves (t 8.2, p .05).
343
HABITAT PREFERENCE IN HOUSE CRICKETS, CowUnuzd
Experiment 5 Experiment 6
Experiment 7
Experiment 8
The crickets showed no preference for either pine bark or dry leaves (t 1.4, p .05).
There was a significant preference for the branch with the roughest bark, the crickets chosing it in 46 out of 60 trials (X2 50.8, p .05).
Crickets were found as high as 9ft in both enclosures. High- er than expected numbers were found at 5ft in room 1 and at 6 and 7ft in both rooms (X^ 24.26 in room 1 and 87.95 in room 2, p .05) .
The floors had an average of 3.5 crickets/m^ and the rough patches on the walls had an average of 270 crickets/m^.
Summary
Crickets were found to prefer perching on a dark colored substrate over a light colored substrate. They were also found to prefer perching on a shaded surface over a lighted one, however, they did not show a preference for the shade provided by the dry leaves over the dark color of the pine bark chips. This is suprising as the leaves created a protective cover, however this must be weighed against the possible absorbing effect the leaves have on the cricket song.
When climbing, crickets chose the roughest surface over two smoother ones. This was expected as crickets have an inherent tendency to climb (T. Hagamai personal communication) and have the least trouble on the roughest surface. During the trails several crickets tried to climb the smoothest branch, but slipped down and went on to choose one of the other two.
The crickets studied here preferred heights from 5 to 7 ft on tree branches The crickets were also found to climb on rough surfaces on the walls of the enclosures. It is not known why these ground-dwelling crickets have a ten-! dency to climb. It is possible that males can broadcast their songs more I effectively at certain heights (B. Simpson, personal communication), how- ; ever, I often found females on patches and at heights where no males were present .
Both feeding behavior of the predator and habitat preference of the prey should be taken into account when designing enclosures for animals that feed on live prey. For animals feeding on crickets, smooth walls and floor! will encourage the crickets to perch on natural substrates, thereby induc- ing predators to exhibit more naturalistic foraging behavior. Crickets are an important food source for some captive animals and may be utilized to manipulate predator behavior to enhance exhibit potential.
Acknowl edg emen t s
I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Miles Roberts for his invalu- able advice and supervision. I would also like to thank the Friends of thd National Zoo for the opportunity to work at the National Zoological Park it Washington, D.C.
References
Allen, M. and 0. Oftedal. 1983. Calcium and phorphorus levels in live prey. Proceedings American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums Regional Meetings.
Lehner, P. 1979. Handbook of ethological methods. Garland STPM Press,
New York, 403 pp.
Roberts, M. and B. Cunningham. Unpublished manuscript. Habitat use pattern: of captive western tarsiers, TciUZoA bancCLniLi>. 26.
^
344
Missing LYnX
o
NZP VOLUNTEERS SERVE VARIED AREAS OF ZOO EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
By
Angola V.
MolantnoA
Halionat loo, WcUihlngton, V.C.
''olunteer members of the Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) at the Nat- :ional Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. perform tasks in many varied ireas. We conduct tours, teach pre-school and grammar school courses, lirect activities in the ’discovery rooms’ called ZOOlab, BIRDlab, and lERPlab, assist keepers and gardners, operate the Hand-Rearing Facility, md serve as behavior observers/data recorders for many of the Zoo’s re- |5earch projects.
?his spring and summer we again participated in the 24-hour-a-day Giant *anda Pregnancy Watch. Many of the volunteers have been involved with Various Panda Watch programs since 1972, when Hsing Hsing, our male and jing Ling, our female. Giant Pandas arrived from the People’s Republic )f China,
if ter many years of breeding attempts. Ling Ling gave birth to a 4.7 oz. nale cub on 21 July, 1983; it died three hours after its birth of pre- iatal bronchopneumonia.
’’his year the watch ran from 18 June to 13 August and 104 volunteers de- lated 1605 hours of round-the-clock ’watching’ and recording of data, lining gave birth to a stillborn 5 oz. male cub at 22:34 on 5 August, 1984. '.'he cub was born about two hours and 15 minutes after the mother began jiaving regular contractions. Her delivery took place in a nest of bamboo ihat she built in one corner of the den. The cub never moved or made the loud cries that were expected from a baby panda, but Ling licked and held ihe infant as she did in 1983, once more she was a terrific mother.
I'he volunteers, the National Zoo staff, the Washington community and panda iinthusiasts worldwide were disappointed and grieved by the loss of the :ub. But Ling Ling is healthy, we learned a lot, and we will still be olunteering for duty next year.
[EdUXon.' 6 Note,: This column dedicated to tko6e many tndtvtd- uat6--docent6 , volunteen^ and educatonj>--(A}ko play ^ack an Im- portant r.ole In today' ^ zoo^. Tho6e Involved tn ^uch acttvtt- tei> axe encouxaged to 6abmtt matoxtal {^ox the "Mts^tng Lynx" section, )
345
SURVEY OF HIND LIMB PARALYSIS
IN CAPTIVE OPPgSSUMS
By
Jay Jaj>an, Avumat Ke.e.peA, Zoo Jyi6-tAuctlomZ ?n.ognam EducjoZion C2,yit2A, Tu/vtte, Back loo OHjangc, NJ
1. Introduction
A common problem seen at Turtle Back Zoo is the occurrence of hind limb paralysis in the oppossum ( VA^doX-phAJ) VAJigA^yiAJiyia ) . It is known that the oppossum is quite susceptible to a number of naturally occurring diseases as well as experimentally induced ones and is a host to numerous parasites (Pot^kay, 1970). A successful breeding colony was established by Farris (1950) who suggested that ample exercise space should be provided. Out- door cages measuring 15 x 12 x 6 feet were recommended. McManus (1971) provided smaller outdoor enclosures and found that peak activity levels usually occurred between 10:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Exercise space avail- able to the animal at night is therefore more important than available space during the day.
Forced exercise may be necessary to maintain the animal's health. Due to the opossum's capacity to store enormous quantities of fat, obesity may become a problem if adequate exercise is not allowed (Fritz, 1971).
An ascending paralysis was observed by Fritz (1971) and it was postulated that the paralysis could be avoided by allowing ample exercise. Stout branches, horizontal and vertical logs were recommended to be included in opossum enclosures by Collins (1973) to facilitate exercise and other natural behaviors.
2. Survey Methods and Results
A survey was sent to one hundred-eleven zoological parks selected from the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums 1982-83 direc- tory of member institutions (Boyd, 1982). Since the opossum is often used in educational programs, zoos selected for the survey offered out- reach type programs, and housed a variety of terrestrial animals.
Questions included in the survey referred to infant and adult diets, | enclosure size and lighting conditions as well as occurrence and possible diagnosis of the paralysis. Also included was a specific reference to white muscle disease in the opossum, and if any effective changes were made in diets or enclosures to treat the paralysis. i
A summary of data obtained from the returned surveys is shown in Table l.| Raw data and percentages are listed.
Table 1. Frequency of Paralysis
|
Category |
Number of Responses |
Percent of Total |
|
Zoos without paralyzed opossums |
46 |
85 |
|
Zoos housing paralyzed opossums |
8 |
15 |
346
SURVEY OF HIND LIMB PARALYSIS IN CAPTIVE OPOSSUMS, CoyvUme^d
rhree of the eight zoos housing paralyzed opossums have diagnosed the jproblem as white muscle disease. The remaining five did not indicate a diagnosis. Most opossums in zoos are kept in indirect or artificial light (fluorescent light in most cases) and are housed in relatively small cages !(2 X 3 X 4 feet or smaller) during their activity period. Virtually all of these animals were born in the wild and arrived at a zoo when relatively ^oung (a few days to one or two months). The captive diets varied but all [contained a variety of plant and animal material. A significant relation- fship could not be made between any of these variables and occurrence of the paralysis. Some .paralyzed opossums were treated with dietary supple- nents such as vitathin ^and with increased amounts of exercise. There
Imre no positive resuM^ with either treatment.
3. Discussion
k markedly higher incidence of hind limb paralysis has been seen in the lottnest quokka (SeXonlx b^ckyuALU , another marsupial) when held in small ;>ens as opposed to those housed in larger enclosures (Kakulas, 1963). In the opossum, available exercise space may be important in controlling Dbesity, but does nop seem to contribute to the incidence of hind limb Daralysis on the basis of this survey. Although it is true that most para- lyzed opossums were housed in small cages, most healthy opossums were kept in cages of about the same size.
Perhaps the low incidence of paralysis in the opossum is related to its life span. According to Collins (1973), three to four years is a lengthy longevity for captive opossums. Since the paralysis is more common in Dlder animals, it is possible that death occurs due to other causes be- :fore the animal reaches the age at which the paralysis is usually seen. Another possibility is that zoos may release their specimens at a relative- ly young age. This information was indicated by a few zoos but was not requested on the survey.
Treatment with massive doses of vitamin E has been effective in treating hind limb paralysis due to white muscle disease in other marsupials. hlacKenzie and Fletcher (1980) have seen a reversal of the disease when Soodfellow’ s tree kangaroos were treated in this manner. They also sug- Igest that the minimal daily requirements of certain nutrients for captive w7ild animals should be reevaluated. Kakulas (1961) indicated that pre- liminary findings suggested that vitamin E deprivation may induce this myopathy in the quokka. The diet of wild opossums in New York state is made up of mostly insects and fruit (Hamilton, 1951). It is possible that |the wild diet includes nutrients that the captive diet does not. The [stress involved with captivity may also play a significant role in nutri- jtional requirements. Further research on the nutritional requirement .change when an animal is brought into captivity and its relationship to Idisease seems necessary.
References
Boyd, Linda, ed. 1982. Zoological Parks and Aquariums in the Americas
1982-83 . Wheeling, West Virginia, American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums.
Collins, L. 1973. Monotremes and Marsupials, A Reference Guide for Zoolo- gical Institutions. Washington, D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press.
[Farris, E.J. 1950. The Care and Breeding of Laboratory Animals . New York,
! John Wiley and Sons.
jpritz, H.I. 1971. "Maintenance of the Common Opossum in Captivity."
I International Zoo Yearbook, 11:46-49.
347
SURVEY OF HIND LIMB PARALYSIS IN CAPTIVE OPOSSUMS, CoyvUnutd
Hamilton, W.J. 1953. "The Food of the Opossum in New York State.” The » Journal of Wildlife Management. 15 (3) : 258-264 . i
Kakulas, B.A. 1961. "Myopathy Affecting the Rottnest Quokka Reversed by ' alpha-Tocopherol . ” Nature. 191:402-403.
Kakulas, B.A. 1963. "Influence of the Size of Enclosure on the Development! of Myopathy in the Captive Rottnest Quokka." Nature. 198:673-675. ||
Mackenzie, W.F. and K. Fletcher. 1980. "Megavitamin E Responsive Myopathy ^ in Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroos Associated with Confinement." Pp. 35-3^ in Pathology of Zoo Animals. R.J. Montali and G. Miga'ke, eds., j
Washington D.C., Smithsonian Institution Press. j|
McManus, J. 1971. "Activity of Captive Didelphis marsupilis." Journal of i Mammology. 52:846-848. ii
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348
V
c,URVIVAL
Cincinnati Zoo Celebrates Embryo Transfer Success
By Katktum Rudd
EndangcAdd Spddids Tdckyilcjat BuZldtln RdpAint \/ol. J, Wo. 9
The stork delivers babies, or so folklore would have us believe; but for
1' the endangered bongo, scientists have taken over the role and rewritten I the rules. The bongo's offspring are flown cross-continent before they are even born. The mothers that give birth to them are not the same ones I that conceive them. And what's more, these surrogate moms aren't neces- J sarily of the same species.
• Far-fetched as this story sounds, the Cincinnati Wildlife Research Federa- I tion hopes such practices will save exotic endangered species from extinc- j! tion. Presently Federation researchers are working with nonsurgical embryo L transfer techniques to increase the birth rate and genetic diversity of cap- M tive populations of bongo, a rare and endangered African antelope.
J This summer. Dr. Betsy Dresser, Director of the Federation, announced the first two successful transcontinental transfers of fresh embryos from this exotic species of antelope. Two healthy bongo calves are the result. The first calf born was appropriately named "E.T. - for embryo transfer.
Both calves are full siblings to each other, and yet their birthdays are a
month apart and they have two different mothers, one a bongo and the other
an eland, the world's largest antelope. Without the use of surgery. Dr.
Dresser extracted fresh embryos from the calves' natural dam at the Los Angeles Zoo and flew them to the Cincinnati Zoo. That same day scientists implanted the embryos in five potential surrogate mothers, four elands and one bongo. Only one eland and the bongo became pregnant and gave birth.
Embryo transfers can increase the number of young born to any one female.
A female's capacity to produce embryos exceeds her capacity to bear young. When embryos of an individual bongo are implanted into surrogate mothers of a more numerous species, this female actually produces more young than if she was allowed to reproduce solely on her own.
Embryo transfers have another special implication. "Parkay", the surrogate bongo mother, "had been considered useless in the breeding program because of three years of unsuccessful attempts at natural breeding," said Dr. Dresser. "But today's birth signifies the tremendous value of embryo trans- fers. Parkay is now a vital part of this important breeding program."
But even with healthy birth rates, captive populations still may not sur- vive if they continue to breed only with members of their own population. Restricting genes that can be introduced into the population leads to in- breeding, which eventually reduces the birth rates and increases mortality rates. Embryo transfers between zoos allows zoo personnel to increase genetic diversity without the serious risk and high cost of transporting live animals for breeding purposes.
With this technique, scientists will also be able to collect embryos of wild populations without permanently removing the animals from their habi- tat. Dr. Dresser hopes to visit Africa later this year to obtain embryos from female bongos in a wild herd discovered last fall. These embryos will be frozen for transport back to Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Zoo, one of the organizations that sponsor the Federation, maintains a Frozen Zoo that contains eland embryos and semen samples from approximately 50 exotic spec- ies. The Federation is now experimenting with these frozen embryos. In December 1983, a full-term, normal eland calf was born, after being implant- ed into a surrogate eland mother as a frozen embryo. Although the calf was stillborn, it was the first exotic animal ever produced with a frozen embryo.
349
A RECORD SYSTEM FOR THE SMALL ZOO
By
VonncL HcUton Smith.
Blmingham, AL ^ ^
Copyntght 19S4
I became interested in record systems early in my career as an Animal Keeper in the Birmingham Zoo. After a few frustrating experiences, I be- gan to realize that the system in use was inadequate, poorly maintained, and basically useless particularly as far as the keepers* needs were con- cerned. Keepers kept their thoughts to themselves while the facts sub- mitted on the daily reports disappeared inside the office never to be heard from again. 1 found working an area in the absence of the regular keeper hectic as I tried to find animals that had been relocated and pre- pared new diets in an area I hadn't worked in a long while. At worst, it ^ became dangerous as 1 discovered upon entering their pen that the hippo was in estrous or the once-docile orang no longer tolerated humans. This ! hit and miss approach was unnecessary and I began to look for alternatives. As 1 gained experience with exotic animals and the problems related to ' their care, I defined four reasons that justified the use of a keepers' record system.
1. Continuity; The very nature of a zoo and its inhabitants means constant^ flux. A lot can happen in a short span of time and any absence of the keeper, whether one year, one week, or one work shift, necessitates reac- quaintance with on-going situations. A quick, reliable way was needed to evaluate the state of the area before the keeper ever begins the primary survey so that she/he can be alert to specific problems and conditions. This would increase efficiency and reduce the possibility of overlooking something of importance.
2. Animal welfare: Proper care of an animal requires knowledge of its past? history as well as its condition at last observation. For instance, try- , ing to distinguish between an old injury previously reported and one that ‘ recently occurred can be crucial to an animal's health. Uncertainty can j result in unnecessary handling of an animal already under stress and will !'l greatly increase the chances for further complications. Accurate records J will eliminate confusion and indicate what procedures are called for.
3. Keeper welfare; "Reading" an animal's mood before approaching is a ski]|, most keepers develop for their own survival. However, environmental or , biological changes are constantly influencing animal behavior. Outside pressures or inexperience can hinder a person’s ability to accurately judj a situation. Failure to recognize subtle cues can result in serious per- sonal injury. The more information available the better. Knowing in ad- [i vance the elk is in full rut or the vultures are protecting an egg will ■ help avoid potentially dangerous situations.
4. Reference; With the hindsight afforded by reviewing past experiences '
valuable information is obtained. Such information is useful in making sound decisions concerning an individual animal or an entire department. _ Flaws in routines or facilities can be detected and corrected. The pos- sible reoccurrence of situations such as the rejection of an infant by it;,, mother or the cyclical behavior of particular individuals can be predicted The ability to look over past reactions of a specimen can prove valuable : future moves or shipments, allowing preparations to be made for anticipat| difficulties. Ideas for further research projects can be suggested thus ^ leading to improved breeding and care techniques. |jj
'I
350
RECORD SYSTEM FOR THE SMALL ZOO, CoyvUnu^d
n developing the new record system emphasis was placed on methods that ould fulfill these needs. With the input and support of fellow keepers n the Pachyderm/Deer Corral, a system was devised and put into effect, ise of this system over time proved certain aspects valuable while other "deas became burdensome and were discarded. Later, this system was tail- red for service in the Bird & Reptile Building with alterations to suit he particular needs of the animals and enclosures of that area. The omponents of the resulting system support one another as shown by the lollowing descriptions.
IA.ILY JOURNAL
nformation regarding the activities in an area is recorded on a daily
!asis. Notes on behavior, animal moves, identifications numbers, unusual
eather conditions, or anything that may pertain to the animals are logged V
hronologically in a loose leaf notebook. (A spiral notebook can be used
jut the loose leaf binder allows copies of maintenance request sheets,
apply order forms, etc. to be included.) An entry is made each day even
f it reads only "typical day". Frequently the ritual itself will remind
he writer of notable occurrences that would otherwise have been lost in
he last minute hustle to complete the day’s work.
t is imperative that the journal belong to the building or department and !B accessible to anyone interested. No one has exclusive rights to the aterial nor should it be edited. Entries are restricted to animal-related acts and to data that may influence their lives in some manner. Personal amments are excluded to avoid misinterpretation and clutter.
ALENDAR
a make the detailed information in the daily journal readily accessible calendar is used. A calendar sheet that can accommodate a full month s sufficient for the Pachyderm/Deer Corral. However, with the greater amber of specimens and frequent rearrangement of displays at Birds &
|2p tiles, a weekly sheet is used to allow for the greater volume of notes jsr day.
ich day has space for abbreviated comments which give an idea of that ly’s development. If more detail is needed it is a simple matter to |)ok up the particular day in the daily journal. Four headings are listed j the margin of each calendar sheet: births/hatchings, deaths, in, and It (referring to animals shipped in or out or moved to another department Lthin the zoo) . Appropriate data written here in addition to being on .le proper date makes it easier to look back over several months for a par- iLcular date of interest. Color coding these headings and entries make ick-tracking easier still.
: takes very little time each day to keep these two components up to date 'it they are suprisingly efficient.
le calendar is posted on a clipboard in the service area. At the end of le year they are stored in the front of the three-ring binder holding the ;iily journal for that year. The back of the binder is clearly marked for isy identification. Finally, the information in the margin of each cal- Ijidar sheet is tabulated for a year-end report so that a rough outline of ijie year’s successes and failures is created. The current calendar neatly |j)lves the problem of continuity while the old journals and calendars form liie basis for reference vital to planning future programs.
351
A RECORD SYSTEM FOR THE SMALL ZOO, CoyvUnatd
BULLETIN BOARD
To bring attention to specific situations a bulletin board or chalk board ' in a prominent place is used. This is handy when passing messages between! shifts or when people need to be alerted to particular problems or new situations. A baboon due to deliver at any moment may call for special attention or a bear may have a dose of medication prescribed for midnight. A chalk board or grease pencil board where messages can be written and erased over and over is the best for the job.
MAP
The map is useful in two ways. First, a rough sketch of the animal’s en- closure is drawn and posted on the wall of the service area. Each cage or pen is assigned a number so that notes referring to the area are more easily understood. For instance, "deer moved from lot #1 to lot #3" is clear and more concise than verbal descriptions of the location of the lot involved. When major display renovations necessitate new maps, a copy of the old map is filed with the records that refer to its layout. Otherwise the older records lose some of their clarity.
The map is also useful during the waterfowl nesting season. A general sketch of the three large duck ponds in the center of our zoo is made showing the nesting facilities' locations and identification numbers. A list of these nest sites is used during the daily inspections. Included is space for notes on each site for species nesting there, number of eggs found, etc. In this way a permanent, easily understood survey of the dai. activities on the ponds is created.
SPECIMEN RECORD
Individual identification of the animals is needed to keep accurate med- ical histories and behavior and breeding records. The methods used are as varied as the animals themselves and range from ear tags and leg bands to photographs and drawings. Whatever method is decided upon, each specif men is clearly described. It is not enough that a particular keeper knowj. her/his animals by sight. To others they may all look alike so each crea ture must be recognized for those times when the regular caretaker is not around .
Individual records in the Bird & Reptile Building were filed in a three- ring binder alphabetically by the species’ common name. ISIS number, , technical name, familiar name, sex, and date of birth or arrival is writt across the top of a particular animal’s sheet. In some cases a display record is maintained such as when a breeding pair is isolated or when a large, mixed-species display makes individual ID very difficult. Anythir pertaining to these animals is then dated and listed.
A useful tool is the general information sheet filed for each species. Habitat, natural foods, pairing behavior, etc. is collected and updated when new data is made available through professional publications and gatherings .
EGG iRECORDS
As we do daily nest checks, eggs are given ID numbers as they are collec ed. The number itself is in two parts; the first part represents the ne; number and the second part reflects the number of the egg in that clutch
352
. RECORD SYSTEM FOR THE SMALL ZOO, ConUnu^d
(if more than one clutch is laid in that nest site in the same season, a , latter follows the number to denote that fact. Thus, an egg numbered 2-7B would be from site 12, the seventh egg laid in the second clutch, lese numbers are assigned and recorded on the nest list described under :^S.
ipen the eggs are set in the incubator the date, species, ID number, and jae date are written on the incubator record sheet. Space is made avail- ; ole for future notes on anything that may befall the egg all the way :irough successful hatching. Incubator records are posted on a clipboard !2xt to the incubator.
GENERAL
,ienever possible post charts, lists, calendars, etc. on separate clip- pards hung where they are easily available and visually obvious. A large [Lipboard is useful in this endeavor as well as helpful in keeping the ata centralized.
St a specific time to make entries into the record system. The last five inutes of the day is a good time to update the daily journals and the alendar. Schedule time on the first of the month or on an ordinarily iiiet day to transfer data to specimen records, tabulate information, or nstigate new ideas. Set the schedule and stick to it.
numb tab old calendar sheets by the month after they are filed in the jinder. Make sure the binder is well marked so that it can be quickly ptrieved from the shelf when it is needed.
nitial all entries in case something needs clarification in the future.
nvolve as many people as possible. The more heads the more ideas. Support tom fellow professionals is priceless.
Publications Available
ne North Jersey AAZK Chapter has developed a Keeper's Guide to informing le public on caring for wild infant birds. Although much of the infor- ition contained within the manual is specific to the state of New Jersey, le concept and format may be useful in the development of similar versions )ecific to other localities.
) obtain a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped legal size envelope to;
Jay Jasan North Jersey AAZK Turtle Back Zoo 560 Northfield Ave. West Orange, NJ 07052
1 4 April, the Turtle Back Zoo hosted a symposium on the captive breed- ig techniques used on the bald eagle. Transcripts are now available 3r a nominal fee to cover printing and postage costs. Included in the transcript is information from the National Zoological Park, the Cincin- iti Zoo, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Fish and Lldlife Service's Endangered Species Breeding Program at Patauxent, MD. 3r further information, contact: Dr. P. Zauber, President, New Jersey Dological Scoeity, 560 Northfield Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 or call
101) 325-7878.
353
Legislative News
CompAJiQ^d by KevXn Comay
RECENT ACTIONS UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT CoofidimXon.
In recent actions under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. Department of Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service has issues the follow- ing final rules:
(1) Determined Endangered Status and Critical Habitat for the Yaqui chub (Gy(Jia puApu/Lea.) on the San Bernadino National Wildlife Refuge, effec- tive 1 October, 1984.
(2) Determined immediate Endangered Status for:
(a) Guam broadbill ( Hydjigaa {]K2,y(lln2Xd,\ effective 27 August 1984.
(b) Mariana crow jCoaviU ImbaAyl} , effective 27 August 1984.
(c) Mariana gallinule iGottlnula chZo^opLU, guLoml) , Effective 21 August 1984.
(d) Micronedian kingfisher (Halcyon CycnnomomCna (Unnamomlna] , effec- tive 27 August 1984.
(e) Guam rail (RalliJU, omtoni] effective 27 August 1984.
(f) Vanikoro swift let (kcnjodhjmah vayU.kon.cni>-ti> ba/vti>ckl) , effec- tive 27 August 1984.
(g) Bridled white-eye (lo^tOAop^ con^plcJJMuta cotuplolllata) , effective 27 August 1984.
(h) Little Mariana fruit bat (PteAopcU tokudac] , effective 27 August 1984.
(i) Mariana fruit bat ( PtoAopai ma/Uannii6 manyiannLL!> ) , effective 27 August 1984.
(j) Key Largo woodrat (Ncotoma {■^lonJ^dana malLi) ^ effective 31 Aug- ust 1984.
(k) Key Largo cotton mouse ( p£Aomy6CLL6 go6-6yp-lniL6 aHapodU-COla ) , effective 31 August 1984.
FWS waived the normal 30-day period between the expiration of the emer- gency rule and implementation of the final rule on all of the above species because of threats facing them.
(3) Determined Endangered Status for:
(a) Slender-petaled mustard (TkelypodUum ^tcnopctalum] , effective 1 October 1984.
(b) Pedate checker -mallow (Sldalcca pcdota) , effective 1 Oct. 1984.
(4) Determined Threatened Status and Critical Habitat for:
(a) Beautiful shiner ( hi otA.0 p-l6 {\ 0Hm06 UA ) ;
(b) Yaqui catfish (Ic^taluAlU p/LtCCl)
Both are found on the San Bernadino National Wildlife Refuge, and the effective date for both rulings is 1 October 1984.
(5) Reclassified from Threatened to Endangered Status the Schaus swallow- tail butterfly ( HeAacttdc6 ( PgpXtto ) oAlstodmiU ponccamU> ] , effec- tive 1 October 1984.
(6) Removed from the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife the Bahama swallowtail butterfly ( H c/Laclyidcs ( P apyclA.0 ) andAacJVon bonho-t( effective 1 October 1984.
Also in a final ruling, FWS has amended Part 17 of Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations in order to comply with certain changes made in the Endangered Species Act of 1973 by the Endangered Species Act Amend- ments of 1982. Part 17 is hereby amended to establish procedures for:
(1) The establishment and/or designation of certain populations of speci otherwise listed as endangered or threatened as experimental populations
(2) the determination of such populations as "essential" or "nonessentia and (3) the promulgation of appropriate protective regulatory measures f such populations.
ECOLOGY USA/Scpt. 24, 1984
354
:GISLATIVE news, CoyvUnmd
lOPOSMS MADE FOR UPCOMING CITES MEETING
II 29 August, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) held a public meeting 3 discuss the provisional agenda of the next meeting of the Conference E Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species f Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This was the first of a series of meet- igs which will be held before the April Conference.
TO of the agenda items are of particular interest to AAZPA: A CITES j2gister of Traders in Live Specimens and a Definition of "Primarily pmmercial Purposes." The idea of a registry has been discussed for the ,ast few years and is being advocated by Paraguay, Israel and Columbia, ie registry would include all persons buying, selling, trading or ex- langing live wildlife in international trade. Zoos, medical research acilities, entertainment groups and commercial dealers would be listed.
he second proposal is to define "primarily commercial purposes". One |E the requirements for the issuance of an Appendix I import permit is that tie specimen "is not to be used for primarily commercial pusposes". tenmark is seeking to define those terms because there is no specific de- inition in CITES.
tiis raises numerous questions including, for example, whether the import !f an Appendix I specimen for display at a public zoo would satisfy the oncommercial requirement if the zoo purchases the specimen. The Danes imply that there should be a difference between profit and nonprofit zoo- logical institutions. They also question the status of commercial animal ealers.
'his Danish concept was discussed in June at the Technical Committee meeting f CITES in Brussels. At that time, a subcommittee was appointed to draft ^ resolution and a chairman appointed. The chairman was a representative f the Department of the Interior. To date, there is a very limited amount f information about what the subcommittee intends to do.
e will monitor the development of these two proposals and actively par- jicipate in the development of the U.S. negotiating positions for the ieeting.
f
— K. Unh/u, In
AAZPA OcXoboA 1984
rWS PROPOSES MEASURES TO REDUCE LEAD POISONING RISK IN BALD EAGLES
I
'l.s. Fish and Wildlife Service director Robert Jantzen has announced pro- posed new conservation measures designed to reduce the risk to bald eagles I rom lead poisoning. Jantzen noted that the number of bald eagles has been |.ncreasing in recent years, but that the species is not fully recovered from .iarlier declines caused primarily by the effects of pesticides and loss of labitat. Examinations of bald eagles that have been found dead indicate :hat some have died of lead poisoning.
'We have carefully examined available scientific data concerning lead )oisoning in bald eagles," Jantzen said. "Although this examination indi- cated the need for additional scientific data to better identify the cause I)f and cure for this problem, we believe our unique responsibility to pro- ;ect our national bird requires action now to alleviate the risk of lead poisoning in eagles. Therefore, we are proposing a comprehensive program TO believe to be both responsible and scientifically appropriate. We plan
355
LEGISLATIVE NEWS, CoyvUnu2.d
to work closely with the States in this effort, and we hope the public will comment on the proposal and work with us in developing and carrying out this conservation plan."
The FWS has been studying lead poisoning in bald eagles for some time, but a recent petition from the National Wildlife Federation served to intensify the Service’s efforts, Jantzen added. Citing potential threats to eagles, NWF on 1 August petitioned the Service to immediately impose emergency non-i toxic (steel) shot zones for waterfowl hunting in six counties in five stati or else close waterfowl hunting in those areas this fall. NWF also identi- fied 89 counties in 30 states where it said the Service should establish nontoxic shot zones for the 1985-86 waterfowl season in order to protect ba eagles.
Jantzen said the FWS shares the Federation’s concern for bald eagles, but agency biologists question the scientific validity of some of the assump- tions NWF made in its petition. Based upon the continued recovery of the bald eagle, the Service has found no "emergency" warranting the immediate imposition of nontoxic shot zones or the closure of waterfowl hunting, he said.
However, Jantzen said, the FWS agrees additional measures are needed to lessen the potential threat to eagles from lead poisoning. Therefore, the Service proposed, in the September 14 Federal Register, a comprehensive conservation program including the following elements:
(1) Establishment of three categories of areas where there is evidence that bald eagles have either died from lead poisoning or could potentially be affected by lead poisoning. While these areas are now identified or! a countywide basis, the Service may refine them to more specific eco- logical units, such as river basins.
(2) Announcement of the Service’s decision to propose regulations by mid- December banning the use of lead shot for the 1985-86 waterfowl season in the areas of greatest concern unless additional study and public comment demonstrate this regulation would be inappropriate. These ares known as "Category I", are Siskiyou and Moduc Counties (CA) ; Klamath ar Jackson Counties (OR) ; and Holt County (MO) . The Service will make a final decision on this regulatory option in mid-November, after a revi€ of public comments and any further data acquired by that time.
(3) Accelerated acquisition and review of data concerning lead poisoning ii eagles in 14 counties in 11 states — "Category 11" — with the possibility that some Category II areas ultimately may be added to the Category I list after the public comment period. The Service is seeking all avail able data and requesting public comments on whether any of the Category II areas should be designated as nontoxic shot zones for the 1985-86 waterfowl season. Counties listed as Category II areas are; Thurston and Clallam (WA) ; Lassen and Butte (CA) ; Weber (UT) ; Canyon (ID) ; Coconino (AZ) ; Churchill (NV) ; Jefferson (AR) ; Madison (IL) ; Terrebonni (LA) ; Dorchester (MD) ; Washington and Hancock (ME) .
(4) Accelerated acquisition and review of data for an additional 10 countii in 7 states. For these "Category III" areas, the Service will review whatever additional data becomes available during the public comment period and will reassess its current decision to focus on further re- search, instead of regulatory action in these areas. Category III coui ies are; Whatcom, Pierce, and Spokane (WA) ; Duchesne (UT) ; Mississippi (AR) ; St. Charles (MO); Mason and Henderson (IL) ; Ballard (KY) ; and Sagadahoc (ME) .
(5) Development of short term and long term research strategies to provide
356
4GI$LATIVE NEWS,
Continued
additional scientific data on lead poisoning in bald eagles.
) Development of an objective public information program on the topic of lead poisoning in bald eagles. Public comments are also actively solicited on both the research and education aspects of the proposed
; program.
lad poisoning in bald eagles has been related to waterfowl hunting because lid eagles sometimes prey on waterfowl, particularly in winter. Fish id Wildlife Service biologists believe eagles get lead poisoning primarily i’om swallowing lead pellets embedded in the tissue of birds that have been l.t, but not retrieved, rather than from eating waterfowl that have them- ilves died of lead poisoning. Although eagles may obtain lead from other lurces, the extent of this exposure is currently unknown.
le bald eagle is listed as an "endangered" species in 43 states and as a bhreatened" species in 5 states; the population in Alaska is considered jalthy and has not been listed under the Endangered Species Act. In recent [jars the number of bald eagles in the lower 48 states has been steadily icreasing in response to declining levels of pesticides in the environment U to Federal and State restoration efforts. The National Wildlife Federa- Lon, which sponsors an annual mid-winter count of bald eagles, reported j population of 11,819 eagles in 1984, compared with 10,903 sighted in 1983. lis count includes many eagles that migrate south from Canada for the win- Lr. USFWS biologists say that the number of eagles residing in the lower 3 states throughout the year has also increased and now numbers between i,000 and 6,000 birds, including 1,500 to 1,600 nesting pairs.
—-V2.pt. oi l¥it2AAX}^
S^ptembeA 14, 1984
ECRETARY CLARK HONORS TENNECO OIL CO. FOR WETLANDS CONSERVATION EFFORTS
lecretary of the Interior William Clark recently presented the Department's lonservation Service Award to Tenneco Oil Exploration and Production for n innovative wetlands protection project the firm has initiated in Louisi- Ina's coastal marshes.
Ilark said Tenneco approached the USFWS more than a year ago with a pro— osal to intensively manage for wildlife a 5,000— acre marshland tract the ompany owns in the Louisiana Delta. The program involves installation Ind operation of a series of water control structures to prevent saltwater intrusion and preserve the marsh.
ecent studies by FWS indicate Louisiana loses approximately 40 sq. mi. f coastal marsh to saltwater intrusion and erosion each year. Under this ,ew project, the Service will allow management of this area by Tenneco as litigation or compensation for environmental impacts accompanying future rejects undertaken by the firm in the Delta region.
in 1982, knowing that a submerged oil platform would make an excellent irtificial reef to attract marine life, Tenneco removed one of its old lOO-ton platforms from the Gulf of Mexico and towed it nearly 300 miles ;o coastal Florida, where it was submerged to benefit fishing. This action iielped stimulate widespread interest in what has come to be known as the j'rigs to reefs" program. Among its other environmental activities, Tenneco |.s currently working with the State Dept, in providing technical assistance jm environmental issues to less developed countries.
---V^pt. oi) Jnt2Aton. N2W^ Release S2.pt. 12, 1984
357
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION {RQ^qLuAmQ-wt oi Section 448.31 Vomc6tlc Moul Mamial]
Title of Publication: AnljncU. KccpeA^ ' fon.um Publication Number: 01649531 Date of Filing: 25 September 1984
Frequency of Issue: Monthly. Number of issues published annually = 12. Annual Subscription Price = $20.00
Location of Known Office of Publication: Topeka Zoological Park, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Publisher: American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc., Topeka Zoological Park, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Executive Editor: Alice Miser, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Managing Editor: Susan D. Ghan, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606.
Owner: American Association of Zoo Keepers, Inc., Topeka Zoological Park,! 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, Ks 66606.
The puApo^e, {^unction, and nonpn.oiAX 6tcutLU oi thyU oKQaviLzatlon and the exempt ^tatcoi ¥eden.at Income Tax puJipo6e^ have not changed duJving the pAecedlng 12 months.
EXTENT AND NATURE OF CIRCULATION i
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Average No. Copies Each Issue during Preceding 12 months |
Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published nearest to Filing Date |
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Total Number |
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Copies Printed |
2010 |
2050 |
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Mail Subscriptions |
1880 |
1941 |
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Copies Not Distributed |
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(Office use, left-over) |
36 |
35 |
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Exchange, Complimentary |
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Copies distributed |
94 |
74 |
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TOTAL |
2010 |
2050 |
I c2Atl{^y that the 6tatementi> made by me above a/ie conJiecct and complete.
358
SlgnatuAe and ttXle o{, Edeton,
QLSxc
Managing Edlton.
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AAZK Accessories Available
Pins And Charms: Enameled three- quarter inch pins and charms with the official AAZK logo are now available. They are done in the same colors as the AAZK Patch and the charms are suitable for necklaces (you provide the chain) . The price per pin or charm is $3.50 which includes postage. To order send your name, complete mailing address, number of pins or charms desired to: AAZK National, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, Ks 66606.
Make check or money order payable to AAZK National.
Buttons : For a "Keepers Care" Button, send the coupon and 50c to: Larry Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.
Sti ckers : The official AAZK sticker is available through the Memphis Zoo Chapter. The sticker is a black and white reproduction of the AAZK rhino logo, suitable for any smooth, hard surface, especially a car win- dow. Cost is $1.50 complete, prepaid. Make checks payable to the Memphis Chapter, AAZK and send directly to Mike Maybry, Sticker Project Coordin- ator, 1887 Crump Ave., Memphis, TN 38107.
AAZK T-shirts with the official emblem are now available from the Phoenix Chapter. The price is $6.75 including postage and handling. Sizes Small, Medium, Large, and Extra-Large are available in two colors: Tan with dark brown logo and Dark Brown with white logo. To order, complete coupon below or copy information and send with check or money order to: Mike Carpenter, 4409 E. Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85008. Make checks payable to "Phoenix AAZK Chapter". Shirts will be returned by 1st Class mail.
AAZK T-Shirt Order Form
Please send ^T-shirts at $6.75 each. COLOR: TAN BROWN
SIZE: Small ^Medium Large Extra-Large
NAME :
ADDRESS :
CITY: STATE: ZIP:
359
Jn^tltmtlon^ Making to advQAtyUQ, mploymdyit oppontuyUtloj) oAe (uke,d to I 6md peAtindnt data by thd 15tk oi mah month to: OppontuvUty Knocks /AK¥, \ 635 Gage. Blvd. , Topdka, KS 66606. TkeAe, t6 no ckoAge. ^o/l -&uch ttsttng. ' Vldo^e. tncJbxdd cto^tng date, iofi po^ttlon avattabte.. \
REPTILE KEEPER, ♦♦ requires a B.S. in biological sciences and a demonstrated j knowledge of reptile husbandry along with amphibian culture experience. 1 Ability to prepare data for publication, public speaking skills and me- ! chanical, carpentry, artistic and photography skills helpful. Send resume j to; Angelo Monaco, New York Zoological Society, 185th Street and Southern i Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460. |
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIUE. . .responsible for obtaining leads; helpful to j know animal /veterinary field; permissible to represent more than one pub- j lication/book. Experience preferred but not necessary. For more infor- | mation call Ronald S. Lippert, AHT at (415) 664-3469 or write P.O. Box j 22605, San Francisco, CA 94122.
ASSISTANT CURATOR. .. $13, 644 - $16,931. Directs, assists and participates in the care, feeding and handling of animals, and maintenance of grounds, pens and equipment at Chehaw Wild Animal Park. Assists in construction pro- jects. Requires five years’ relevant education and ex- perience with wild animals normally found in a zoo.
Possess considerable knowledge of animal behavior and care; of regulations for keeping captive wildlife; and of equipment associated with animal handling and care and the ability to use such equipment. APPLY TO: Personnel Office, City of Albany, P.O. Box 447, Albany, GA 31703 or call (912) 883-2414. Apply by 11-26-84. EOE/AA/M/F/H.
CURATORIAL TRAINEE. . .requires master’s degree in biological or related animal sciences. Will work with long-term captive propagation of endangered species. Animal manage- ment, data management and computer operations experience are preferred. Send resume and salary requirements to: Angelo Monaco, New York Zoological Scoiety, 185th St. and Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460.
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For either position, send resume to City of Louisville Personnel Office, 609 W. Jefferson St., Louisville, KY 40202.
MOVING???
Please send change of address as soon as possible to:
Dotty CloAk, Admlnt^t/Lattve, Se.cAeXaAy AmeAtaan A^^ocJjxtlon oi loo Ke.e.peA^, Inc.. 635 Gage. Btvd. , Tope.ka, KS 66606
360
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
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Check heAc H.cnmaZ. [ ]
Address
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ViM-tAjnc KccpeJU
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Att mmbcu out^X,dc the U,S. and Canada
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$15.00 Affiliate
Otken. i>taH and volunteers
$50.00 Contributing
Organizations and individuals U.S. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
Virectory Injonmatlon
Too Honk Area Special Jntemsts
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Animal Keepers' forum. The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U.S. and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Animal Keepers ' forum publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6” x 10" (15 cm x 25^^ cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to Animal Keepers’ forum will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions I are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION IS THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
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SPECIAL EDITION December 1984
' f / i ^
'A \
10th National
AAZK Conference
1984
Dedicated to Professional Animal Care
FORUM, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606
ANIMAL KEEPERS'
Executive Editor: Alice Miser DECEMBER 1984
Managing Editor: Susan Chan VOLUME ELEVEN
Associate Editor: Bernie Feldman NUMBER TWELVE
Kviunal K^^peA^’ FoAum (ISSN 0164-9531) is a monthly journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, 635 Gage Blvd., Topeka, KS 66606. Five dollars of each membership fee goes toward the annual publishing costs of AyUmcit KO-Hpe/u' foAum, Second Class postage paid at Topeka, KS. Postmaster: Please send address changes to:
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS, INC, ^
NATIONAL HEAVdUARTERS, 635 GAGE ELUV,, TOPEKA, KS 66606 Vo tty CloAk, AdmTyU^tAcutlve, SdcAnXjCUiy J
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Kevin Conway, NZP /Conservation & Research Center ?A<Z^T.dQ,Ylt
Front Royal, VA 22630
Jean Hromadka, San Diego Wild Animal Park t/i.ce PA^^TdZYlt
Escondido, CA 92025
Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614 Mike Carpenter, Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix, AZ 85010 Verona Barr, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL 61701
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Coordinator for Chapter Affairs
GoAoZd Payne., VeXAolt Zoo
Continuing Keeper Education
Pat SammoAco, LTncioln PoAk Zoo Historical Committee LoAAy SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Professional Standards Committee Jan McCoy, Workington PoAk Zoo
International Affairs Coordinator
Connie Cloak, NouhvMc, TN
Research/Crants Committee
FAank Kokn, National Zoological PdAii'
Awards Co^ittee 'jpn.
Mike CAockoA, VlckoAMOn PoAk loo Legislative Action Committee Kevin Comay, NIP /CPS,, FAont Royal
PROJECT HEADS
Staff Exchange
ElandAo Aim, OJoodland PoAk
Program Library
Anne M. Payne, VetAolt Zoo
Exhibit Design
Vtane Fofuym, AfzAon loo
Keeper Accomodations List
OtlveA Clayey, MqXao ToAonto
Keeper Training Videotapes
ifJayne Buchanan, Woodland PoAk
Zoo
Animal Data Transfer Fenao
EeAnle Feldman, Topeka Zoo
Membership Directory Pat SammoAco, Lincoln PoAk Diet Notebook
South FloAlda AAZK CkapteA ''' Biological Values/Gestation
MoAy Muac, San pAonclico Zoo Keeper Data Survey MoAy Slaybaugk, San Antonio Zoo
. ri'
Reference Search
Lez McLaughlin, RogeA (jUlltlam^ PoAk Zoo/ Jenny Rent/^AOiO, Ma^on, Michigan
REGIONAL COORDINATORS Mike CoApenteA, Phoenix Zoo, AZ, VlAectoA
W.V. Stone MemoAial Zoo
Linda RohA l/acancy Gene P^eHeA Angela Keppel Lee Payne Lynne l/ltteA6 LoAAy SammoAco Plane KAug Alan ShoAple^ Vacancy Candy Kao it
LauAence Gledhlll Joanle Stinson Vacancy
Philadelphia Zoo National Zoo VetAolt Zoo Indlanapollt Zoo Lincoln PoAk Zoo RlveAbank^ Zoo Atlanta Zoo
Rio GAande Zoo
li] 00 (Hand PoAk Zoo Phoenix Zoo
ME,VT,NH,MA,RI,CT
NY
PA,NJ,MV,VE
VA,{U,VA,VX,
MI
IN,0N,Ky (fJI,IL,M0,MN,IA TN,NC,SC FL,AL,GA AR, MS, LA
TX,NM,C0,0K,KS,NE,
SV,NV
HJA,0R,IV,MT,(jUY,AK
CA,NV,AZ,UT,HI
Canada
TABLE OF- CONTENTS
Final Thoughts from Seattle
Births and Hatchings
Coming Events
Continuing Keeper Education
I Overview of 1984 AAZK Board of Director's Meeting
361
363
364
365 368
Animal Keepers' Forum: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Chal 1 enge. .374
Illness and Recovery in a Male Koala: A Case History 380
The Keeper As An Educational Resource 384
Fish Without Tears: Some Basic Considerations in Aquatic Exhibit
Design for Zoos 388
Opportunity Knocks 389
Horticultural Enhancement of Exhibits at the Arizona-Sonora
Desert Museum 390
Information Please 393
A Gorilla Food Preference Study 394
'^"'esno's Wolf Woods: Frustrations Resolved 398
\:.ap\:ive Maintenance of the Tailed Frog {McjiphLU tAmul] at the
Washi*^g-^on Park Zoo, Portland, OR 402
The Modern Keeper in a Small Growing Zoo 411
•^'hat To Do When Your Zoo Doesn't Have A Graphics Department 416
'■’’et .Notebook Collection Centers 419
rations for Artificial Insemination in Two Asian Elephant Cows. .420
i
■Ji’cbandry and Breeding of the Water Ouzel the Washington Park Zoo
Zoo C’mo: A Learning Experience
Chapter News
( CZncliu mi2,xlcjinLU> ) at
424
437
440
Ac« Patterns and Sexual Behavior in Two Pairs of Snow Leopards
.^T'a.wtkQML ancia) 441
I Captive Breeding of the Common Trumpeter [V^ophla cA2.pJJ:ayi!>] at
Woodland Park Zoological Gardens 461
AAZK Exhibit Design Form. 466
The Dawn Philosopher 467
Management and Husbandry of the Western Tarsier (To/uIlls banaaniu ) at
the National Zoological Park 7777777.77777777 468
Establishing a Pride of Lions at the New Pittsburgh Zoo 478
Sliding Door Nest Boxes at Front Royal 484
Death of an Alpha Guinea Baboon ( Vaplo pap^o ) : The Effects on the
Offspring 495
Index for Vol . XI, Nos. 1-12, 1984
506-514
From The Editor's Desk
Dear Members,
The Editorial Staff of Animal Keepers' Forum is pleased to bring you this expanded December issue. It contains not only some of our regular features, but also the proceedings and papers from the 1984 National AAZK Conference held this past October in Seattle, WA. An overview of the annual meeting of the AAZK Board of Directors is also included and will help to update you on the Association's activities during the past year.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have con- tributed material to AKF during 1984. Without your support and willing- ness to share your knowledge, the Forum cannot grow and mature. During this 10th anniversary year for AKF, the staff has given a lot of thought to improvements and changes which will help us better serve the needs of the AAZK membership. We hope you have all taken the time to fill in and return the questionnaire which was included as a tear-out in the November issue. We need your input and suggestions to chart a course for AKF's second decade. If you haven't already sent your completed questionnaire in, please do so soon.
This Special Edition will be sent to all members whose membership was current as of 26 November, 1984. A limited number of extra copies have been ordered and may be purchased from National Headquarters for $6.00 each.
Once again, our sincere thanks for your participation, encouragement and support. We wish to you all a wonderful holiday season and a New Year filled with peace and contentment.
Si ncerely.
Silvan V, Chan Managing EcUXon.
ALlCLQ, UaJ)2A ExQ^auutlvQ, EdJjtoK.
V>QAYii<i Edidman kii^ocdatu EditoK
$ &<m€U SPeoMle
Zoofeeepe/L6 miMt have. inA,e.ndU> .In high places. Se-cufXte. KeXuAyie.d to noAmal (RAIW/) <X4 .6oon 06 the. CovL{^eAe.nc.e. u)o6 oveA and eveAyone. had. te.it. But ioo live. day6, oveA 200 people, enjoyed GREAT meutheA Mklle .6mpptng i>toAieJif vAJittong zoo4, exchanging InioAmatlon, heanlng papeAt, meeting old and new iAlendU and jub6t basically having an outAageouMly good time.
Vlnal count ia}cu> 205 delegate^) - 130 oeglsteAed ion. the iull ilve day^; 75 n.egl6teAed ion. Individual day6 on. events duAlng the Meek. Sixty -one IvUitltutlovu Mene AepAesented. Velegatet in.om Canada, England, J6n.ael, Japan and ka6tAalla MeAe In attendance. OuA Conienence 16 deilnlteZy gAOMlng eveAy yeoA, Mith a goeaten. vanlety oi people {and knoMledge] showing up at each one. Ji you’ve neven been to a Conienence, do eveny- thlng you can to get to Miami. It Mill be Month ail youn eiiont6.
Wa4 It Month all the hand Monk? ABSOLUTELY! ! ! The thnee oi u6 one ^till speaking to each othen and to evenyone eJUe Involved In putting It togethen. We can't give enough thanks to the Conienence Committee ion all theln hand Monk. With planning and coopenatlon. It CAN be an event that evenyone can enjoy; not a headache that you hope Mill end 6oon. So iutune Conienence Ho-6t6 (’85 S beyond] take heant; It Mill be Month it!
Oi couA6e, In many May^, a Conienence l6 only 06 good o6 the people Mho attend. Without a doubt, zoo and aquanlum iol\z6 one 4ome oi the nlce6t anound. We’ne veny gnateiul ion all the coopenatlon and help inom eveny- one beione and dunlng the Conienence. By iolloMlng the nulc6, staying on schedule, not complaining Mhen things didn’t go quite night, and pitching In Mhen needed, you made ouA job6 much eo6len. We can’t thank you enough ion being 6uch gneat people.
One oi the bej6t things about putting a Conienence togethen l6 the contacts made dunlng the planning. We noM have much ^tnongen neZatloYi6 Mith the local zoo and aquanlum^ that took pant. The iolk^ at Point Veilance In Tacoma got -6o active they decided to 6tant theln oMn chapten to batten ^enve theln neecL6. We Mould like to Melcome the Mount Tahoma [Indian name ion Mt. Ranlen] Chapten and Mlhh it 6ucce66 In the coming yean6.
361
OuA om AegAeX -16 that t/Ue didn't qqX a gAoup pictuAe. o{^ aJil thd de.?,e- gat2J>. Tko. plan Ma6 to take tt the day Me visited ?t. Ve^iance and NoAthwe^t JAek, Un^o/itunately two Of) the buu>Qj> misled a tuAno^^, got on the Aoad to Tijuana, and by the time they got to TAek it wcu> too late loA the pictuAe. Soo . . .eoeayone ha6 to come to Uiamt we can tAy again,
Thanlu to eocAyone that {filled out the que^ttonnaiAe about the Seattle Con{iQAence. The in^oAmation obtained (what people liked, dUliked, what they would do to impAove it] will help make lutuAe AAZK Con^eAencei^ even bettoA. It' 6 input like this, ^Aom the membeA6, that makai> AAZK the ex- cellevt oAgantzation it iJi. The thAee oi u6 weAe lucky to be able to contAibute to it, Miami will be youA chance to do the 6ame, We will be theAe and expect to bee all oi you theAe too,
Co-chaiApeA6on6
b
L
VebbeAa StecheA
362
Births|^ Hatchings
TAMPA— BUSCH GARDENS Scuan Rackl2.y
October 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.1 Greater kudu, 1.0 Kafue (Red) lechwe, 1.0 Grant's gazelle, 0.1 Sitatunga, 0.1 Dorcas gazelle, 0.1 Topi,
3.0 Scimitar-horned oryx, 1.0 Gemsbok, 0.1 Hunter's hartebeest, 0.1 Nyala,
10.0.2 Common marmoset, 0.0.5 African pygmy goat; Birds - 0.0.2 Jandaya conure, 0.0.3 Red-crested touraco, 0.0.2 Forsten's lorikeet, 0.0.2 Superb starling, 0.0.2 Chattering lory and 0.0.1 Cockatiel.
PHILADELPHIA ZOO BoXk Bahn^
B&H for June through October 1984 include: Mammals - 8 Gray short-tailed opossum, 1 Red kangaroo, 5 Pygmy hedgehog tenrec, 0.1 Vampire bat (DNS),
1 Ring-tailed lemur, 3 Geoffrey's marmoset (1 DNS), 1.0 Western lowland gorilla, 2 Acouchi, 1 Kinkajou, 0.1 Ardvark, 1.0 Llama (DNS), 0.2 Guanaco (0.1 DNS), 1 Reeve's muntjac, 1.0 Barasingha (DNS), 2.0 Springbok (1.0 DNS); Birds - 3 Hermit ibis, 1 Caribbean flamingo, 5 Trumpeter swan (DNS), 3 Aleutian Canada goose (1 DNS), 3 Hooded merganser (2 DNS), 3 American merganser (DNS) , 6 North American ruddy duck (3 DNS) , 1 Palawan peacock pheasant, 3 Red and white crake, 5 Renauld's ground cuckoo (1 DNS), 10 Hooded pitta (3 DNS), 2 Orange-bellied euphonia (DNS), 2 Scarlet tanager (DNS), 3 Gouldian finch, 2 Emerald starling; Reptiles - 2 Paraguay caiman,
1 Water monitor, 25 Uracoan rattlesnake and 1 Eyelash viper.
NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF LIFE & SCIENCES John Roxby
During August and September of 1984, the Museum hatched 17 Corn snakes and 9 Northern pine snakes.
SAN ANTONIO ZOO Reed
October 1984 B&H include: Mammals - 1.0 Grant's gazelle, 1 Grizzled tree kangaroo, 1.1 Aoudad, 1.1 Lady Grey's waterbuck (1.0 DNS), 2.0 Lesser kudu (1.0 DNS), 1.1 Sable (1.0 DNS), 0.2 Dama gazelle, 0.1 Beisa oryx (DNS),
0.1 Kirk's dik dik; Birds - 1 Sun conure, 4 Diamond dove, 2 Diamond Fire- tail finch, 2 Picathartes; Reptiles - 2 Sinaloan milksnake; Aquarium - Seahorses.
DALLAS ZOO Tamcuia Jonei
B&H for October 1984 include: Mammals - 1.0 Dusky leaf monkey, 0.1 Klip- springer, 1.0 East African oryx, 0.1 Speke's gazelle; Birds - 0.0.2 Gould- ian finch; Reptiles - 0.0.1 Poison arrow frog ( Ve.nd/L0 -tlncXo-'U-LU ) ,
0.0.8 Urutu [BothAop^ altoAviatu^] .
BROOKFIELD ZOO. 3okn S. Stoddaxd
October 1984 births included: 0.0.2 White-toothed shrew, 0.0.1 Spiny mouse, 0.0.1 Green acouchi and 0.0.3 Degu.
363
Coming Events
SCHOOL FOR PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
FOR ZOO AND AQUARIUM PERSONNEL
February 3-7, 1985 Wheeling, WV
AAZPA CENTRAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 3-5, 1985 Oklahoma City, OK
AAZPA WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 17-19, 1985 Anchorage, AK
AAZPA SOUTHERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
March 31-April 2, 1985 Birmingham, AL
THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL
April 1-7, 1985 Missoula, MT
SYMPOSIUM ON IMMUNOLOGY OF ZOO AND WILD ANIMALS
April 12-13, 1985 Columbia, SC
Held at the Riverbanks Zoological Park. For information or to submit a paper, contact Dr. Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf , Johns Hopkins University, Division of Comparative Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., G52 Traylor Bldg., Baltimore, MD 21205, (301) 955-3726 or Dr. Barbara Thomas, Riverbanks Zoo, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210 (803) 779-8717.
AAZPA GREAT LAKES REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 14-16, 1985 Cleveland, OH
AAZPA NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
April 28-30, 1985 Boston, MA
IITH NATIONAL AAZK CONFERENCE
r
October 20-24, 1985
Miami , FL
Universities Provide Courses.
Training for Zookeeping Careers
By
Pdt^Za^a E. Samma/Lco Coordinator, AAZK Educ-cotlon Committee
Zookeeping is becoming an increasing- ly more technical profession, and universities are responding with the development of courses and classes designed to the specific needs of cap- tive animal care in zoological facilit- ies. The American Association of Zoo- keepers is attempting to establish a list of educational institutions with curriculum that includes courses re- lated to our profession as a guide to those wishing to pursue careers in zoological parks and aquaria, or for others to enhance working knowledge through continuing education.
Thanks to contributions from our membership the list of educational fac- ilities providing courses and classes pertinent to our profession is growing. If you know of an additional class or course which provides training specifically for exotic animal care in zoological institutions, please contact Pat Sammarco, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2200 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614.
Note that some of these listed classes are taught at universities by Zoo Keepers and other zoo professionals. The list will be updated as new information is added. The new listings will be published in the AKF.
The entire list will be available from National Headquarters as part of a packet of information that is sent on request to those who want infor- mation on being zoo keepers.
Included are lists of current and proposed classes and programs compiled to date.
Biological Parks Training Program Santa Fe Community College P.O. Box 1530 3000 N.W. 83rd St.
Gainesville, FL 32602
State University of New York Oswego, NY 13126 attn: Sigurd Nelson Jr., Chairman Department of Zoology
Moorpark College
Exotic Animal Training and Management Program 7075 Campus Rd.
Moorpark, CA 93021
and Teaching Zoo
2-year Associate in Science Degree or full 4-year program in conjunction with State Uni- ersity of New York at Oswego.
365
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION. CoyuUnuQ,d
Seminars in Ornithology Laboratory of Ornithology Cornell University 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14853
Animal Management Correspondence Course National Extension College Dept. Z, 18 Brooklands Ave.
Cambridge CB 2 2HN England
Community College of Baltimore 2901 Liberty Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
New Orleans local universities
through Jeffery Swift
Research Coordinator
Audubon Park and Zoological Gardens
P.O. Box 4327
New Orleans, LA 70178
Phoenix local Community Colleges through Mike Carpenter and Rio Salado Community College 135 N. 2nd Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College Cobeskill, NY 12043
State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College Farmingdale, NY 11735
Bird biology correspondence course.
AA Degree in Science Tech- nology with emphasis on Aquariology and Zookeeping.
Zoo research courses in anthro- pology, biology and psychology.
Biology of Zoological Gardens I Animal Behavior
Introduction to Animal Care and Preceptorship Experience
Introductory Research Animal Techniques
Farm Animal Nursing
Fisheries and Wildlife
Animal Science
State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College Delhi, NY 137-1190 attn: Dean Thomas H. Pettit, DVM Division of Agriculture and Life Science
366
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION, CoyvUme,d
University of Western Ontario c/o Ministry of Education Mr. John Lesseck Planning and Development Dept.
(416) 965-265 Animal Health Technology
Animal Handling
Houston Community College System 22 Waugh Drive Houston, TX 77007
(713) 869-5021 Animal Health Management
Pets & Lab Animals Ranch & Exotic Animals Practicum
Proposed Programs
Niagra County Community College 3111 Saunders Settlement Road attn: Catherine Hall
Life Science Division Animal Management
367
Conference 84
OVERVIEW OF THE 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S ANNUAL MEETING
SubrrUXttd by
Dotty Cta/ik, kdmtnt6t/ijoJu.v<i SQ.cJi2t(Viy and
Kevtn Conway, AAZK F/Le^tde.nt j
I
The meeting was called to order on 30 September 1984 by President Kevin Conway. Board members present were Pat Sammarco, Verona Barr, Jean |
Hromadka and Mike Carpenter. An additional wrap-up meeting was held on ; Thursday, 4 October 1984 with all members present. ’
KEEPER EDUCATION COMMITTEE; Report submitted by chairman, Pat Sammarco. jj
AAZK/AAZPA Liaison - Brandy Pound and Jim Ellis will act as liaisons be- : tween the organizations’ Education Committees. One of their first pro- | jects will be to send requests to gather information on staff training. ^
President Conway will write to incoming AAZPA President Elvie Turner to formally request his approval of these liaisons. Brandy will work on zoo education departments to become more involved in keeper training. Jim i|
will use outlines on Keeper Training and expand upon those so that zoo j
education departments can utilize the information for staff training.
Manual Review - Beth Poff reports receiving 10 manuals from various zoos, Beth will work with the education liaisons on identifying zoos who are ji actively involved in staff training with or without manuals. j
Staff Training - Judie Steenberg reported on participating in staff train- ing session at the Miami AAZPA conference in September 1984. She showed ! the AAZK Keeper Safety Tape at that conference and received much support I from AAZPA delegates. Nineteen zoos were represented in the special ses- | sion on staff training in Miami. President Conway suggested that sessions 'j on staff training should be held at each AAZPA conference with participa- ; tion from AAZK. Liaisons will begin working now on procuring a time slot iij for sessions at the next AAZPA conference which will be held in Columbus next fall. lii
Judith White, Curator of Education at the National Zoo, wishes to estab- J lish a formal liaison with AAZK from International Zoo Educators. She A proposed Laura Eisen. Pat Sammarco would prefer not to have a formal |
liaison, but just information flow between the two organizations. j
Keeper Education Column in AKF - Pat Sammarco will be responsible for sub-i| mitting regular updates for publication. I
Exhibit Design Form - Diane Forsyth, Chairman, submitted a written report which was accepted by the Board. At the moment, the only hold-up is re- || writing of a release form which is being worked on by Vernon Jarboe, at- torney. The committee is no longer part of the Education Committee and J
will be under Mike Carpenter’s oversight. h
AAZK Information Brochure - Beth Poff reports that the brochure is near- j ing completion. Copies were given to Board members and National Head- Ij quarters to look over and make any corrections or suggestions. Beth will |
368
OVERVIEW OF 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING, CoyvUna&d
then take those into consideration and send revised mock-ups to the Board and National. Board approval for printing 2,000 copies was given.
Reference Search - A written report submitted by Liz MacLaughlin was ac- cepted by the Board. There are now over 1,000 entries made by Liz and Jenny Rentfrow. A request was made to purchase a printer for this project. It was suggested that Jenny look into the costs of renting one if it is necessary. President Conway instructed Jenny and Liz to keep track of the utilization of this project and report in Miami in 1985.
Library Resources Project - Pat Sammarco will write Kay Kenyon at the INational Zoo to see what her committee is doing. Perhaps it will fit in with the Library Resources Program and could be coordinated.
iBook Review Project - President Conway wants the book reviews continued on a monthly basis. He will discuss the future of this project with Ellen Leach.
Keeper Training Video Tape Project - Wayne Buchanan reported that this project is now self-supporting and needs no funding from National. Twenty- eight copies of the first tape (Keeper Safety) have been sold. One hundred dollars will be given to the Metro Toronto Zoo Chapter for a production of a tape on feeding. That tape was available at the conference and was ap- proved for distribution after viewing by the Board. Frank Kohn suggested that National Zoo prepare a tape on Management of Small Mammals.
Jayne will work on the possibility of producing a tape on "How to make a /ideo tape”. The feeling is that more people would consider becoming In- j/olved in producing tapes if they had some idea of how to begin. Judie |5teenberg suggested showing the "how to” tape at AAZPA regionals. Mike Carpenter will check into getting time allotted on the programs to do that, budget requested.
Jayne also reported that due to the review process, we are missing presen- tations at AAZPA Annual conferences. Wayne would like to have a committee ippointed to review new tapes with the power to approve. The Board would like to retain final approval. A system will be set up so that tapes can )e mailed to Board members for approval. This project will no longer be Imder the Education Committee, but will stand alone.
judie Steenberg suggested that zoo administrations be thanked for allow- ing staff to make tapes and that a gratis copy of the tape be given to the Ipooperating institution, and/or tape be given to participants at cost. It j7as decided that one copy of the finished tape would go to the production l|>taff to do with as they wished with a letter of appreciation being sent to :he cooperating zoo.
Ltaff Exchange - There are now 50 institutions registered reports Elandra mm. There was a large response to staff exchange proposed by the NZP Conservation & Research Center. A master list is available and forms were ;o be passed out at the conference for those who are interested in. register- ing. Exchanges seem to pose problems in the areas of insurance, salary,
;he thought that some zoos seem to feel that their keepers won't return to -heir zoo after an exchange, etc. Pat Sammarco suggested that those items Jould be good topics for discussion at AAZPA conferences.
l^q Husbandry Fundamentals - Pat Sammarco reports that this project is go- .ng well. Associate editors have been assigned and instructed to search or information that is already available to avoid duplication. When
369
OVERVIEW OF 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING. Continued
I
material is found that should be included, copyright information will have to be checked into. The next step will be to assign writers. Pat felt that Gary Clarke and Ken Kawata would be the best persons for history of zoos and keepers, and they will be approached. This will be an actual textbook on zookeeping and by next conference the committee should have a concept of the actual size and expected cost of printing.
Public Education Committee - Eileen Gerity submitted a written report which was approved and accepted by the Board. The Committee is also working with the North Jersey AAZK Chapter on the project of a Wild Bird Care Booklet. Future projects include a display, possibly at National j Headquarters, demonstrating daily activities of the zoo keeper. j
Zoo/University Project - Pat Sammarco will send a mailing to universities before the end of 1984 to identify those schools with curricula pertinent ■[ to zookeeping. Funds for the initial mailing were approved. Pat will periodically update the list of such universities.
Program Library - Anne Payne (Detroit Zoo) has recently taken over this i project. She will work on increasing the six programs in the library.
She and Wayne Buchanan will communicate ideas and problems in getting ;
programs and in distributing them. [
Zoonoses Notebook - Frank Kohn reported for Bruce Clark. The notebook is t nearing completion. A research grant of $250.00 was approved and budget- f ed in 1983 for production. Bruce will be checking into various costs of j typing /type set ting and printing. A sample page and introduction will be printed in AKF to see what interest is generated from the membership. A i decision on the initial number of booklets printed will be determined by ‘ the number of pre-publication requests received. I
Research Grants - A proposal was made by Harmony Frazier-Taylor for a f research grant for the purchase of a centrifuge and field binoculars for : use at the field station in Indonesia run by Dr. Birut e Galdikas. Harmon)^ will be there for three months to work and study the parasite levels in [; wild orangs as compared to captive orangs. The proposal was approved. ]
The major activity aside from processing of research grants was the revis- ion of the guidelines for research grant proposals. The quarterly system, of awarding grants has been replaced by a floating grant award system to c avoid unnecessary delays in starting granted projects. The status of pre- viously granted projects were reviewed and discussed. New research grant i project proposals were presented to the Board.
The Committee has reviewed the video tape made by Washington Park Zoo and ; Minnesota Zoological Gardens. This tape will prove invaluable to zoos an<;^ students desiring research projects and training. The Keepers Guide to Research in Zoos has been started. Information on AAZK research grants has been requested by two grant register organizations which will help to \ publicize AAZK. |
The remainder of Frank’s report as found in the Board book was accepted. * Research Grants Committee budget request of $1,050.00 was approved. ;
Awards Committee - Mike Crocker (Dickinson Park Zoo) will remain chairman J of this committee. There were a few changes made in award guidelines this year which are as follows: 1) The Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keepe, Education is no longer limited to one recipient per year. The number is j now unlimited. 2) The Certificate of Merit for Zoo Keeper Education award]
370
OVERVIEW OF 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING, ConUnuo^d
is now broken into the categories of institution (zoo or aquarium), individual and other organization.
Professional Standards Committee - Jan McCoy reported that she had a 49% return on the survey. She will keep the information she has compiled and will take care of any additional requests for information. She will also send the results of the survey to those who answered it.
Keeper Data Survey - A report was submitted by Mary Slaybaugh along with the results of the first survey. A survey was passed out at the paper session and will eventually be redone with a wider diversity of questions.
Leg islat ion/ Conservation - Report submitted by Kevin Conway. Detailed report in Board Book accepted by the Board. Approval was given to con- tinue the Endangered Species Technical Bulletin subscription and to pur- chase the National Wildlife Directory, total cost for both $22.00. Kevin will be resigning as chairman of this Committee at the end of the year.
It was agreed that Alice Miser would review and coordinate information for publication in AKF.
Diet Notebook - Debbie Burch, South Florida Chapter, submitted a report.
At this time, it is hoped that responses will pick up and that the note- book will be ready for distribution in the spring of 1985. Notices will be placed in AKF monthly along with a facsimile to encourage more par- ticipation. When printing is warranted, a proposal will be submitted for funding.
Membership Directory - Chairman Pat Sammarco will aim for a late Novem- ber cut-off date for information with an early spring printing proposed. Funds will come out of the Publications budget.
International Affairs
Connie Cloak has mailed one letter to Internation-
She proposed a drop in fee for memberships which was not Connie feels that the fee is too high for most
She is going to check
al members .
' approved by the Board
international members due to the exchange rates, on ways to help — possibly encourage keepers to pool their funds and pur- chase one membership, so they can share the information in AKF. After 'checking into the Keeling proposition for a Keeper Quiz on an internation- ■al scale, she recommended that the Board not pursue or encourage partici- pation by our members.
Marilyn Cole Proposal - Marilyn Cole of Toronto proposed that the name of the Association be changed to reflect and recognize Canadian members. After discussion by the Board, it was decided not to act on this proposal at this time. Marilyn agreed to conduct research through AKF this coming I year to determine the feeling of the membership and to make a report in
I Miami .
I
[National Headquarters - An increase of 50c per hour in wages was approved I by the Board for Susan Chan and Dolly Clark. This brings hourly wages from $5.00 to $5.50. Also approved was the purchase of an insurance ■policy to cover loss of equipment at National. This step was taken be- cause of several recent break-ins at the Topeka Zoo.
i Chapter Affairs - The report submitted by Lee Payne was accepted by the Board. The following zoos have renewed their AAZK Chapter charters: [Audubon Park, Los Angeles, Topeka, Sedgwick County, Kansas City and 'Milwaukee. New Chapters are; The North Jersey Chapter, Rocky Mountain Chapter (Denver), Honolulu Zoo Chapter and Detroit Zoo Chapter.
371
OVERVIEW OF 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING, Continued
Regional Coordinator - It was proposed that Diane Krug be named Regional Coordinator director east of the Mississippi and Mike Carpenter remain director for those states west of the Mississippi. Primary concern for RC Directors will be to have a representative at each AAZPA regional con- ference.
Infant Development Notebook - Steve Taylor has been in charge of this project and there has been no activity. Verona Barr will write to Steve and an effort will be made to appoint some other person to take over the project.
Biological Values Booklet - This booklet has been very popular and of the original 1,000 copies printed, only about 25 remain. The San Francisco group who originally researched the BV booklet is working on a revised second edition at present. We have no publication date as yet.
Keeper Care Buttons - Larry Sammarco reports that he has approximately 600 buttons left. In 1984 only 38 buttons were sold. Larry will send National its share of the profits.
AAZK Stickers - They are no longer decals, but now are stickers. Nation- al was sent $55.25 as its 50% share of sticker sales. They will still be i available in 1985. i
T-Shirts - Sales are still being handled by the Pheonix Chapter through Mike Carpenter. So far 112 have been sold with one half of the profits f
going to National. Members should note the new address for mailing shirt i orders. It is: Mike Carpenter, 4409 E. Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85008. f
APT Forms - Bernie Feldman submitted a detailed report of distribution of ADT forms for 1984. This was accepted by the Board. Bernie noted that there has been a good response to the forms from zoos and that h
there are currently approximately 117 zoos and other animal-related in- I stitutions which have requested and are presumably using the ADT forms.
KAL (Keeper Accommodations List) - This is the 5th consecutive year that ■ KAL has been in operation and, as in previous years, the list continues to grow. The list currently contains 49 contacts in 25 states and four ! Canadian provinces. The KAL is a project of the Metro Toronto Zoo AAZK Chapter. More promos will be run in AKF to stimulate use of and more active participation in the KAL by AAZK members. '
Conference Bids - It was decided that the bid presentations should be ^ made on the Monday or Tuesday of each Conference due to lack of partici- t pants by Thursday. The Board approved that this suggestion should be t made to the 1985 Conference hosts. E
Proposals -The Board approved increasing the fee for Associate members from $10.00 to $15.00 due to the cost of processing and postage. This will be done by the Administrative Secretary as new forms are needed.
No time limit was set for this change.
Mark DeDenus of Winnipeg proposed that the Board approve and possibly fund a game he has designed on the order of "Trivial Pursuit", called "Zoo Keeper". The Board decided not to provide any funding, but will check into the feasibility of endorsing the game. It was decided that the Administrative Secretary would check with the AAZK attorney, Vernon Jarboe, on the possible problems of providing such an endorsement. Pres. Conway will then get in touch with Mr. DeDenus.
372
OVERVIEW OF 1984 AAZK BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING, CoyvUnae.d
Proposals (cont'd)
Proposal by President Conway that registration and 50% of travel expen- ses to National Conference be paid by the Association for the Administra- tive Secretary and Managing Editor of AKF was approved by the Board.
Proposal by President Conway that the current AAZK President be funded for registrations travels and per diem expenses to attend AAZPA National Conference was approved by the Board subject to the availability of funds.
jProposal by the President that $2,000 be budgeted for attorney's fees was 'not approved by the Board. The Administrative Secretary was instructed to check into alternatives. Board member Verona Barr suggested the possibility that her husband, who is an attorney, might be willing to provide services to the Association pAO bono.
Proposal by the President to have AAZK letterhead stationary redesigned was approved, subject to final approval of the new design by the Board. Mministrative Secretary will obtain estimates and samples of designs and colors and get back to the Board.
jProposal by the President to switch the format of the Animal Keepers'
Forum to a glossy stock, using photos instead of drawings was tabled by the Board due to the excessive cost of such a venture. Managing Editor Busan Chan provided estimates of such a change-over and noted that at Ithe present time, it was probably more important to get the information ijjut to the membership in the present affordable form, but that is was roped that AKF could be reformated at some point in the future.
jProposal by the President to change the logo from the Rhino to one in- prporating a wider variety of animals was dismissed. It was the feel- ing of the Board that our logo has been around for quite some time and lias instant recognition.
l!’roposal by the President to establish a project or committee to contact •■riends of Zoos organizations to provide information about AAZK in order ;o promote new memberships was accepted by the Board. Jean Hromadka rolunteered to get the project started.
llnutes of the General Membership Meeting held 4 October, 1984.
li
ijleeting was called to order by President Conway. Committee chairmen made iprief reports to membership and asked for volunteers as needed. Milwaukee ijind Winnipeg representatives made their presentations for 1986 Conference wlds. The membership voted to have the 1986 Conference in Winnipeg,
373
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM:
A Decade of Growth and a Future of Che
By
Siuan V, Chan, kayiaglng Eciuto/i AAIK hIcuUoncil BrndquoAteA^
Topeka Zoo, Topeka, KS
It's been said that from a tiny acorn, a mighty oak will grow, and while f Animal Keepers' Forum may not as yet become that prophetic oak, we're well ^ past the sapling stage and movin' on. AKF is celebrating its 10th birthdayi this year and in researching back issues for material for this presenta- j tion, I have continually been both amazed and impressed by the tremendous j strides the publication has taken as well as by the dedication and perser- J v^rance of those individuals who believed in its worth and in its future, j
The AKF was born at a time in AAZK's history that was troubled and uncer- f tain"^ ^Like a child struggling to go from crawling to walking, the Associa-i, tion was having trouble rising from its knees to its feet. The historical i legacy of the Zookeeper as nothing more than a manual laborer was making > it difficult for AAZK to be taken seriously as a "professional" group. (
Lack of acceptance by and confidence in the infant organization by other ; zoological groups made the early days that much harder. This situation j was further compounded by internal problems within the Association - name- ly, a fair amount of apathy on the part of the then— 400 members; a f eeling of "What's AAZK doing for me?"; and charges and countercharges of unrespon-ii- siveness on the part of the AAZK administration. There were many who j,
thought AAZK was in its death throes.
When such a situation exists, it often takes a rather radical happening toj: help rectify the problem and to chart a more productive course of action. This radical happening appeared in August 1972 in the form of a small tor-*,
nado out of Topeka, KS known as "The Ruptured Rhino". Not an official f
AAZK publication like the AAZK Newsletter, AAZK Bulletin and The Keeper j which had preceded it, "The Ruptured Rhino" was an attempt by a group of I,
concerned AAZK members to set the Association back on that seemingly elu- t
sive "productive course of action". "RR" editors Ron^^Kaufman, Chris [
LaRue, Brad May and Dave Ruhter took a great deal of "heat' for their ef- forts and were even accused of trying to rupture AAZK. But, "RR" managed | to do something that past efforts by AAZK had failed to do it got the f membership involved and thinking positively and creatively about the [
future of AAZK. *
r
As time passed, the "RR" editors and other interested in AAZK's future, : realized that something constructive had to be done to ensure that the [ potential for a broad-based keeper organization did not slip away. There was a recognized need for a regular, continuous publication for the mem- j bership - a vehicle whereby keepers could share their knowledge and feel ings about their chosen profession. Up until then, the AAZK's various ij newsletters had been irregular in issue, often due to the precarious ^
nature of the young Association's finances. ►
The idea for Animal Keepers' Forum grew out of informal bull sessions helcjj in the fall of 1974 in the Education Room at the Topeka Zoo. Besides the original "RR" staff, those involved in the birth of A^ included Ric ^ I and Judie Steenberg, Vicky Norwood-Brown and Linda Weiss. The first issuei of a scant 31^ pages, was published in November 1974. The goals of j
the infant publication were: !
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ANIMAL KEEPERS'S FORUM: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Challenge, Coyit’d
1. To disseminate information between keepers and zoos.
2. To promote the image of zobkeeping as a profession, not just a job.
3. To bring some logic and order into a tremendously complex field.
4. To help bolster AAZK into a position of stability and upward movement.
After the first two issues (which were sent gratis to generate interest) the Forum was sold on a subscription basis for $5.00 per year. From the first issue through 1977, carried the symbol of the "Zebra and Foal
in Caring Hand". This original design was done by Perry LaBelle, a [Neighborhood Youth Corps employee at the Como Zoo in St. Paul and a stu- jdent at that city's art institute. Perry is now a keeper at the Minnesota 'Zoological Gardens. From the beginning, AKF carried the by-words "Dedicat- led to Professional Animal Care".
In those early days of AKF ' s existence, just producing the newsletter and getting it mailed was an interstate operation. The editing and initial paste-up were done in Topeka. Rick and Judy Steenberg were involved in the Minnesota Zoological Society and had access to printing equipment not available in Topeka. So the edited copy was sent to them and they would Complete the final paste-up, cut stencils, print, collate, fold, staple and the get the AKF into the mail. Rick, Judie and Linda Weiss often inade weekend trips to Topeka for editorial conferences. According to l^ick, the AKF group was a mainstay at the local Denny's restaurant where gallons of coffee were consumed during marathon editorial sessions. Early issues contained brief zoo news articles, items on legislation and guest editorials. While the early AKF did not experience the good fortune of [receiving a steady flow of material submitted by members as we do today,
,;hey managed by use of reprint articles, long-distance telephone inter- 7iews and much cross-country correspondence to fill the pages of AKF with Items of interest to zookeepers. At this time, the Forum was still an independent publication and not officially recognized by AAZK.
|.n January 1975, when AKF had expanded to pages, the staff proposed a iioint use agreement between AKF and AAZK whereby the Association would ,itilize the Forum in its then-present format as AAZK's official newsletter. d^ZK's newsletter. The Keeper, would no longer be published in its then- [l'-urrent format, but would be expanded into an annual, more technically- iDriented journal.
i;
i^n March of 1975, this partnership was launched with a page AKF which f^as mailed to 880 individuals and institutions. The multi-animal logo, also by Perry LaBelle, which had appeared along with the original AKF |;ebra logo was dropped and the AAZK rhino logo was used for the first time .n the Association's new, official communications vehicle.
jfinteen- seventy- five brought many innovations in the AKF. The first j'Veterinarians and Keepers" column appeared as did a nutrition column rritten by Dr. Richard S. Payton, then Director of Research for Theracon,
::nc. of Topeka. Much of the non-reprint material was either editorial or bub j active in nature.
n June of 1975, AKF came out with a "monster" 13-page issue, its largest bo date. Word was getting around and members were beginning to submit jiaterial on a larger scale. By this time, Rick and Judie had moved to ., obs at the Topeka Zoo and cross-country editing was a thing of the past. i,.n October 1975, the National AAZK Headquarters moved from the San Diego loo to Topeka and AKF co-purchased with the Friends of the Zoo, a stencil utter and printing machine. AKF was still produced by volunteers and by and. During that year, these dedicated individuals handled some 37,000
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ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM: A Decade of Growth and A Future of Challenge, Cont'c
pieces of paper to put out 7,200 newsletters. In November 1975, AKF was one year old and put out its first anniversary issue. Others in Topeka who were involved in getting the issues together each month were Ron Kaufman's wife, Jane, Linda Rounds, Sandy Horvat and Susan Love.
In January 1976, AKF underwent a format change to a booklet-style publica- tion. In February of that year, the one and only issue of The Keeper was published. Thereafter, AKF expanded to incorporate the material previous- ly destined for that annual journal. Ninteen-seventy-six also saw the conception and publication of the Rep tile /Amphibian Potpourri column co- ordinated by the NZP Herpetology staff.
In August 1976, National Headquarters moved again - this time to the Nat- ional Zoo when Bela Demeter became AAZK president. Through the generosity of a grant from the NZP Zoological Society, AAZK set up headquarters in Washington and employed its first paid staff member, Lee Glasco, the As- sociation's first Administrative Secretary. AKF remained at its original home in Topeka and has never been published anywhere else.
In January 1977, the format for AKF was changed again to the size that you are familiar with but each month's cover was a different color. It also began to be printed commercially. Ron Kaufman was then serving as Editor f and Mike Coker had come aboard as Associate Editor. During that year more innovations were made in editorial content including the establish- I ment of the Births and Hatchings column. Chapter News, Scoops and Scuttle-- butt. Struggle for Survival, Great Ape Pandemonium and Opportunity Knocks. It's interesting to note that the average salary per month in those early job listings was $425 a month!
AKF took on its first paid employee in 1977 when Cecila Sauer, a Topeka :
Zoo docent, became the typist for the expanding newsletter. The Forum i
averaged 12 pages per issue in those days and was sent to about 1000 members. By that time, AKF was no longer sold on a subscription basis, '
but was included as a membership benefit in AAZK. 1
The year 1978 brought further format changes in AKF. The color covers were'i dropped in favor of a buff-colored cover and original artwork by members ^|| replaced the zebra logo. This was the first year AKF was indexed and its contents had expanded to an average of 16 pages per issue. Lois Bogia, '| also a Topeka Zoo docent, took over for Cecila as secretary for AKF. Ron ' and Mike continued to do layout and paste-up before each issue was print- ed at Hawley Printing Service in Topeka. ■
The first awards for Excellence in Journalism were presented in 1979. At fj that time only two awards were given — for Best Narrative Article and Best i| Technical/Scientific Article. t
With sounder financing for the publication and the increasing rise in memberships, the staff was able to go to a mailing service for distribu- tion of AKF. Prior to this, each month's issue had to be sorted, bundled : by zip codes, bagged and taken over to the Post Office Permit Section by ^ the staff - usually on somebody's lunch hour. The expansion of the jour- . nal to an average of 20 pages led to the institution of Lois Bogia as Managing Editor. Ron Kaufman continued to offer his long-standing ser- ! vice as Editor- in-Chief and Mike Coker assumed the position of Executive Editor. ‘
June 1979 saw the first use of the AKF symbol mark, designed by Elaine Shea who did the paste-up. This symbol has continued to be used to denote the ending of each article that appears in AKF . The first extended series.
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ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Challenge, Cowt'd
"The Role of Keepers in Zoo Animal Health" by Judie Steenberg appeared that year along with "Alternatives ... Education and P.R." Diane Brey, then Topeka Zoo secretary, served as proofreader. That year the Keeper Accomo- dations List (KAL) was established by the Metro Toronto Zoo and promoted through the pages of AKF.
! In January 1980, AKF had expanded to 24 pages and consistently contained articles on animal husbandry and research as well as AAZK, zoo and chapter , news. My first involvement with the Forum began in February 1980 when I was asked to write an article on "Why Docents?" I had been a docent at the Topeka Zoo for a couple of years and was then editor of their docent ^ newsletter "Cowabunga News". Ninteen-eighty also saw another move for National Headquarters — this time back to Topeka where I think it has found a permanent home. Brenda Jarboe was hired as Administrative Secretary for AAZK in charge of memberships and correspondence. Kevin Conway began his Legislative News column that year and our first international contributions came in the form of "Zoo News from Japan" penned by Yoshi. Yonetani. That year the Conference Proceedings were published over a number of issues of AKF rather than as a separate publication.
I In December 1981, Ron Kaufman resigned as Editor-in-Chief to devote more time to his position as Education Coordinator at the Topeka Zoo. Ron deserves a special "thank you" from us all for he was one of those who believed in AKF and worked so long and hard to get it established. Thanks, Ron.
Ninteen-eighty-one saw further growth in AKF — now averaging 24 pages per issue. The Book Review project was begun and the first Cover Art award iwas presented. Connie Cloak came on board as Associate Editor. The [first ever Special Edition issue of AKF (36 pages) was published in Feb- ! ruary and March of 1981 and contained the papers of the Infant Care )iS3miposium held in Louisville. In March of that year Dolly Clark became 5 Administrative Secretary and I was hired as Managing Editor.
; AKF was indeed coming of age and this point was reinforced by the fact ixthat 1981 was the first year that AKF was indexed in Wildlife Review,
•;the indexing and abstracting quarterly published by the U.S. Fish and IjWildlife Service. It was becoming clear that AKF had something to offer, Inot just to its members, but to the zoological and biologically community lias a whole.
f,
I'Two new columns were initiated in 1981 - Bird Calls and Elephant Set.
! These continue to be published as material warrants. The first technical survey was included in the August 1981 issue — a survey out of the Psychol- ogy Department of the University of California on Primate Predation. We "Saw here the beginnings of others in the scientific community coming to jAAZK and AKF for input and information. A second survey on Male Macaques '[followed a month later.
I
•In December 1981, I took what I hope has proven to be a popular step when il expanded that month's issue to include all the papers and proceedings ■from the Fresno Conference. That 84-page issue was the largest ever pub- llished by AKF and contained the first commercial advertising from ZuPreem. :|The staff felt that the combining of the regular AKF issue with the Con- iference Proceedings was not only more sensible economically, but also was |a nice membership benefit to those many keepers unable to attend annual jmee tings.
INin teen- eighty- two saw regular features expand to include articles on
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ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Chall enqe,Co)a;t'd
exhibit design and wildlife research. AKF added its second commercial advertiser. International Foods Co., Inc. and carried a four-part series on the Endangered Species Act when it was up for reauthorization before Congress. In September 1982, AKF produced another Special Edition con- taining the papers of the Tropical Habitats Exhibit Workshop which was put | on by the Topeka AAZK Chapter. The December Conference issue of 1983 j
expanded to an incredible 134 pages including all the papers and proceed- ings from the Toronto meeting.
AKF began 1983 with a 40-page Special Edition highlighting the papers pre- sented at the Third Annual Elephant Workshop held at Dickerson Park Zoo. ; January also marked the introduction of the Continuing Keeper Education column. Under the very able leadership of Judie Steenberg, this committee ^ and set and achieved many fine goals and has kept members informed of its progress through the pages of AKF.
The 36-page March 1983 issue saw the announcement of the publication of "Biological Values for Selected Mammals". This 56-page booklet, research- ed and edited by a committee of keepers, docents and interns at the San , Francisco Zoo, has proven very popular and members can look forward to a Second Revised Edition in the future. That month also marked the depart- ure of Connie Cloak to Nashville, TN and Alice Miser stepped in to fill ' the slot of Associate Editor.
May 1983 saw the introduction of the THINK Safety! column with its humorous yet sometimes all too truthful, cartoon portrayals of zookeeper situations demanding extra safety thought. Jill Grade has coordinated this column and is still requesting input from members on safety on the job.
The field of nutrition began to be explored in August of that year with the "Feed Bag" column by Dr. Sergio Oyarzun of the Metro Toronto Zoo.
While this column got off to a good start, again we need more input from members, so, submit your questions.
More staff changes were in the offing this past year as Mike Coker resign- ed as Exeuctive Editor and Alice Miser assumed his position. Bernie Feldman, former Chapter Affairs Coordinator and ADT Form coordinator, became Associate Editor. We have averaged 32 pages per regular issue in 1984 with some running 36 pages. We would anticipate a 100-plus page conference issue again in December.
To give you a little bit of an idea of how the Forum is put together each month, I'm going to briefly describe the routine which begins at our mail- box and ends at yours. When material is received — whether it be a major article, a chapter news notice, B&H or whatever — it is reviewed, edited if need be, and typed up in the AKF format. Whenever possible, we try to run an article in its entirity in a single issue. Occasionally with longer articles and, of course, series, the material will appear over several issues. We make every effort to publish material in the issue nearest the date the article was submitted. Once all material for each issue has been typed up, I begin that month's layout. We try, depending of course on the availability of material, to achieve a balance of in- terests in each issue. At times we seem to have a "run" on articles of a particular nature — say all elephant, all giraffe, etc. — these we will spread out over several issues. I try for a balanced layout graphically as well — for example, use of artwork, headlines and the like so that you do not receive an issue which is what we call "grey wash" - namely, page after page of solid body copy.
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Challenge, Cant'd
Since the AKF is not prepared, but only printed commercially, my next step I is the paste-up. Each page is pasted up on a drafting table using a T- square to align body copy and headlines — hopefully as even and straight as ' possible. Following paste-up, Alice Miser proofreads the issue. We have worked hard at trying to achieve clean, mistake-proof copy, but a few mis- j takes do get by. Each month’s issue (excluding the conference one) aver- ages about 15,000 words to be typed. The conference issue is something 1 else!
When the proofreading is done, I make corrections and the copy is then camera-ready. This means that the printers shoot negatives directly from the copy or "boards” as we call them. It is printed in four-page sections , on a offset press, collated, trimed and bound. From there it goes to the mailing service.
j While AKF is at the printers, I am busy updating addresses for the mailing i service. Growing up for the first 20 years of my life as an Air Force : "brat", I thought we moved a lot — but then I had not yet become involved : with zookeepers! I maintain a mailing list of approximately 1800 names j which includes members as well as complimentary and exchange copies. I j take the updates to the mailing service where they are entered into the computer. When the mailing service receives the journal from the print- : ers, it is sorted, bundled by zip codes and mailed. We mail all AKFs
■ Second Class. First Class mailings, while insuring much quicker delivery, are just beyond the financial budget of AAZK at the moment. Every effort
: is made to have the AKF in the mails on the first Friday of every month.
Deadlines are something I work with all the time. In fact, I am always working at least one month ahead of the calendar preparing the next issue.
A saying around the office is "If it's September, I must be finishing the October issue and beginning on the November one". It is so important and ' helpful to us if those submitting material — espeically things like B&H,
■ Coming Events and Job Listings — get their material to us by the 15th of the month preceding the month in which the article is to appear. And folks, that means material arrives at our office by the 15th, not that it is mailed on the 15th!
' To say that we could put AKF together without you, the membership, would ; be the biggest of understatements. It is your willingness to share your ‘ knowledge and experiences that makes AKF what it is now and what it will become in the future. What began as a tiny newsletter those ten years ' ago, has grown into a truly professional journal. It has been interest- i ing to me during my research for this presentation to follow the growth I of AKF not only in the physical format changes that time brought about,
'1 but also the editorial content. Today we are seeing longer, more detail- I ed and referenced research articles. I think this trend showcases the ij fact that not only are today's keepers becoming more knowledgeable in ; their field, but are also becoming more proficient in sharing their ex- : periences through the printed word. While the old axiom for college pro- fessors of "Publish or Perish" will probably never be true for zookeepers, f I think you will agree that expanding and fine-tuning your communications skills in your chosen field certainly reflects well on the professional i status for zoo keepers which we all work to promote.
- Journalism has always been my first love and animals ranked a close second, j’ so I feel very fortunate to be involved in a job where I can combine these || two. I thank you all for the opportunity to share with you a little bit ' AKF' s history and I look forward, with your help, to a future for [ Animal Keepers' Forum which will include expansion, growth and greater professionalism.
379
ILLNESS AND RECOVERY IN A MALE KOALA - A CASE HISTORY
By
Vonald C. Zic-hoAcUon Lo^ Angeles Zoo, Lo6 Angelos, CA
The koala iPkcUCOloAcdiO^ (UneACLi) has long been an enchanting curiosity to people of all ages. Faced with extinction toward the beginning of the century this amazing marsupial has survived the hardships of disease and sport. Today, through the generosity of the Los Angeles people and the courtesy of the Australians, we are able to exhibit the koala in a unique and varied atmosphere at the Ahmanson Koala House in the Los Angeles Zoo.
This exhibit, opened on 3 March, 1982, is a reversed lighting nocturnal building providing the public with viewing of the animals during their active time of the day. The exhibit gardens, measuring 30’ x 100’, re- semble a eucalyptus forest. Included are 22 life-size eucalyptus trees with koala-sized sitting forks to provide an atmosphere of home for the exhibit animals. Creating such an atmosphere for these animals has led to a successful first year breeding season.
At the onset of the 1982-83 breeding season our younger male koala,
Jimmy, had not reached full maturity. At 20 months old and only 17 lbs., he posed no real threat to the older male, Felix. Sixteen months older and three pounds heavier than Jimmy, Felix proved his dominance and bred two of the three adult females. Then as the 1983-84 breeding season de- veloped it was clear behavioral changes in the two males were taking place.
In September of 1983, Jimmy had reached full maturity and weight equal to that of the older male. During September and October many vocalizations took place but little direct aggressive interactions resulted. Only one female appeared to be cycling during this period since the first year joeys were still nursing from the remaining two females. It appeared that these two females would cycle later in the season when the joeys became independent .
Then in November, aggression between the two males increased and they sought each other out in their prospective territories. Jimmy utilized his hit and run tactics to harass the older male. Felix responded with his bulldog style of attacking the head with numerous bites to Jimmy’s ear. Following an intense fight on 22 November, 1983, Jimmy received severe bites to his left ear.
The following is a chronology of events after the fight. After the in- itial injury the ear was cleaned with a betadine solution and monitored for several days. On 24 November, the ear was swollen and warm to the touch. The ear was cleaned again with hydrogen peroxide, and antibiotic therapy was begun with an injection of Bicillen? On 25 November, clean- ing the ear was repeated and a Cento c in® in j action was given. Again on 26 November, the ear was treated and a Tribrissen® injection was given.
At this time Jimmy appeared lethargic and was eating poorly. Antibiotic injections were repeated for two more days and on 3 December, 1983, the ear appeared to be healing but Jimmy still seemed lethargic, and he show- ed no interest in interacting with the other koalas. His vocalizations were weak and diminished in number as he failed to respond to the older male’s threats.
Then at the weekly weighing on 4 December, he showed a one pound weight reducation and his feces were normally formed but unusually greyish in
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ILLNESS AND RECOVERY IN A MALE KOALA— A Case History, ConUna^d
color. Samples were taken for analysis and he was returned to the ex- hibit. Hand-feeding was initiated and was continued as long as he would f accept it. This form of supplement was not stressful and provided 100- [ 500 extra leaves per day.
i On 7 December, Jimmy was reweighed and his weight had dropped seven more ounces. He was still lethargic and it was decided to remove him from the ' exhibit to the koala house isolation room. Hand-feeding continued and on 9 December, a vitamin injection was given. On 10 December, 5% Dextrose ,■ fluids were given, since koalas dehydrate rapidly if they fail to eat.
It was also decided that antibiotic therapy may have lowered the intes- I tinal flora and reduced his ability to digest the eucalyptus.
Next an attempt was made to increase the cecums microbial flora. Five to ; ten fecal pellets were collected from the other healthy koalas. Each i pellet was estimated to contain thousands of enzymes essential to the I microbial digestion. The pellets were diluted and blended in tap water ! and 15ccs of solution were given orally for the following six days.
I The temperature of the isolation room was carefully monitored and main- ly tained at 70®F and the humidity between 70-80%. On 11 December, vitamins, 5% Dextrose, Lactated Ringers® solution and Aminoplex® were given in order ' to stimulate his appetite and maintain his fluid balance.
After initiating the fecal solution on 9 December, the color and texture of the stools improved. The dry grey-colored stools discovered on 4 December changed to a more moist, dark green-brown colored stool by the 13th. Fecal output was also monitored during his stay in the isolation |; room. Fecal output overnight ranged between 90-103 pellets. His atti- ; tude began to improve and he showed some signs of wanting to eat on his own. To stimulate his recovery, he was returned to the exhibit with , the other koalas. On his return to the exhibit he weighed 17 lbs. 15 oz.
On 14 December, he was reweighed and he had dropped to 17 lbs. 5 oz. A [] decision was made to draw blood for a panel. Even though his weight was I down, his attitude was more alert. Careful watch on his behavior, weight j and feces continued along with daily hand-feeding as a supportive measure.
J Results of the blood panel showed a low white cell count, but it was with- ' in normal parameters. By 26 December, he once again reached 19 lbs. 4 oz., and hand-feeding was discontinued. Food consumption and weight were im- I proving. Then during the first two weeks of 1984, he began to relapse and drop in weight.
When he fell to 18 lbs. 4 oz., supplemental hand-feeding was resumed.
During this period of relapse his attitude was markedly different than his December illness. He remained fairly alter and active. His stools I remained consistent in both color and texture. He also was able to hold 1 his ground against the older male. On 18 January, 1984, when his weight i reached a low of 17 obs. 15 oz., blood was drawn. In order to allow his I system to regain natural order, treatment was kept at a minimum due to I, his improved attitude and behavior. Fluids and vitamins were administer- lS ed once on 22 January, following an attitude change in order to stimulate his appetite as well as to support hand-feeding. By 25 January, he re- I gained his weight to 19 lbs. 4 oz., and from that point on he gradually increased his weight. As a result of the blood test which showed an anemia, oral vitamin therapy was given for a two-week period following his recovery. Today at 22 lbs., Jimmy is strong and healthy.
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ILLNESS AND RECOVERY IN A MALE KQALA-A Case History, Continuo^d
As a vital part of our koala project, Jimmy functions as our backup , breed- ing male. He also serves as an important stimulant to our older male’s activity level. The extensive and relentless efforts to save him during this illness maintained the stability of our breeding program. The infor- mation acquired during his illness proved vital to our koala management program.
Observations by the Los Anagles Zoo research department provided the keep- ers with eucalyptus preferences, and additional interactions and activity by each koala. Recognizing each koalas’ behavior is a primary tool in keeping these animals. Each koala has an activity level and body language Ji which may change dramatically at the onset of an Illness. Discovering ;
these changes as they occur can mean the difference between successful or i
unsuccessful treatment of the koala. For example, Jimmy is normally an |
active animal spending his time in different areas of the exhibit and in |
extended resting positions. When the illness first started, lethargy was noted. His extended resting positions changed to a crouched sitting posi- ' tion. His head drooped forward into his lap and he was anorexic.
Due to koalas’ high inactivity, stress signs may not be as noticeable. i
Weighing the koalas once each week can provide additional information i
needed to discover the signs of illness as they occur. Dramatic weight loss of a pound or more between consecutive weighings may indicate the beginnings of an illness or behavioral problem. Immediate attention can | then be focused on the affected animal. This is important when a large group is maintained in the same enclosure. At each weighing, the animals’ body conformation and eyes are checked. Eye disorders are a common occur- ence in koalas. The koala can also be checked for bite wounds, and during ; the breeding season, the females can be checked for the presence of a joey. ■
Finally, when administering antibiotic therapy, close attention should be kept on the animals’ behavior and fecal output. This is important in an animal which relies on microbial action to break down food matter.
Koalas are posgastric digesters, relying on micro-organisms present in |
the cecum to break down and detoxify the leaves and oils of the eucalyptus. ; Numerous injections of anitbiotics may lower the microbial flora and proper nutrition may not be received. Change in fecal color or consistency coupl- ed with depression may be the only immediate signs available. At the Los Angeles Zoo we generally rely on the individual koala to recover on its own from an illness. Frequent handling usually constitutes added stress i which can further complicate the problem. However, if anorexia and weight j do not show improvement, the rapid supportive therapy must be initiated.
Due to koala foliforous diet of eucalyptus leaves, little or no fat can be found in their bodies. This enables them to carry a high proportion of body water. Much of this water is in the cecum which can hold large amount.'; of food. Since the majority source of water for koalas comes from the euca-‘ lyptus leaves, anorexia or inability to digest the leaves results in a loss ; of body water. During dramatic weight loss, fluid therapy is a must. Hand-j
feeding has proven a vital part in maintaining koalas through an illness j
at the Los Angeles Zoo. Techniques have been developed here which provide maximum consumption with a minumum of stress. These techniques are adjust- able to account for differences in attitude and acceptance. :
With the addition of two female koalas from the first breeding season, the j
Los Angeles Zoo maintains two male and five female koalas. Knowledge ac- j quired during an illness such as Jimmy’s, is constantly recorded and changeij in our management program can be updated. With this flexibility, we look [ forward to our continued success at the Los Angeles Zoo Ahmanson Koala Houst
382
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THE KEEPER AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE
By
JoavU-d Stlyi6on, KddpoA Thd Pkodvilx loo, Phodn^x, AI
So you think you’re a good keeper? You are always on time, your uniforms j are spotless and you keep your work area and tools in order. You know all your animals by name and number and your diet cards are all in phylogeneticj order. You feel pretty good about yourself and your job. But what about | the public and the way you approach them? It's an area where everyone - I myself included - needs inprovement. j
i
How many of us find ourselves hiding from the public, disappearing into ' the woodwork when the gates open? More often than not, don’t we try to do our work in the public areas early so our afternoons can be spent inside, [ away from the rabble? i
Dealing with the public is perhaps the hardest part of our jobs, but also one of growing importance. Today’s zoos and aquariums are instruments of j conservation in which the keepers play a very important role in the manage-; ment and propagation of endangered species. All the hours of care, re- !;
search, and behavioral observation that goes into our daily routine will |
mean nothing if the public is not educated about our efforts and the {
reasons for them. |
fj
Hopefully an evolution is taking place in which the animal keeper is more to the modern zoo than simply the person that does all the dirty work. Professional zoo keepers today have to go further than being general author j, ities on their animals. You must be able and willing to meet the public. | The keepers’ role in public relations is important for they are often the only employees a patron is likely to see during a visit. Interactions with the public can help to increase their awareness of the zoo’s role in con- i servation. !
For someone like myself who came into this field because I enjoy working | with and have a respect for animals and don’t enjoy working with people, this aspect of the job can be hard. It is especially so because most of jj
our contact with the public involves a negative situation, usually repri- ■ manding someone for breaking a zoo rule. j-
P
We all get together and joke about what we would like to do with the peopled who continually try to feed the animals, throw rocks, or cross barriers.
But given a little self-control and forethought, these confrontations can be used to your advantage.
First, however, you must re-think your approach to these situations. In- stead of simply telling a person "no" or threatening them with removal ! from the zoo, take the time to explain the reason for the rule that has | been broken. jl
People seem to feel they must interact with the animals. Many don’t care j, if the animal is disturbed, but there are some who are simply naive about j the results of their actions. Explain the meaning of "special diet," and i many people will understand that these animals are susceptible to diseas- , es transferred by public feeding. ‘ I
Keep in mind when dealing with the public that antagonism is not only un- | comfortable for you, but hard on the innocent people exposed to it.
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I THE KEEPER AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, ConUnutd
iSome problems are easily recognized. Instead of waiting in the wings for Ithe problem to develop, head it off before it starts. This is easier if Ithe problem is occurring at an exhibit with several other people around. iMake yourself visible, introduce yourself by saying something about the [animals in that exhibit. Discuss their age, diet, behavior, and gradually Iwork your way into the subject where your problem lies. If it*s feeding, Idiscuss disease control: if it's ro ck- thr owing , mention "flight space*' land how many animals break their necks after being accidentally frightened.
jinnocently make eye contact with the person you suspect. You now have ■'done two things: 1) the person you suspect knows he is being watched, and ,2) you have touched the interest of the other patrons showing them you appreciate their interest enough to take time out to speak to them. You [have spread a little information and won their sympathies for the diffi- culties of your job and the concern you have for your charges. Chances are pretty good that you can walk away with your problem solved.
Of course there are some people that you just can't talk to. They will do whatever they please. These people should be removed. In situations like this, be sure you are familiar with the policies of your institution before you act. Don't allow some idiot to antagonize you to the point iyour reaction could result in a blot on your record. Don't be afraid to , ask for help. Whatever you do, don't give them the satisfaction of know- :ling they ruined your day. In other words, don't let them see you sweat. tiRemain cool, calm and in control, i
i
[As the elephant trainer I probably fall under public criticism more than 'other zoo keepers. I have never thought twice about disciplining one of !my charges when necessary. I don't want things falling apart around my lears everytime a crowd develops because the elephants know I'm reluctant to use my hook. This can be a touchy situation, there is no denying that. At Phoenix all training from "chainbreaking" through the "lay down" was I, done in the open under the public eye. It's best under these circumstanc- es to have an extra keeper or docent there to explain what you are doing. ^If people are curious or concerned, we explain exactly what we are doing Ijand why. The elephants' daily routine is explained along with our objec-* Vtives and goals.
iMy most frequent complaint is that I am impatient. This stems from my [reluctance to repeat a command. I am careful to explain that once an elephant learns the behavior associated with a command, it's important that it responds immediately. That way, if I ever find myself between a Iwall and one of my elephants, they are more likely to move when I tell 'them to and - I hope - before I am injured seriously. Most people can junderstand this frightening situation. My explanation is given with a j smile and my appreciation for their concern. Becoming defensive only agitates the situation. You are not doing anything to be ashamed of so [don't act as if you're putting up a fight. If all your best efforts fail, [offer to go with them to the administration building where they can file a formal complaint. Chances are the complaint - if it still exists - iwon't get that far.
Even under the best circumstance, people who would never dream of doing I'you or your animals harm can cause you grief. Personally I have never liunderstood people's fascination with watching someone rake or scrub an Ijenclosure. Being a constant brunt of bad jokes like "What kind of ani- !mal are you? or " Look, this one's trained to use a shovel!" is enough |to make the most patient keeper want to disappear into the woodwork.
385
THE KEEPER AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE, ConUnued
My problem spot is the zoo's orangu-tan exhibit. When down in that pit,
I can really empathize with the animals. Just the sound of approaching |
voices is enough to make my hair stand on end. To the sound of my own gritting teeth 1 fantasize about how I would like to deal with these un- | knowing antagonists.
I've found that if I open the conservation as the people arrive, I don't have to pretend I find their jibes humorous. As they approach the wall,
I explain something like, "I'm sorry, the orangs won't be out until I've !! had a chance to clean up after last night's dust storm," or "The orangs 'j
are very susceptible to colds, so we won't be exhibiting them until the !
temperature reaches 60°. " If you simply explain what you are doing and i|
how it benefits the animals they will proceed on their way wide-eyed and a little more knowledgeable. It may cost you a little time, but your ego : nothing.
Communications between the keepers and docents should be encouraged. It's hard to put a price on the many hours these people work for our institu- tions. Their jobs can be made easier and the keepers' appreciation shown ; through workshops between the two groups. New and returning guides are given a chance to ask questions and get to know the animals more person- ,[
ally. In some cases these people are dealing with outdated information. '
By pooling your resources, you can insure the information disseminated to || the public is consistent. i
i'
Now that we have mastered dealing with the public during our daily rou- ;|
tine, it's time to move on to the more rewarding job of enthralling the jl
captive audience with our wit and wisdom. ||
I-
At the Pheonix Zoo and many others across the country, keepers are being |{ used in educational programs. Six years ago we began our "Discovery Tours. Originally the lecture and tour were led by university instructors with | stops at several night houses and brief contacts with the keepers. As more and more complimentary letters arrived, it soon became evident that the public enjoyed the keeper contact and the anecdotes they had to offer. Today the program has evolved into a series of four lectures: endangered species, elephants, reptiles, and an early morning bird walk. '
Each tour lasts a minumum of two hours and includes a slide presentation ij researched and presented by the keeper, followed by a tour and a question- '' and-answer session. The elephant tour, consistently our most popular, includes a training demonstration and tour of the barn.
We recently began a new "after school" program involving the same programs ; but geared towards ages 6 through 16. Each child is given a copy of the ZOO BOOK in reference to the subject being discussed. The slide presen- tation is shortened to 20 minutes for the shorter attention span. As :
with the adult programs, it is completed with a tour. jl
Our program has been a big success with many people returning every year. i| We frequently get requests for special tours including one for the Nature | Conservancy. I
If you enjoy communicating to a captive audience that is genuinely inter- ested in what you are doing, you might consider the challenge of teaching | a community college course. In our area for several years a course on the role of the modern zoo in conservation is taught under the title "The j| Biology of the Zoological Garden", The catalog describes the class as A ji survey of the functions and goals of zoological gardens with consideration
386
THE KEEPER AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE , Coyitinu^.d
of how well these goals are being met. Animal behavior, evolution and ecology are examined with an emphasis on how knowledge from these areas is essential to the proper design and functioning of modern zoological gardens” .
Though not directly associated with the zoo, it is taught on the zoo grounds by an anthropology professor and a zookeeper, Mike Carpenter.
From the first assignment "Why Zoos?" in which the students are asked to justify or condemn the existence of zoos, the instructors take opposite points of view to stimulate both the students’ imagination and sense of morality. The students are supplied with a list of suggested readings.
The required texts are Wild Animals in Captivity by Hediger and King Solomon’s Ring by Konrad Lorenz .
During the semester-long course, worth three credits in biology, the students will discuss everything from exhibit design and genetics to zoo- morphism. Controversial subjects like training, public contact, and euthanasia are covered. They have an opportunity to view several video tapes including Nova’ s "Memories from Eden", Lincoln Park’s "Otto, Zoo Gorilla", and the documentary, "Say Goodbye".
The class meets once a week for three hours and each student is required to join in a day-long tour of the Phoenix Zoo. They also have the oppor- tunity to join a tour to Tucson to visit Reid Park Zoo and the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum. After their day at the Phoenix Zoo, the students are asked to critique what they consider to be the best and worst exhibits as well as design their own including graphics and a complete explanation.
The students passing through this course come away with a new or revised opinion of the zoo. It’s no longer a source of simply recreation or entertainment, but a conservational resource hopefully worthy of their respect and help.
For those of us involved in these programs, we have found the opportunity to both expand our own knowledge of our animals and contribute to what is hopefully an important aspect to the philosophy of the modern zoo - educa- tion. So let’s get out from behind our shovels and climb out of the wood- work. It’s time to show that we have all it takes to be modern profes- sional zookeepers, advocates for our animals, and friendly educators for our visitors.
387
FISH WITHOUT TEARS" - Some Basic Considerations
In Aquatic Exhibit Design for Zoos
By
Vav-ld G. Gon.don, AquoJvut ?od.Yvt Vei)-lance Zoo and Aqua/Uum Taaoma, WA
cannot couiAy gun^." - PktlLLp K, Vtck
In recent years, we zookeepers have seen a welcome shift from the phylo- genic approach to animal display - the reptiles in the Reptile House, small mammals in the Small Mammal House and the fishes in the Aquarium. Modern exhibitry has put more emphasis on the portrayal of regional or behavioral themes, where these animals are often placed under one roof, giving the zoo visitor a better picture of the interrelationships between all living things. Two examples of this current trend are the "Cascade Exhibit" at Portland's Washington Park Zoo and the "World of Adaptations Complex" at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. It was through my exposure to the 31 mixed exhibits at the latter newly constructed facility that the insight and impetus for this paper arose.
With this change in exhibit strategy, today's zookeepers are faced with a | new challenge - no longer confined to the specific, they must become gen- ! eralists, versed in a range of biological techniques. The herpetologist i may be confronted with the care of waterfowl hatchlings, the mammalogist delegated to the hermit tree crabs. While for the most part this shift !
may be deemed a "positive learning experience", I have found that most |
zookeepers dread accepting the responsibility for the aquarium systems at | these new facilities. j
I believe that the major area of conflict occurs largely as a result of ' contrasting dynamics between aquatic and terrestrial displays. This con- flict has been sustained historically through "guild" sentiments that have attempted to keep the basic tenets of aquarium management under lock | and key. From personal observation, I find that an open exchange of basic information is needed between zoo and aquarium workers, allowing zookeeperi; a better chance of survival, once confronted with the "mysteries" of oper- ' ating aquarium systems.
In this paper I will not focus on specific mechanical or biological con- i, cepts - a visit to your public library will assure you that there are plenty of introductory books on aquarium care to confuse you with fact. I prefer to discuss some broad guidelines and philisophic considerations for. zookeepers charged with the upkeep of aquarium displays. I have divided j: these considerations into three convenient categories: "Less is More", ! "More is More", and "Enough is Enough".
Less is More: Many zookeepers feel that they must be doing something of |j|
big proportion to be "really working" - hosing, shoveling, restraining, !j
etc. Exactly the opposite tack is necessary for successful aquarium !;
management. A well established aquarium should require a minimum of main- tenance in its operation. Generally, aquatic systems may be characteriz- j ; ed by a subtle but all pervasive stability. Hence the less manipulation, jj exhibit disruption or handling, the more likely the success of an exhibit., < This divergence in operational tactics has created the stereotype of the I passive, contemplative (i.e. lazy) aquarist in the eyes of some zookeepers A good animal care technician will actually resist the temptation to fid- dle with a balanced aquarium system merely to feel productive. i
388
FISH WITHOUT TEARS", ConUniio^d
More is More; This stability can best be achieved through intuitive obser- vation, common sense husbandry and lots of heavy machinery! While I by no means advocate the use of gadgetry as such, 1 urge all keepers to employ redundant mechanical systems for filtration, water exchange, heating and lighting. By employing a "hardware heavy" exhibit design, you will not only insure against unforeseen equipment failure, but these redundancies will help provide the stable environment and ultimately save time and ener- gy in overall maintenance. In few cases have aquarium systems been mechan- ically overdesigned. Don't play catch up ball in this area - it is far better to overcompensate with life support equipment.
Careful consideration of the exhibit tank that will be under your care is also recommended. A common misconception centers around exhibit size, and the inexperienced person will often feel that a small aquarium will be much easier to take care of. Suprisingly most often the reverse holds true. A greater volume of water will act as a buffer and allow for more flexible parameters in the event of heat loss, depletion of dissolved oxygen and general deterioration of water quality. I recommend exhibit aquaria of at least thirty gallon capacity for public displays.
Enough is Enough : There exists a common but tragic tendency of zoo workers to over-reach in their exhibit goals and expectations. Too often aquarium systems have been designed with the flashily obscure specimen, difficult to acquire and maintain, in mind. And as a result, the zookeepers' first experiences begin with the odds unnecessarily stacked against them. The choice to exhibit the more accessible fish or invertebrate specimen, if properly presented, will provide the same visitor appreciation, while eliminating much of the heartbreak or hair loss that follows striving for the unattainable. Most home aquarium primers contain lists of suggested hardy, easy to obtain animal specimens. When the choice is yours, I ad- vise choosing aquarium display specimens carefully. The lionfish ( P-^eAO-46 ^p. ) display at Point Defiance Zoo's World of Adaptations Complex contains five inexpensive, robust fish, easy to display and care for, and has pro- vided enjo3mient for a rich spectrum of zoogoers. As is necessary to gain expertise in any new field, be conservative in your actions, observant of both success and failure, and be aware of when "enough is enough".
By following these suggested guidelines, I feel that many of you will soon be enjoying "fish without tears". Certainly unexpected problems will arise, for this appears to be the nature of all phases of animal husbandry. How- ever, through forethought, sensitivity and open mindedness - in short those qualities that have led conscientious zookeepers to success over terrestrial challenges - a harmonious balance will be easily realized in your aquarium displays .
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS! ! ! !
ZOO CARETAKER, . . to work mostly with birds and mammals. Applicants should have avicultural experience and desire to work in a developing avian col- lection. Starting salary $5. 52/hr. plus excellent benefits. Contact: Gordon B. Henley, Director, Ellen Trout Zoo, P.O. Drawer 190, Lufkin, TX 75902-0190, by 20 December 1984.
389
HORTICULTURAL ENHANCEMENT OF EXHIBITS AT THE ARIZONS-SONORA DESERT MUSEUM
By
Ge.on.g<i MontgomeAy A/Uzona-Sono^a Ve^eAt MiUeim Tucson, AZ
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a zoological, botanical, and earth sciences institution focused exclusively on the natural history of Ariz- ona, the Sonoran desert region of Mexico, SE California and the Gulf of California and its islands. This non-profit organization was establish- i ed in 1952 and has increasing memberships and a yearly visitation rate of about 450,000.
The Museum has four scientific departments: Earth Sciences, Plants, Small i Animals, Birds and Mammals. The Plant Department consists of seven full- time employees: Curator, Assistant Curator, Horticulturalist , Plant Sales Manager, and three Landscape Technicians. As a landscape technician, my position is analagous to the keepers in the animal departments. Primar- ily, our duties are to maintain the gardens, path-sides and natural areas, and vegetation in and around the animal enclosures. We also assist with duties on this one-half acre propagation area. jl
Public awareness of native vegetation and its role in the Sonoran desert | ecosystem is a valuable tool in the landscaping trade in the arid South- west where water is not abundant. We participate in this public educa- !
tion program and add monies to our operating budget by holding biannual j;
native plant sales. This popular event could be instituted at other zoos, and may be in some cases, a profitable fundraiser for the zoo, zoo society or AAZK chapter. Perhaps your state has a local chapter of the Native Plant Society that would co-sponsor such an event. |
To explore the primary function of zoo horticulture as practiced at the j
Desert Museum, let us first define zoo horticulture as having the goal |
of the creation of living landscapes immersing the visitor in the charact- i eristic animal habitat and demonstrating wildlife as exciting, interactive I and indispensable elements of the landscape (Coe, 1983). This is a branch , of zoo exhibition that is gaining greater recognition as a necessary com- j plement to traditional zoo roles. i
Enlarging on its past function of producing flower beds and shade trees, !j^ the modern zoo community is designing landscaping as a integral part of j| the zoo environment. The Puget Sound area zoological parks have taken , great strides, as have many other institutions, in the incorporation of horticultural principles into new display and interpretation techniques j at their institutions. |
Front railing barriers are well planted at many zoos serving as a visual ^ diversion from the actual barrier walls and providing additional cover |
for the animals. Where possible, vegetation native to the habitat or |j
mimics of it should be used to set the theme of the animal as part of an |j ecosystem. Though cover is sought for the animals' well-being, visibility j for the public is another consideration. These buffer plantings must be j selected carefully to meet the display goals of the exhibit. !,
In cases of absence of barrier railings at the Desert Museum we are for- tunate in the abundance of thorny plants available for use as barriers. ! For example, in the White-fronted Amazon exhibit, the animals gain a I
390
HORTICULTURAL ENHANCEMENT OF EXHIBITS AT THE ASDM, CowUnutd
small amount of distance from visitors by the planting of prickly pear cactus .
The support areas of the exhibit can be landscaped in a manner to suggest native habitats. This enables usage of plants that would be destroyed by the animals, and augments the total scope of the display.
Landscaping around buildings can ease the obtrusiveness of the artificial enclosure. The six-year-old walk-in aviary is becoming well-screened by native vegetation from the outside which adds to the continuity of vege- tation from within. The schematic evolution sculpture at the entrance to the aviary is set off by, and protected from overly inquisitive visitors by the extremely sharp-spined Baja club cholla {Opuwtla ZnvZcJta} .
Walkways, public access areas between exhibits and around buildings are surrounded by native vegetation throughout the Museum grounds.
The Arthropods of our region are displayed in the Orientation Room. Pot- ted plants and cuttings are in most of these exhibits providing an enlarge- ment of the scope of the presentation and interpretation of the animal, and in some cases its food or egg laying substrate. In these rearing cages, insects and other arthropods are watched through their life cycles to study their potential display value. The arthropod keepers use prunings from many species of plants around the grounds either collecting them them- selves or putting in a special request to the Plant Department.
A standard procedure is being instituted for plant material requests from other departments by of a special request form. We are finding it use- ful in daily and long-range planning.
Plant materials are used in aquariums also. Cottonwood branches and leaves simulate a windfall into a mountain stream exhibit. The branches are replaced weekly; the landscape technician delivers the prunings on a regular basis to the aquarium keeper.
In the amphibian tanks representative plants of the toad's habitat are used as props. The giant Bu^O maAZniii is exhibited in a diorama of a southern Sonoran river basin. The plant used, the wild fig ( pcutc- {^oUjOl] is a characteristic tree of that region.
The plants in these and all other indoor animal exhibits are rotated peri- odically with others to prevent decline in health due to low light levels and lower than optimum growing conditions. The rotation system provides recuperation time and space for the plants; it takes additional service space but is well worth it, almost necessary, for the maintenance of healthy plants for display enhancement.
The mountain islands of southern Arizona are home to three rattlesnakes that inhabit slightly different microhabitats far different from those of desert rattlesnakes. The Banded rock rattlesnake (^. -t^pZdcU ) is an example. The exhibits for these reptiles are enhanced by plants and plant material from their habitats. These exhibits are maintained by the reptile department with material occasionally supplied by the Plant Department.
Other reptile exhibits use dried plant material such as tree branches, dried grasses and pieces of bark as props and cover from plant species indigenous to some part of the range and habitat of the animal species on display (Lawler and Prchal, 1981).
391
HORTICULTURAL ENHANCEMENT OF EXHIBITS AT ASDM, ConUnuad
The walk-in aviary is again an example of extensive plantings in an ani- f mal enclosure. The original concept provided four habitats within the ![
structure but rapid plant growth and the birds' mobility quickly broke I
down the boundaries. The aviary contains 45 species of birds and about 140 individuals. Of the paired species, about 70% have successfully bred, i Throughout the nesting season (February through September) varying amounts i of prunings are left available for nesting and cover material for the birds,: To aid in the introduction of hummingbirds into the aviary, we are plant- ing naturalized tree tobaccos iNd.cotiana glauca) and other nectar sources. !
The Orange-fronted Parakeets lA/LCUtcnga aanA-CuZa/U^ ) are one of several ij
Psittacines native to the Museum region and were an exciting feature of i
this aviary — but far too destructive! They cut a nesting hole into a saguaro cactus but did not nest, only continued to enlarge the hole. This resulted in the death of the plant. IVhen they started in on the second giant cactus, an interdepartmental decision to transfer them was made and ' followed through.
Animal destruction of plants in an enclosure is by no means new. It is ^ one of the most difficult problems, besides budgeting, that the zoo horti- |’ culturalist faces, and needs extensive research and further discussion at || another forum. 'I
I:
t
A regular renovation project at the Museum can be illustrated by the Black- j tailed prairie dog {Cynomy^ tudov-idanLU ] yard . On a yearly basis the j'
yard is tilled by hand, soil amendments are added, and the yard is seeded ^ with a rye grass to produce an aesthetically and nutritionally more com- I plete exhibit. This winter and spring grass is suitable for Tucson's cool [| season but dies out in warmer weather. Attempts to establish a summer ;
ground cover have not yet been successful. The prairie dogs eat this grass' .and are offered other grasses and prunings throughout the year. These prunings are made available to several mammals; including the mule deer [OdodoiZn^Lii hmlontU ) , and desert bighorn sheep (Ovd^ canaddfU^ mdXA^cayui) . ,
The ocelot grotto has undergone recent renovation. This exhibit has had || serious secondary succession problems in terms of its landscaping. In- || Production of a captive-born ocelot kitten five years ago resulted in the l| quick destruction of a vegetated enclosure. Her subsequent mating and ij
raising of young left revegetation a low priority. Recent animal trans- j| fers allowed the opportunity for replanting with about eight large shrubs || and small trees and several grasses. The cats were removed for two weeks || allowing time for the plants' roots to begin to become established. Be- I fore reintroduction, these plants were sprayed with a foul-tasting anti- iJ biotic to discourage harmful inquisitiveness by the ocelots. Though a I
small amount of damage has been done by the cats, the grotto will continue | to be vegetated as a simulated naturalistic enclosure. |
At ASDM we are trying to achieve an increasing level of public awareness i of the role vegetation plays in cultivated and captive displays and the j
natural world. ]
Continuing with its challenge to provide quality exhibition and interpre- tation, the Museum's current capital project is part one of four phases of ; the Large Animal Habitats Complex. The complex will exhibit four of the | Sonoran Desert's major habitats: Mountain island forest, semidesert grass- land, desert foothills, and subtropical riverine woodland. The mountain j habitat is under construction and will include black bear, white-tailed jj deer, mountain lion, and Mexican wolf. The landscaping must perform J
392
HORTICULTURAL ENHANCEMENT OF EXHIBITS AT ASDM, ConUnue^d
several important functions which combine to create the impression that the visitor is actually in the mountains, and conceal the barriers be- tween the animals’ enclosures and between the enclosures and the visitors, creating the impression of a single large space in which the visitor is immersed (Dimmitt, 1983). This Mountain Habitat will be landscaped with about 7,000 plants, from pine trees to wild irises.
An accepted value and function of zoological parks is education of the public in natural history and wildlife conservation. Viewing zoological specimens in an enclosure that is enhanced by the native or similar to native vegetation from the animals’ community will further awareness of the concept of conservation of habitat. We realize the necessity of pre- serving natural habitat as the only means of preserving viable populations of both plants and animals. In this realization we must strive for that awareness to be directed to our visitors. In broadening the educational potential of zoos by including botanical exhibits and habitat replications, visitors will be encouraged to come more often and stay longer (Turner, 1974). We at the Desert Museum feel that presentation and interpretation of the animal in terms of its rols in the ecosystem is a way to meet this chal- lenge. Presenting exhibits that offer more than just one aspect of the ecosystem will enlighten our visitors to a greater extent.
Literature Cited
Coe, Jon C. 1983. A Greensward for Gorillas, Adventure in Zoo Horticulture. AAZPA 1983 Annual Conference Proceedings (Vancouver), pp. 177-185.
Dimmitt, Mark A. 1983. Exhibiting and Interpreting the Botanical Aspects of the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem. Association of Zoological Horti- culture National Conference Papers, 1983 (Philadelphia), pp . 13-18.
Juvick, J. 1977. Mountain Ecozone Exhibits: Design Concepts and Education- al Potential, International Zoo Yearbook, Vol. 17. London: Zoological Society of London.
Lawler, Howard E. and Prchal, S. 1981. Small Animal Exhibits at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Past, Present and Future.
AAZPA 1981 Annual Conference Proceedings (New Orleans), pp. 199-203.
Turner, R.G. 1974. Plants in the Zoo: Their Use and Interpretation. Masters thesis. University of Michigan.
Information Please
Information is needed on care and environment of Blue & Gold Macaws during the hatching of eggs. Anyone having information on exhibit size and mat- erial, nests and nesting materials, cage mates, temperature, etc., please contact: Cynthia Kreider, Erie Zoological Society, P.O. Box 3268, Erie, PA 16508 or call (814) 864-4091.
The Honolulu Zoo, Mammal Section, is trying to develop a primate identifi- cation system. We would welcome any recommendations from keepers who have found a successful way of identifying primates. Please send information to: Honolulu Zoo, Irene Zane, Zoo Librarian, 151 Kapahulu Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815.
393
By
VouUvicAXi E, SammoAco^ Zoo Ke.e.peA Lincoln PoAk Zoological GoAdcn^ Chicago, JL
A GORILLA FOOD PREFERENCE STUDY
Keepers tend to have lots of ideas and never enough time to get all their I proposed projects done. Sometimes conditions do not allow us to make the ; particular observations we want to make. Fortunately, we can often find ' ways to try our ideas and answer our questions by using other members of ; the zoo family. I want to use the study I have started to illustrate intra-ii zoo cooperation, and the use of eager and knowledgeable people who can as- : sist us with projects beyond our abilities. '
I was watching our gorillas as they ate their afternoon produce feeding, commenting to a docent on how the choices that the apes made seemed to be different from what most people would think. The public, especially, found it amazing that gorillas would select salad before fruits. I thought, it would be interesting to scientifically study their food preferences, but i since our food is dropped out of keeper sight the first few choices are not to be observed by the feeder, and other keepers are not available to watch ^ during this busy period in our day. i|
I was pleasantly surprised when that Docent, Joan Neymark, came in the next j day to say that my project was approved and that I would have behavior Do- jj cents available. This was just an idea, and I suddenly had to organize it !|; into a behavioral research project. With advice from Assistant Director 1| Dennis Meritt, I designed what is my first formal research project. ji
I proposed ten observations on each of our 37 great apes, hoping to find j individual and overall food preferences. Eventually I would compare and I contrast the choices made by the gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans. I saw possibilities for this to grow into a comparison, of nutritional values of the choices if I could find a nutritionist who was interested and per- r haps even compare wild preferences with the selections of our apes. I j:
envisioned an army of Docents making copious daily notes and quickly giv- ij ing me the data which would show, as I predicted, that the gorillas would |i show a preference in choosing lettuce and celery. ;
Most of our Docents go home at 2 p.m., having done their share of tours |i and observations. The produce feeding is at 3 p.m. My army became a squad and, as time dragged on to well over a year, a few other volunteers |i were added as regular observers. Many thanks to Volunteer Coordinator ;i
Susan Young; Docents Joan Neymark, Stephen St, Clair, Cindy Bowers, Fletcheii Denton, Carol Fuller, Carol Rice, James Palmgren, Donna Brookins and Debbie] McNully, and my friends Caren Thillens, Bob Ironside, Fred Jahnigen and ! Chuck for all their hours.
The great apes at Lincoln Park Zoo are fed meat and oranges at 8 a.m., ||
Monkey Chow, carrots, seeds, nuts and goodies at 10 a.m., milk with |
supplements at noon, and produce at 3 p.m. This produce feeding of apples, bananas, sweet potato, onion, escarole and iceberg lettuce, celery, spinach and green beans was the focus of the study. Green beans and white potato | are offered at a weekly or random basis, and were therefore eliminated ;
from my data analysis. Escarole and iceberg were both counted as lettuce i since it is difficult to differentiate the two at a distance. The choices of infants - Matadi, Brooks and Hope - are admittedly limited since they share with or steal from moms and babysitters. Bananas are routinely hand- i ed out before the rest of the produce is offered, so order of choice with
394
A GORILLA FOOD PREFERENCE STUDY, CoyvUnu2.d
|
FOOD ITEM |
//APES |
PERCENTAGE |
|
banana |
23 |
100% |
|
apple |
21 |
90% |
|
celery |
20 |
87% |
|
lettuce |
20 |
87% |
|
onion |
14 |
61% |
|
sweet potato |
13 |
57% |
|
banana peel |
12 |
52% |
|
spinach |
12 |
52% |
|
green bean |
9 |
39% |
|
Order of preference by number |
of gorillas choosing the item. |
|
|
FOOD ITEM |
//CHOICES |
PERCENTAGE |
|
apple |
215 |
25% |
|
celery |
145 |
17% |
|
banana |
144 |
17% |
|
lettuce |
115 |
13% |
|
green bean |
54 |
6% |
|
onion |
54 |
6% |
|
sweet potato |
45 |
5% |
|
banana peel |
31 |
4% |
|
spinach |
31 |
4% |
|
856 choices total for 32 gorillas during 69 |
observations. |
|
//APES |
FOOD ITEM |
//CHOICES |
|
16/70% |
lettuce |
29/42% |
|
11/48% |
celery |
16/23% |
|
9/39% |
apple |
12/17% |
|
3/13% |
sweet potato |
3/4% |
|
2/9% |
green bean |
2/3% |
|
2/9% |
onion |
2/3% |
|
2/9% |
spinach |
2/3% |
Order of second choices
395
A GORILLA FOOD PREFERENCE STUDY, ConUnucd
banana first is not necessarily accurate. On the occasions when this fruit was fed with the rest of the items, or handed out later, celery and green beans became first choices.
Observing 23 gorillas for three trials each produced 69 total scores, not enough for really scientific results. However, I learned a great deal and this study could be expanded to a more complete survey. I have breakdowns of the number of choices each gorilla makes during a meal. Some of these numbers surprised me. A gorilla may choose only three items from all that is offered as in the case of Frank who was seen taking only banana, lettuce and spinach. The others chose greater variety, although banana was the onk unanimous choice.
Eating patterns varied a great deal, with Helen and Otto gathering an arm- ful and leaving the food area to eat in leisurely seclusion while most others made repeated trips to the dump site and some remained on the spot. The number of selections made by each ape varied from 20 to 91 during the hour observation period. Some animals ate for as little as 20 minutes, others ate throughout the hour, but most finished their meal and took up lounging or play before 4 o’clock. Leftovers remain available for evening snacking, and are usually still apparent in the morning.
In looking at overall choices, some interesting figures appear. All 23 gorillas have been seen choosing banana, 21 made apple choices, 20 made lettuce and celery choices. These same four items are ranked highest in the number of choices although order changes to apple, then celery, then banana, then lettuce. Considering the relative abundance of bananas and apples (up to a dozen per animal) , and the scarcity of celery (h head per ape) and lettuce (with all sharing three heads), the greens appear as even more greatly preferred items.
Because of the routine of feeding bananas first thus influencing this choice, I looked at second choices. Sixteen gorillas took lettuce, 11 choose celery and 9 choose apple with relatively few making other second choices during the 69 observed sessions. Lettuce was taken twice as ofteji as celery and three times as often as apple.
The informal observations during my routine seem to be verified by the more scientific study. Since we add produce for its amusement value to the nutritionally balanced prepared diet, it seems that offering more salad of the preferred greens and reducing the more expensive fruit would make all of us happier. Since wild gorilla diets consist of a great deal of rough vegetation and little fruit, this same change would also more accurately reflect the apes’ natural habits.
A commitment to zookeeping puts many demands on time and energy, but a keeper will find supportive people all around. We can be researchers, gathering needed assistants, or present a question beyond our limits to one more specially trained and become the assistants. Our animals reap the benefits since part of being a professional zoo keeper is being an applied behavior ist.
396
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FRESNO'S WOLF WOODS: FRUSTRATIONS RESOLVED
By
MoAy L, Swavaon, CaAvilvon.<i Ke^tpoA VAOJiVio loo, fAe^no, CA
At the Fresno Zoo we are just now com- *
pleting a new Wolf Woods exhibit. This |
is the culmination of a long-held dream, as well as a long period of frustration for both the keeper staff and the man- i
agement of our zoo.
We have exhibited wolves at the Fresno Zoo since 1936. We have had the '
Canadian or eastern timber wolf subspecies of wolf since 1974. The wolves have been exhibited in various locations in our zoo, but until now they have always had to be housed in concrete-floored, chain link enclosed cages. i
The original pair of timber wolves had litters that totaled thirteen pups, ‘ which we were able to place at other zoos. After the death of the female ,}
in 1977, we acquired a new female. Tala, from the Philadelphia Zoo. Tala jl
and Mingan had their first litter together in 1980, when they had Homer !{
and Floyd. We did not know it then, but that was the beginning of a four- !
year period of frustration for all of us. j
Right after Homer and Floyd were born, the old male, Mingan, died of liver | failure. We wanted an unrelated male for breeding, so we acquired Willie from Mickey Grove Zoo in Lodi, CA. Willie had been hand-raised and was, and still is, friendly to his keepers. But again, little did we know the 1 problem Willie would create for us. In 1982, he sired a litter of ten pups, j It was not too long after that that Willie received a vascetomy. He was just a little too prolific.
Tala could not cope with all ten cubs, so one by one we attempted to hand- ij
raise four of them, but they did not survive. In some ways that was a
relief because by then we were beginning to doubt we would find homes for jS
all our pups. Up until 1980, we had had little problem placing wolf off- |
spring at other zoos. In the next few years it became obvious that most i;
zoos, wildlife rehabilitation groups, and other reputable animal institu- |[
tions could not take on any more wolves. jj
We had long dreamt of a more natural, roomier exhibit for our wolves. |
With six cubs surviving the last litter, and Homer and Floyd still on our surplus list after two years, it now became imperative to build a new exhibit as soon as possible.
As is usual for zoos, our first problem was raising the money. We had just completed our largest project ever, a $950,000 new elephant exhibit.
In the last two years we had also done considerable rennovation of other areas of the zoo - all done with minimal amounts of money and a lot of in-house or donated labor.
We wanted to keep Wolf Woods in line with such rennovations in costs. We had been able to rennovate our ancient and sterile-looking Monkey Island into an attractive Lemur Island for $30,000. Since over 80% of that cost went for creation of its rock mountain, it was a very inexpensive pro- ject. However, Lemur Island proved to be a very simple project compared I to Wolf Woods, so eventually the cost of Wolf Woods rose to $80,000.
Even so, that is cheap for a completely new exhibit. We kept the cost 1
down by the use of very cost-effective procedures. ,
398 i
FRESNO'S WOLF WOODS: FRUSTRATIONS RESOLVED, CoyvUnaad
To finance Wolf Woods, we sought a major donor. A local firm, Martin Oil, donated $30,000. It took time, but the rest of the money was raised from many other sources including our zoo society, our docent group "Zoolynx", and $6,000 left over from rennovation of our Big Cat Exhibit in 1981.
That $6,000 from the cat exhibit was to cause frustrating delay at the last minute. It was from state grant money, so the State of California now had to approve the plans. They didn't like the tree guards we plan- ned to use, so it took some time to negotiate a compromise on that issue, and re-draw the plans.
Acquisition of working plans for the exhibit took much longer than we ex- pected. To keep things cost-effective, we sought and found an architect willing to do the plans for no cost. Then the architect ran into problems. We were in a recession when we asked him to help us. and he had some time on his hands to work on our project. But soon his firm acquired a giant project working on Fresno's Convention Center, so our Wolf Woods got put on the back burner. When someone does something free for you, you can't make demands, so we tried to wait patiently. Eventually, we had to hire a draftsman to complete the last bit of the plans.
Part of the cost escalation was due to a supply problem. We had tried to keep the costs down by purchasing the poles for the exhibit months before the plans were finished. Almost everything we build utilizes poles. In 1976 we built the Bison/Elk Exhibit, the first new exhibit in our Master Plan. It had peeled poles at the back of the exhibit. We liked the ef- fect so much we decided to use poles as a major tie-in theme of landscap- ing and exhibits in the zoo. Even the new public restraining fences are peeled poles. The effect is very attractive.
The company we had bought poles from was going out of business and offer- ed us a bargain rate, so we bought up a supply for Wolf Woods. These were pentachlorophenol treated poles. But by the time the plans were finished, we had revised our ideas and would need more poles. But by then we were unable to find any more penta poles.
We did find a company that had what are called CCA poles. "CCA" means copper chromate acetate treated. We consulted with other zoos that had used them, and found they felt they were superior and had greater long- evity. So we worked out a trade, selling the old poles and replacing with CCA poles. But, of course, the costs had to rise some.
To compound the pole problem, the plant supplying them was temporarily [ closed by the state because of one of the worst toxic waste disposal i problems encountered in California. Naturally this caused further frus- i trating delay in the project.
I
Another delay resulted when engineers questioned the soil stability be- cause the planned moat was to be ten feet deep with the poles buried another seven feet. Tests had to be run to convince them that the soil I would be stable.
Meantime, we had the problem of housing a total of ten wolves until their 1 new home could be built. The young males, Homer and Floyd, were housed I in one 18' x 18' exhibit next to an identical one housing their mother,
, Tala, and her new mate, Willie. Willie and Tala's exhibit couldn't j house six growing pups too, so the pups went to a play yard in the nur- |: sery. They soon got too big and rambunctious for that area, so they were taken to the shift pen at the Bison/Elk Exhibit. Eventually, tha male
399
FRESNO'S WOLF WOODS: FRUSTRATIONS RESOLVED, Continued
pup, Bruno, became so dominated by his sisters that we had to pull him out and put him into one of the three small holding pens behind the sea lion exhibit. The shift pen became too small for the five sisters too, and one day one of them tried to bite the keeper. So we decided to do I
a major shift. We moved Homer and Floyd to a holding pen behind the
sea lions, and two of the female pups to a third holding pen. The other |||
three females went to the public area cage where Homer and Floyd had been.;
That worked for awhile. Then Floyd became ill and died. So we were down ' to nine wolves. Then, shortly before Christmas 1983, two of the sisters ganged up on the third and bit her ear badly. Four of us stayed late that night to tranquilize her, treat her, and move her to the cat barn night house.
A few months later, Homer became ill and we moved him to another room in the cat barn to recuperate. This gave the two females in the holding '
pens more room, so we left the housing arrangements that way. |
||
All the wolves but Willie and Tala were, and are, on our surplus list. !! Since 1980, the only inquiry we have received was from a zoo in Tolucca, Mexico. We offered them five of the wolves last winter, and then the i paper work started. But with the Endangered Species Act and two federal ■ governments involved, nothing more has ever come of it. It is apparently a dead issue. So all nine wolves will move to Wolf Woods. J’
After the many long delays and endless frustrations for the whole staff, '
construction of Wolf Woods finally began on 6 June, 1984. The wolf keepei,! at the time. Sue Jones, was one of the official groundbreakers . The site ;| of the new exhibit encompasses a quarter of an acre. It is located west | of our reptile house. The original site was quite flat. The exhibit now j| grades from the edge of the ten-foot deep moat up to seven feet high at the center, with a flat area at the back of the exhibit. The public will view across the moat at eye level with the top of the center hill. This , was accomplished by adding fill dirt to raise the public viewing area intci a hill. Frenso is very flat, so when we build new exhibits we like to I build hills to relieve the flatness.
There are two dens, one facing toward the public and one toward the back for more privacy. The dens form the foundation for the center hill of .
the exhibit. They are six-foot diameter corrugated metal piles high ii
enough to stand in. Dirt was added for a den floor. Wooden "log-house" | compartments are at the back of the dens. These have a trap door at the top for a keeper to open if necessary to drop down to get an injured or sick wolf. There is a plywood door in the compartment with a peephole ; for checking the den. Fill dirt was mounded over the dens after they ] were constructed, and rocks were placed around the openings to the dens, i
A drinker pool was built at the east end of the exhibit. The drain leads j down through a percolation bed of gravel to the soil. The drain valve I is next to the pool. The fill valve for the pool is in a concrete pad i outside the exhibit gate. !
The exhibit walls are the CCA poles buried seven feet deep and cemented. The poles are bolted together with long redwood planks on the exhibit side of the walls. The moat is on the front side of the exhibit only.
From the public viewing area, only a short two-foot height of pole is visible above the moat, so the view of the animals will be unobstructed. The public restraining fence is the same pole rail fence used at five other areas of the zoo.
400
FRESNO'S WOLF WOODS: FRUSTRATIONS RESOLVED, ConUnu^d
Keepers enter the exhibit by a side gate in the east wall. There is a guillotine door at the back which will lead to a future holding pen.
We have night events at the zoo and are open evenings in the summer, so we have also lighted this exhibit. Mounted inside the moat walls are "Cool-Cube" quartz halogen light fixtures. These use 300 to 500 watt bulbs .
Five large sycamore trees were preserved at the site. Short poles were used as tree guards to prevent fill dirt from sliding down onto the tree roots. One of the most difficult tasks during the long and very hot sum- mer was to get enough water to these trees to keep them alive during con- struction. To keep costs down, our gardening staff and volunteers did the landscaping. In late September, a volunteer work party of 80 people placed all the plants according to the landscape architect's plan.
At the time of this writing the wolves have not been put into the ex- hibit. As each one is put in, they will receive physical examinations, necessary booster hosts, and will be ear-tagged. While scattered in holding cages, of course, it has been easy to tell the wolves apart. We anticipate it might be harder to identify individuals with nine wolves in one exhibit. So we are using colored tags in the ears. These are about the size of a quarter (29mm in diameter) . The three males will be tagged in the right ear and the six females will have tags in the left ear. We expect the tags will simplify doing behavioral studies.
Willie and Tala go into the exhibit first, as we hope they will be domin- ant. Then Virginia and Neka, the two sisters on public view, will go in. They have been within sight of Willie and Tala and should relate best to them. Ethel, Lucy and Jumper will be next — we hope Jumper won't live up to her name. Homer and Bruno won't go in until they have been neuter- ed as we certainly don't want any more babies.
We do not know yet what the problems will be. We don't know if nine wolves that have not lived together can form a proper social pack — it will be very interesting to watch them sort out their social order. We don't know if we can condition all nine wolves into entering the holding area at once. We don't know what problems will arise with keepers going into an exhibit with a group of wolves, one of which is already friendly to keepers. We can only play it by ear and meet each problem as it arises.
What we du know is that at last we have a chance to resolve our staff's frustrations over the wolves. Our worst problem was having to house full grown wolves in inadequate, cramped, deteriorating, concrete and wire cages. We often had to defend ourselves against public criticism of the awful old cages. We also felt great frustration that the nine wolves scattered around the zoo have had no chance to experience and to display normal wolf pack behavior. We expect those basic frustrations will now be resolved.
401
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG
{A^aapkiu tAaQyi]
AT THE WASHINGTON PARK ZOO, PORTLAND, OR
By
StciYil2.y P. HM (^/U king ton Fcuik loo Vontland, OR
A^aaphiU) t/LiKll is the only North American species of the family A^caphldan. It is a primitive frog as evidenced by its amphicoelous vertebrae, free bony ribs, and the retention of two tail wagging muscles: the pyriformis and the caudalipuboischiotibialis (Noble, 1931; Stebbins, 1954; Duellman, 1975) .
The tailed frog is indigenous to the Pacific Northwest. This cryogenic anuran usually spends the daylight hours hidden under stones in shallow mountain streams. It becomes active at dusk, foraging for food on the stream banks, or, after rains, in wet woods. The many isolated populations are found at timbered elevations ranging from sea level to 2000m (Stebbins, 1954; Behler and King, 1979).
A male A. tALKll in unique among frogs in possessing a vascular extension of the cloaca which is used during amplexus as an intromittent organ to transfer spermatozoa into the cloaca of the female (Noble, 1931; Stebbins, 1954; Nussbaum et al., 1983).
Although field studies (Gaige, 1920; Noble and Putnam, 1931; Matter, 1964a, 1964b, 1967; Landreth and Ferguson, 1967; Wernz, 1969; Brown, 1975; Hailman 1982; Daugherty and Sheldon, 1982a, 1982b) as well as laboratory research (Noble, 1931; Matter and Pauken, 1969; Wernz and Storm, 1969; Altig and Brodie, 1972; Claussen, 1973a, 1973b; Brown, 1975; Hailman and Jaeger, 1978 Green et al., 1980) have been conducted on tAu(ll, there are no publish- ed reports on zoological exhibitry and husbandry of this species.
As compared with other zoo animals, there is a scarcity of published data on the captive maintenance of any amphibian, especially pertaining to cold- adapted forms. Most zoological Institutions which exhibit amphibians do so in a reptile house which is usually fashioned to cater to tropical or temperate clime herptiles (Stuart, 1973; Nace, 1977).
This paper describes the captive maintenance, display techniques, and at- tempts to breed tailed frogs over a two and a half year period (March 1982 - September 1984) at the Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR.
Materials and Methods
Exhibit - The exhibit tank (75 x 25 x 45cm) held approximately 15 liters of domestic tap water which created a depth of 7cm. Water for aquaria housing larvae was dechlorinated by ageing.
A water pump was connected to 7.6m of clear plastic tubing coiled inside an insulated, water-filled, plastic bucket. This bucket was attached to i the refrigeration unit of a commercial juice cooler. An aerator in the bucket kept the cold water in motion. Exposed plastic tubing from the i
outlet and pickup tubes were wrapped with 15.9mm water pipe insulation.
The outlet tube was divided in two: one section exited under the water while the other section released water in a spray from the top. This cooling system kept the exhibit water temperature within the range of ,
5°C tol5°C (see Claussen, 1973 a, for a discussion of A. tAiioJ, thermal requirements) .
402
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG AT WPZ^ CoyvUnued
The filtration system consisted of a mechanical filter, which removed suspended particles from the water, and a chemical (activated charcoal) filter, which removed dissolved gases, chlorine, and other chemicals.
This system maintained a high quality, aquatic habitat for the animals.
The filters were Installed between the water pump and the chiller.
Smooth stones, most with a diameter of 25-75mm (see Atig and Brodie, 1972), were layered on the floor of the enclosure. A few larger stones, western red cedar branches, and small ferns (VdlA-dOphyta) were added. The larger stones were angled against the front of the aquarium glass. An aerator was hidden under the stones.
The outside of the back and sides of the tank were covered with a neutral gray plastic. The cover of the exhibit tank was 6.4m opaque plexiglass with cutouts for the outlet and pickup tubes plus numerous smaller holes.
On top of the plexiglass, a 30cm, 20-watt fluorescent full-spectrum lamp connected to an electrical timer provided lighting with the day-night cycle set to duplicate the natural photoperiod of Multnomah County, Oregon.
The theme of the Cascade Stream and Pond Building, in which the exhibit is located, was to show the faunal ecology and life history of a Cascade Mountain stream. The exhibit tank was positioned near the entrance of this building and was therefore influenced by natural light, outdoor tempera- tures, and noises from the public hallway. Disturbances from these sources were believed to be minimal. A 75 x 45 x 0.95cm piece of clear glass was placed between the front of the tank and the public viewing area. The back of the tank projected into an animal keeper work area which had low noise levels but was heated to 15.6°C at night and 17.8°C during the day. The back and sides of the tank were enclosed in 25.4mm styrofoam sheet insulation to minimize temperature influence from the work area.
Holding - The off-exhibit holding area, the Herptile Quarantine Cold Room, measured 2.7 x 2.1 x 2.7m. An 11,000 BTU/hr air conditioner maintained the temperature within the range of 5°C to 17°C with a mean of 11°C. Timed lighting, set to duplicate natural day/night cycles, was provided by a ceiling-mounted 1.2m standard double fluorescent fixture with a white full- spectrum lamp and a red lamp. Tailed frogs were housed in various sized aquaria ranging in capacity from 3.8 to 113.6 liters. These holding tanks were furnished similarly to the exhibit tank.
Subjects and Maintenance - A total of 5 male, 4 female, and 25 larvae of A, t/iU2yL were captured for use in the study.
[
jA few tadpoles and three to four males were the primary exhibit subjects.
I
Female A6aaphll6 were housed in the off-exhibit holding area and were in- j troduced into the exhibit tank when adult males developed seasonal sexual [characteristics as described by Gaige (1920); Noble and Putnam (1931);
I Metter (1964a); and Daughtery and Sheldon (1982a). The female frogs were removed after amplexus had been broken or after two days if amplexus had not occurred, and then reintroduced at a later date.
Diet consisted of purchased or captive-reared 2-10 week old house cricket ! nymphs {Adkdtd domd6.tlc.Ci} , flesh fly larvae {SaAdOphcigcL biittcuta] , meal- worm larvae ITdnebAto motttoA.) , wax moth larvae {GatZeJita mcZZondtla] , and sow bugs [0nAAC,u6 CU>21Zli6 ) . Also, the frogs were occasionally offer- ed small local spiders: the long-bodied cellar spider ( Vkotcu^ pkaZangto- tddS) and the American house spider iAchaeaAama tcptdiPUo^LUv} . Frogs were fed one or two times per week en masse. Once per week, animals were fed individually in small plastic or glass containers.
403
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG AT WPZ, CoyvUnued
Diet records were kept for individual animals and for groups. Each frog was examined and weighed monthly on a triple beam scale to evaluate health and food consumption.
Feces, uneaten and dead food items, and dirty water were removed from the tanks every few days. Complete water changes and tank cleanings were done once per month.
Results
This project resulted in the successful maintenance and exhibitry of A. tAUQA. in a zoological park. Tables 1 and 2 show the dates the animals entered the collection, metamorphosis dates, length of time in captivity, and disposition of each animal (only frogs were given identification num- bers). No adults died during the study period. One adult frog is a two and a half year captive. Three frogs have been on exhibit for over two years. Two larvae have been sharing the exhibit for a year and a half.
TABLE 1. disposition,
Date frogs entered the collection, and time in captivity.
|
Animal # |
Arrival date |
Time in captivity |
Disposition |
|
82-1 |
18 |
Mar. 1982 |
31 months |
On exhibit |
|
82-2 0^ |
7 |
July 1982 |
27i months |
On exhibit |
|
15 |
Sep. 1982 |
2 months |
Died 8 Nov. 1982 |
|
|
82-6 |
30 |
Dec. 1982 |
2\ months |
Died 13 Mar 1982 |
|
83-1? |
5 |
May 1983 |
17i months |
In HQCR^ |
|
83-2? |
5 |
May 1983 |
17‘2 months |
In HQCR |
|
83-7c^ |
15 |
May 1983 |
17 months |
On exhibit |
|
83-5? |
1 |
June 1983 |
months |
In HQCR |
|
83-6? |
1 |
June 1983 |
16-|- months |
In HQCR |
^Herptile Quarantine Cold Room
404
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG AT WPZ, CowUna^d
TABLE 2. Date larvae entered the collection, metamorphose date, disposition, and time in captivity.
|
Arrival |
date |
# of Metamorphose animals date |
Time in captivity |
Disposition |
||
|
14 |
June |
1982 |
1 |
6 July 1982 |
28 months |
82-3c/' on exhibit |
|
14 |
June |
1982 |
6 |
dnm^ |
10 months |
Died 10 Mar, 1983 |
|
29 |
June |
1982 |
1 |
13 Aug, 1982 |
4 months |
Died 29 Oct, 1982 |
|
29 |
, June |
1982 |
3 |
dnm |
9^ months |
Died 10 Mar, 1983 |
|
12 |
Sep, |
1982 |
3 |
dnm |
2 months |
Died 8 Nov. 1982 |
|
12 |
Sep, |
1982 |
6 |
dnm |
6 months |
Died 10 Mar, 1983 |
|
17 |
Apr, |
1983 |
1 |
25 June 1983 |
18 months |
83-3«?' HQCR^ |
|
17 |
Apr, |
1983 |
1 |
25 June 1983 |
18 months |
83-45 HQCR |
|
17 |
Apr, |
1983 |
1 |
dnm |
17 months |
Died 4 Aug, 1984 |
|
17 |
Apr, |
1983 |
2 |
dnm |
18 months |
On exhibit |
^Did not metamorphose ^Herptile Quarantine Cold Room
The husbandry techniques utilized to maintain tailed frogs in captivity included clean, clear, cold, moving water; a relatively disturbance-free existence; varied food items providing adequate nutrition; a fairly con- stant, forest-like environment; uncrowded housing conditions; a natural photoperiod; and the keeping of concise records.
Pelvic amplexus with intromission was observed with three different pairs of frogs. These embraces were maintained 28, 78, and at least 144 hours. The production of eggs did not occur.
405
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG AT WPZ, CoyvUnazd
Discussion j
Exhibit - The exhibit enclosure was designed to achieve four purposes:
1) to recreate the microhabitat of a tailed frog in a Cascade Mountain | stream; 2) to house and maintain A. tALi2A.; 3) to allow zoo visitors to see the frogs; and 4) to research numerous aspects of captive husbandry j of this species. ^
Stones, branches, and vegetation placed at different levels gave the frogs , a wide choice of temperature and humidity gradients. The temperature ex- tremes ranged from the coldest water temperature of 5°C to the warmest air ; temperature, directly beneath the fluorescent lamp, of 16°C. The water flowing through the underwater outlet tube created a moving water stream effect; the water entering the tank in a spray from the top created a rain effect and helped keep the humidity level high. The small holes in the plexiglass top allowed for gaseous exchange.
The absence of external gills on the larvae and the reduction of lung size and lung vascularity in the adults indicate that these animals rely mostly i on cutaneous respiration and, therefore, require a cold environment includ-i ing highly oxygenated water. This was provided by the cold moving water j and by the stone aerator. The bubbling action of the aerator also helped | keep particles in suspension thereby increasing the efficiency of the fil- i; tration system. The reduced lung capacity in A6CCipkiU> results in an in- !' crease in its specific gravity. Therefore, it is easy for these frogs to I remain submerged. !
Subjects and maintenance - Tailed frogs were fed during the day. However, ; they ate at night and were therefore rarely observed feeding. When Aicaphu were observed feeding they usually reacted opportunistically, lunging at j
active food items. Only rarely were frogs observed actively pursuing a j
live food ietm. Weekly individual feedings helped determine if all frogs were eating and to test food preferences. Of all food items offered, the
frogs displayed a preference for spiders and crickets. Fig. 1 shows the j
percent of offered food items eaten. (Test for significance of differences ] between proportions. Z = 2.24, when 2. <;^ >05).
Male frogs ranged in weight from 5.2 to 6.0g (n=4) with an average of *
5.7g. Female weights ranged from 8.0 to 9.4g (n=4) with an average of 8.8g. i
Because it was important that visitors see the frogs, several modifica- ! tions were made to the exhibit to improve viewing. In an attempt to re- verse the light cycle to show the frogs when they were most active, a j
one-way mirror was substituted for the clear glass fronting the exhibit. This proved too dark for proper viewing. A red fluorescent lamp was i|
substituted for the white lamp, but this arrangement also proved too dark j
for exhibit viewing.
A more successful strategy was to arrange the enclosure substrate materialij so that the frogs were visible even when they were hiding. A. tAiiQA. con- cealed themselves by pushing between stones on the bottom of the tank, where they appeared squashed. Frogs hid under the large stones angled against the front glass and were thus visible. Branches, leaves, and moss were positioned in similar ways to provide "hiding places" visible to the public.
Despite these modifications, at times the frogs were difficult to see.
Their brown, gray, and orange coloration provided excellent camouflage |
406
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF TAILED FROGS AT MPZ, Contlnii^d
Fig. 1. Percent of offered food items eaten by tailed frogs. (Test for significance of differences between two proportions.
Z = 2.24, when £< .05) .
SP, spiders; CR, crickets; MW, mealworms; WM, wax moth larvae; FF, flesh fly larvae; SB, sow bugs.
Food items
407
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF TAILED FROGS AT WPZ, CoyvUnae,d
among the similarly-colored stones. Because of their propensity to hide and their lack of sustained activity, the uniqueness of A. t/iUOA. as an exhibit animal is frequently not appreciated by the casual observer. The zoo staff eventually agreed that careful scanning of the exhibit was part of the visitor's educational experience.
RhycLdOtAAjtOYl otymp-LdUU) , the Olympic salamander, and A, t/UiQyi are sjrmpatric. Because of this relationship in the wild it was decided to try a mixed ex- hibit. An adult female R. oZympd,CLUJ> has shared the exhibit tank with A, tAiiOA, frogs and tadpoles for more than a year and a half.
Mortality - Two juvenile male frogs died two months after capture without having eaten. Three larvae also succumbed within two months of capture.
A two-month-old frog that metamorphosed from a captive larvae died without having eaten. One larvae died when exposed to chlorinated water. Almost a year after their capture, 15 larvae died when algae-covered rocks from a migratory waterfowl pond and from a zoo exhibit housing North American river otter ( LiLt/m. c.ancid2.yi6dj> ] were introduced into the larval holding tank. All died within 24 hours. Cause of death was not clinically determined.
Breeding - When the adult males in the exhibit tank showed advanced de- velopment of transitory sexual characteristics, adult females were intro- duced. These male sexual characteristics included a series of small dark spines on the insides of the pectoral region, a rim of small dark tubercles on the edge of the lower jaw, the swelling of the forearm to two to three times its normal size, and the appearance of large black horny pads on the inner palmar tubercle and the inner forearm (Gaige, 1920; Noble and Putnam, 1931; Metter, 1964a; Daugherty and Sheldon, 1982a). Male and female frogs were introduced in the exhibit tank because it provided the best conditions for observation.
Three to four female A^capkiU were introduced into the enclosure at a time, and any of four behaviors resulted: 1) males and females ignored each other;
2) a male attempted to amplex a female but the female was not receptive;
3) a male inguinally amplexed a female but intromission did not occur; and
4) a male inguinally amplexed a female and intromission occurred. Females
were never observed to initiate any contact behavior.
Males with fully developed seasonal sexual characteristics were observed attempting to amplex juvenile and other adult male A^CRphiU as well as the adult RhyacotAAXon sharing the exhibit (see Metter, 1964b). An am- plexed pair often attracted other males which would attempt to amplex any part of the mating couple’s bodies they could grab, sometimes holding on and dragging or being dragged around the tank for several hours before releasing their grips.
Mating pairs were occasionally handled to determine intromission and for photographic sessions to document these behaviors. The females often tried to jump away, dragging the amplexing males with them, but these dis- turbances did not cause the animals to break amplexus.
It has been shown that female A. tAmOA, can be induced to ovulate by in- jection of amphibian pituitary gland extract or human chorionic gonado- tropin (Noble and Putnam, 1931;Wernz and Storm, 1969; Brown, 1975). It was hoped that by closely duplicating the frogs' natural environment that eggs would be laid without the use of chemical stimulants. Though this has not happened as yet, further investigation is ongoing.
408
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF TAILED FROGS AT WPZ, ConUmad
The first frog to metamorphose from a wild caught larvae had spent its entire captive life, 28 months, in the exhibit. This particular frog had been more tolerant of light, noise, and other disturbances caused by cap- tivity than had individuals captured as adults. Also, he was often quite active in the daytime. Because this frog was housed in the exhibit tank, its tank mates were all males. The only times it was exposed to female A. iALLOyi was when they were introduced into the exhibit tank for breeding. In the first year of this frog’s life, during these introductions, he hid and did not approach the females. This frog began to develop transitory sexual characteristics at 16 months. At 20 months of age he actively pur- sued adult female frogs and attempted amplexus with whatever part of the female's body he grabbed first. However, he has yet to be observed suc- cessfully amplexing an adult female tailed frog.
A recent study of the life history of a naturally occurring population of tailed frogs stated that male A. tAlidyi do not show full development of skin tubercles (transitory sexual characteristics) until they attain four years of age (Daughtery and Sheldon, 1982a) . It is well established that some mammals and reptiles can become sexually mature at an earlier age in captivity than in the wild (Hediger, 1950; Kleiman, 1975; Martin, 1978) . Although this phenomenon has not been proven for amphibians, it may well exist for these animals also.
This project has shown that tailed frogs can be maintained and exhibited in a zoological setting. With the proper equipment, maintenance of these animals would not be much different than any other zoo animal. The move- ment of water as a rain, a waterfall, and/or a stream effect can make for very realistic and fascinating exhibit displays.
Acknowledgements
This research project was supported in part by grants from the American Association of Zoo Keepers and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Lisa Rapaport, Nancy King and Ann Littlewood are thanked for making this manuscript readable. Cynthia Cheney provided photograph- ic expertise. Mike Keele proved invaluable in locating escaped frogs.
This research project would not have been possible without the continued and enthusiastic support of Washington Park Zoo administration and num- erous zoo personnel. Specifically, J. Stephen McCusker, John Houck, and Warren Iliff are gratefully acknowledged for their logistical support.
Literature Cited
Altig, R. , and E.D. Brodie, Jr. 1972. Laboratory behavior of A^caphlM6 dyiLLQA. tadpoles. J. Herptol. 6, 21-24
Behler, J.L., and F.W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to
North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. New York. 718 pp.
Brown, H.A. 1975. Temperature and development of the tailed frog, A^CO-p/tuA thUOA., Comp. Biochem. and Physiol. 50(2), 397-405.
Claussen, D.L. 1973a. The thermal relations of the tailed frog, A^c.CLpkiU> tXUiQA., and the Pacific treefrog, Hutci H.(LQAjJiCL,
Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 44A, 137-153.
. 1973b. The water relations of the tailed frog, A^capklLS tALKLi,
and the Pacific treefrog, Hyta. H^dQAJLtd, Comp. Biochem. Physiol.
44A, 155-171.
409
CAPTIVE MAINTENANCE OF THE TAILED FROG AT WPZ, ConUna^d
Daugherty, C.H., and A.L. Sheldon. 1982a. Age-determination, growth, and life history of a Montana population of the tailed frog, A-6C.a.p/ia6 tA.U2A,, Herpetologica 38 (4), 461-468.
. 1982b. Age-specific movement patterns of the frog A/6 CCiphLUi
Herpetologica 38 (4), 468-474.
Duellman, W.E. 1975. On the classification of frogs. Occas. Pap. Mus .
Nat. Hist., Univ. Kans. 42, 1-14.
Gaige, H.T. 1920. Observations upon the habits of A^aaphiU tn.U.2A.
Stejneger. Occas. Pap. Univ. Mich. Mus. Zool. 84, 1-9.
Green, D.M. , C.H. Daugherty and J.P. Bogart. 1980.
Karyology and systematic relationships of the tailed frog, A6CCLphLLS tfux2A., Herpetologica 36 (4), 346-352.
Hailman, J.P. 1982. Extremely low ambient light levels of A^capkiUS t/iuOA.,
J. Herpetol. 16 (1), 84-86.
, and R.G. Jaeger. 1974. Phototactic responses to spectrally dominant
stimuli and use of colour vision by adult anuran amphibians: a compara- tive study. Anim. Behav. 22, 757-795.
Hediger, H. 1950. Wild Animals in Captivity. Dover, New York. 207 pp . Kleiman, D. 1975. Management of breeding programs in zoos. In Research in Zoos, Parks and Aquariums: A Symposium. Pp. 157-177. Nat'l. Acad, of Sci., Washington, D.C.
Landreth, H.F. and D.E. Ferguson. 1967. Movements and orientation of the tailed frog, A6 CLdphuA t^LLoJ, . Herpetologica 23 (2), 81-93.
Martin, D.P. 1978. Primates. ^ M.E. Fowler (ed.). Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine. Pp. 524-552. W.B. Saunders Co., Phila., Penn.
Metter, D.E. 1964a. A morphological and ecological comparison of two
populations of the tailed frog, A-6 (LdphiLb Stejneger. Copeia 181-195
. 1964b. On breeding and spern retention in AddaphiU) .
Copeia 710-711.
. 1967. Variation in ribbed frog, A2>CLfl-pAa6 tAmOA, Stejneger.
Copeia 634-649.
, and R.J. Pauken. 1969. An analysis of the reduction of gene flow
in A^caphlU ViaoJ^ in the Northwest U.S. since the Pleistocene.
Copeia 301-307.
Nace, G.W. 1977. Breeding amphibians in captivity.
International Zoo Yearbook 17, 44-50.
Noble, G.K. 1931. The Biology of the Amphibia.
McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York. 577pp.
, and P.G. Putnam. 1931. Observations on the life history of
A^CdphiU) tnuQyi Stejneger. Copeia 97-101.
Nussbaum, R.A. , E.D. Brodie Jr., and R.M. Storm. 1983.
Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. Univ. Press of Idaho, Moscow. 332 pp.
Stebbins, R.C. 1954. Amphibians and Reptiles of Western North America.
McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York. 536pp.
Stuart, M.D. 1973. Construction of a low-cost cooling system for amphibian exhibits. International Zoo Yearbook 13, 239-241.
Wernz, J.G. 1969. Spring mating of A^caphuA, J. of Herpetol. 3, 167-169.
, and R.M. Storm. 1969. Pre-hatching stages of the tailed frog,
AAcapAuA tAudd. Stejneger. Herpetologica 25, 86-93.
410
THE MODERN KEEPER IN A
SMALL GROWING ZOO
By
{Uayvm SageA, KeepeA Uatio-y Zoo, Edmonton, AlbeAta, Canada
The last few decades have brought tremendous changes in professional ani- mal care. Modern technology and a global conservation movement are large- ly responsible for shifts in both techniques and attitude in today’s zoos. Although still doling out diets and cleaning enclosures, zookeepers have had to learn new skills to keep pace.
I come from a small northern zoo located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Primarily a children's zoo for its initial 15 years, the Valley Zoo has taken a new direction in the past decade. Within the past decade there have been a few new displays built that do not follow the original "Story- land" theme. When the economy began to tighten, further expansion was put on hold.
It was at this stage that keepers became interested in upgrading exist- ing displays. With the help of the horticultural crew, keepers utilized readily available materials to transform previously barren pens into more natural appearing environments. This helped us realize we could still find ways to contribute to our zoo’s development. Most of our personnel have learned their trade on-site. Several of the keepers joined the American Association of Zoo Keepers and began to learn many new ideas in animal husbandry. We began to realize that contact with other keepers, plus copious amounts of reading, greatly helped our progress in becoming modern keepers. We have incorporated record keeping, training, safety procedures, research and study into our daily routine.
As keepers in such a northern location, primary consideration is given to dealing with frigid temperatures that may dip to -40 °C. Unfortunately, original construction of the zoo did not provide adequate heated quarters in the display areas of the resident exotic species. Instead, a large winter barn was constructed to house most of the animals during the cold months while the zoo is closed to the public. This necessitated a bian- nual shift of the majority of our animal stock. Keepers quickly became proficient in safe, low stress capture methods. Certain necessary im- provements were implemented to deal with large, less cooperative individ- uals such as our 750 lb. Peruvian Sea lion bull {OtOAta By^onta) . Through cooperation of zoo keepers and associated city tradesmen, a mobile "Pinniped Squeeze" was built for far less than market price. Keepers also helped design squeeze/capture chutes for the Wood Bison [BdAon bdj>on atkaba^ce] and Bighorn Sheep ( 0vt6 canade,n6t6 ) pens.
It is difficult to be a modern keeper without modern facilities. In the past, keepers often had to adapt their methods to buildings that were too often designed by people who seemingly wouldn’t know a giraffe display from a bus shelter. Now we work with designers, sharing information learn- ed from our experience, ensuring we are in on the planning of new work areas.
In the fall of 1981, a design team consisting of an architect, project manager and zoo officials drew up a preliminary floor plan for a large commissary/winter quarters complex that would replace the twenty-year-old winter barn at our zoo. Totaling nearly 17,000 sq. ft., this massive structure will also provide badly needed staff facilities plus nursery
411
THE MODERN KEEPER IN A SMALL GROWING ZOO, ConUnue.d
and public interpretive areas. Keepers at the Valley Zoo were invited to a series of meetings to update this building's interior functions. We came to agreement on matters of concern such as pool size, corral arrange- j; ment, drain locations, door and window operation, perches and feeding sta- ' tions. As construction began, a new project was being drawn up. This was for an extension onto our elephant house that would contain an indoor pool f and viewing amphitheater. Attached to this will be flanking wings housing nocturnal animals on one side and reptiles on the other. Keepers also had the opportunity to participate in the interior design for this building.
With such involvement, we feel like an intregal part of the growth and expansion of our zoo.
A zoo masterplan is in developmental stages outlining $60 million of de- ‘ velopment to the remaining 55 of our total 70-acre area. We are all anxious to see our zoo expand into a world-class facility and hope to continue our participation in its planning.
Public education and involvement have become extremely important in re- cent times and the modern keeper is instrumental in this process. This ' couldn't be more evident than in a small zoo which requires public support i to gain funding for expansion.
At out zoo, keepers initiated a "Meet the Keeper" program and the "Zoo- keeper Olympics" to stimulate public interest in the "behind-the-scenes" activities. Regular public training demonstrations of the elephants and sea lions proved to be popular attractions. Keepers also submitted in- formative articles for publication in a monthly newsletter sent out to season pass holders. Numerous appearances on television also helped to promote the zoo.
One interesting program was set up in the fall of 1983, through the co- !; operation of the C.N.l.B. (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) ]
and zoo management. This was a "hands on" program for visually impaired children who, because of very limited exposure, have had few opportunities | to know what animals were really like. Keepers were matched with child- ]: ren on a one-on-one basis to visit easily approached animals. At the conclusion of the 13 weekly sessions, great strides had been made in the children's confidence and knowledge of animals. This successful project will be repeated this fall of 1984.
i'
As one can see, no longer are keepers unskilled laborers, but serious, versatile and dedicated professionals. Through the use of computers and modern techniques such as breeding and research programs, we are better prepared to face our everyday challenges. Modern keepers have to be self- | motivated, willing to share and communicate. Presently having nine full- ] time keepers on staff in Edmonton, we have many opportunities to become ! involved in all phases of our operation. What we do today is extremely important to our future as we will likely form the core of a much larger j keeper staff. We hold hope for the future and are striving to become '
modern keepers, ready for a new modern zoo.
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THE MODERN KEEPER IN A SMALL GROWING ZOO, CoyvUnuQ.d
WINTER QUARTERS /COMMISSARY SPECIFICATIONS
Planning of the Winter Quarters/Coiranisssary conraienced in the fall of 1981.
A design team was established which included Architect, Project Manager, Operations Supervisor (Zoo), Zoo Director. The preliminary floor plan was developed by the design team. Several updates were initiated as a result of input by several sources (i.e. by law enforcement, fire department and zoo attendants.) The electrical and mechanical systems were designed by engineering consultants based on program requirements established by the Design Team. The final designed plan was established by the spring of 1983. An estimated budget allocation was approved by the City Council totaling $3.4 million. The building was let to tender in the fall of 1983 and awarded to a general contractor in November 1983. Construction commenced in January, 1984 with the completion date being September 30, 1984.
Building components:
A) Winter Quarters 7,000 sq. ft.
B) Commissary 3,800 sq. ft.
C) Staff Facilities & Administration 3,500 sq. ft.
D) Public Program Area 2,500 sq. ft.
16,800 sq. ft. TOTAL
A) WINTER QUARTERS
Purpose: To provide winter facilities for exotic species displayed at Valley Zoo.
Sections and Features:
a. Pool Rooms: For Sea Lions, Seals, Waterfowl and Auxiliary pool for sick pinnipeds. Salt Water filtration system for the Sea Lions and Seals. Up-flow system custom designed from "Duraon”.
|
Sealion Pool : |
1800 cu. ft. volume (24' X 15' X 5' deep) |
|
Old Pool : |
280 cu. ft. (10' X 8' X 4' deep) |
|
Harbor Seal : |
1125 cu. ft. (15' X 15' X 5' deep) |
|
Old Pool : |
192 cu. ft. (8' X 6' X 4' deep) |
|
Waterfowl : |
360 cu. ft. (15' X 12*. X 2' deep) |
|
Old Pool : |
144 cu. ft. (8' X 6' X 3' deep) |
b. Center Pens: Primates
- 6 pens: each 12' long - 8' wide - 10' ceiling
- 2 pens: each 17' long - 12' wide - 10' ceiling
with attached holding pens each 8' x 10' x 10' ceiling.
- Service space - Corridor door - 4' x 24'.
- Concrete block construction with Lexan viewing windows. Metal ceiling.
413
THE MODERN KEEPER IN A SMALL GROWING ZOO. CowUnaod
c. Corral Area;
- 6 corrals - 17' long - 8' wide
- detachable corral walls and gate to give size versatility.
d. Holding Room:
- 20' X 20' approximately - holding cage area
e. Nursery:
- 15' X 15'
- isolation of young animals !
f. Reptile Room (with viewing windows) j
- 15' X 34' approximately 6
- 3 large Lexan windows (8' x 4' height) !
-to have reptiles on display
g. Storage and Mechanical
- Storage - approximately 12' x 12'
- general storage ■
- Mechancial - Approximately 15' x 20' j!
-Air systems, hot water boiler and filter system il
|l
Winter Quarters Features: i
a. 100% air exchange in Primate Pens (center pen). This to ensure ‘
separate air system from areas the public will access. j
b. 20 minute air flush system. To exhaust all re-circulated air from i
the building within 20 minutes. This feature is used to reduce smells.
c. All drains 6" diameter li
d. Large viewing windows to each holding room (public viewing) |
e. 10,000 floor weigh scales I
f. Tempered Water Systems for pen wash down. Temperature pre-set to
65®F. This to reduce the loss of room temperature during wash down, ]
thus saving heat costs.
g. Up-Flow Filtration System. Sand-gravel filter with three pumps. Two j:
back-up pumps to the main pump to reduce the problems associated with |
main pump breakdown.
h. Special coating: Epoxy base paint used throughout the Winter Quarters j
to ensure low maintenance and ease of cleaning. i
i. Portable closed circuit television to monitor animals when required. |
Nursery Features: i
a. Separate air system to ensure reduction of contamination by airborne agents .
b. Stainless steel counters. i
c. Self contained room with fridge, microwave and autoclave. ji
d. View windows for the public to watch the care of baby animals without |j
the dangers associated with direct contact. I
e. Close circuit television to monitor baby animals when required. |
COMMISSARY I
a. Separate air system to reduce the chance of airborne contamination.
b. Quarry tile food preparation area flooring for easy care/cleaning.
c. Stainless steel counters in food preparation area. Garborators for
each sink. .
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THE MODERN KEEPER IN A SMALL GROWING ZOO, CowUnazd
d. Separate diet pick-up and dirty dish return to ensure no contact and thus eliminate contamination.
e. 600 bed hpspital sepcif ication. Pot washer for dishwashing,
f. Ultra Violet light room for feed dish storage. This to ensure any contaminantes not destroyed during pot washer cleaning are eradi- cated .
g. Separate grain storage - freezer - cooler room. This on a separate air system from commissary. This room is air conditioned and main- tained at 45°F to 50°F year round. This to reduce mice problems. Freezer capacity 200 sq. ft. Cooler - 100 sq. ft.
h. Loading Dock. Enclosed, heated for diet wagon parking and heated area to pick up diets and dirty dish return.
STAFF FACILITIES
a. Lunchroom with capacity for up to 20 people at one time. Outdoor attached patio.
b. Security lock boxes for wallets and purses.
c. Laundry Room (2 washers - 2 dryers)
d. Lockers with showers.
1. Lockers are divided in two sections.
a. Dirty side. This area for drop off of uniforms.
b. Clean side For personal clothing.
c. Showers between.
d. Two sets of washrooms as well. One to be used by Zoo Attendants exclusively (named dirty side) and one set to
be used by other staff and guests (named clean side) , This to prevent cross contamination.
ADMINISTRATION
a. Offices for Director, Foreman, Operations Supervisor, Public Supervisor, Cashier room. Conference room.
b. Complete, fully-equipped public first-aid room. Staff first-aid is separate froiti the public area.
415
'WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR ZOO DOESN'T HAVE A GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT...
By
Coutky Taibb^, K^epeA Atlanta Zoological Pa/ik Atlanta, GA
In 1981, the Atlanta Zoo Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keep- ers was casting about for a worthwhile project that could help our trouble< zoo. Our public image was bad, the facilities old and deteriorating and keeper morale was at an all-time low. What could we do on our very tight i budget that would not only spruce up the zoo's appearance, but boost our own morale and become a visible tribute to the efforts of our chapter?
We obviously could not do much about directly improving animal enclosures, the buildings or the grounds, especially since a new master plan was being! discussed. Physical rennovation, besides, is a task that is beyond the | means of even the most affluent AAZK chapter. |
However, when we took a look at things from the visitors* point of view, the first thing to strike us was the lack of adequate signage. As in manyi older and smaller facilities, existing graphics tend to be simplistic and incomplete, unattractive, weatherbeaten or incorrect. In many instances | our animal enclosures contained no graphics at all. j
If you think about it, where is the most effective front against public i ignorance, when the keeper is busy behind-the-scenes and generally in- accessible, to answer those tedious daily questions?
Good graphics! i
It is a sad fact that most zoos have very tight budgets which renders ^ financing even the most modest in-house graphics operation impossible. Beautiful signage is a luxury that most institutions simply cannot afford.
The signs that were being displayed in our zoo were either city-produced i wooden directional graphics or commercially produced plaques. Since the image any zoo presents with its graphics is a direct reflection on its* state of being, we realized that if we wanted to change the public op in- i ion of our very old zoo, we would have to show some change. Older fac- ilities often display graphics consistent with their era. The visitors* impression of a zoo is greatly influenced by graphics, i.e. less than '
professional-looking signs vs. beautiful signage and a modern-looking I
enclosure which go hand in hand. Great graphics can really enhance your i zoo's image!
^ I
We decided that our facilities impending revitalization could be boosted by our project, and at the same time we could create signs to fit all !
those special needs that keepers are so aware of. '
We solicited help from our zoological society in purchasing some equip- |: ment for us once we decided that the silk-screen would be the most |
flexible and cost-effective means available to us. I*
(
None of our members had any previous experience and nothing but a rudi- .t mentary knowledge of the silk-screening process. We found, however, that j various zoo enthusiasts around the city were happy to assist us in such J
a worthwhile project, and soon we found individuals to show us how to a
operate the city-owned Varityper machine. With this we could photograph- t ically produce film-strips of text that would be used in exposing the silk-screen prior to inking. Our studio was quite simple and most of I
416
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR ZOO DOESN'T HAVE A GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT", Continued
our work was done during chapter meetings after work, although occasional ly signs would be run off during a lunch hour. The Varityper and the actual silk-screening took a few weeks to master but soon we could pro- duce several signs a week. We assigned keepers tasks ranging from text research to text production, sign production and cleanup, so that at any given time we usually had a couple of signs in progress.
Before we got started we had to decide on a basic format that all the signs would follow. We wanted the resulting overall image to be one of neatness and consistency.
The format we settled upon was a simple one. A range map would appear in the upper right hand corner of each sign; the common and scientific name in the upper left; diet in the space below that, and the remainder of the space was used for any additional descriptive text.
The copy was researched and written entirely by zoo keepers in the hopes that our daily and intimate contact with the animals would lend a sense of authenticity to the text.
Our target areas for our project were the outdoor Children’s Zoo and the hoofed-stock areas first and then the animal buildings in the mammal department .
Being inexperienced and money-conscious, we attempted to use miterboard for the outside signs. Each board was given two or three time-consuming applications of yellow paint. We chose this color upon being advised that it would be a particularly pleasing and attractive color to readers. Then after screening one the text we would hand-paint in the range map of the animal in question with red model paint. Finally several coats of clear shellac were carefully applied as protection against the elements.
Unfortunately, despite all the trouble we had gone to, after a few weeks our outdoor signs were as decrepit looking as the original graphics. The varnish cracked and discolored. Other problems included mildew, fading (especially on the range maps), warping and flaking.
In the meantime we had invested in white acrylic panels to fit in exist- ing lightboxes in the feline and primate buildings. Since even when new the miterboard signs never seemed as crisp and clean looking as the plexi glass signs, we immediately tried some of the acrylic sheets for the out- side areas. Remarkably the look stayed new and bright even after months with no protective finish. So we replaced all the previous signs with pale yellow plexiglass panels.
In a few months we had made signs for virtually every exhibit in the mammal department. It is especially rewarding to see the difference the signs make in the overall look of the concourses and other surrounding areas.
Now that we have tamed that seemingly impossible task and raised the quality and consistency of all the signage, we can assess our success.
We plan gradual and continual improvement.
We have found that our original format could stand many improvements, and that the field of visual communication is more complex and sophis- ticated than we had ever dreamed.
If your chapter would like to attempt its own graphics operation you will
417
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR ZOO DOESN'T HAVE A GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT", Con^Unued
want to avoid some of the errors we made. Here are some of the things we plan to try in the future:
Keep the design as simple and easily comprehensible as possible. Avoid extraneous markings or decorations that will confuse the viewer, and be careful about using symbols. A straight-forward format is, actually, the most effective way of disseminating knowledge.
Use large typefaces that are viewer-friendly and easy on the eyes.
Use pictures. Illustrations are great attention getters and can really drive your point home. Just as most people will scan the newspapers for photos and then read the captions, so will a picture invite the viewer's curiosity.
Break up large blocks of text. Try using headings such as Diet in the Wild, Breeding Behavior and others. This way the reader can scan the sign quickly to answer his question instead of having to wade through the text and possibly lose interest. Don't bury the information.
Use humor when possible. Give readers a chuckle. Pique their interest. The medicine is so much easier to take with sugar.
Include names in your range maps. We've found that to most people the outline of Africa, for instance, looks too similar to that of South America, and this can ruin the effect of your sign on a zoo visitor if he can't figure out where that animal comes from. Add the word "Africa" followed with the word "Kenya" for example, and the reader is instantly oriented .
When installing your signs be aware of placement. Study people to see where the focal point of each exhibit seems to be, and note which signs visitors read, passover, or just plain don't see. Remember to give them an unobstructed view and a close proximity for legibility.
Don't forget to fasten your signs securely! They take a lot of abuse out there!
Last, but not least, test all materials for durability prior to instal- lation.
The nicest thing about setting up your own graphics department is that signs can be made to fit your particular needs. You can answer that perpetual question or direct the flow of traffic.
For a change of pace try making your own endangered species screen or crowd-control plaques. Special, temporary or occasional signs can be installed quickly and professionally for those of you who are tired of the old construction paper and magic marker routine.
If your budget is too tight to allow even this much expense, don't be discouraged. Instead see how far you can go with what you've got. There is a closet artist in every zoo. The illustration for your sign can be as simple or as elaborate as you please. Lettering can be done by hand or with stencils. You can even use photos in lieu of an artist. Just be sure, when mounting your work in a lightbox, that there is no print or other distracting element on the opposite side of the photo. The surface can be simple posterboard laminated for durability.
418
'WHAT TO DO IF YOUR ZOO DOESN'T HAVE A GRAPHICS DEPARTMENT", CowUnuzd
This system is beautifully flexible, changeable, and signs can be produc- ed for only pennies per piece. Studio space can be the simplest of available spaces.
More ambitious chapters might attempt something really elaborate. Why not a viewer-involvement sign? For example, a sign in which the visitor can lift a panel to read about his favorite animal. This is a design that is especially appealing to children. A keeper alterable sign, in which the animals on exhibit can be posted easily and changed as needed, is another possibility. You could build an information marquee, carve wooden plaques or do something completely different that no one has thought of yet.
Our small chapter has barely begun to tap the resources of its members. The more involved we become in this intriguing science the more involv- ing it becomes. Now with the advent of universal symbols, yet another whole new area is opened up for exploration.
Finally, once your chapter has done its part to improve your zoo, why not blow your own horn a little? With permission we were allowed to erect a marquee that stands near the front gate of the Atlanta Zoo. We arranged a display, outlining our AAZK chapter's contribution to the welfare of the city's zoo, and to tell the world that Keepers Care!
DIET NOTEBOOK
Here is a unique opportunity to share with other keepers the types of diets used to maintain exotics in captivity. This project has the poten- tial to develop an excellent reference on captive diets but only if you participate.
Forms can be obtained from the Collection Centers listed below and when ^ completed they should be sent to the appropriate center. Please type or j print information, use metric units whenever possible and refer to the ISIS or lUCN listings for scientific names.
Please become involved.
BIRD COLLECTION CENTER;
KMa. hJQJitbXook LaJXIh Rodk CkaptoA AAZK JonQJibon.0 VnU-ve. bUtlo, Rock, AR 71104
MAMMAL COLLECTION CENTER;
IqaxLc ConAct Scdgic-lck Coiiyvty Zoo 5555 Zoo Blvd, WlckUa, KS 67111
REPTILE COLLECTION CENTER; BAcnt SpcnceA
ULyLm^otci Zootogi^caJi Gcuidcn Apple Valley, MW 55114
ALL OTHERS;
Sooth VloAlda ChaptoA AAZK c/o Vebble BuAch 17860 SUU 111 CouAt Miami, FL 33157
9
419
PREPARATIONS FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
IN TWO ASIAN ELEPHANT COWS
By
JuJUjCL ?a/lk.2A, K<l2,pQA Santa Bcuiban.a loo Santa Ba/ibcuia, CA
The Santa Barbara Zoo is located in south central California, 160 kilo- meters north of Los Angeles and 448 kilometers south of San Francisco.
It is bordered by the Santa Ynez Mountains on the north and overlooks the Pacific Ocean to the south. Over 500 specimens of exotic animals are exhibited in the 80-acre park.
In July of 1972 the Santa Barbara Zoo received two Asian elephant calves ( Etdpko^ maXA/riLU) ) from Mysore, India in trade for two California sealions ( ZatopfuLi> calA.{^OA.ntau^ ) . The cows, Sujatha and Little Mac, are now six- teen years old.
During the night the cows are housed in a cement block barn, each stall measuring 16 square meters. During the day the cows have free movement in the yard measuring 140 square meters. The yard is covered with a base of basic decomposed granite. The elephants have access to a 45,000 liter pool in the yard. A dead eucalyptus tree serves as a rubbing post. There is a dry moat, 1.83 meters deep, with a base of decomposed granite and grass surrounding the elephant enclosure.
Of the seven keepers on staff, six are elephant handlers. We are in contact with the elephants at least four times throughout the day. The management schedule includes taking the elephants out of the barn at 8:00 a.m., a daily health check at 10:00 a.m., health maintenance and reinforcement of learned behaviors at 3:00 p.m. The cows are led back into the barn for the night at 4:30 p.m. Part of the elephant manage- ment program includes an ongoing foot-care regime. This involves clean- ing, and trimming the pads and filing, trimming and polishing the toenails. The elephants have a repetoire of thirty commands. They are ridden by the keepers and bathed regularly. The keepers strive for unified control and discipline of the elephants. We are fortunate to have two quite tractable cows.
There are between 30,000 and 42,000 Asian elephants in existence. (Adams, 1981). The International Species Inventory System reports 159 Asian elephants housed -in zoos currently. Importation of Asian elephants has been restricted by the federal government since 1973 (Adams, 1981). In order to preserve and perpetuate the species in captivity it will be nec- essary for zoos and wild animal parks to undertake some type of repro- duction program. This paper describes our program at the Santa Barbara Zoo which is preparing two Asian cow elephants for artificial insemina- tion (AI) o AI has not yet been done suxrcessfully . Under the guidance of Dr. Michael Schmidt from the Washington Park Zoo in Portland, OR, both of our cows have become conditioned for AI. We began preparations for AI in 1981 in a three-phase program. Blood collection, restraint or hobbling and tubing are the components of our program which is sponsored by a $10,000 grant from an anonymous donor.
The mammoth problems associated with breeding elephants in captivity has inspired our consideration of AI as an alternative to natural reproduc- tion. Elephant keepers are well aware of the aggressive and unpredict- able nature of bull elephants. The Santa Barbara Zoo has no plans for
420
PREPARATIONS FOR AI IN TWO ASIAN ELEPHANT COWS, ConUnu^d
a facility to house a bull. When one considers transporting the cow to the bull for breeding, at least 36 weeks of relocation are required to ensure encompassing two estrous cycles, two possibilities for a success- ful mating (Schmidt, 1981). Transportation of the cow could prove stress- ful enough to alter the predetermined estrous cycle, thus delaying the opportunity for breeding (Schmidt, 1981).
Preparations for AI are now incorporated into the elephant management program. The first step of our program was to start a regimented col- lection of blood samples from the elephants to determine their estrous I cycles. Initially we collected blood every week to gain a complete de- finition of the progesterone hormone pattern. The Asian cow cycles every 3h months. The cow is receptive to breeding (AI) for 7-12 days. As the hormone level falls below 100 pg/ml, (pico grams), AI can be administered with reasonable accuracy four weeks later (Schmidt, 1981). Subsequent pregnancy can be determined by measuring the hormonal levels 4 months later (Schmidt, 1981).
The keeper staff assumed the collection of the blood after learning the I technique of venipuncture. The procedure is done in the elephant yard j for practical reasons regarding lighting and space. On hand for the I venipuncture are; 6 one- inch, 18-gauge sterile disposable needles, 6 stan- dard red-top serum tubes, a spray bottle of Betadine and rubbing alcohol.
A designated keeper controls and feeds the cow during the bleeding. In- itially bleeding was tried while the elephants were lying down. This method proved unsatisfactory. The elephant is positioned so the sun shines on the back of the ear to help expose the vein. We have con- sidered the use of tourniquets, hair dryers and a mentholated vasaline. Tiger Balm, to help dilate the ear vein. However, it has not been nec- essary so far to regularly use these methods. The unfamiliarity of these objects to an elephant warrants a slow introduction.
A vein is dilated by applying pressure on it with the finger, holding off the blood supply between the ear and the heart. The ear veins range in size from one to three cm. in diameter in adult elephants (Schmidt,
1981) . While a second keeper holds the ear perpendicular to the ele- phant's head, a third keeper inserts the needle into the center of the ear vein. As blood drips from the hub of the needle, the tube is held below to catch it. When the tubes are filled the needle is removed care- fully from the ear and manual pressure is applied at the puncture for 20 .seconds. This procedure is not without risk. Although there is room 'for movement of the elephant's ear and head, without obstruction of the i collection of blood, in rare instances when the wall of the vein is re- [ipunctured or when arterial blood is collected, the formation of a hematoma results. Gentle rubbing on the front and back of the ear breaks the clot without further consequences.
The blood is spun down following its coagulation. After 20 minutes, the serum is separated from the red and white cells and is transfered into ;two 1-dram Shell vials via a 12cc syringe and spinal tap needle. Dup- licate supplies of serum are stored at a separate freezer.
i-The second step of the AI preparations was to condition the cows to I'Stand calmly while hobbles were fastened around their rear legs above '.[the knees. The hobbles were constructed of pipe approximately 6 cm. lin diameter and .75 meters in length. A .63 cm. link chain passes through the pipe. At the ends of the pipe the chain extends enabling it to be snugly clasp around the leg. Extending beyond the clasped left leg 3.05 meters of the chain is threaded through an anchored bolt in the yard, pull- ed taut, doubled back and locked in place.
421
PREPARING FOR AI IN TWO ASIAN ELEPHANT COWS, ConUnuzd
A patient acclimation provided time for the elephants to sniff and probe the hobbles, presumably aleviating some of their apprehension and resis- tance. The hobbles are left on the elephant for three minutes. They are i; removed while the elephant is calm. After hobbling became a routine and j acceptable procedure, the third phase, tubing, was begun. |
Four keepers participate in the tubing process. After the cow is chain- ed by the left front leg by one keeper handling the elephant, two addition-^ al keepers fasten the hobbles to the rear legs and to the anchored bolt in the yard restricting the elephant’s movements. A fourth keeper restrains the tail. In a series of hobbling sessions encompassing many weeks, the route of the urogenital canal is defined and the cow is conditioned to ' the cleansing and insertion of the tube. The bathing and probing was initially met with the elephants squealing and squirming. Luke warm water ; is transported to the elephant yard from the kitchen for rinsing the ex- ternal genitalia prior to tubing. The second keeper, wearing latex gloves, unwraps, lubricates and hands the tube to the third keeper who inserts the ! tube into the elephant over the pelvic brim toward the cervix. An equine or bovine stomach tube 1 meter in length is used in the AI preparation. During the actual insemination the tube must remain inside the cow for at I least three minutes (Schmidt, 1981). We compensate for the awkwardness ' of this procedure by feeding the cows various treats to effect their com- placency.
During each session of AI procedures one of the keepers provides informa- tive explanations to an inquisitive onlooking public. Since all of our AI preparations are performed in the elephant yard, we feel it is extreme- ly important that the public have an explicit understanding of our AI pro- gram.
Although the elephants have adapted well to these unusual procedures, wheni| our tubing procedures began we were a little apprehensive of public atti- | tudes. In recourse, we set up two portable green canvas screens as a |
visual barrier. The appearance of the screens in the yard, at various angles and especially on windy days, was an immediate source of agitation to the elephants. It was readily apparent that the use of the screens was creating a set back in the conditioning and control we had established.
We decided not to risk the relative complacency of the elephants associat- ed with the AI procedures. Introducing our efforts towards conservation of an endangered species are graphics describing our AI program located near the elephant exhibit. This addition serves our public relations as well as our educational goals.
Currently our AI regime involves bi-weekly bleeding and tubing under the supervision of our veterinarian. Dr. Don Gillespie. We are waiting for a date to be set when Dr. Schmidt will schedule an actual AI with semen collected from one of the bulls at the Washington Park Zoo. Prior to the ; actual AI we will submit urine samples from our cows for flehmen-like testing by the bulls. Flehmening is the behavioral response by the bull elephant determining receptivity of the cow and indicating the interest of | the bull towards mating. There are no visible physiological indications of the estrous cycle in Asian cows (Rasmussen, 1983) . We are looking for- ward to an actual AI set tentatively for late November of this year pro- viding semen collection in Portland goes as planned.
It has been proposed that the Asian Elephant be added to the Species Sur- vival Plan. The Species Survival Plan (SSP) promotes a national conser- vation straetgy for species facing extinction in the wild. As techniques | of collecting elephant semen are perfected and research in the field of
422
PREPARATIONS FOR AI IN TWO ASIAN ELEPHANT COWS, CoyvUnuzd
cryopreservation of elephant semen if furthered, AI may help insure a future for the Asian elephant.
REFERENCES
Adams, Dr. Jack. 1981. Wild Elephants in Captivity
Fulgham, David. 1983. Semen Preservation Techniques for Elephants Elephant Breeding Symposium, Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR
Henneous, Roger. Head Elephant Keeper, Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR 97025.
Rasmussen, Lois E., Schmidt, Michael J., Henneous, Roger, Groves, D., Davies, G.D. 1982. Asian Bull Elephants: Flehmen-llke Responses to Extractable Gomponents in Female Elephant Estrous Urine.
Science, Vol. 217, 9, July 1982.
Schmidt, Michael J., Hess, David L., et al. 1981. The Estrous Cycle of the Asian Elephant. Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR 97221 .
Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97005.
Schmidt, Michael J., DVM. 1981. Technic and Applications of Venipuncture in the Elephant. Recent Developments in Research and Husbandry at the Washington Park Zoo.
Schmidt, Michael J., DVM. 1983. Prospects for Artificial Insemination in Elephants. Washington Park Zoo, Portland, OR.
Thanks to all the keepers at the Santa Barbara Zoo for their initiative in implementing the artificial insemination program.
423
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL
(CXnaltu mex^caniu)
AT THE WASHINGTON PARK ZOO
By
John H. Houck, ScviloA. KccpoA hioKth haVii-CUYi Exklb^Lt^ and
Ralph A/iAyUon, BoAd KccpeA liJa^fUngton VoAk Zoo, Vontland, OR and
Janet L. BiuktAk, Bckav-loAol Rc^coAch Student Lmt6 and CloAk Cottege, PoAtZand, OR
Introduction
The American dipper or water ouzel ( CtnctuA mextcana6 ) is the only North American member of the passerine family Ctncttdae. Dippers are found throughout western North America from Central Alaska to Central America. They are restricted to swift flowing, unpolluted rocky streams in and along which they feed on a variety of aquatic insects and small fishes. Their foraging behavior of diving into swift, turbulent waters is unique among passerines. Adults are the size and general shape of starlings and have a slate-gray plummage except for white feathered eyelids. The legs are light gray with a pinkish tinge. The species has been kept in- frequently in zoological collections, possibly because of the difficulty of recreating a rapid, rocky mountain stream. When suitably displayed, however, the dippers ’s high levels of activity, unusual foraging behavior, and attractive song create an exhibit very appealing to zoo visitors.
This paper describes the water ouzel exhibit at the Washington Park Zoo (WPZ) , husbandry practices, certain aspects of captive behavior, and the initial breeding attempt at this institution.
Exhibit and Holding Facilities
The ouzel exhibit was designed and constructed as part of the Cascade Stream and Pond Building, which opened to the public in July of 1982.
The exhibit complex is devoted to the native flora and fauna of the Cascade Mountain Range. The ouzel exhibit is included in the stream habitat segment of the building, as are major exhibits for river otters and rainbow trout and a variety of smaller exhibits for the insects, fishes and amphibians typical of a Cascade Stream.
An open-air, netted aviary exhibit was built into a structural cleft of the building in such a fashion that the surrounding roofs provide partial protection from the elements. The exhibit measures 5.5m L x 1.51m W x 2.16m H. It portrays a cutaway view of a waterfall and stream course and provides the viewer with both underwater and above surface viewing. The construction materials are gunite, concrete, natural boulders and organic material. The stream bank contains structural pockets for the inclusion of live native plants. The stream bottom is covered with a heterogeneous mix of boulders and river rocks which creates variation in water depth to a maximum of 75cm. A standpipe over the exhibit drain maintains the water depth and rids the water surface of floating debris and surface films which could impair the birds' waterproofing. The total water volume is approximately 3800 liters. A boulder pile at the base of the waterfall conceals two submersible sump pumps. One pump (1/3 horse- power, 1" discharge) recirculates water to the top of the waterfall. The other pump (1/2 horsepower, 2" discharge) provides a jet of water at sur- face level that creates a turbulent stream effect. Filtered, ultraviolet-
424
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, Continued
treated water is supplied to the exhibit from an adjacent trout exhibit at an adjustable rate of up to 38 liters per minute. This water flows into the exhibit at the top of the waterfall where it mixes with the re- circulated water.
Abundant perches were provided by a variety of logs and branches position- ed to maintain adequate flight space and keeper access. Two roost plat- forms (described later in detail) are also available and have been used by the birds for overnight roosting and nest construction. These are not visible to the public. A 2.5 m^ portion of the exhibit is protected from precipitation by clear Plexiglass sheets attached over the netting. The protected area includes one roost platform and the area of food presenta- tion.
The gunite surfaces of the exhibit are abrasive. The feet of a dipper are delicate and susceptible to small cuts and abrasions. The loss of one ouzel to infected lesions on its feet was attributed to these abrasive surfaces. To prevent further foot problems, exposed gunite surfaces were covered where possible with moss obtained from typical dipper habitat.
Some of this is periodically replaced, but much of the moss has become nicely established in the exhibit. Also, three additional perches were installed on vertical gunite walls where birds were observed landing and clinging with their feet. These perches were created by driving concrete nails into the gunite and attaching moss covered wood dowels to the pro- truding nail heads.
The exhibit is fronted with 3/8 inch tempered glass which dampens noise disturbances from the viewing area. A speaker in the viewing area allows visitors to hear the trilling song of the dippers and sets an ambiance with the sound of the rushing water.
A variety of off-exhibit holding cages have been used. These were fab- ricated from rolls of 1" x 1/2" welded wire with small plastic tubs for pools. Dippers used the pools only after water movement was created with small pumps or hoses. Dimensions of the most elaborate holding cage are shown in Figure 1. This cage was provided with a pool and short section of "stream" constructed of Fiberglas and embedded smooth rocks. The "stream banks" were composed of more rocks bedded with moss. A recircu- lating pump in the pool moves the water to the top of the inclined "stream". Occasionally it has been necessary to remove an exhibit bird from the ex- hibit for a short period. An "overnighter" box was constructed of smooth pl3n^ood for this purpose. It measures 1 m® and is without water. The box is floorless so it is set on a soft rubber mat when in use. It proved especially useful for a bird with temporary waterproofing problems. A light fixture fitted with a 50 watt bulb assists warming and drying a wet bird in an emergency situation.
Husbandry Practices
Four birds were obtained in pairs, two at a time, in August and October 1983 from John Colby, Bainbridge Island, Washington. These birds were removed from nests in Washington State in the spring of 1983 at approxi- mately 20 days of age and were hand-reared. One of these birds died of complications from foot lesions in October 1983. A second bird failed to develop adequate waterproofing and was kept off exhibit until it died, apparently of exposure and chilling, in August 1984. The remaining two birds formed the unrelated pair reported on in this paper. We also col- lected two nestlings from an Oregon nest in June of 1984. Captive rear- ing techniques for these birds will be reported on in a subsequent paper.
425
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, ContlnuQ.d
|
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|
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|
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426
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, Coi^nu^d
Dippers cannot be sexed by their appearance. Price, et al. (1983) found that males have longer wings than females. However, their statement was based on unpublished data so ranges were not available. The risk of laparoscopy was considered too high since a single pair of birds was used for breeding purposes. Only females incubate (Bakus, 1959a). The identities of the breeding pair were obvious (one was missing a toe) , so sexes were established on the basis of copulation posture and incubation.
A significant difference in the singing rates of this pair was found (see Figure 2). Singing was distinguished from the rapid, repetitive call notes also used by dippers. Point — sample observations were taken at 20 second intervals and hourly averages of each week were plotted against time from one month after introduction date of the pair through the completion of nest construction. A test of difference between two proportions was sig- nificant at the 1% level for a two-tailed test. Singing rates during this period may be useful criterion for sexing captive dippers. The small sam- ple size warrants a note of caution, however.
Fig. 2: Singing Rates of Dippers. WPZ
Months Divided into Quarters
427
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, Continued
The diet offered to water ouzels at WPZ is listed in Table 1. Sources for the food items are listed in Table 2. Live insects are purchased on a weekly basis. The breakfast bowl of "bird mix" (Table 3) is placed in the exhibit by the night keeper before the birds awaken. Receptivity to it has been variable but having it available to the birds when they wake up hungry helps ensure that at least some of it is taken. To supplement calcium and vitamins, waxworms are dusted daily with Osteoform® and weekly with Plex-Sol-C.® Also, crickets are fed a mash of moneky chow with Osteo- form® and vitamin powder. All food is presented in shallow bowls of water ] except the bird mix and waxworms, which are offered dry. The birds gener- ally eat several food items at the food bowl as soon as it is presented, but they frequently carry items to the water's edge to consume it. Feed- ing amounts are adjusted slightly up or down, depending on the bird's ap- petites.
The stream banks and planting pockets are hosed and watered every other day (every day in summer) to remove accumulated droppings. The birds show a tendency to favor a few discreet areas for defecation, but use random locations as well. The exhibit is drained for more complete cleaning every 7-10 days. Algae is scrubbed from underwater rocks and windows at this time. High water quality is considered an essential part of captive dipper management and care is taken that the water does not get turbid.
Birds are caught up for weighing and toenail trimming every 3-4 months.
Birds have not responded adversely to handling, but it is kept to a minimum. Generally, they have been tame and not at all flighty. Parsons (1975) found a weight range of 47-67g for 15 wild birds in Oregon. The Washington Park Zoo's exhibit birds each weighed slightly more than 50g at one year of age.
Fecal samples are collected twice a year. No internal parasites have been found. The only medical problems encountered have involved foot irrita- j
tion. One bird, with swollen, infected feet, was successfully treated |
with Amoxicillin (2.5mg/lb, 2x/day, 28 days, injected in cricket).
Balat (1960) found that adult European dippers (^. CA.yictiUi> ] undergo a complete body molt at the cessation of the breeding season. The molt lasts several months and includes a 5-14 day flightless period when the remiges are molted simultaneously. A similar molt and flightless period i has been described for me.XA,canCL6 (Sullivan, 1965, 1973). During the flightless period, birds seek refuge in tangled logs and brush. The dippers described here were in molt from 21 July 1984 to 11 September 1984, a period of 52 days. The birds were flightless for approximately 11 days, commencing 4 August 1984. They did not appear to seek refuges, j
though several apparently suitable sites were available and they were able i to hop, walk or climb to nearly all areas of the exhibit.
Captive Behavior !
Hann (1950), Bakus (1959a, 1959b), Sullivan (1973), Parsons (1975), and i Price et al. (1983) described the ecology and behavior of wild dippers.
This section describes typical behaviors seen in the captive exhibit speci- mens at the WPZ. A detailed, quantified analysis of captive behavior will be presented in a subsequent paper. In general, the captive birds display- ; ed the same behaviors described for wild birds.
The birds typically awoke shortly before dawn and were active throughout the day. Resting was characterized by inactivity except for head move-
428
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE MATER OUZEL AT WPZ, ConUnuLO^d
|
Table 1. Water ouzel diet, |
, Washington Park Zoo |
|
Per bird: |
|
|
breakfast bowl - |
1 tsp. "bird mix" |
|
7:30 am - |
20 crickets |
|
9:30 am - |
20 waxworms (Osteoform, vitamins) |
|
11 :30 am - |
20 corn grubs |
|
1 : 30 pm “ |
20 slivers of smelt or 1 tsp. krill (euphausiid shrimp) |
|
4:00 pm - |
30 crickets |
|
occasionally - |
fresh salmon eggs, mealworms |
|
Table 2. Sources of captive |
dipper foods, Washington Park Zoo |
|
Food Item |
Source |
|
crickets (3-5 weeks old) Fluker's Cricket Farm Aaheta domestioa 2625 Beech St. Baton Rouge, LA 70805 |
|
|
waxworms Galleria mellonella |
Grubco, Inc. P.O. Box 2001 Hamilton, OH 45014 |
|
corn grubs Saroophaga bullata |
Grubco, Inc. |
|
krill (frozen) Euphausia sp. |
local aquarium retail stores |
|
salmon eggs |
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (seasonal ) |
|
Osteoform (Vetamix) |
local veterinary supply company |
|
vitamins (PI ex-Sol -C) |
local veterinary supply company |
429
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, Con^Una^d
merit, slightly fluffed feathers, and perching on one leg with the other tucked into the feathers. Resting periods occurred throughout the day and were usually short in duration (5-10 minutes) . They seemed to occur most often after feeding. The birds went to overnight roosting at the same spot together only once. The same roosting spots were used habitually by each individual, the male roosting on one of the covered roost platforms which was added to the exhibit and the female on a wood dowel perch under an overhanging ledge of concrete. Wild dippers also use protected roost sites (Hewson, 1969). At night the birds were inactive, presumably asleep, and difficult to arouse.
Table 3. "Bird mix" recipe for dippers at the Washington Park Zoo
|
^ c. |
Purina Hi -pro Dog Chow (ground) |
|
1 c. |
Carnation Trip-L-Duty All Purpose Poultry Feed |
|
1/4 |
hard boiled egg (plus shell) |
|
1/2 tsp. |
grated carrot |
|
1/2 tsp. |
Osteoform |
|
1/2 C. |
water |
The birds spent approximately 12% of the active daylight period preening in bouts of up to 25 minutes. The birds used their feet to scratch areas of the face, head and neck and meticulously groomed other areas with their bills. The bill was also presumably used to obtain oil from the uropygial gland located at the dorsal base of the tail and to spread it through the plummage. The uropygial gland of the water ouzel is ten times larger than that of equivalent sized, non-aquatic passerines (Murrish, 1970). It would be interesting to compare time spent preening by dippers with that spent by a non-aquatic species. Presumably, the dipper, because of its highly aquatic nature, preens more. Parsons (1975) found that wild dippers spent ■6.1% of their daylight time preening and over 50% foraging for food. With food provided to the captive birds, it appeared that they spent far less time foraging so the increase in preening time may simply reflect that more time was available for preening in captivity. Resting, preening, and sing- ing bouts were frequently interspersed. Most singing is done from the same posture used for resting.
The dippers frequently, as mentioned, carried food items from the food bowl to the water’s edge. Food was sometimes consumed directly but often it was held in the bill and dashed on a rock and passed repeatedly back and forth crosswise through the bill. These actions undoubtedly kill and soften the food item prior to ingestion. This was done with live food items (crickets, waxworms, corn grubs) and occasionally with dead food (smelt slivers). Wild dippers were observed using this technique to extract caddisfly and stone- fly larvae from their cases. The captive birds also caught live insects, primarily gnats and mosquitoes, that flew into the aviary. The birds eith- er captured these insects on the wing as soon as they saw them or tracked them visually until they were close enough that the birds could use a short hop into the air for capture. These opportunistic feedings were probably
430
i HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, CoyvUna2.d
Ian insignificant part of the diet. Foraging for food in the exhibit’s stream was also seen. Birds were observed scanning the stream from elevat- ed perches and plunging into the stream for insects. The birds also used the "stand-dive" technique (Sullivan, 1973) in which they waded into the water, then plunged the nead and neck below the water surface to scan for ifood. This was often followed by a dive into the stream to search among the rocks at the bottom. The birds did this spontaneously but the behav- j ior was periodically "encouraged" by tossing corn grubs, which sank, into k the stream.
[Dippers possess a number of adaptations typical of diving birds, including ji increased oxygen storage ability, bradycardia, nasal flaps to exclude water from the nostrils, and a nictitating inner eyelid (Murrish, 1970). Goodge (1959) described the mechanics of swimming and diving in dippers. Dives in the exhibit rarely last longer than five seconds; the longest timed dive was seven seconds. The birds seemed to prefer the more turbulent areas of the stream directly in front of the pump discharge for diving. They swam on the surface with a duck-like paddling motion.
Breeding
Henderson (1908), Hann (1950), Bakus (1959a), Price et al. (1973), and j Sullivan (1973) described breeding biology and behavior of wild dippers.
5 The WPZ pair of captive dippers bred successfully during the spring and i summer of 1984.
As mentioned above, the sexes of the birds were not established conclusive- ly until copulation and incubation commenced, so references to the sex of the birds in this discussion are based on hindsight. A chronology of the breeding effort is listed in Table 4. The birds were housed separately prior to the introduction date of 26 February. The basis for selecting this date for introduction was observation of wild dippers in Oregon, which were establishing pairs at the time. Two days prior to actual introduction, I the female, who had been kept singly in the exhibit all winter, was removed .'to allow the male sole access. The male was thus able to adjust to new surroundings, find the feeding station and roost sites, and generally set- tle down without the pressure of another bird in the exhibit. The male swam and dove extensively during the first 45 minutes, then explored all areas of the exhibit, finding the feeding station quickly. An additional feeding station was provided to reduce the possibility of food-related lagonistic behavior. When the female was put back into the exhibit, the :male repeatedly chased her; she invariably retreated or attempted to es- cape. Two prominent displays were seen repeatedly on the first day. The first was a "wing vibration" display performed by the male. He inclined his head and body forward to a nearly horizontal plane and rapidly flut- tered his wings over his back. During the display he uttered a series of short, rapid, repetitive call notes. The second display was performed by both birds, often at the same time. The birds approached each other with the bills held up vertically and necks stretched upward. Their feathers were sleeked down against their bodies. No vocalization accompanied this rbill raised" display. They persisted in this posture for up to 40 sec- onds until one bird, usually the female, broke off and flew away. Both the "wing vibration" and "bill raised" displays are common in passerine courtship (Andrew, 1961). Further evidence of the male’s dominance occur- |red when the birds went to roost that night. The female tried to roost on a shelter near the male, who repeatedly drove her away. She roosted on a ! precarious ledge where she appeared uncomfortable but spent the entire ! night. The site was improved the following day with wood dowels and moss land the female used this site thereafter.
431
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ. CorvUnazd
For the following week the birds continued the same pattern of chasing and display but were observed feeding simultaneously from the same food bowl, and they began to perch within 30cm of each other for bouts of rest, preening, and singing. The male began to sing much more than the female. Throughout March, the female was repeatedly observed performing the "wing vibration" display. One display lasted 13 consecutive minutes in close proximity to the male who, in a one leg rest posture, alternately preened, sang, and watched the female. On 18 March, the male chased the female in flight until she plunged into the stream and swam away underwater. Bakus (1959a) described a similar "courtship flight" in a pair of wild dippers. Throughout the remainder of March, April and the first half of May the birdi continued to perform courtship displays. The male continued to actively chase the female but she was observed on several occasions chasing the male On the night of 23 April the birds roosted together on the male's roost. This is the only time this is known to have occurred.
Table 4. Breeding season chronology for a pair of dippers at the Washington Park Zoo, 1984
|
Date |
Event |
|
February 2 |
Introduction of birds |
|
April 8 |
Earliest observation of moss carrying |
|
May 19 |
Nest construction began |
|
May 28 |
Nest construction completed |
|
May 29 |
Nest lining began ^ |
|
May 31 |
Copulation observed r4 days |
|
June 2 |
Nest lining completed |
|
June 3 |
Copulation observed |
|
June 4 |
Copulation observed |
|
June 5 |
Copulation observed |
|
June 6 |
1st egg laid |
|
June 7 |
2nd egg laid |
|
June 8 |
3rd egg laid |
|
June 9 |
Incubation began , > 16 days Chick hatched |
|
June 25 |
|
|
July 3 |
Male removed from exhibit |
|
July 11 |
Chick fell from nest and expired |
|
July 12 |
Nest lining removed by female |
432
!
!
jHUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, CoyvUna2.d
t
[The birds were observed carrying moss as early as 8 April, a new behavior. This continued sporadically through April and May. They picked through the moss and scattered it about. The birds may have been searching for insects while doing this. Their appetites increased during this time and the duration between feedings was shortened to provide about 15% more food. On the evening of 19 May, the male was observed carrying moss to a roost jshelter located above the main viewing window. Nest construction had begun. iThe dimensions of the roost structure (and completed nest) are presented in Figure 3. On the first full day of nest construction, 20 May, the male did most of the work but both birds were observed at the nest site arrang- jlng moss. From this point both sexes participated approximately equally in nest construction. A t5rpical wild dipper nest is described by Bakus .(1959a). The outer shell of the nest was completed 28 May. Nest lining Degan the following day and lasted through 2 June. Materials used were lead and dried grasses, fern fronds, and Ponderosa pine needles, all are typical nest lining materials of wild dippers (Sullivan, 1973) . These naterials were placed in the exhibit by the keeper prior to completion of the outer shell.
FIG. 3: ROOST 5TRUCTU RE AND DIPPER NEST
30.5
NOTF.: ALL WMSUREMEVTS /W CM
SCALE-.
A. nest composed orwosy .exterior
433
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, Continued
During nest construction and lining, the female landed on the nest plat- form several times while the male was working on it and performed the "wing vibration" display. After one such encounter on 24 May, the male attempted copulation but the female turned on him when he tried to mount and clawed at him with her feet. Copulations which appeared successful were observed on 31 May and 3, 4, and 5 June. Three of these events were videotaped. An analysis of these tapes is in preparation. The follow- ing is a description of the 31 May copulation. The male, with a cricket held in his bill, flew to the female on top of the roost structure. He landed beside her and both performed a brief "wing vibration" display.
The male then mounted the female’s back and copulated for 15 seconds with wings aflutter. The female’s body axis was near horizontal with the head slightly lowered. She lifted her tail above a 45° angle and the male curled his tail under to oppose cloacas. Both birds then flew off the roost, the male still carrying the cricket in his bill. The female "wing vibrated", then approached the male with head forward and bill gaped.
The female called loudly during this display and after five seconds the male fed her the cricket. The other observed copulations were similar, but the female was not fed when she gaped and called.
A three-egg clutch was laid on 6,7, and 8 June, one egg each day. Incu- bation commenced on 9 June. During the incubation period the female t5^ically spent extended periods on the nest and shorter periods away from the nest to feed, preen, or display at the male. On 22 June, for example, she was observed on the nest for over 60 consecutive minutes, then emerged for 12 minutes before going back to the nest to incubate.
She spent the nights during the incubation period on the nest. The male was observed on many occasions taking food to the nest but was not observ- ed actually feeding the female. This may have occurred, however, as he left the nest many times without the food item. The male continued to show considerable interest in the nest during the incubation period, frequently landing just outside the nest entrance. During the latter part of the incu- bation period, the female began to give a harsh "scoulding" call whenever the male landed at the nest. Bakus (1959b) described an increase in terri- torial defense behavior in a wild female as early as the nest lining period. Winter territorial defense has been reported for some populations (Sullivan, 1975), but is variable in others (Price, et al. 1983).
During incubation the female was repeatedly observed picking at her feet when off the nest. This became so intense that on 20 June she was caught i and examined by the zoo veterinarian. The feet appeared to be in perfect condition. The toenails were trimmed slightly and the female was put back into the exhibit. The foot picking behavior continued for several weeks, then gradually abated. The source of the irritation was never discovered.
On 25 June the male tried repeatedly to enter the nest but was refused ad- mittance by the female. That evening a chick was heard peeping and could be seen through the nest entrance when the female was away. The incubation j period was 16 days, the same reported for wild dippers (Sullivan, 1973) . |
The remaining two eggs did not hatch. One was later found to be infertile; the other was not found. Both adults began feeding the chick the follow- ing day. They dashed crickets on the rocks and carried tiny pieces to the nest. The adults ignored all other food items at this time. The female began to chase the male aggressively at this time, when not brooding the | chick. The male began to carry whole food items to the nest on 28 June, ! and on 30 June, he was observed feeding both the chick and the female on the nest. The chick was observed to be healthy and begging for food at ^ this time. From 29 June through 2 July the male did most of the feeding, | assisted to a lesser extent by the female. The male was also the only bird |
434
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, ConUnu^d
observed removing fecal pellets from the nest during this period. He held these in his bill and deposited them on rocks near the water.
The aggressive behavior of the female appeared to escalate daily until 3 July, when she chased the male almost constantly for nearly five hours and began to attack him with her feet and peck at him. The male was re- moved from the exhibit at this point. The female settled down immediate- ly and began feeding the nestling regularly. From 3 July to 11 July, the
female spent most of her time on the nest, leaving for up to 15 minutes to
preen, bathe, feed, carry food to the nestling or remove fecal pellets.
Once the female made seven trips to the nest with food ietms (small crick- ets) in one minute.
On 11 July, the chick was observed for the first time backing over the edge of the nest to excrete into the stream below. The female was off the nest at the time. Late that evening, the chick was found floating in the pool. It had apparently fallen from the nest and drowned. It was 16 days old, weighed 41. 2g, was well-formed and nearly fully feathered.
Wild dippers occasionally fall out of the nest at this age when disturbed (John Sullivan, pers. comm.).
Dipper nests are re-used in successive years by the same birds (Sullivan, 1973). On the morning of 12 July, the female removed the nest lining from
the moss outer shell and tossed it into the stream. This behavior is
characteristic of wild dippers (Hann, 1950) . We intend to modify the roost structure upon which the exhibit nest sits to prevent future nestlings from falling out.
Using the same introduction procedure described previously, the male was reintroduced to the exhibit on 17 July. The birds remained together throughout the molting period, with acceptable levels of agonistic behavior. These behaviors, characterized by the male repeatedly chasing the female, increased dramatically after the molt was completed in mid-September and necessitated the removal of the male to an off-exhibit cage for winter holding .
In summary, a pair of water ouzels was successfully kept and bred in an exhibit that simulates their natural habitat. Clean, moving water and non-abrasive surfaces to avoid foot problems are important exhibit para- meters. Although winter separation of birds is necessary, the high activ- ity level of the dipper and interesting behavior insures a pleasing exhibit to the zoo visitor.
Acknowledgement s
The authors gratefully acknowledge the insight and advice of John Colby on dipper husbandry. The assistance of the following people is greeted appreciated: Kathy Bucher, Andrew Burke, Jan Hixson, Sarah Holland, Janice and Eric Houck, Michael Illig, Jessie Karr, Mike Keele, Nancy King, Chris Kurtz, Ann Littlewood, Steve McCusker (General Curator, WPZ), Luke Metcalfe, Lisa Rapaport, Charlie Rutkowski, Corey Wright, and especially Warren Iliff, whose original inspiration led to the creation of the Cascade Stream and Pond Exhibit. A special note of appreciation goes to Stanley Held, Cascade Exhibit Keeper.
435
HUSBANDRY AND BREEDING OF THE WATER OUZEL AT WPZ, ConUnued
Literature Cited
Andrew, R.J. 1961. The displays given by passerines in courtship and reproductive fighting: a review. The Ibis, 103a (3): 315-348,
549-573
Bakus, G. 1959a. Observations on the life history of the dipper in Montana. Auk 76: 190-207.
Bakus, G. 1959b. Territoriality, movements, and population density of
the dipper in Montana. Gondor 61: 410-425. |
Balat, F. 1960. Studie o pelichani skorce vodniha, CdncAuU) CA,ncZa6 (L.). i [A study of molting in the dipper, C-incZiU CA-ncZiU (L.)] Zool . I
Listyil: 131-144. [English summ.] I
Goodge, W.R. 1959. Locomotion and other behavior of the dipper. I
Condor 61 : 4-17 .
Hewson, R. 1969. Roosts and roosting habits of the dipper. Bird Study 16: 89-100.
Hann, H.W. 1950. Nesting behavior of the American dipper in Colorado. ^ Condor 52(2) : 49-62. j
Henderson, J. 1908. The American dipper in Colorado. Bird-Lore 10(1):
1-7.
Murrish, D.E. 1970. Responses to diving in the dipper, C-inctbLi meXyCaancLS, j Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 34: 853-585. i
Parsons, D.R. 1975. Time and energy budgets of a population of dippers i {C-inctuUi me.XA,caniU> } during winter in the Cascade Range of Oregon.
M.S. Thesis. Oregon State University, Corvallis.
Price, F.E. and C.E. Bock. 1973. Polygyny in the dipper. Condor 75: 457-9.
Price, F.E. and C.E. Bock. 1983. Population ecology of the dipper (C-tUcXcLi! me.X^canu6} in the Front Range of Colorado. Studies in Avian Biology No. 7. The Cooper Ornithological Society.
Sullivan, J.O. 1965. "Flightlessness" in the dipper. Condor 67: 535-536. i
Sullivan, J.O. 1973. Ecology and behavior of the dipper, adaptations of
a passerine to an aquatic environment. PhD. Dissertation. University of Montana, Missoula. ^ |,
^ !
436
zoo CAMP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
By
VXam K/iug^ Kne^peJi lUveAbanlu Zoologlacd VoAk Columbiaf 5C
During the National Conference of the American Association of Zoo Keepers last October in Philadelphia, a paper on the Riverbanks Zoological Park was presented. A section of this paper was on overnight campouts which are a very important educational program. Many keepers present at the conference were interested in obtaining more information on zoo campouts.
Mr. Don Winslow, the Education Curator, began the zoo camp program in August of 1980. Assisting him in this educational endeavor are some of the zoo staff; vet technician, commissary workers, mammal curator, and several animal keepers.
Before the school groups come to the zoo, one person from the education department visits the classroom and delivers a pre-visit lecture. During this discussion students are prepared for what they will encounter while visiting the zoo. Most of the groups that attend zoo campouts are from South Carolina, but recently requests have been received from a few other states.
Each student pays a fee of $25.00 which includes the overnight stay with dinner and a snack. The program length is from Friday 5; 00 p.m. to Satur- day 8:00 a.m. When the group arrives they are directed to a classroom in the new education building. After bed rolls and suitcases are suitably placed, the children form a circle on the floor and they are once again Instructed on how to behave properly around wild animals. Face masks are passed out and an explanation of their use is given. A usual group size of approximately 20 children is then divided into two groups. The program outline is as follows:
|
Friday: 1. 5:00 p.m. |
- 5:30 p.m. |
- Introduction |
||
|
2. 5:30 p.m. |
- 6:30 p.m. |
- 1st group-cats |
2nd |
group-birds |
|
3. 6:30 p.m. |
- 7:30 p.m. |
- 1st group-birds |
2nd |
group-cats |
|
4, 7 :30 p.m. |
- 8:30 p.m. |
- Supper |
||
|
5. 8:30 p.m. |
- 9:30 p.m. |
- reptiles |
||
|
6. 9:30 p.m. |
- 10:00 p.m. |
- animal hospital |
||
|
7. 10:00 p.m. |
. - 10:30 p.m. |
- commissary |
||
|
8, 10:30 p.m, |
, “ 11:00 p.m. |
- snack |
||
|
9. 11:00 p.m. |
. - 12:00 a.m. |
- hippos, bears. |
baboons, giraffes |
jlO. 12:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. - campfire - evaluation j Saturday:
,11. 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. - elephants
The first group is taken to the large cat back-up area, while the second i group learns about birds. After the students get over their initial shock and excitement at being only five feet from a Siberian Tiger, a keeper gives a natural history talk on the animals and also explains that this ■ is one of the endangered species that has successfully reproduced at the zoo. The children are next taken over to view the African lions. A few j children are chosen to act as junior zoo keepers. While the animals wait i out on exhibit, these new keepers get to unlock the doors to individual cages and place each diet inside them. After all locks are securely latch-
437
zoo CAMP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, ConUna^d
Ij
ed, handles to the guillotine doors are eagerly grasped, but rarely suc- cessfully opened to allow the lions entrance into their cages. The stu- dents observe, at a close view, how rapidly large carnivores devour their diets.
Next the group makes a switch, with the first group going back to the classroom to learn about birds. Different types of feathers and their purposes are discussed in detail. The students also see various shaped eggs and learn what type of nests each would be found in. Live birds are also used in the lecture. A child gets a taste of the art of falconry. ' Donning a glove holding meat, a student anxiously waits for the young Black Vulture to fly from the keeper to him.
Both groups then meet at the birdhouse where dinner is served. Chicken, green beans, chips, and soft drinks are consumed in front of an exhibit housing curious Jackass Penguins.
After dinner the students are introduced to the subject of herpetology.
A few representative species are observed while their characteristics and i behaviors are discussed. Later, a few brave individuals are given the experience of holding one of the live specimens.
The group is once again divided into two sections. The first group is taken to the hospital. Before entering, face masks are properly placed. While in the hospital, the vet technician introduces the children to the ; various techniques for treating sick and injured animals. With the help of a few eager volunteers, a heart monitoring machine and a pole syringe are observed in action.
In the commissary, three general categories of animal diets are discussed. | Representative diets are used to illustrate the three categories visually. All the children are given the once in a lifetime experience of sampling both Primate Diet and Monkey Biscuits. However, only a few were able to comment on the flavor and texture of both. I
By this time most of the students are ready for something to eat other than primate diet and biscuits. Milk and cookies are served while the zoo staff gets a necessary break.
For the last of the backup tours, the children are divided into four groups Tours are conducted through barns housing Spectacled Bears, Mandrill and Hamadryas Baboons, Giraffes, and Hippos. After all the tours are conclud- ed, the groups meet in front of the Polar Bear pool. Riverbanks is one of the zoos that has an underwater viewing room. With all the children assembled in front of the glass windows, a few herring are thrown into the lighted pool to entice one of the bears into the water. Here the children are able to view a 600-pound animal swimming rather effortlessly through the water.
By this time it is usually around midnight and everyone is getting rath- er tired. Teachers and children are escorted to a warm campfire. While enjoying the fire, everyone evaluates all that has been seen during the entire evening. Many questions are asked. "How have your perceptions of certain animals changed? What did you like least about the program?
Usually the children realize that the animals are not at all tame like they thought they were. Cockroaches, smells, and primate foods are some of the things that they liked the least about the program.
438
zoo CAMP: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE, CoyvUnu^d
After sleeping in the education building overnight, the entire group spends part of their morning with an animal larger than any they have ever seen in their lives. Hesitantly they move closer to a six-ton ele- phant .
The elephant trainer demonstrates his handling abilities with this enor- mous animal by running her through a routine. A small amount of grass extender is passed around and the children are given the opportunity to touch the elephant's trunk. Reluctantly at first, the children eventu- ally relish this opportunity to get so close to one of their favorite zoo animals.
Children who attend these campouts always leave the next morning with a very different perspective of the animals than they had when they arrived. The fact that the animals in the collection are wild and not pets defini- tely makes a serious impression on these young people.
Campouts are becoming very popular in zoological institutions. Other zoos that host them are: Columbus, Bronx, Philadelphia, and Miami. Ap- proximately 28 campouts are held each year at Riverbanks and there is a great demand for more. Campouts are usually held on Friday nights, but in the future they may be held on Saturday nights as well. The year 1985 is now full of scheduled campout dates.
Zoo camps are a wonderful way for keepers to get involved in educational programs. Since keepers function as educational aides for the public, most are at least general authorities on their animals. Through zoo campouts keepers are able to work as educators and introduce students to zoo animals in such a way that no one else can.
Today most people will never see exotic wild animals except in zoos. The zoo is also an important place for breeding endangered animals which helps ensure their conservation. Campouts are a unique learning experience. Using them as an educational tool to reach hundreds of people, these out- ings help children and accompanying adults to realize how important a role the zoo plays in animal conservation.
439
COLUMBUS CHAPTER AAZK
Chapter
PUGET SOUND AAZK CHAPTER (Seattle, WA)
In spite of being very busy with prep- arations for the National Conference, we did manage to hold an election, and the results were announced at our August meeting. Officers for the coming year are:
President Joyce Ford
Vice Pres Scott Barton
Secretary Nanette Taniguchi
Treasurer Mary Bennett
Many thanks to Pat Maluy for doing such a great job as Elections Officer.
---HayioXto. Tayilguckl
The Columbus Chapter of AAZK held a workshop on 25 October, 1984. The following zoos participated: Cleveland Metro Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, The Good Zoo, Toledo Zoo, and the Winnipeg Zoo.
The workshop consisted of ex- tensive behind-the-scenes tours, slide shows, movies of animal births and exchanges of ideas over lunch and dinner. To conclude the day's activit- ies, an Octoberfest party com- plete with music and dark beer ended the workshop .
Approximately sixty-five people were able to make it to Columbus workshop. The workshop was a great success because we were able to share ideas and unite in the common goals of all of us - to stress professionalism in animal care and promote edu- cation in the zoo field.
SAN ANTONIO AAZK CHAPTER
— Stacy Katz
Placing the SAZ AAZK Chapter back on firm footing has become the task of newly elected officers:
President Rose Gabriel
Vice Pres Lisa Fitzgerald
Sec/Treas Janice Nicholls
Our monthly meetings feature presenta- tions by keepers, staff members, and visting speakers. We were pleased to welcome Connie Cloak to the zoo in November. She graciously shared her experiences from the 1984 AAZK National Conference with members of the SA Chapter. Thanks, Connie!
We recently held our first occasional backgammon tournament. It was such a success that we may make it a quarterly event. We are collecting aluminum cans as our newest money-grubbing venture. In the works: keeper exchange program, inter- departmental keeper exchanges, and month- ly education seminars.
— It^a FttzgeAold
News
Ple/uc 6 end ChaptoA New^ to Lee Payne, Chapten. AHoaju CooM^dinaton. at the VetAott
loo, At&o 6end a copy to the AKP ecUtoAtal o^^tceJ>, 635 Gage Btvd, , Topeka, KS
66606,
440
ACTIVITY PATTERNS AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS
(Panthe/La -uncUa}
By
Elaym BoAclay, Kee.peA. Washington PaJik Zoo, Ponttand, OR
The endangered snow leopard continues to decline in its native habitat of high altitude mountain ranges of central Asia. Until recently the habits, population density, and inhospitable habitat of this species made its biology and behavior a subject of captive study. The number of snow leo- pards born to captive-bred pairs has increased dramatically in the last several years (Foose, 1982). Institutions are beginning to sell surplus snow leopard offspring rather than offering them for breeding loan only; ten were advertised in the September 1984 AAZPA surplus list. This is a potential sign of a soon-to-be saturated market (McCusker, per. comm.).
It is critical to the future of this species to cease the indiscriminate breeding of a few productive pairs and instead concentrate on the breeding of carefully selected pairs to equalize the representation of wild-born founders, as recommended in the snow leopard Species Survival Plan (Foose, 1982). Many of these genetically important animals have not produced off- spring; about one-half of the founder stock is nulliparous (Foose, 1982).
The most extensive studies done to date on the snow leopard have been the work of Helen Freeman (1980, 1982, 1983), who established an ethogram and data base. Differences in behavior between sexes, between estrus and non- estrus periods, and between successful (i.e. reproducing) and unsuccess- ful pairs were found. As a result, examining the behavior of an unpro- ductive pair may help to determine which member is most likely to be the non-breeding. Changes over time and the effect of changes in management techniques should be examined.
During the six weeks training program at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (JWPT) general activity patterns and exhibit utilization were exam- ined in their pair of snow leopards. A comparison was also made between the reproductively successful Jersey pair and an unsuccessful pair at Washington Park Zoo (WPZ) in Portland, OR. These results were then com- pared with previous studies (Freeman, 1980, 1982, 1983). Emphasis is on the pair at JWPT.
METHODS
Subjects
The JWPT male, Stasik, was born in 1979 in Seattle to a wild-caught pair. The female, Fonga, was born at the Zurich Zoo, also in 1979. This pair has been housed together since September 1981. The three-year-old pair copulated in February and June of 1982. They bred the following February and Fonga gave birth in May of 1983 to a cub that was found dead; they bred again in June. In 1984, they bred in February, April, and June and were therefore unsuccessful in the year they were observed for this study. For the purposes of this study, the Jersey pair was considered to be a successfully breeding pair, based on the cub produced in 1983. Freeman (1983) established that successful pairs, even in years they do not pro- duce cubs, behave differently from pairs that have never produced cubs.
Piotr, the WPZ male, was born in Seattle in 1975 to the same parents as Stasik. Natasha, the WPZ female, was born at the San Antonio Zoo in 1977,
441
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont'd
also to a wild-caught pair. They have been housed together since Septem- ber 1978 and have copulated every year. For the last four years copula- tion has been seen in February and April. There have been no offspring.
Procedure
Both pairs were observed before, during, and after their first estrus of the year. Data was collected in Jersey using behavior categories (Table 1) similar to those defined by Freeman (1982). The duration of behaviors was timed to the nearest five seconds and all occurrances of behaviors were recorded except for "play” and "locomote," which usually involved more than i one area in a brief period. The exhibit was divided into ten areas (Fig- ure 1). The areas labeled with Arabic numerals varied in height, //5 be- ■ ing the highest. Platforms suspended in the exhibit were identified by | letters; Roman numerals indicated the holding areas. The cats had access to an off-exhibit area, but were otherwise visible in the exhibit.
Data was collected from 0700-0830 and from 1600-1730 hours when the cats were most active, as well as during the middle of the day if they were visible. Observations began on 30 January and ended on 24 February, 1984. Sixty-five hours of data were collected on each specimen.
Data on the WPZ pair was collected using the 20 second scan sampling method i used by Freeman (1982) (Table 2). Observations were made by research stu- dents during a nine-week period from 9 January to 13 March, 1983. Ob- servations were mostly from 1000-1100 and from 1500-1600 hours. Several areas of this exhibit were not visible to observers. The exhibit was most- ly cement substrate with two terraced structures of wood filled with pea gravel. The location of WPZ animals was not recorded. Thirty hours of data was collected on each cat. The WPZ female was kept separate inside the holding area for 24 hours every few days during the 1983 breeding sea- | son.
RESULTS
i'
Exhibit Utilization
The Jersey pair spent most of their time on platform B (Figure 2), the one j farthest from the ground, being sedentary or social sedentary. They also '| spent much time not visible in holding area II. They were most active in jj the flat areas of the exhibit, especially area #1, usually pacing. The | cats used more of their exhibit during estrus than before or after and ! were seen copulating in every area.
General Activity Patterns
Both pairs were sedentary the majority of their time (Figure 3). Levels of aggression were too low to analyze. Social grooming also occurred very infrequently in both pairs. The social grooming seen in the Jersey pair usually lasted less than five seconds and frequently consisted of only a lick or two around the head in greeting.
Sex Differences
Ten behaviors were analyzed for differences between sexes for the Jersey pair (Figure 4) . A test for the difference between two proportions (Van Tassel, 1981) were used. Four behaviors were exhibited significantly more often by the male than the female (p^.Ol). These were: sniff (z = 9.33), social sniff (z = 3.30), flehmen (z = 4.6), and marking (z = 23.4). Four behaviors were preformed significantly more often by
442
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BAHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Coin’d
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ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
IN TViG PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont^d
Table 2. Behavioral categories and corresponding codes used for Snow Leopard Pair Sample Study by Freeman , 1979-80.
Solitary Behavior
100 sedentary; lying, sleeping, dozing, no movement 105 stand; a transitional behavior between sedentary and active 110 pace, covering same area in stereotypic manner 115 locomote; directional movement
* 120 auto-groom
130 head rub inanimate object
140 solitary play; includes leaping and jumping alone 150 roll on back
155 claw sharpen
160 eat or drink
161 urinate or defecate
165 sniffing inanimate object
170 mark horizontal surface; scraping with hind legs
171 mark vertical surface; spray
172 tail flag
* 173 flehmen
Social Behavior
* 200 social sedentary; within 30 cm of mate
* 205 social stand; standing within 30 cm of mate
210 social place; both pacing within 30 cm of each other 215 social locomote; together with a directional movement
* 220 social groom; one animal is grooming the other or both are 2
* 225 being groomed; one animal is being groomed
* 230 social head rub or cheek rub
235 being head or cheek rubbed
* 240 social play; includes chase, rolling, wrestling, ambush, cui
250 aggressive swipe or bite
* 260 mount ventral ventral
* 261 mount ventral dorsal
* 263 mount unspecified
* 265 sniffing anogenital area
* 266 being* sniffed in anogenital area
* 267 nape or ear bite while mounting
399 not visible
400 none of the above
Vocal izations
* 300 snarl ,
* 305 growl j
* 310 caterwaul: high, piercing vocalization associated with copulii
* 315 prusten: purr-like sound in which animal exhales air through j
* Indicates behavior may occur simultaneously with other behavior; noil both behaviors. i
aprox. 1.52 n
:tivity patterns & sexual behavior
IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Conjt'd
II
ri
Snxnapi ofxqnd
^9-1 Exhibit division at Jersey. The exhibit was divided roughly by height, #1 was the lowest point, #5 the highest. Three platforms in the exhibit were labeled by letters. The holding areas were labeled with Ron^n numerals.
PERCENT TIME SPENT
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Coyut’
1 2345ABCIII LOCATION
Fig. 2. Percent time spent in locations for Jersey pair.
activity patterns & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont’d
Fig. 3 Percent of time spent in frequent behaviors of the WPZ male and female, and the Jersey male and female.
447
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Coyufd
BEHAVIOR CATEGORIES
Fig. 3 Percent of time spent in frequent behaviors of the WPZ male and female, and the Jersey male and female.
448
NUMBER OF OCCURRENCES
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOM LEOPARDS, Coyit’d
BEHAVIORAL EVENTS
Fig. 4 Total number of occurrences of behavioral events of Jersey pair.
449
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cant’d
the female than the male (p<C .01). They were: prusten (z = 3.87), quick play (z = 6.29), quick social play (z = 3.87), and roll (z = 7.88). There was no significant difference in the behaviors head rub and quick social groom.
When both pairs were combined and tested for sex differences by a two fac- tor analysis of variance (Figure 5) the only behavior that showed a sig- nificant difference (p<r.05) was solitary play by the females (F = 6.92, df = 6,1).
450
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont'd
Differences during Estrus
The frequency of six behaviors in the Jersey pair were graphed to show differences before* during* and after estrus (Figure 6). The rate of rolling and prusten increased sharply during estrus for the female. The male did the least sniffing and flehmen during the estrus period. Play increased substantially after estrus for both animals. It is not known if these behaviors differed significantly or not.
the estrus time block for rolling.
the estrus time block for quick play. Solitary and social.
451
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Co^’d
452
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Confd
During estrus the frequency and length of copulation increased in the Jersey pair until a peak of six times per hour, observed in the middle of the eight-day estrus period (Figure 7) . The longest copulation ob- served lasted one minute, five seconds; the average was 27 seconds.
Behaviors were tested for sex differences before, during, and after the estrus period with a two factor analysis of variance. The females showed a significant (p4 .05, F = 6.92, df = 6,2) increase in autogrooming after estrus (Figure 8c). Pacing by the males did not show a significant change, but did drop during estrus (Figure 8a) .
Fig. 7. Number of occurrences of copulations per hour and length over estrus for Jersey pair.
5 7
DAY OF ESTRUS
453
3
PERCENT TIME SPENT
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, ConX’d
ESTRUS CONDITION
Fig. 8a Percent means of sexes of both
4-
2 -
pairs over the estrus time block for pacing.
sig. £.<.0 5
prE est'rus To
ESTRUS CONDITION
Fig. 8b Percent means of WPZ and Jersey pairs for the behavior of social sedentary.
Fib. 8c Percent means of sexes of both pairs over the estrus time block for autogrooming.
454
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont'd
Differences between Pairs
When the behavior of the WPZ pair was compared to the Jersey pair by a two factor analysis of variance, three behaviors were significantly different (Figure 9). The WPZ pair spent more time sedentary (p^l.Ol,
F = 22.24, df = 6,1) but less time being social sedentary (p<C.01,
F = 596.63, df = 6,1). The Jersey pair spent significantly (p^i .05) more time locomoting than the WPZ pair (F = 11.72, df = 6,1). While time spent in sexual behavior was too brief to test, the Jersey pair spent twice as much time breeding as did the WPZ pair.
p-jg^ 9 Percent of time spent by the WPZ pair versus the Jersey pair
455
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Cont’d
Fig. 9 (cont'd) Percent of time spent by the WPZ pair versus the Jersey pair.
DISCUSSION
One purpose of this study was to gather data to compare the behavior of the WPZ and JWPT snow leopards with published results.
Freeman (1980, 1982, 1983) found that males do significantly more mark- ing, both scraping the ground with hind feet and spraying urine at a ;i
verticle surface, than females. The Jersey male did do significantly more ji marking than Fonga, the female (Figure 4). The WPZ pair was not tested |
because of insufficient data, but the male did only slightly more marking i
than the female. It could be that many markings went unrecorded because a well-used area for this, as demonstrated by stains on the wall, is not visible to observers. ii
Freeman (1982) stated that 99% of the time the males will do significant- ;
ly more social grooming than females. The rate of social grooming was
much lower than expected for both pairs. The Jersey female did not differ i significantly in this behavior. The WPZ female did more social grooming than the male, but this was not tested for significance.
The testing of urine for pheromones with the grimace-faced behavior of ' flehmen is thought to be used primarily by males to test female urine for i signs of estrus (Ewer, 1968). It would seem likely to see flehmen more j often in males than females. The Jersey male did significantly more flehmen than the female (Figure 4) . Flehmen was not a behavior found to ' differ significantly between the sexes by Freeman (1982, 1983). Flehmen in the Jersey male was highest prior to and after estrus, as if determin- i ing exactly when the female started and ceased estrus (Figure 6e) .
The significantly higher amount of solitary play seen in the females of the pairs studied (Figure 5) is hard to interpret. This is not a behavior found to be significantly different between the sexes accoridng to Freeman (1980, 1982, 1983). It may be that during the breeding season of January
456
I ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Covvi' d
j through March, females are more inclined toward play because of restless- ness caused by the proximity of estrus, or it may be just a coincidence
i of two playful individuals.
j Freeman (1982, 1983) reported the three behaviors of roll, prusten, and autogrooming were found significantly more in females than males. Rolling on the back was often seen immediately following copulation. The amount of rolling in a particular female could be directly effected by the amount
i of copulating. The Jersey female did significantly more rolling than the male (Figure 4). The WPZ percentages wern’t tested, but the female rolled twice as much as the male.
The soft purring vocalization of prusten is used as a friendly greeting and to appease aggression. The Jersey female did prusten significantly more than the male (Figure 4) . The WPZ percentages were very small for this behavior. It could be because of the distance the observers were from the subjects that prusten went unheard. The small number of obser- vations could also account for the low amount of prusten heard.
Self grooming was significantly higher in both females than the males in this study, but only after estrus (Figure 8c). The higher percentage of autogrooming occurring after estrus may be a response to the low levels of social grooming they received from the males, especially during estrus. Freeman (1982) found social grooming highest in males during the estrus period. This was not seen in either male in this study.
Behaviors reported by Freeman (1982, 1983) to be affected by estrus are roll, pace (in successful males), marking, and sexual behavior. The females in this study did do more rolling during estrus than during any other period (Figure 6a), although this was not tested for significance.
Freeman (1983) found that head rubbing and marking in females decreased just prior to estrus. This could not be seen clearly in either female studied. Because they are infrequent behaviors, this might have been missed with the small observation time.
Both pairs in this study engaged in more of the sexual behaviors of mounting and nape biting during estrus than at any other time, which is not surprising. On the first day of estrus for the Jersey pair, Fonga, the female, pestered Stasik, pawing at him while he rested until he got up and then moved. She did this several times, apparently trying to get his attention. No copulations were observed on this day, but the male nape bit Fonga several times. After ejaculation in the first copulations observed, the male sprang off the female 'and ran several feet away from her. No aggression from the female was seen after copulation. As estrus continued, Stasik relaxed and it was Fonga moving out from under him that ended copulation.
It has been observed in some pairs of cat species in captivity that the female may make no aggressive moves after the male dismounts if the in- dividuals are familiar with each other (Leyhausen, 1979). Therefore, even though the aggressive reaction of a female can be a good indication that inromission has occurred, intromission should not be discounted if the female does not react aggressively.
This familiarity between individuals may be advantageous in the wild for the conservation of energy from unnecessary aggressive/defensive encounters and risk of injurt after copulation in the harsh environment of the snow leopard. Wild studies to date have shown that individuals are normally solitary. The male's territory encompasses that of one or more females (Jackson, 1983). This suggests that individuals might be familiar with
457
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Coyit’d
each other. Preferences for familiar individuals for breeding have been observed in the domestic cat (Ewer, 1968; Leyhausen, 1979), and beagles (Clemes and Christensen, 1975). This may also be true for snow leopards.
Freeman (1983) found that pacing in successful males decreased signifi- ‘ cantly during estrus, while the pacing of reproductively unsuccessful males remained constant through the estrus period. It is possible that ' the decrease seen in pacing in successful males is due to increased in- teractions with the estrous female. The unsuccessful males could be un- successful because the female they are with is not cycling, which would explain the constant pacing rate, or because the male is not paying at- tention to the female's esrtous condition. Pacing did not show a sig- !
nificant decrease in the males in this study, but the rate did drop for [
both during estrus. (Figure 8a). |
’i
The second purpose of this study was to evaluate why a particular pair, | the WPZ pair, has not reproduced, and why the JWPT pair has done so. j
Pairs in which the males was the same age or older than the female were reproductively more successful than pairs in which the female was older than the male (Rieger, 1980). Both pairs in this study have males the same age or older than the females. |
Pairs that have a special exhibit have a better chance of reproducing than those in a feline house (Rieger, 1980). The Jersey pair had an exhibit of their own. The WPZ pair were exhibited in a feline building housing ten other carnivorous species.
Successful pairs were found to be generally more active (Freeman, 1983). This was true for the Jersey pair who did significantly more locomoting and less sedentary than the WPZ pair (Figure 9). However, they are j
several years younger and live in a more complex exhibit.
Freeman (1980, 1982, 1983) found that reproductively successful males j
marked and sniffed inanimate objects and their mates more than unsuc- j
cessful males. Though it could not be tested, Stasik, the Jersey male, ! appeared to do more sniffing and marking than the reproductively unsuc- | cessful Piotr. Piotr spent .29% of his time sniffing; unsuccessful males ' were found to spend 1.1% of their time in this behavior (Freeman, 1980). '
Freeman (1983) reported that autogrooming was done significantly more by reproductively successful females than unsuccessful. The rates of autogrooming for the females in this study were similar. The successful Jersey female could have spent a percentage of her time when not visible in this behavior.
Freeman (1983) reported that pairs that are successful were seen to spend significantly less time not visible than unsuccessful pairs. There was not a significant difference between the pairs studied for this behavior. The successful Jersey pair may have spent less time not visible if the I
weather had been better.
Jersey spent twice as much time in sexual behaviors as WPZ. The higher percent of time spent copulating seen in successful pairs (Freeman, 1982, 1983) may reflect the need of frequent copulations to induce ovulation or for the sperm to successfully find the egg in the convoluted uterus of cats (Sadlier, 1974). Induced ovulation has been studied in the domestic cat (Clemens and Christensen, 1975; Verhage, Beamer, and Brenner, 1976) and is being investigated in other species of cat, such as the African lion [VcLnXhQAjCL £e.o) [Schmidt, Nadel, Schmidt, and Beamer, 1979], the cougar jPelAJ) C^ncoZo^] [Bonney, Moore, and Jones, 1981], and the leopard [VantkoAR: poAdiLi ) [ Schmidt , per. comm]. If a domestic cat is stimulated by intro-
458
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS, Co^’d
mission to ovulate, but the egg is not fertilized, a period of pseudo- pregnancy lasting from 30-73 days will occur before she will come into estrus again (Verhage, et al., 1976). The WPZ pair has exhibited longer than normal inter-estrus periods the last four years, from 56-61 days.
The normal time for snow leopards should be 21-30 days (Knowles, 1982; Koivisto, 1977). While it is not known whether snow leopards are induc- ed or spontaneous ovulators, a pseudopregnancy could explain these long periods, perhaps because of a low sperm-count in Piotr or some physio- logical problem with Natasha that prevents the egg from being fertilized. Little is known about the snow leopard regarding this phenomenon and fur- ther investigation is needed.
Induced ovulation would be an advantage for a solitary animal with a wide- ly distributed population like the snow leopard. It would insure that ovulation would not occur until a male was present and the egg likely to be fertilized.
The percent of time spent by the WPZ pair in most of the behaviors which distinguish successful from unsuccessful pairs found by Freeman (1980,
1982, 1983) were at or below the level of unsuccessful pairs for both sexes. This may be a result of the small number of observations since many of the indicative behaviors, such a flehmen, roll, and prusten, were infrequent. The low percentages may also accurately reflect their un- productive status. From this study it is not clean which, if either animal, is responsible. The Jersey pair could not be compared directly with many of the results found by Freeman, so it is not known how they would fare in many of the behavioral categories.
Freeman (1980, 1982) found that snow leopard pairs that have been together for over one year spent more time socially sedentary (a mean of 20.9%) than pairs that have not been together as long (mean of 6.3%). The Jersey pair spent 27.8% of their time resting together; this was significantly higher than the WPZ percentages of 10.9 (Figure 9). Even though the WPZ pair has been together twice as long as the Jersey pair, they spend much less time together. The WPZ pair appear to tolerate each other well, but might not be compatible for breeding and may do better with new part- ners or in a different environment.
There is some evidence that the individuals, Seattle 1 and 2, parents of both males, are siblings, which results in an inbreeding coefficient of .25 for their offspring (Foose, 1982). This may have an effect on the fertility of these individuals. When comparing the descendents of Seattle 1 and 2 to the descendents of the founders in San Francisco and San Antonio, Seattle is much lower in second generation births (Foose, 1982). The Jersey pair has been considered successful in this study, but may have been classified permaturely as such since they have produced no viable offspring yet.
Many pairs of captive snow leopards have one litter and never produce again (Foose, 1982). Hopefully this will not be the case with the Jersey pair. According to breeding records kept on them, they have been less and less intense every year, with a decrease in vocalizations. This might be just the process of getting to know each other and acquiring more sexual exper- ience. Hopefully observations on these snow leopards will continue so comparisons can be made over the years.
There are many things which could have affected the results of this study. During the first weeks of data collection in Jersey, the islands had the worst storms in the past 25 years; this appeared to influence the amount of time spent not visible during the pre-estrus period. There were twice
459
ACTIVITY PATTERNS & SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TWO PAIRS OF SNOW LEOPARDS. Co^'d
as many observations made during estrus and post-estrus than for pre-estrus in the Jersey pair. The data collection method was also being refined during the pre-estrus period. The small amount of data collected on the WPZ pair and the number of people collecting it could have affected the results.
Acknowledgement s
I would like to acknowledge the JWPT for an unforgettable six weeks and the chance to watch Stasik and Fonga. Special thanks go to Dr. David Waugh, Training Officer; Dennis Mosley, Ged Cadwick, David Bowles, and John McNicholas, Keepers at JWPT, for their help and advice. I also want to thank the WPZ and the Portland Chapter of the AAZK for support on this project. Nancy King Hunt and Ann Littlewood deserve thanks for helping with the statistical analysis and advice in writing. I*m especially grateful to Jan Hixson for last-minute typing and to Jim Barclay for try- ing his best to help.
REFERENCES
Bonney, Rosemary C., Moore, H.D.M, and Jones, D.M. 1981. Plasma
concentrations of oestradiol-17B and progesterone, and laparoscopic observations of the ovary in the puma (F&£^ COYLdOtoM,] during oestrus, pseudopregnancy, and pregnancy. Reprod. Fert., 63, 523-531.
Clemens, Lynwood G. amd Christensen, Larry W. 1975. Sexual Behavior.
In; The Behavior of Domestic Animals. (Ed. by E.S.E. Hafez)
108-145. Bailliere Tindall, London.
Ewer, R.F. 1969. Courtship and Mating. Ethology of Mammals,
199-233. Plenum Press, New York.
Foose, Thomas J. 1982. A Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the Snow Leopard ( VciyitkoAR LLVLCAXl) , Genetic and Demographic Analysis and Management. International Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards, 3, 81-102.
Freeman, Helen. 1980. Snow Leopard:; A Cooperative Study Between Zoos. International Pedigree Book of Snow Leopards, 2, 127-136.
Freeman, Helen. 1982. Characteristics of social behavior in the snow leopard. Int. Ped. Book of Snow Leopards, 3, 117-120.
Freeman, Helen. 1983. Behavior in adult pairs of captive snow leopards ( yawthoJia undia ) . Zoo Biology, 2, 1-22.
Jackson, Rodney. 1983. Himilayan snow leopard project update. Snow Line International Snow Leopard Trust, No. 2.
Knowles, John. 1982. History of snow leopards at Marwell. Int. Ped.
Book of Snow Leopards, 3, 59-62.
Koivisto, I.; Wahlberg, C.; et al. 1977. Breeding of the snow leopard, [PankheAR anCAJi] at Helsinki Zoo from 1967-1976. IZY, 17, 39-44.
Leyhausen, Paul. 1979. Cat Behavior. Garland STPM Press, London and New York, 244-273.
Rieger, I. 1980. Some difficulties in breeding ounces, UnCyta ULYiLcjCL, at zoological gardens. IZY 11, 76-95.
Sadlier, Richard M.F.S. 1974. Discussion. In; The World’s Cats
Vol. II (ed. by Randall Eaton), p. 104. Feline Research Group, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, WA.
Schmidt, Anne M; Nadal, Leonie A.; Schmidt, J.J.; Beamer, Nancy B. 1979. Serum concentrations of oestradiol and progesterone during the normal oestrus cycle and early pregnancy in the lion ( Pcnitk<2ACi ZdO ) .
J. Reprod. Fert. 57 .
Verhage, H.G.; Beamer, N.B.; Brenner, R.M. 1976. Plasma levels of
estradiol and progesterone in the cat during polyestrus, pregnancy, and pseudopregnancy. Biology of Reproduction, 14, 579-585.
460
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE COMMON TRUMPETER
iP-6opkla cAe.pXtayi6}
AT WOODLAND PARK ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS
By
Enyic. Kowcitczyk and Jim MaN^al Woodland PoAk Zoological GaAdcAS, Seattle, WA
In October, 1983, Woodland Park Zoological Gardens received 1.2 surgically sexed Common Trumpeters (P^ophla CA.epltan6 ] , which had been wild-caught in Guyana, South America (captured in June, 1983, approximately 150 miles south of the Caribbean Sea, along the Venezuela border; pers. comm. R. King). The Common Trumpeter, also known as the Grey-winged Trumpeter, be- longs to a small family of birds, P^ophlldae, one genus and three species, which is endemic to northern South America. This species has the widest range, "inhabiting Guyanas, Venezuela, south of the Orinoco and locally further north, most of eastern Columbia, eastern Ecudaor, northeastern Peru, and various localities in Brazil, mostly in the Amazon Basin" (Holyoak 1978: p. 85). Phylogenetically , trumpeters are most closely re- lated to the crane family, GAuldae, and to rails, of the family Patlldae.
On 25 May, 1984, the first of three common trumpeters to hatch hatched at the Zoo's incubation facility. To the best of our knowledge, this repre- sents the first captive breeding of any number of P^opklldae, despite the fact that trumpeters have been kept in numerous collections for many years.
Our current breeding trio was part of a shipment of 2.4 trumpeters, with the additional 1.2 birds held in quarantine at our facility pending trans- fer to the Vancouver Aquarium. These six birds arrived in two sky kennels containing 1.2 birds each. The two trios were set up in separate isola- tion rooms at our Animal Health Department. A minimum of 14 days in quarantine is the standard procedure for any new birds entering Woodland Park Zoo's collection. New birds are not released until careful monitor- ing of their general health and fecals indicates that they are parasite- free. At times this will lengthen the quarantine period. This proved to be the case with the Common Trumpeters, and treatment for a number of per- sistent endoparasites (i.e., tapeworms) resulted in their remaining in quarantine until December, 1983.
The decision as to which birds went to Vancouver and which remained in our collection was an arbitrary one. There were no apparent physical nor behavioral differences between the two groups. In fact, both trios remained very flighty during the entire two-month quarantine period.
The birds that were chosen to remain in our collection were moved to a glass-fronted exhibit at our Neotropical Aviary. The exhibit (approxi- mately 9m. L X 3m. W x 2.5m. H) has a translucent glass roof which allows for natural lighting and photo-period, and is heavily planted with a variety of tropical plants. Floor substrates include potting soil cover- ed with beauty bark, sand, and some areas of bare concrete. There is also a shallow pool, approximately 1 meter in diameter (15cm. maximum depth), which provides both bathing and drinking water.
The trumpeters shared this enclosure with an established pair of Crested Oropendolas ( P^aAacoloijiLh decumancU ) . All the birds in the exhibit shar- ed the same diet from two separate pans. Woodland Park's trumpeter diet consists of chopped fruit (papaya, apple, banana, blueberries, and raisins mixed together), soaked Wayne's dog meal (25% protein), chopped Romaine, soaked Purina monkey chow, wild bird seed, and omnivore diet (WPZG's own
461
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE COMMON TRUMPETER AT WPZG, CoyvUnuzd
in-house mix i.e. information available). This was supplemented with crickets, meal worms, and mouse pinkies.
Prior to introduction, the birds were wing-clipped and the windows of the enclosure were soaped over to help prevent injuries. Flighty at first, the birds quickly settled down into the heavily planted Aviary and began to behave the same as those previously held here. They proved to be an excellent addition to the collection, and very popular with both the pub- lic and Zoo staff.
In the early spring of 1984, courtship behavior was observed for the first time. This consisted of mutual preening, wing flitting displays, and dancing similar to that seen in courting cranes. A secluded nest site was provided by the addition of more plants and a wooden nest box. Nest box design was an attempt to simulate a cavity formed by a rotted stump. Holyoak (1978) refers to two nest sites found in holes in rotted trees. Next box construction was of cedar planks and plywood and consisted of an open-top design, 35cm. square and 55cm. high on three sides, the front side being 25cm. high. The floor of the box was elevated 8cm. above the base of the nest box. Rotted bark and old leaves provided nesting mater- 'ial, although the birds did throw most of it out.
The first egg was laid 26 April 1984, in the nest box. Two days later, a second egg was laid. The male and one of the females spent a large amount of time at the nest site after the egg was laid. Despite this attentiveness, one of the eggs disappeared from the nest shortly after the second egg was laid, and only small fragments of its shell were found in the nest. The remaining egg was immediately pulled for artificial incubation and replaced with two dummy chicken eggs. It was also decided to pull the pair of oropendolas in case they were the egg eaters. How- ever, since one of the chicken eggs was later destroyed too, it appeared that the trumpeters themselves were destroying the eggs. The next four eggs were pulled as they were laid because of the previous loss. None of these eggs was found in the nest box, but laid randomly within the exhibit, with one being found badly cracked. The three good eggs were set in an incubator with the original first egg. Of the total eggs being artificially incubated, the first hatched after an incubation period of 26 days, and the last there eggs were found to have died during various stages of development.
Because of the low hatchability we experienced using artificial incuba- tion, it was decided to risk allowing the adult birds to attempt natural incubation. When an egg was laid in a dark, cavernous depression within some exhibit rockwork during mid-June, it was substituted with a wooden dummy egg. The following two eggs were also substituted with dummy eggs. When it was clearly established that one of the females was beginning to incubate, a real egg was substituted back into the nest. The remaining two eggs were placed into an incubator concurrently. The nest was care- fully monitored and, after five days without an egg breakage problem, a second egg was placed into the nest from the incubator. The third egg remained in the incubator and later proved to be infertile.
Interestingly, all three of the adult birds shared in the incubation of the eggs, and all three were very protective of the nest. Both eggs successfully hatched, though the last chick to hatch was found lying just outside the nest severely traumatized to the left eye and head area. This bird was immediately pulled for hand-raising and fully recovered.
It is not known who caused this trauma, but inter-chick aggression amongst cranes (Walkinshaw, 1973) does frequently occur. Further observations
462
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE COMMON TRUMPETER AT WPZG, CoyvUnu^d
in captivity or the wild might provide information on whether inter-chick aggression also occurs in the closely-related trumpeters.
Despite this injury to the second hatchling, the adults were attentive and protective of the first chick. Therefore, it was decided to leave the chick in the exhibit for parent-rearing under continuous dawn to dusk observation by volunteers from Woodland Park’s docents. The adults proved to be excellent parents and all three shared in the rearing process. In fact, they often "seemed" to compete with each other in their attempts to feed the chick. Favorite food items, such as crickets, pinkies, and egg yolk, were offered first and most frequently. Food was offered either from the bill or was dropped to the ground in front of the chick, thereby encouraging it to feed on its own. Feeding was accomplished by a barely ■audible vocalization and by wing flitting displays similar to those ob- served during courtship. This same behavior was also used by the adults to call or lead the chick to various parts of the exhibit, i.e. to the food pans or to cover when alarmed. Interestingly, the adult male played the largest role during this rearing process. He was observed doing the majority of the feeding and was the most protective of the chick, never straying very far away from it. Brooding of the young was the only aspect of parental care that the male did not do readily. This task was usually performed by the females.
Of the nine total eggs that our birds laid, five were artificially incu- bated, two were found broken in the enclosure, and two were parent incu- bated. Of the five artificially incubated, one was infertile, two died during early stages of development, one chick was helped out of its shell after being overdue and died the following day, and one chick hatched after 26 days of incubation.
Incubation temperature was 99.5°F (+ .25°) and humidity was 84° wet bulb (i.e., 50%), the same as we incubate eggs of precocial birds. The egg pipped on the 26th day and hatched out within 6-8 hours after pipping.
Eggs were manually turned three times a day and were weighed approximate- ly every four days to determine weight loss and proper humidity. Weights were graphed along a line whose slope showed a 15% weight loss during incubation. Rahn et al. (1979) collected data on 65 species of birds which showed a 15% weight loss during natural incubation, a result of respiration from the developing embryo.
The chick was left in the incubator 16 hours before transfer to a brooder (15 gallon terrarium) . Nomad® carpeting (3M Company) was used for a sub- Istrate. Since they are closely related to cranes, chick rearing procedur- I es to prevent leg deformities which are used at the International Crane I Foundation were employed when feasible and possible (Archibald and Viess,
I 1978) . Primary concerns were: 1) not to overfeed the chick, and 2) to give the bird as much exercise as possible. The bird was offered a com- bination of food items based on the adult diet, plus egg yolk and "white" meal worms and cricket abdomens, i.e. soft parts only. For the first
four days, the bird would not pick up food items unless the particular
I food item was presented in front of it, using forceps. Once the chick 'would begin to peck at the forceps-held food, the food item could be drop- ped and the chick would then eat it from the ground, i.e., simulating bill-feeding by the adults. ABDEC, a liquid multi-vitamin supplement (Parke-Davis) , was added to the water and offered in a likewise manner to the chick, using a eye-dropper. After two days the bird was drinking water
by itself, and after five days it began to peck at food items from the dish
without artificial stimulation. At this point, the bird was hand-fed small amounts of food every two hours from 0700 to 1900 hours. After 19 days.
1
463
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE COMMON TRUMPETER AT WPZG, ConUnued
the bird was transferred to a larger indoor enclosure. Feeding was three times a day, with fresh food provided at each feeding.
The bird was weighed twice each day just before the first and last feed- ings, to monitor weight gained through the day and weight lost through the night. As the bird became older, and thus increasingly unwilling to be weighed, weighing was limited to once each day. As previously mention- ed, there was some concern that the bird might gain weight too quickly, possibly resulting in leg deformities. Growth curves were compared to another GA.at.^OA,me species, the Red-crowned Crane (GA-LU japoncn^^} at the International Crane Foundation (LaRue, 1981). Both growth curves were similar and no leg problems developed. On a daily basis the chick was taken outside for exercise, sunshine, and photo sessions which recorded plumage changes. While outside the bird was handled as much clover [TaX- {^olyUm A.e.pe.yL6 , T. macAOC.Z.phalam ) as it was interested in. It was observed that the chick "enjoyed" having its head and neck scratched. This may stimulate normal grooming behavior as the gregarious adults frequently preen each other around the head, neck, and eyes.
On 11 July, one chick that hatched under the parents was traumatized, al- most to the point of death. This bird recovered from injuries and was hand-reared using those same procedures as outline above; the only major difference being that it showed less preference for favored food items (such as blueberries, papayas, etc. as was favored by the first hand- reared chick) and consumed more food at each feeding. In comparison, its weights were higher for the first 20 days. From day 20 to 40, both weights were approximately equal; and during the following 20 days, the "injured" bird’s weights again increased faster than the other hand-reared bird.
(See Table 1). I
TABLE I !
|
Age (days) |
Hand-reared Chick #1 |
Hand-reared Chick #2 |
Parent-reared Chick |
|
at hatching |
45.3 grams |
— |
— — |
|
1 |
42.6 |
49.3 |
— — |
|
10 |
95.5 |
111.5 |
— — |
|
20 |
204.3 |
225.0 |
— — |
|
30 |
353.9 |
356.0 |
430.7 |
|
41 |
471.6 |
518.9 |
— — |
|
51 |
593.4 |
587.3 |
— — |
|
59 |
591.4 |
672.1 |
— — |
|
65 |
— |
— |
614.0 |
We had the opportunity to compare and contrast feeding and rearing methods with two being hand-reared, the other being parent-reared. This data has not yet been fully analyzed, but preliminary observations suggest that the ; parent-reared bird had gained weight all too quickly. As observed with overfeeding of protein in hand-reared cranes, the parent-reared trumpeter | is very slightly bowlegged. This could be the result of too much protein in the diet or not enough exercise, or a combination of both as a result of being reared by three adults who constantly gave the bird attention and bill-fed it with favored items (i.e. mouse pinkies, crickets, etc.). With the larger clutch size throught to be the norm, such over-attentivene£ i
464
CAPTIVE BREEDING OF THE COMMON TRUMPETER AT WPZG, Co^nued
on the part of the adults towards one individual chick would not occur.
The hand-reared birds were only handled in two-hour increments, and in the interim periods the young chicks did not feed very much. In the future it will be necessary to better monitor food consumption in the parent-reared birds, possibly limiting feeding opportunities of adults, and to monitor weights of the parent-reared chicks more frequently.
Much gratitude goes to Woodland Park Zoological Gardens’ Curator of Birds, Walter English, for his constant advice regarding the aviculture of this species. In addition, many thanks to the entire bird crew for their as- sistance in everything that led to the success of this first breeding in captivity.
LITERATURE CITED
Archibald, G.W. and D.L. Viess. 1978. Captive propagation at the International Crane Foundation, 1973-78.
Proceedings 1978 Crane Workshop, ed. by J. C. Lewis,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; pp . 51-73.
Holyoak, D.T. 1978. Bird Families of the World, ed. C.J.O. Harrison.
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York; p. 85.
LaRue, C. 1981. Techniques for breeding cranes in captivity.
Crane Research Around the World, ed. by. J.C. Lewis and H. Masatomi; pp. 15-18.
Rahn, H., A. Ar, and C.V. Paganelli. 1979. How bird eggs breathe.
Sci. Am. 240: 26-55,
Walkinshaw, L.H. 1973. Cranes of the World. Winchester Press, New York.
370 pp.
PRODUCTS MENTIONED
ABDEC liquid multi-vitamin supplement; Parke-Davis, Div. of Warner-Lambert Co., Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.
Nomad carpeting; Seaport Chemical, Inc.
1215 E. Columbia, Seattle, Washington 98122.
Purina monkey chow; Ralston Purina Co., Checkerboard Square,
St. Louis, Missouri 63164.
Wayne Dog Food; Wayne Pet Food Div., Continental Grain Co.,
Chicago, Illinois 60606.
465
AAZK EXHIBIT DESIGN FORM
By
VlanQ, VoK^ytk
kk/iovi Zoologlcjcut ?a/ik, AkAon^ OH By
BeXh Poii^ Hill HouyitcUn Zoological PoAk
The idea for the Exhibit Design Form started from the frustration of keep- ers at smaller zoos who needed information to either assist in the design of an exhibit or to build one themselves. After many correspondences, telephone calls and reading of what scarce material might be available; many times you would end up with an exhibit which still did not quite work. Perhaps the drains were in the wrong places, or there was not enough work area for the keepers, or the animal would hide in one corner and go no- where near the exhibit’s wonderful tree grouping artfully placed in the center of the exhibit. I am sure we have all dealt with these t3rpes of problems at one time or another. What can make the problem worse is to find out that someone else made the same mistakes three years ago.
A little over a year and a half ago Diane Forsyth at the Akron Zoo start- ed to work on a form which could be used to help keepers and others not only request information about exhibits at other zoos but to also start a collection of information on exhibits in a standardized form called the Exhibit Design Form. This form would have keeper input included on it, thus the form can be a tool to help get keeper views, opinions, and ; information into the design process, at the beginning, where it is most needed .
Members of the Education Committee, other keepers, zoo design firms, and lawyers have all worked on the composition of the Exhibit Design Form. ||
We are still in the process of finalizing a release statement to make it clear that this form is to be used as a tool and not as a blueprint. Any ! information gained from the forms is to help avoid past mistakes and to improve upon present designs. Along with individual research, the Exhibit ■ Design Form can help you avoid mistakes but is not a guarantee of success, i;
j
Just after the conference, a mailing will be sent to design and architec- tural firms, and universities with design courses. Also the mailing will be sent out to a random sampling of small, medium and large zoos. The mailing will request that forms be prepared on three exhibits and returned to the collecting zoo. The collecting zoo will be Akron Zoological Park, 500 Edgewood Ave., Akron, OH 44307, to the attention of Diane Forsyth.
Each time the form is used, a copy will be sent to the collecting zoo so that in a short time there will be quite a range of completed forms. In- formation from these forms can then be requested from the collecting zoo in three ways:
1) By the type of exhibit (i.e. all bear exhibits)
2) By cost j
3) By zoo location
Eventually a looseleaf publication can be made available of all collected forms, much like the AAZPA Infant Care/Diet Notebook.
Teamwork is a must since the completion of the forms will involve every j
department in the zoo, from keeper to director. Cooperation by all to '
help get the forms completed can help alleviate possible problems such as the length of time it takes to fill out the form, upper management beingj.
466
AAZK EXHIBIT DESIGN FORM, Contlnae^d
leery of the intent of the form and the negative attitude that it is just not worth the trouble. As keepers we must take the extra effort to fill the forms out when we receive them* talk to others about the importance of having the form accepted as a worthwhile tool in the design process. This is a way keepers can become involved in the building of an exhibit and air their opinions in the beginning when it counts and not after the fact when constructive options become hopeless complaints that are expen- sive if not impossible to make right.
|
THE PAWW PHILOSOPHER |
|
|
I MCL6 MoZkXng thAoagh the. zoo tn the. e.aAZy dawn' 6 awake.ntng blackne.^6 when all o^ the old ^cene^ htt me-~ the Congo,, the Amazon and old ToAzan movte^,,, ^to/LceA ^/Lom GAjzndma'6 Aagged pageA, |
|
|
I wondeAed oi I twt&ted my&eli '/loand and 'Aound eyeing my captives CL6 they blinked In the night, "What Is this wo Aid o^ mine wheAe ^Aeedom holds key& visible and cold to opposable thumbs and hlgheA Intelligence?" |
|
|
Then It hit me - again - I am theJji captive In a woAld held by a aojw and gAeedy species, and they hold the keys I seek to the hot and bloody ho no A that the Humans, In cold and sleeping blackness, can neveA give. |
1 |
|
by TeAAy Weben-Atklnson, keepeA at Jackson Zoo, |
1 ^oAmeA pAlmate ; MS 1974-S4 |
467
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER
{Ta/u>X.LU> bancaniu)
AT THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK
By
Bnunk Kohn, MCteA RobeAt6, Angola KappeX, Eugene Mcitinluk S Hlehaet Veat VepoAtment oi lootog^eat R^eouieh NcutLovial ZoologZcjot ?a/ik, luJcu king ton, V.C.
Tarsiers are an ancient group of primates and the living species are lit- ' tie changed from ancestral forms living approximately 50 million years ago. Tarsiers are unique among primates in being exclusively carnivorous, subsisting almost entirely on insects and the occasional small vertebrate. They are unmistakably primate-like in appearance and at least one species, the spectral tarsier, exhibits a monogamous social system, typical of other small primates like tamarins and marmosets. The social system of other species is less well known but there is growing evidence that the species I will be discussing today, the Western tarsier, has a social system much more similar to that of solitary carnivores than to that of other primates.
It is becoming clear that tarsiers are a very complex group that can give us some insight into primate beginnings. To date, field studies have pro- , vided most of the useful information as zoos and research facilities have j had poor success in even maintaining animals in captivity. Nevertheless, ^ captive studies should be pursued because a large amount of useful infor- j mat ion can be accumulated rapidly, cheaply and easily and the information i obtained can be a very useful supplement to data obtained in the wild.
In 1983, the National Zoological Park and Duke University initiated a cooperative program of study on the Western tarsier (Ta/Lilu^ bancunuS ) . I Today I will discuss management and husbandry techniques used to maintain the animals at the National Zoo and some of our successes and failures. I First I would like to give you some background on tarsier biology and their, history in captivity. j
There are three species of tarsiers: The Phillip ine tarsier {Ta/utlU |
6yfilehtci] , from Mindanao; Horsfield’s or Western tarsier (T_. 'bcLneCLnuJi ) , from Sumatra and Borneo; and the spectral tarsier (T. i>pecJyum] from the Celebes (See Figure 1). The extant forms of tarsiers are specialized from I a more widespread form found in North America, Europe and Asia during the Tertiary period. Earlier forms have been found in the Paleocene and Eocenej periods placing the animal's origins to at least 50 million years ago. It has been noted that Ta/ullU is probably the oldest mammal now inhabiting , the earth.
Tarsiers weigh between 105 and 135 grams and measure an average of 30 |
centimeters from head to tail. The tail comprises approximately half „
this total length. All three species are found mainly in secondary trop- ij ical rain forests and occasionally near the fringes of primary forests in i low-lying coastal areas. The Western tarsier is exclusively arboreal and j is a specialized leaper and dinger. It is nocturnal and crepuscular.
The social system appears to be different from that of the other species studied to date. The territory or home range of a male overlaps that of >
several females while the females maintain individual territories. Thus, j the Western tarsier appears not to be monogamous in the strict sense. j
Like the other species, the Western tarsier is a specialized insectivore but occasionally eats small vertebrates such as lizards and snakes. Al- most all food is taken below 4 meters height. Vegetation is never includ- |
468
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, CoyuUnuzd
FIG. 1 Distribution map of the three living species of tarsiers - Ta/udiu bancmiu , Ta/u.lti6 ^pdcdytum and TcvudiUi 6y^c.hX.a.
ed in their diet. As a rule they feed exclusively on live prey. Their breeding season occurs between October and March. After a gestation of four to six months, a single precocial young is born which begins to move about on its own at about two weeks of age.
Tarsiers see well in the dark and have binocular vision as evidenced by their forward directed eyes. They also have good hearing. Olfaction may play a large role in behavior since both sexes have circumanal and epi- gastric scent glands and display marking behavior. Vocal, visual and olfactory modalities are employed in communication. Hearing and sight play a major part in prey location. Predators are few (See Table 1).
History of Tarsiers in Zoos
Ta/i6AJJL6 4>y^c.hdjl has been the species most frequently kept in captivity in zoos and research facilities abroad and in this country. Although a few individuals have lived as long as 11 years, in general, their history in captivity has been very unsuccessful (See Table 2) . A high mortality rate in transit, poor captive longevity and poor reproductive success pre- dominate the history of all species in captivity.
Diet is perhaps the single most important consideration for successful management of this specialized insectivore. Although some animals have been reported to eat freshly killed insects, many animals refuse to eat
469
KiANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, CoyvUnu2.d
TABLE 1 . Foods taken by wild bancaniu and TaA^djubi> ^y^chta and
a list of potential predators of these two species.
WILD TARSIER DIET
INVERTEBRATES VERTEBRATES
|
Marttids |
Beetles |
Snakes |
|
Ants |
Grasshoppers |
Birds |
|
Cicadas |
Cockroaches |
Bats |
|
Moths |
Butterfly |
Rodents |
|
PREDATORS |
||
|
Owls |
Slow Loris |
|
|
Snakes |
Giant Civet |
nonliving prey. Most animals have very narrow diet preferences often accepting only one type of food despite the availability of others. Often i the preferred foods are not nutritionally balanced and provision must be made to administer supplements in some form. Reported captive diets have varied from zoo to zoo, but some foods have been consistently favored.
These include mealworms, crickets and anolis lizards. (Foods offered to and taken by tarsiers are presented in Table 3) .
Enclosure specifications are a second very important consideration in :
maintaining this active and acrobatic species. Animals are extremely active, if given adequate space, and spend much of their waking time ,
foraging among the tree branches. Although socially tolerant, individuals partition available space both temporally and spatially suggesting that provision must be made to accommodate animals in their own ’personal space Cage sizes of all previously captive tarsiers have been described as quite small ranging from three cubic feet to barely one cubic foot. In our experience, such enclosures are clearly too small.
Records of causes of death of tarsiers are scant. The few instances of described post mortem findings suggested: Degenerative liver and kidney , conditions, trichomoniasis in females following miscarriages, and pneu- monia. A Phillip ine tarsier at the Philadelphia Zoo lived for eleven years and produced two young. Both infants, however, died of cerebral hemorrahages . At the time of her death no overt causes were reported, but it was noted that her teeth showed little wear and her ovaries were not atrophied. A condition known as ringtail is also described although it has not been fatal. This particular case has been emphasized since it is the only well-documented record of a tarsier in a zoo. This paucity of information on managing the animals requires immediate and intense study of a species which has at times been described as closely linked to man.
470
TABLE 2. SUMMARY OF TARSIERS MAINTAINED IN CAPTIVITY
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, Continued
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471
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, ConUnue.d
TABLE 3. Foods offered to captive tarsiers. Data obtained from the literature. Items marked with (*) have been offered to Toa^aju bcinc-ayiLU at the National Zoological Park.
FOODS TAKEN IN CAPTIVITY
* Crickets Mealworms
* Cockroaches Locusts Cicadas Katydids House sparrows Shrimp Salamanders
* Anoles Gekkos
* Mouse pups Preying mantises Wolf spiders Dragon flies House flies Crabs
Skinks
Management of Tarsiers at the National Zoo
The National Zoo received three pairs of tarsiers on 11 November 1983.
The animals had been captured by Pat Wright of the Duke Regional Primate Center during her field study of the animals in Sabah. The animals were captured as pairs to ensure comparability and were acclimated for one to four weeks prior to shipment to ensure that they were adapting to captiv- ity. The animals were transported to the US by air in the passenger cabin so that they could be fed, watered and checked on at regular intervals.
All animals arrived at their destination alive. One pair was lost within the first two weeks. The male died of dehydration, possibly a result of the long transport to this country, while the female succumbed to peri- carditis and secondary infections. Post mortem examination also revealed a developing fetus.
Each of the remaining two pairs were housed in room measuring 5.1m long x 3.6m wide x 4.5m high. The rooms have concrete floors, ceilings and solid walls. The keeper access door opens 61cm above the floor. The upper half of this door is a one-way mirror, the lower half is louvered for ventila- tion. A branch network of between 18-21 branches, poles and dowels are used to allow for the animals’ leaping abilities. Three types of nest boxes are used in each room: two cardboard ones measuring 61cm x 61 cm x 30.5cm; one wood box measuring 61cm x 25.4cm x 30. ’5cm; and one fiberglass box measuring 78.7cm x 30.5cm x 35.6cm. Each cardboard box has an open- ing seven inches square and has at least one set of crossed bamboo poles to allow the animal to rest in the crotch formed by their intersection.
A forced air HVAC unit provides constant temperature and humidity at a 25.5°-29.4°C (usually between 26 . 6°-27 . 7°C) and 60-70% relative humidity. High humidity is necessary to avoid possible skin and respiratory prob- lems encountered in dryer conditions. ^
472
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, ConUnued
When the animals were first received, the floors of the rooms were cover- ed with sand for cushioning and to retain moisture. Sanitation concerns caused us to remove most of the sand leaving only a small amount on a one-foot strip at one end of the room. This allowed for better parasite control during the first quarantine period. A substrate of wood chips was later employed after one female gave birth to cushion the infant if it fell from a perch. An earlier youngster, born in December 1983, was found lying on the floor, still alive but cold, ten days after parturi- tion. It had a broken back which may have been prevented had the wood shavings been present in that room.
The light cycle was set on a 12:12 pattern. Initially the night cycle began at 1815 hours and ended 12 hours later. It was gradually moved back 15 minutes every week until it reached our current photoperiod.
Night now begins for the animals at 1600 hours and ends at 0400 hours.
This allows for increased observation time during quiet periods and pre- vents observations and keeper schedule from interfering. At 60 watt blue light is used to simulate moonlight and facilitates nocturnal obser- vations.
There are three types of watering devices used: a ceramic crock placed on the floor; a small, one-half cup jar placed in a bracket attached to a tree branch; and a dripper system. The latter item is the device used most frequently by the tarsiers. The device consists of a one-gallon bottle with a plastic hose implanted into the corner of the bottle's base.
The free end of the hose is sealed with a plastic aquarium-type control which can be set to allow only a few drops of water to flow per minute.
This prevents it from draining in a 24-hour period. The bottle is held up on a branch either by hanging it by its handle or cradling it in a junction of several branches. The hose drops down and is tied to a branch so the tarsier can lick water dripped onto the branch or directly from the valve. The water in the bottle is treated with 6cc of a 1 normal hydrochloric acid solution as a precaution against bacterial buildup.
The plastic jugs are rinsed in hot water two times a week and replaced with backup jugs when necessary.
At NZP the tarsiers eat crickets almost exclusively. Anolis lizards are provided weekly but only occasionally eaten. Oriental cockroaches have been accepted and we are currently in the process of producing these in quantity. As crickets are the staple but are extremely low in calcium, phosphorus and trace minerals, we have had to devise a method of provid- ing the tarsiers with these vital dietary supplements. Our appraoch has been to maintain the crickets exclusively on a granulated alfalfa pellet diet enriched with calcium, phosphorus, trace minerals and vitamin D.
This food is constantly available to the crickets which are at liberty
in the tarsier enclosures. Tarsiers therefore eat crickets that have the
supplement contained in their gut. The zoo currently receives weekly
shipments of 4000 crickets for the tarsiers. The average daily food costs
for the tarsiers (considering cost of crickets, lizards, supplement) is
$2.00 per animal per day. Keepers spend approximately 1-2 hours per day
in feeding, cleaning and other maintenance. i
On arrival, the tarsiers were heavily parasitized with cestodes, capillaria, acanthocephalans and a variety of unidentified larvae. Clearly, reducing the parasite load was a high priority as it was essential to reduce as many sources of physiological and pyschological stress from the animals as possible. Tube feeding and/or injecting anthelminthics was ruled out as 1 being too stressful and simply presenting the medication to the animals in the hopes that they would take it was too unpredictable. We therefore
473
MANAGAMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP. CowUnuo^d
prepared a thick, pleasant-tasting paste carrier for the medication and smeared this paste on the hands of the animals just before their activity periods began. The animals would immediately groom off this paste thereby consuming the medication in known quantity for each animal. Essentially all parasites had been eliminated within three months of the onset of this protocol .
Realizing that the tarsiers were extremely sensitive to disturbance and novel situations, we devised a set work and feeding routine to which the animals could adjust. This routine is as follows; The keeper arrives in the building at 0715. The following procedures are followed and in turn recorded either in log book or on a designated chart or checksheet.
a. Check for location of tarsiers in each room and record site of animal .
b. Locate and collect fecal deposit, record location, count pellets and weigh total.
c. Check temperature and humidity of each room in morning and before lights out.
d. Collect dead crickets from room.
e. Wash and refill water containers.
f. Hose floor and mist rooms three times daily.
g. Remove cricket feed dishes from room. Dishes are replaced after final day's misting.
h. Clean out three cricket holding containers daily, remove dead crickets, change water, give fresh food, etc.
i. Swab walls in both rooms two times a week (Mon. & Thurs.) with dilute TBQ solution in 2-gallon bucket of hot water.
j . Change foot baths (three total)
k. Check functioning of blue "moon" lights. (It has been found that fecal output drops dramatically if animals have no light sources during night hours.)
l. Clean and feed anolis and Oriental roach colonies.
m. Sweep and wash floors in service area two times a week.
n. Take all trash from building to hospital incinerator.
o. In addition to this specified care for the tarsiers there are four other rooms in the building housing three species of marsup- ials that requires daily care.
We have observed the animals with night vision goggles during their night hours. During these observations certain unique traits concerning tarsier behavior have been revealed. The animals are strictly nocturnal. During the day when an animal is resting outside of a nest box they remain in one location unless approached very closely. Even then there is some hestita- tion about their intended movement. They require some light to see their food and the blue "moon" lights function well for this. There also appears to be a trimodal activity cycle during the course of the evening with the greatest activity occurring when the lights first go out for the evening.
Perhaps the most unusual observation concerns their defecation habits. On two consecutive nights we noticed an extremely small fecal output by ani- mals in one room. It was then noticed that the blue light had been burned out. We replaced the light and the next day the fecal output was enormous. It seems that the animals require a small amount of light to locate prey.
The tarsiers feed predominantly at heights of from 3-6 feet in our setting (See Figure 2). They maintain a somewhat constant interindividual dis- tance while they are foraging. Although branches in the rooms are set at horizontal, 30,45,60 and 90-degree angles, the tarsiers primarily utilize
474
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, Continued
vertical and near vertical (90-60 degrees) branches with small diameters (one-half to one and one-half inches). Their activity is concentrated in the four to nine-foot height range of their rooms. They have only rarely been seen to come to the floor for foraging or any other reason.
Two young have been born, one to each female. Both infants were being reared apparently successfully by their mothers but died (one at 14 days and the other at 18 days) apparently as a result of attacks by the male. Our data shows quite clearly that a few days prior to birth, the female becomes somewhat aggressive towards the male and chases him away from her immediate proximity. Following birth, male-female proximity increases dramatically as a result of continued chase by the female (Figure 3) . The male appears to attempt to maintain close proximity and shows great inter- est in the infant, even attempting to carry and hold it when it is left alone. We believe that in the wild the male may be driven away from the mother-infant pair and would maintain a much greater distance after birth than before. We do not know why the male reacts aggressively towards the infant, but it may be significant that the two infants born here were both males. Adult males of all species studied to date are extremely aggres- sive towards other males and we may speculate that this applies to infants as well.
Whatever the reasons for a males' aggression towards his offspring, it is clear that the species cannot be managed like other monogamous primates. Provisions will be made in the future to isolate the mother-infant pair from interference from the male while at the same time respecting the fact that removal of the male completely may be deliterous to whatever pairbond system there is.
FIGURE 2. Foraging height preferences for male and female Tcuuiuu> bancanuA . N = 1200 scan samples.
MALE AND FEMALE FORAGING LOCATION
475
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, CoyvUnu^d
TABLE 4. Summary of management parameters for To/uajuls banaanLU at the National Zoological Park.
80° - 85° F
50% - 70% Room floor hosed 3x daily; branches misted lx daily.
white lights on - 0400 to 1600 blue (moon) lights on 1600 to 0400
Sand in rear of room to retain moisture Wood chips covering floor prior to birth of young
Wooden dowels, tree branches, bamboo poles 0700-0930
Check animals, note location, collect fecal pellets, count, weigh, note location, collect dead crickets, hose floor, wash walls 2x/week, change water bottles 2x/week.
1200
Note animal location, hose floor 1500
Note animal location, hose floor, mist branches, feed
FIGURE 3. Male-female proximity before and after birth of a single infant. Note the increased proximity after birth.
N = 1200 scan samples.
Temperature;
Humidity:
Light cycle:
Substrate:
Branch Nestowk: Keeper Schedule:
476
MANAGEMENT AND HUSBANDRY OF THE WESTERN TARSIER AT NZP, CovUlmtd
FIGURE 4a. Non-foraging height preferences for male and female before birth of single infant. N = 1200 scan samples.
FIGURE 4b. Non-foraging height preferences for male and female after birth of single infant. N = 1200 scan samples.
Clearly, we must understand the social system of the Western tarsier to be able to manage them properly. Over the next few months we will be concentrating on defining social mechanisms so that we can successfully raise the next infants that are born. We feel confident that the nutri- tional deficiencies that have apparently resulted in the deaths of cap- tive-born tarsiers elsewhere are well on the way towards being solved.
We also believe that post-capture mortality rates can be reduced to al- most zero by adopting capture, acclimatization, transport and management techniques similar to the ones described in this paper.
477
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS
AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO
Last October, Phase II of a four-phase reconstruction pro.iect officially opened to the public at the Pittsburgh Zoo. l Included in the four-acre site was a Siberian tiger forest, Asian and African waterfowl ponds, white rhino- ; ceros display and an African lion and leopard habitat. This paper concerns i the logistics involved in the formation of a manageable group of lions us- J ing existing stock. As a keeper, I considered this a rather formidable task since my experience with cats was limited to a "one in each cage" philo- sophy. Safari zoos, so I was told, had been forming and breaking up groups of lions each season for years. To the veterinary and keeper staff at a small municipal zoo like Pittsburgh, the prospect of introducing four full- grown lions of different sex and temperment to one another might prove to be a challenge.
Some months prior to our move from the old cages to new habitats, informal discussions began so that a plan for relocating and introducing the lions j
to each other and their new environment could be formulated. These sessions '
usually involved the* veterinarian, supervisor and myself (cat keeper). We | all agreed that the final outcome should result with minimal physical and psychological stress to the animals. The veterinarian indicated that each j cat would be anesthetized for a complete physical exam, including dental work. The supervisor wanted a pair, preferably a trio, on display for the opening ceremonies and I wanted the animals so familiar with each other and '
their habitat that potential aggressive conflicts would have already been ,
realized. j
As you all know, the pride is the basic unit of lion society. An average j
pride consists of 4 or 5 lionesses plus cubs of various ages along with ,
2 or 3 attendant males. The zoo’s future pride members ranged in age from I 5 to 16 years and included: a vasectomized male; a neutered, declawed pet; j
a dominant female and her hand-reared daughter. Except for housing an ]
adult pair together, the lions were all essentially strangers to one another.! Interactions took place at a very minor level — when fussing at a neighbor through a transfer door, answering each others' roars or peering at reflect- j
tions in the glass case across the hall (See Table 1) . '
|
Table 1. Sexual African lions. |
condition. |
temperament |
and ages of the Pittsburgh Zoo’s |
|
|
NAME |
AGE (YRS) |
SEX |
CONDITION |
REMARKS |
|
Bobo |
16 |
M |
Vascetomized |
Subordinate |
|
Rosemary |
14 |
F |
Cycling (?) |
Dominant |
|
Serpico |
5 |
M |
Neutered |
Former pet |
|
Buf fy |
10 |
F |
Cycling |
Hand-reared |
In the wild, lions occupy territories measured in square miles but most
478
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO, Continued
zoos measure their space in square feet. Our lions would be transported from 12' X 14' cages to brand new off-exhibit housing. The major change in their accommodations would take place when each cat was given access to a large, open-air compound designed to simulate the African savanna.
If this sounds familiar to you folks from Woodland Park, it's because the New Pittsburgh Zoo was designed by none other than Jones and Jones of Seattle.
Management of the zoo's cat collection is unremarkable and, I think, typ- ical of other zoos. Pre-determined amounts of carnivore diet^ are fed 6 days a week with occasional treats of beef liver and bones. The cats are vaccinated against the usual feline infectious diseases and fecal sam- ples are examined bi-annually for endoparasites . Except for dental work and ingrown claws, most medical problems are the result of old age.
Since the off-exhibit holding facilities for lions was limited to 3 cages, only 3 cats were moved initially. The dominant female, Rosemary, was to be transferred at a later date. The following plan was adopted after personal communication with other keepers and curators^ and advice from the veterinarian. Dr. Wagner:
1) Separate the adult pair (Rosemary and Bobo)
2) Individually familiarize each animal with their new habitat
3) Introduce the animals in this order: from least aggressive to most aggressive
4) Be prepared to intervene should problems occur
By separating the older adults we hoped to break up the pair bond estab- lished after sharing a cage for so many years, thus permitting new al- liances to be formed. We especially hoped that the vascetomized male would ally himself with the socially inept, neutered male and serve as a model of lion behavior.
In addition to forming new alliances the lions were confronted with such alien features as grass, open sky, electric fences and a small pond.
Should any altercations take place, we wanted the animals thoroughly ac- customed to the boundaries and limitations set by the uneven terrain, deep moat and electric wire. Each cat was given ample opportunity to explore their new territory at their own pace.
The order of introduction — from least aggressive to most aggressive — was not difficult to decide. First Bobo and Serpico, followed by Buffy and finally, Rosemary. However, correctly identifying the dominant and subordinate animals at any given time required close observation. For example, in the presence of estrus females, the usually content Bobo undergoes a Jekyll-and-Hyde transformation and becomes overzealous in his role as protector. Thus, reproductive status, age, sex, health and temperment all had to be considered before determining the order of in- troduction.
Lastly, by expecting the worst possible scenario and being prepared to intervene in the face of an all-out battle, we hoped to break up or at the very least distract fighting animals with water, noisemakers and the Cap-Chur rifle.®
The off-exhibit holding facility, called the Lion/Leopard Building, is ideally suited for introduction. The lions all transferred readily so
479
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO, CovLtimzd
there was no problem getting them to move from cage to cage through the animal corridor. (See Diagram 1) To clean a cage the keeper must trans- fer the cat to an adjacent animal corridor space or empty cage. At first hostile attitudes were manifested by growling, biting the fence and paw- ing at the neighboring cat. Soon the duration and frequency of these bouts diminished with time. After 20 days of rearranging animals and assessing their reaction to one another, the two males (Bobo and Serpico) were placed together while still inside the building. Signs of possible acceptance were cheek rubbing and licking through the fence, increased interest in the stranger and an outwardly calm appearance. Much to our relief these two surgically-altered males quickly formed an attachment that continues to this day. They were the first to be given access to the outdoor compound and after 30 days of reigning supreme, a female was added .
Diagram 1: Simple outline of Lion/Leopard Building of the New Pittsburgh Zoo .
To Lion Exhibit
During encounters with other cats in the Lion/Leopard Building, Buffy was always very vocal and easily disturbed by the presence of others. ^
Although superior to the neutered male in the use of teeth and claws '
she, too, was considered socially backward. The veterinarian decided to administer a mixture of Ketamine^®and Rompun^®using a blow dart. The dosage did not produce the desired effect and it was nearly 4 hours before she was alert enough to safely maneuver. Both males showed keen interest
480
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO, ConUnu^d
in this female intruder but she managed to keep them at bay by taking the initiative in spats that lasted 60 seconds or less. An hour later the three cats were observed reclining within view of the public, but at some distance from each other. As time passed, this critical distance dimin- ished to only a few feet.
For security purposes and for better management of the animal collection, all New Zoo inhabitants are locked up at night. Thus, an important part of their management involves training the animals to come into the build- ing where they are rewarded with food. During his first sojourn into the new habitat, old Bobo wandered out of sight of the door, losing his only reference point. He actually became lost within the exhibit. Re- peated calling of his name and banging the food trays enticed him to within visual distance and he was able to find his way inside. For the most part, the cats have been cooperative in responding to their "cue”: the opening and closing of the exhibit’s guillotine door. There were, however, several occasions when one or all refused to respond. After alerting the nightwatchman that the cats were out for the night, they were left to their ox^m devices. The record for holding out goes to Buffy — 4 consecutive nights out — and this occurred immediately after her introduction to the two males.
By the time opening day rolled around city officials and zoo visitors were presented with a safari-like view of 3 lions catnapping in the tall grass. With only one more lioness to be added, we breathed a sigh of relief and settled down to await the coming of spring when outdoor conditions would be more suitable for introductions.
Terms like dominant, aggressive, troublemaker, bitch and bossy have been used to describe the nature of Rosemary. This female would be the most I difficult to assimilate into the group. Again, several options were S disucssed:
1) do nothing — let nature take its course
2) wait for estrus or induce estrus
3) administer a sedative
4) modify her behavior using progestins
The first option — to do nothing — was discarded because of a past incident between Rosemary and the neutered male. About a year after his arrival, Rosemary did serious damage to his rear foot and leg when she managed to grasp him through the bars of a transfer door. Although recovered from his wound, we feared that his inability to defend himself coupled with his lack of experience might result in further injury. To sit back and let nature take its course seemed unfair in this case, j
I The second alternative required that estrus be induced artifically since the heat cycles of older females are infrequent and unreliable. Exper- ience has shown that females unwilling to accept strange animals into their presence undergo marked changes in attitude during estrus. Although an estrus condition would put Rosemary in a better mood, it might create havoc with the other members of the group. This idea was by-passed as too disruptive.
The third possibility, the use of a sedative, was disregarded because of I the undesirable effect sedation had on the first female. We finally de- I cided that an attempt to alter her mood through the use of progestins would be the best solution.
481
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO, CoyvUmi2.d
Progestins affect the activity of brain cells of an area of the midbrain responsible for self and species preservation. Thus, irritating behavior originating in this area can be altered with progestins. Megestrol acetate (Ovaban®) is a synthetic progestrone-like steroid sometimes used in veter- inary behavioral therapy to produce changes in sexual behavior, appetite, thirst, sleep, activity and carbohydrate metabolism. Two weeks before Rosemary's expected date of introduction, Ovaban® therapy was initiated.
The dose was 40 mg/day for seven days then 40 mg. every other day for a month. Since we are not equipped to clinically evaluate the course of treatment, we had to rely solely on the subjective observations of keepers.
Upon entering the exhibit, Rosemary was advanced upon by all three lions.
She warned off her attackers with growling and swatting. If attacked from behind she defended herself by attacking the nearest animal, not neces- sarily the attacker. A favorite game of the neutered male is to bop un- suspecting lions on the head as they pass beneath a prime resting place.
The neutered male seemed to be continually pressing his luck as he badger- ed Rosemary into fights. Most interactions lasted only a few minutes and the only injuries were simple scratches. Curiously, the vascetomised male never initiated fights but always took an avid interest in them, even coming to the defense of the neutered male. Today battle lines are drawn between the sexes as Rosemary and Buffy tend to take sides against Bobo and Serpico. Extreme care must still be taken when entering and exiting the exhibit due to the confined corridor.
The current status of tolerance and the continuously improving relation- j
ship within the group can be attributed to several factors: |
j
*the generous amount of time allowed by management to work with the animals
*the intimate knowledge of animal personalities and preferences i
*the sometimes necessary though always reluctant use of drugs to induce behavioral changes. !
In conclusion, we had expected to measure success (or failure) in the i
amount of suture material and antibiotics used throughout this period. |
Since we fortunately did not require the services of a surgeon, one might conclude that we were somewhat successful in creating a pride of lions ;
from four independent animals. To call this group of mismatched lions a true pride is giving a broad interpretation to the term. In captivity they cannot function as a wild pride because they cannot hunt together, I freely select mates and reproduce. On the other hand, they are learning to live within their limited environment as a close-knit, compatible group and serve as the best example of lion society we can provide. Problems have cropped up that are most likely due to stress. For example, the i
night pacing of one of the females may be an outward manifestation of ten- sion and boredom. The males' fondness for each other leaves females in | heat frustrated and unattended. The advancing ages of key members of the i group must surely affect the character of the pride.
Establishing a pride of lions has certainly benefited the staff and visit- ors. We have gained tremendous confidence in our ability to work with and I manipulate the big cats. Keepers have learned to work as a team and have discovered renewed interest in their jobs. Visitors no longer complain ! about big cats stuffed into tiny cages. The animals are no longer set before them like a collection of china plates. Rather, visitors have the ! opportunity to view lions in a semi-natural setting interacting as they might in the wild.
482
ESTABLISHING A PRIDE OF LIONS AT THE NEW PITTSBURGH ZOO, ConUnaad
Has the formation of the pride benefited the animals? Their eagerness to enter their exhibit each morning and the steadily improving relationships are the parameters by which we measure their acceptance of the situation. In time we expect to see further expressions of pride behavior and will continue to monitor the progress of the New Pittsburgh Zoo’s pride of African lions.
NOTES;
1. International Brand Carnivore Diet®
2. Gerald Aquilina, Buffalo Zoo and Rick Heithaus, Cincinnati Zoo
3. Ketamine dose was 50 mg.
4. Rompun dose was 40 mg.
1
I
483
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL
By
Ke.v-ln Coviway, Kz(ipQA NIP CoyUiQAvcutlon S ke^eoAch Ce^ntoA pAont Royal, \JK
Introduction
The importance of nestboxes as an element in the environment of captive animals cannot be overlooked. Martin (1975) states: "Appropriate cage furniture is one of the prerequisites for ensuring the general well-being of captive animals. Even species which do not habitually use nests may require special structures for resting in small enclosures. Nesting and resting facilities and other cage fittings are vitally important." Hediger (1950) concurs in his Wild Animals in Captivity: "Often the home is the only place in which the harmful states of tension due to captivity can, to some extent, die down and change into a harmonious mood, necessary for the animals' health. Often, too, many concessions are made to the visit- ing public of the zoological garden, at the expense of the home. During its life in the home, the animal sometimes withdraws from the public gaze. This cannot be helped, for many animals need periodic isolation." |
Suprisingly, there is little discussion of this facet of captive animal management, either in conference proceedings or the scientific literature. ' Within the last fifteen years, more zoos are devoting their energies to off-exhibit breeding of threatened and endangered species. The purpose is usually to establish successful multiple generation captive breeding pro- grams; turning zoos into producers, not consumers of wildlife.
This paper will detail four types of nestboxes utilized by the Small Mam- , mal and Hoof stock units at the National Zoological Park's Conservation and I Research Center. Various modifications to basic nestbox design have al- lowed the staff to work and handle animals while reducing the stress as- '
sociated with the procedure. The nestboxes and their modifications have j provided security to those animals using them, resulting in high levels | of reproductive success and maternal rearing of young.
The nestboxes to be discussed are currently used for the Golden Lion j
Tamarin ( Le.OAtopotke.aLL6 A. AOitOJUjl] , Goeldi's Marmosets {CotUjmtao goet-dlt} ,ii Binturongs {AgcXtold btyitoAong] , Red Pandas [Kil{JAa6 Clouded |(
Leopards [Nao{^eLt6 nab ixlo^a) and Reeve' s mun.jtac (ManttaCLU Agaves t] . |
Tamar in /Marmoset Nestboxes I
The nestbox design we use for the Golden Lion Tamarin and Goeldi's Marmo- sets is a. multi-door rectangular box (Fig. 1). One-half-inch (2cm) thick plywood is used to construct the nestbox. The three sliding doors may be of wood or metal construction. The nestbox is mounted six feet (1.8m) j
off the floor on a side wall of the cage. Keyhole-shaped holes drilled jj
into the back of each nestbox allow for rapid, yet secure, mounting to I
bolts sunk into the wall. Branches and vines in each enclosure surround j
the nestbox making it one of the focal points of the enclosure.
The three sliding doors are located at the front of the nestbox, on the top and on one side of the nestbox. The front door is mounted in a track made of wood strips. This track is 17 inches long and 9.25 inches high (43cm X 23.4cm). The door measures 9 inches long and 9.5 inches high (22.8cm X 21.5cm). A wood handle is secured to the door and the doors, wood and metal, have been perforated for ventilation. 'i
484
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, ConXZnuad
FIGURE 1
I- 25"
I 17"
TOP VIEW
|
=1 |
||
|
g: , 1 |
10"— 1
SIDE VIEW
485
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, Coi^tlnued
An identical door is built into the side of the nestbox at a right angle to the front door. On the top of the nestbox there is a track which al- lows a metal or pl5n(Jood cover to move back and forth. This "door" measures 10 inches wide and 25 inches long (25.4cm x 63.5cm).
The nestbox itself measures 25 inches in length, 10 inches wide and 12 inches deep (63.5cm x 25.4cm x 30.4cm). The interior of the nestbox is undivided, allowing a great deal of space for the tamarin or marmoset groups ,
Golden Lion Tamarins at CRC take great delight in the sliding capabilities of the doors on the nestboxes. Juvenile tamarins have been observed to enter the nestbox and shut themselves in or "hide" from their cagemates. Indeed, once the tamarins have eaten their afternoon diet the entire family group will retire to the nestbox and shut the door for the evening. On more than one occasion, keepers who are unfamiliar with this behavior have received a shock while making a late afternoon or evening check to find apparently no tamarins in the cage.
Female Golden Lion Tamarins often utilize the large area on top of the nestbox when they give birth. Aside from the feedboard, the nestbox pro- vides the only flat surface in the enclosure other than the floor itself. Juvenile tamarins use the entire box as a playground, entering through the front door and exiting through the top. Often the keepers will observe a juvenile disappear into the nestbox then cautiously stick its head out the top of the nestbox to observe its cagemates.
While providing the tamarins and marmosets with a "safe" or "home" area in the enclosure; the nestboxes provide the staff with an important man- agement tool. When an animal needs to be restrained for medical treatment, : identification or transfer, we use their natural inclination to enter the [ nestbox as a means of reducing the stress associated with the procedure. i
Instead of spending long periods in attempts to net individuals, with an increased risk of injury to the animal, we attempt to trap them in the " nestbox. Once an individual tamarin/marmoset , or as many as two or three !| enter the nesybox, the keepers will close the doors securely. The nest- box can be removed from the wall. This procedure allows us to weigh the ' animals if necessary, first weighing the animal and the nestbox, then only the nestbox and substracting the difference for the weight of the ii animal. If the animal is to be moved or shipped out, a shipping crate ,
can be placed directly in front of one of the doors. Then using a small i
net and sliding the nestbox top back along its track, the animal can be transferred into the shipping crate; usually with no handling by the keep- er.
Finally if the animal must be netted for a physical examination we will use the above procedure except that a second net is placed in front of the opened nestbox door. Once the animal is forced out of the nestbox j
into the net, it can be physically restrained.
After six years at CRC it has been proven to me that our tamarins are stressed less if the procedure involved catching them in the nestbox; as opposed to simply trying to net them in the enclosure. At the same time, the tamarins do not become box-shy due to being caught in them. j
Binturongs and Pandas
The nestbox design (Fig. 2a, b,c) we use for binturongs and red pandas i
486
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, Contlmtd
FIGURE 2a
FIGURE 2b
ENTRANCE HOLE/SLIDING DOOR
FIGURE 2c
487
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, ConUna^d
has undergone the most modification of any nestbox used at CRC. From a basic unit, constructed for shelter and hay storage, it has been modified to accomplish several specific management objectives.
This nestbox is constructed using one-half-inch (0.1cm) plywood. It is 37 inches long and 23 inches wide (94cm x 58cm) . The side panels are 20 inches at the back of the nestbox and slope down to 18.25 inches high in the front (50.8cm x 46cm). The nestbox cover is hinged at the back; it measures 40 inches long and 24 inches wide (101cm x 61cm). Eye hooks allow the top to be secured when necessary. One side panel has a nine- inch diameter hole cut in it as an entrance. The interior of the nest- box is a single large compartment; metal or wood "feet" on the bottom four corners allow us to hose under the nestboxes without it rotting out the bottoms.
Our first modification of this nestbox was to put a track and door over the entrance hole (Fig. 2b). A hinged clasp on the door enables us to secure this sliding door; when combined with the secured nestbox top, the nestbox can function as a catch cage. This allows us to move the animal in the nestbox or weigh the animal in the nestbox and then release it. Another handy use is allowing an animal to recover from anesthesia in a secured nestbox. When there is a shortage of sky kennels or unanes- thetized animals are in the same enclosure this nestbox modification is a big help. We will also use these nestboxes to shut in animals we are not planning to work on; thereby reducing the number of animals stressed by the procedure. The nestboxes are even used to feed animals in when they are intimidated by cagemates. Instead of having keepers stay in an enclosure to insure that each animal eats only its food, a subordinate animal can be fed in a nestbox and left there until it is finished eating.
With our binturong in particular we realized that another modification to the basic nestbox design would aid us in crating procedures. Our binturongs are very willing to enter a nestbox for a banana reward. Once in the nest- box, however, they were reluctant to leave it to enter a sky kennel. Our modification in this instance was to make a hole in the side panel oppo- site the entrance hole (Fig 2a, c) . This hole was only large enough to allow a threaded metal rod to pass through it into the nestbox. Inside the nestbox we placed a cut- to-fit plywood press board with a receptacle for the threaded rod. Once a binturong is shut in the nestbox, we are able to put a sky kennel in front of the nestbox entrance, open the slid- ing door, then literally push the binturong out of the nestbox and into the sky kennel. The push board is designed to be flexible. When it is needed it is put in the nestbox. When not needed it is removed and stor- ed. The staff at CRC has benefited from these nestbox modifications as have the animals we use them with.
This squeeze nestbox is also useful at CRC for crating our red pandas.
In our red panda enclosure the nestbox is used for hay storage, as the recepticle for gruel and fruit bowl, for sleeping in by the adults and as dens for females with cubs. Additional modifications have been made on a one-time basis to some of the nestboxes. To provide air circulation in one nestbox, holes were drilled in all sides of it; our "swiss cheese" nestbox. Another had been fitted with a red plexiglass top for observa- tional purposes.
A larger nestbox (Fig 3), for use in the outside corncrib cages, has been used for both binturongs and red pandas. The dimensions for this nest- box are 66.5 inches long, 36 inches wide and 24.5 inches high to 19 inch- es high rear to front respectively (169cm x 91cm x 61.2 cm x 48.2cm), The
488
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, CoyvUyiu2.d
FIGURE 3d
H-
72"
32"
49.5"
DEN AREA
T
9"
i
VESTIBULE 12"
LJ
ENTRANCE
I
DOTTED LINE= OVERHANGING LID
TOP VIEW
FIGURE 3b
489
ENTRANCE
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, Continued
overlapping hinged roof measures 72 inches long and 43 inches wide (182cm by 109cm) . The inside of the nestbox is divided into a small vestibule area and a large den area. The outside entrance and the den entrance are offset to maintain a higher internal temperature. Both entrance holes measure 9 inches (22cm) in diameter. The vestibule dimensions are 12 inches long, 32 inches wide and 19 inches deep (30cm x 81cm x 48cm). The den measures 49.5 inches long, 32 inches wide and 19 inches deep (125cm x
81cm X 48cm) . Again the outside entrance to the nestbox is fitted with a !
sliding door on a metal track. The dimensions of the door being 10.75 inches wide by 15 inches high (27cm x 38cm). The door is metal, and has i
a clip which will secure the door when it is shut. It is also enclosed in '
a track on the nestbox side panel. This nestbox is insulated, providing | greater warmth during the Virginia winter. The exterior is painted a dark ; brown to absorb solar radiation. The interior construction is 4-inch (7.5cm) plywood on the baffle as well as all three exterior walls, the roofi and floor.
Leopard Nestboxes • :
For our four breeding pairs of Clouded Leopards we have constructed large
62.25 inches high, 36 inches wide, 32.5 inches deep (158cm x 91cm x 82.5cm) plywood nestboxes (Fig 4a,b,c,) with video monitoring capabilities. One ; side of the nestbox has an entrance hole 10 inches (24.5cm) in diameter (Fig. 4a). The hole is flanked by metal tracks 36 inches (91cm) long which hold a 12 inch wide, 17.5 inch long (30cm x 44cm) sheet metal door in place Cable attached to this door runs out of the enclosure to the keeper area. When a female with cubs is using this nestbox, the keeper can quickly and easily slide the door shut, proceed with cleaning the cage, putting in fres; food and water then reopening the nestbox for the female once the keeper has exited the cage.
The other side of the nestbox is fitted with a 24-inch by 24-inch (60cm x 60cm) hatch door (Fig. 4b). This door is hinged at the top and secures at the bottom with butterfly closures. The top of the nestbox (39.75 inches long x 32.5 inches wide [100cm x 82cm]) is hinged at the back and has eyehooks at the front to secure it to the nestbox. For these nest- boxes we have attached 6-inch (15cm) "lips" of 0.5 inch (0.1cm) plywood on all sides of the top not adjacent to the enclosure wall. This is a precaution in case the female moves any of her cubs on top of the nest- box. The adult leopards take advantage of this lip to hide behind if suddenly suprised by unknown visitors.
The bottom and sides of the nestbox have plywood skirts attached so that exploring cubs, upon leaving the nestbox, do not trap themselves behind or underneath the nestbox. These nestboxes also stand on wood feet to prevent rotting when the cage is hosed out.
The inside height of the nestbox, available to the leopard, is actually
46.25 inches (117cm). The remaining 18 inches (46cm) is for video camera and microphone hookups as well as the incandescent and fluorescent light ! fixtures necessary for the video monitoring. Cables for the monitor and lights run through metal conduit into the back of the nestbox. Directly below the monitor and lights is wire mesh screen (mesh dimensions; 1 inch
X 1/2 inch weldmesh) , placed there to prevent the female from damaging the equipment or breaking any of the lights, A small square is cut through the wire for the camera lens. Among the other behavior we have observed on the monitor is the fact that when we shut the female and cubs into the nestbox by using the sliding door and then clean the cage; the female remains remarkably calm. Usually nursing or grooming will con- tinue, the female ignoring the keeper cleaning the cage.
490
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, CowUvmzd
NESTBOX
TOP
FIGURE 4b
FRONT VIEW
491
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, Coi^tCnu^d
During the year, when the female is not rearing a litter, all doors on j
the nestbox remain open so the leopards cannot hide there during the j
cleaning. Additionally, when females have litters, a smaller nestbox of j the biturong/red panda design is put in the cage for the leopard as an j
alternative nest site. i
Muntjac Nestboxes j
The houses used at CRC for Reeve's Muntjac basically are enlarged nest- j
boxes (Fig. 5). The muntjac yards are chainlink enclosures with one or |
two houses per yard. Each house has a single entrance through the chain- '
link and this entrance has a rope operated sliding door on it. In all, ^
the house has three, 12- inch by 18-inch (30cm x 45cm) sliding doors, all } rope operated; the other two are located at the entrance to the den area i and at the keeper service area. The nestbox dimensions are 8 feet long,
4 feet wide and 4 feet high (2.7m x 1.4m x 1.4m). The interior of the nestbox is divided into a vestibule area and a den. The vestibule is 2 feet long by 4 feet wide (0.6m x 1.4m), the den area being 5,5 feet j
long by 4 feet wide (1.9m x 1.4m). The hinged top, with eye hooks at the front for securing, has a ventilator unit mounted in it for air circula- tion in the summer months. :
Ceiling-mounted heat lamps provide supplemental warmth during colder months. [ They are thermostatically controlled and are set to turn on when the ambient temperature fall to 40°F. With the arrangement of the sliding doors, the animals can be shut in the den area or in the vestibule area, either in the nestbox or out of the nestbox. Pelleted feed for the muntjac is put in the vestibule area to accustom the animals to entering the nestbox. The service area side of the nestbox 's den area has a 3-foot high by 2-foot wide (1.0m x 0.6m) hinged door. This door is secured with butterfly clo- sures o This door is used to check on pregnant females or females with fawns when they are in the house. Additionally it is used for servicing the nestbox or changing bedding.
As with all other species previously mentioned, the muntjacs utilize the nestboxes extensively. During routine rounds most muntjac are frightened out of the nestboxes when they hear the keeper coming. The females in particular will use the nestboxes for birthing. Many females choose to give birth in the nestbox which makes the keepers' job easier. Females ,
can be shut out of the den area when keepers check and treat the newborn fawns.
The fact that the muntjac are fed in the vestibule also allows keepers to isolate and examine individuals when necessary.
Discussion
I hope to have demonstrated, through the previous examples, that nestboxes I in zoological gardens can be utilized for more than rest and shelter. With ! slight modifications a nestbox can become an important management tool in the maintenance of exotic wildlife. Almost every account in Crandall (1964) ‘ mentions nestboxes and their importance: "Sleeping boxes," he states, "are essential for the well-being of marmosets." Brood boxes are mentioned in red panda enclosures, shallow, open-topped nestboxes for binturongs and unheated shelters for Reeve's muntjac.
The modifications discussed in this paper have aided the CRC staff in weighing, moving, restraining, transferring to shipping crates or separ- arting animals of the species discussed. With regards to the binturong,
492
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL. CoyvUnuQ.d
I 8'
TOP VIEW FIGURE 5
ROPE PULLS
|
L -i • |
\ 1 |
|
sii |
p SLIDING , ' DOOR
i
DEN DOOR
3’
1
SERVICE AREA VIEW FIGURE 5
ENCLOSURE VIEW FIGURE 5
493
SLIDING DOOR NESTBOXES AT FRONT ROYAL, CowUnao^d
red pandas and muntjacs the nestboxes also become associated with food rewards, easing the animals’ acceptance of the nestbox.
In regards to reproductive success, I believe our nestboxes have contrib- uted to a high level of success. With each of the species discussed in this paper, females have chosen to give birth either in or on the nest- boxes instead of somewhere else in the enclosure. In most instances other birthing locations have been available— — -if they were nestboards, hollow logs, feedboards or tall grass areas; still the females chose the nest- boxes in which to give birth.
Both of these aspects, reproductive success and ease of handling, have occurred with less stress experienced by the animal in question. The reduction in stress still allows the species to feel comfortable in the nestbox, while knowing they may be restrained or moved from the nestbox if necessary.
For zoological gardens, whose major goal is the exhibition of exotic wild- life, nestboxes in enclosures may not seem such a good idea. However, the well-being of each animal, how it reacts to the other animals in the enclosure, the keepers and the public, may improve with the addition of nestboxes. The obvious advantage is for those zoos with off-exhibit breed- ing areas, or major zoological breeding centers throughout the world.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Larry Collins, Mammologist, and Arthur Cooper, Animal Unit Foreman, for their review of and comments on the manuscript. I am indebted to Rebecca Conway for manuscript preparation.
Bibliography
Crandall, Lee S. , 1964. Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL 60637. !
Hediger, H. , 1964. Wild Animals in Captivity. Dover Publications Inc., j New York, NY 10014. |
Martin, R.D. (Ed.), 1975. Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity.
Academic Press Inc., New York, NY 10003. i
494
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON:
{PCLtpO po-pi-o)
THE EFFECT ON THE OFFSPRING
By
Lynne. VUXe/iM, KcepeA. JncUanapoLls loo, IndilanapolAJ) , IN
Introduction
Discussions of the effects of mother loss to an infant are not new to the scientific community. Some have dealt with a temporary separation of in- fants being less than one year old from their mother in a captive situa- tion (Hinde and Spencer-Booth 1971 - Dolhinow and Murphy 1983) . Others have looked into the effects of orphaning on infants. Orphaning case studies have been described in the field (Altmann 1980 - Mohnot 1980) with general concensus that infants under one year of age have an extremely poor chance of survival. However, what if the individual (s) are over one year? How are the offspring of different ages affected by the death? Also what if the mother is of a high social status at the time of her death?
These questions had an opportunity to be addresses when the alpha female in a troop of Guinea Baboons {Paplo papXo] died at the Indianapolis Zoo.
Background
Before discussing the effect the mother’s death had on the offspring, it is important to know the type of environment that existed, and if the individual offspring were developing normally prior to this death. Table 1 lists the individuals that were present in the troop at the time this study was conducted. Included are the adult male and female ranks, off- spring, birthdates and social unit grouping. The alpha female had no apparent problem in maintaining her ranking the two years she lived at the Indianapolis Zoo.
A long-term study on infant interaction was started two years prior to the alpha female's death and is still in progress. The purpose of this study it to document the interaction of the infant to its mothers, peers, sib- lings, adult males, adult females, juveniles and infants, as well as their interactions to the infant. Physical developments are also documented.
A target animal is observed from birth to two years of age. Data is re- corded at least twice a week in 10-minute timings per individual per ses- sion. Besides the data on the target individual, the date, time, weather conditions and casual observations on other members of the troop (esrtous cycling, breeding, spats, unusual events, etc.) are also noted. Data from the infant interaction study was incorporated in this study. There-
I fore, the three surviving offspring had data and/or casual observations on them recorded prior to and after the death of their mother.
' Grapha l-A to 1-H indicates the percentage of time the average infant x^ithin the troop and Millie, alpha female's youngest daughter, spent in proximity to the other members of the troop. Proximity is defined here as any member of the troop that comes within three feet of the target animal. Proximity does not define the type of interaction that might have occurred.
I The youngest daughter appears to have developed normally from birth to
I one year of age (Graph 1-A to 1-H) (Altmann 1980, DeVores 1965, Villers 1982) . The middle daughter also appeared to have developed normally (Altmann 1980, DeVore 1965, Villers 1981, 1982). Gasual observations on
I
495
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Conn'd
TABLE 1 TROOP RELATIONSHIPS AND BIRTHDATES (Prior to death of alpha female)
|
MOTHER AND OFFPSRING |
ADULT MALE |
|||
|
Irene |
D-1969^ |
/Joe / |
1-8-70 |
|
|
Katie |
1979 ^ |
/ |
||
|
\ / |
||||
|
Josie Ann |
6-1980 |
\_ / |
Jack |
1975 |
|
Millie |
9-28-81 |
/ / |
||
|
1963(?) |
||||
|
/ |
/ |
|||
|
Vivian |
1973^ |
/ |
||
|
Buster Jack |
1979 |
/ |
||
|
Mr. Villers |
7-17-82 |
/ |
||
|
/ |
||||
|
Edna Pearl |
1974^ |
|||
|
Allie |
1980 |
|||
|
Addie |
B-16-81 |
Adult males and fenales listed according to social rank within the troop.
Signifies the social units within the troop (2)
the oldest daughter seem to indicate that she also had developed normally. Since the oldest daughter was approaching two years of age at the time that the troop arrived at the Indianapolis Zoo, she was not included in the infant interaction study.
Immediate Effects
On the morning of 30 September, 1982, Irene (the alpha female) was found dead in the night quarters; the apparent result of complications during labor. At the time of her death, Katie was approximately 3h months old; Josie Ann 2 years, four months; and Millie, 12 months. The morning of Irene’s death, Millie remained close to her mother and attempted to groom her. Josie Ann and Katie remained on the opposite side of the quarters scattered amongst the other troop members. However, the adult females remained on the same side of the quarters as Irene’s body, but not near it. Attempts to move the entire troop to the opposite side of the quar- ters in order to remove Irene’s body failed. At that point the entire troop was let out into the outside yard. The two older sisters dashed out with the others, and the youngest was the last out. Joe, the alpha male, and the three sisters were the first ones into the watch-point, a recess in the back wall of the exhibit which allows the baboons a clear view of the night house. Much barking and screaming was heard from the troop .
496
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Cont^d
When Irene's covered body was removed from the night quarters the troop went into hysterics. Millie and Katie tried to keep up with Joe, who was running along the exhibit line. Josie Ann, on the other hand, hung back. Millie kept following Joe around during the early morning hours, basically going back and forth between the watch-point and the access door of the house. The sub-troop also did the same thing, but not with Joe and Millie. Any noise from the backside of the exhibit agitated the entire group, causing them to dash over and investigate. Josie Ann kept trying to solicit the 2^ month old infant of the beta female. When that female began to threaten her, Josie Ann solicited for help. Katie came over and the beta female immediately submitted. Katie also had the sub- troop female and her oldest daughter submit to her when they tried to grab the beta female's infant. Katie protected the beta female and her infant.
Millie, the youngest sister, attempted to cling ventral-ventral to Katie and Josie Ann for only a few seconds. Josie Ann and Katie showed no interest in Millie, being generally indifferent to her.
When fed their morning diet less than two hours after the removal of Irene's body, Josie Ann came over with the other troop members and ate immediately. Millie came over later. Joe, the alpha male; Katie, the oldest sister; and the beta female were the last to come over and eat.
When 1 went into their night quarters to clean, Joe sat in the watch- point facing the quarters. Millie and Katie later joined him. They were agitated, but not to the extent that they were when they first sat there, Josie Ann was not in view.
By late morning the same activities as described above were occurring — the pacing, vocalizing, etc., but they were more subtle.
I During the afternoon hours the troop settled down. Millie stayed near Joe, Josie Ann remained by herself, and Katie went back and forth between the beta female with her infant and the alpha male, Joe. There was some playing between the youngsters, but it was short in duration and reduced I in frequency. Generally, there was an underlying sense of confusion and awkwardness .
Millie didn't come in that evening when the troop was fed and locked in their house for the night. Millie at this time had still been riding in on her mother. The troop, therefore, had access to their inside quarters and the outside yard that evening. Millie finally came in and ate on her own. Only Joe and Katie showed any visible apprehension about going in to eat, and once again were the last ones to start eating. The three sisters slept scattered that night.
I The next day, 1 October, general troop activity seemed more normal, except for two sisters. Josie Ann stayed on the periphery of the exhibit, spend- ing most of the time by herself. Millie stayed near Joe. Neither sister ji played much with the other youngsters in the troop. That evening at feed- 1 ing time Millie came into the night quarters on her own.
Long-Term Results
A discussion of the long-term impact of Irene's death on her offspring will cover the subsequent seven months. This is because in the eighth month after the alpha female's death, the alpha male, Joe, died.
497
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFPSRING, Con;t^d
GRAPH 1 PROXIMITY OF TROOP MENBERS TO AVERAGE INFANT AND MILLIE
(^fonths)
(Months)
(Months)
498
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON; THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING. Conn'd
(Mbnths)
(Ivfonths)
I
499
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Coin’d
(Months)
(Nfonths)
Average Infant n=5 from birth to 5 months
n=4 from 6 to 7 months n=2 fran 8 to 12 months
Millie - youngest daughter
500
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Coin’d
Katie, the oldest sister, was able to retain her mother’s alpha ranking until the end of October, the first month after Irene's death. One day the sub-troop female, who was in estrus, began to challenge Katie. Katie ' began to seek out the beta female when this sub-troop female would approach. The following day the sub-troop female returned to her sub-troop, while
the youngsters of the troop had fights all that day. This was especially
' true of Katie and the beta female’s oldest son, Buster Jack. At this point, the beta female, Vivian, began to exert her dominance over Katie.
! Katie had begun kidnapping Vivian’s infant three weeks prior to Irene’s death. One week after Irene’s death she stopped kidnapping the infant (she kidnapped the infant only one more time one month later) .
The next month, November, Katie stayed near the alpha male Joe. Also
' during this month the new alpha female, Vivian, and Joe began to inter-
act more. Both Josie Ann, the middle sister, and Katie attempted to fit into this social unit. Josie Ann and Katie, along with Buster Jack, would 1 prevent Millie from getting near Vivian’s infant, Mr. Villers. Vivian joined in this activity one month later in December. At that point, Viv- ian, Buster Jack, Katie and Josie Ann functioned more as a cohesive unit, even to the point of ganging up on the alpha male Joe. Katie began sleep- ing with Vivian.
During the 4th month, January, Katie began protecting Millie from Josie Ann when their play got too rough. Katie also began to groom Millie.
In February, the 5th month, Millie started to groom Katie. However, during the 7th month (April) , Katie was more aggressive towards Josie Ann, Millie and the sub-troop female’s oldest daughter and she had spats with that female and with Buster Jack. She also had a tendency to stay near Joe. Katie was pregnant and in her second trimester at the time.
For Josie Ann, the middle sister, during the first month following the alpha female’s death, she played mostly with Millie, the youngest sister.
I Whereas prior to this, Josie Ann was more gregarious with other young- sters in the troop, especially with the youngest daughter of the sub- ; troop female. When not with Millie, Josie Ann remained by herself. She j also briefly began to kidnap Mr. Villers, Vivian’ s infant, during this ! month .
During November, as stated earlier, Josie Ann joined Katie, Buster Jack and Vivian in preventing Millie from grabbing Mr. Villers. This same type of interaction also occurred the following month. Josie Ann also showed a marked increase in interest in Mr. Villers. She would retrieve Mr. Villers and return him to his mother Vivian. Josie Ann became more of a member of Vivian’s social unit during December. Vivian, now the alpha female, began disciplining Josie Ann. Josie Ann increased her play I with the youngest daughter of the sub-troop’s female, while Millie would 1 stay on the periphery of it. However, Josie Ann increased her grooming I behavior towards Millie.
The following month of January, Katie began disciplining Josie Ann when play with Millie would get out-of-hand. When the youngest daughter of I the sub-troop female and Millie would be near each other, Josie Ann would j initiate play with the other female and not Millie. Josie Ann remained j in Vivian’s social unit.
I February showed an increase in cohesion between the three sisters. Millie j increased her grooming of Josie Ann and Katie, while Josie Ann started I supporting Millie during rough play with the other youngsters. The in- j crease in bonding between the three sisters was also seen during the 6th month, March.
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON; THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, CowX'd
Even though during April Katie had a low tolerance for Josie Ann, Vivian would support Josie Ann with the sub-troop females.
For Millie, changes in proximity to other individuals is shown in Graphs 2-A through 2-G, Again an average was taken from individuals with living mothers within the troop at the respected ages. While at times the graphs appear to show Millie, the youngest sister, following within the normal range, the graphs do not show the type of interactions that occurred.
These interactions were markedly different after Irene's death. Prior to the first month after Irene's death, Millie spent periods of time in play with a number of her peers. After Irene's death her play consisted of very short bouts mostly with her favorite playmate, the youngest daughter of the sub-troop female. Millie stayed on the periphery of most play bouts, being near the individuals, but not engaged in play herself. It wasn't until March (6th month) that she began to really initiate play again.
With her siblings there was a steady increase in proximity (Graph 2-C) .
The first month was a generally apathetic reaction to Millie by Josie Ann and Katie. However, when interactions occurred during the following month of November, they were not on the positive side. She was prevented access to Vivian's infant by Katie, Josie Ann and Buster Jack and the fol- lowing month by Vivian. Yet gradually Millie began grooming Josie Ann, and in January (4th month) Katie protected Millie from rough plan with Josie Ann. During the 6th month (March), Josie Ann began coming to Millie's aid with rough play. At this time, it appeared that the bonds between her and her sisters were reforming even though Katie became testy with her and Josie Ann the following month, April. At this time, Millie started going to Josie Ann when she was startled by spats and upset.
Even though her proximity to adult males was very low (Graph 2-D) , her interaction was almost entirely with the alpha male, Joe. Of all the adult males in the troop, Millie had the closest bond with Joe. This has also been seen in the field (Altmann 1980). Until the time that Millie would go to Josie Ann when upset, she went to Joe.
With the adult females she also mainly interacted only with one, Vivian, Prior to the 4th month, January, Millie would come near but generally would not interact with Vivian. After January, however, when Millie had more direct contact with Josie Ann and Katie, who were near Vivian, Vivian began disciplining Millie.
Baslcially with the juveniles of the troop, when proximity occurred (Graph 2-F) it was on a one-to-one basis. Proximity to infants waned after the first two months and then remained fairly level (Graph 2-G).
The time Millie spent by herself has changed dramatically (Graph 2-H) . During October and November, even though her interactions with others had changed, she was still near others. The 3rd month (December) showed the largest ■ increase. This may be partially due to the fact that it was Dec- ember. During the winter months, infants will increase the time spent with their mothers. It gradually decreased to the 6th month (March).
Millie never really slept with anyone during the seven-month period and was, and still is, the last one to exit the house when the troop is put outside.
502
PROXIMITY OP TROOP MEMBE!« TO AVERAGE INFANT AND MILLIE
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Cont’d
00
tH
Q
503
)nth) (Month)
100
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON, THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Cont’d
uoLC^eAJasqo j.o qu9DU0ci
CD
00
tH
lO
0
CSl Td
I \ \ I I i t "I — TT^
(uioui Suxpnxoxa) o sax'Biuaj ix^P^^ mx^ Bturq uoTX'BAxesqo j.o queoxad; H
504
DEATH OF AN ALPHA GUINEA BABOON: THE EFFECTS ON THE OFFSPRING, Cont* d
Conclusion
There is definitely an immediate effect on the offspring to a mother’s death, and there is a definite long-term impact as well. The immediate effect of Irene’s death was anticipated—an increase in distress, agita- tion, vocalization and aggression. Also a decrease in play and decrease in general interaction was expected.
Even temporary separation from the mother can have long-term effects on the infant (Hinde and Spencer-Booth 1971). But it appears that the older the offspring the less severe the effect. After losing the alpha rank- ing, Katie got herself into another social unit more quickly than Josie Ann and Josie Ann more quickly than Millie, who never fit in as well.
After Irene’s death the cohesion between the sisters was totally gone.
It wasn’t until four months later that the bonds were being reformed and even so, it never reached any form of a separate social unit.
Besides the loss of cohesion, they also lost their social status. Katie, Josie Ann and the Millie were the lowest ranking females, which is still true at the time this paper was written.
It was hoped that the three surviving offspring would have increased the bond between them and not have it totally dissolve. Also the hope was that the youngest sister would have been adopted by her older sisters. However, that was never realized.
Further research needs to be conducted along the lines of documenting long-term impact of a mother’s death on the offspring, especially when the offspring in baboons are over one year of age.
References
Altmann, J. 1980. Baboon Mothers and Infants. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
DeVore, I. 1965. Mother-Infant Relations in Free-Ranging Baboons.
In Readings in Animal Behavior, ed. Thomas E, McGill, New York:
Holt, Rhinehart and Winston.
Dolhinow, P. and G. Murphy. 1983. Langur Monkey Mother Loss: Profile Analysis with Multivariate Analysis of Variance for Separation Subjects and Controls. Folia Primatol. 40: 181-196.
Hinde, R.A. and Y. Spencer-Booth. 1971. Effects of Brief Separation from Mother on Rhesus Monkeys. Science. 173: 111-118.
Mohnot, S,M, 1980. Behavioral Changes in Hanuman Langur Infant after Mother’s Death. Zool. Anz., Jena 205: 67-75.
Villers, L. 1981. Interactions of Infant Baboons in Captivity.
Animal Keepers’ Forum. 8(12): 318-322.
1982-. Interaction of Infant Baboons in Captivity. Indianapolis Zoo, unpublished.
<1
505
INDEX FOR VOLUME XI, NUMBERS 1-12, 1984
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ZOO KEEPERS
Highlights of Philadelphia Confer- ence
AAZK Staff Exchange Program Keeper Video Tape Project Seeks Participants
AAZK Keeper Training Video Tape Now Available
Riverbanks Southern Regional AAZK Conference Scheduled From the Outgoing AAZK President Feb 29 Grants Committee Seeks Help on Research Guide
From the Membership Directory Editor
1983 State of the Association Report
From the Incoming President
1984 AAZK Conference Ad
1983 ADT Form & Survey Results
1984 Southern Regional AAZK Con- ference Registration Form
Keeper Safety Tape Now Available Mar 57 Request for Nominees for AAZK Awards
1984 AAZK Conference/ 1st Call for Papers
Riverbanks AAZK Chapter Hosts Regional
Diet Notebook Project Update Plant Research Project Note from Chapter Affairs Coordinator
AAZK Express Train Proposed for Seattle Conference From the President/New Appoint- ments
AAZK Award Deadline is June 1 1984 AAZK Conference Logo '84 Conference Registration Form Ap 106 Conference Hotel Information Ap 107 Ten Ways to Have Fun in Seattle Ap 108 New AAZK Awards Committee Member
Named May 121
Notice to Members on Renewal
Procedures May 121
Final Call for AAZK Award
Nominees May 125
|
Jan 6 |
|
|
Jan 7 |
|
|
Jan |
10 |
|
Jan K |
12 |
|
Jan |
26 |
|
Feb |
29 |
|
Feb |
29 |
|
Feb |
30 |
|
Feb |
33 |
|
Feb |
34 |
|
Feb |
37 |
|
Feb |
48 |
|
Feb |
54 |
|
Mar |
57 |
|
Mar |
60 |
|
Mar/ Ini |
|
|
Mar |
86 |
|
Ap |
89 |
|
Ap |
89 |
|
Ap |
90 |
|
Ap |
90 |
|
Ap |
90 |
|
Ap |
96 |
|
Ju |
171 |
|
Ju |
171 |
|
Ju |
173 |
|
Ju |
174 |
|
Jul |
193 |
Ap 105
Hang In There! Seattle Conference
Final Call for Papers Conference Registration Form
Hotel Reservations AAZK Board Approves New
Regional Coordinators Jul 193 Information Sought on Institu- tions Offering Zoo Curriculum Jul 193
Riverbanks Chapter Hosts Successful AAZK Regional
Jul 200
1984 Conference Infor- mation Jul 207
AKF Anniversary T-Shirt
Order Form Jul 227
Diet Notebook Information
Request Aug 229
Staff Training Session at
Miami AAZPA Meeting Aug 229
AAZK Sends Greetings to ABWAK on 10th Anniversary Aug 230
Listing of Conference . Papers Aug 244
Public Education Committee
Report Aug 246
New Education Committee Members Appointed by AAZK Board
Sept 261
Reptile Collection Center Coor- dinator Named for Diet Note- book Project Sept 261
San Diego Zoo Was Birthplace of AAZK Sept 274
AAZK Committee Report/Complet- ing A Thought Sept 276
AAZK Conference 1984 Board of Directors Agenda Sept 279
Conference Update Sept 280
Hotel Reservation Info Sept 281
Schedule of Tours, Workshops & Discussions for Seattle
Sept 282
Diet Notebook Collection
Centers Oct 297
More Register for Staff Exchange May 127 AAZK Accessories Order
AAZK Safety Video Tape Order
Form May 130
Zookeeper Husbandry Fundamentals
Manual Update May 134
1984 AAZK Conference Materials/
Registration/Accommodations May 135
Chapter News May 147
AKF Anniversary T-Shirt Ad May 155
Keeper Accommodations List Update/
Survey Ju 157
Form Nov 359
Overview of 1984 AAZK Board of Director's Meeting Dec 368
ANIMAL KEEPERS' FORUM
AKF 10th Anniversary T-Shirt Order Form - Jan 27, Feb 55, Mar 87, Ap 119, May 155, Ju 190, Jul 227, Aug 190, Sept 295
506
ANIMAL KEEPERS ’ FORUM (cont'd)
New Executive & Associate
|
Editors Named |
Mar 57 |
|
|
Letter to the Editor |
Jun |
160 |
|
Appreciation Letter to Mike |
||
|
Coker from AAZK |
Jul |
193 |
|
1984 Excellence in Journalism |
||
|
Awards Announced |
Oct |
298 |
|
Members Asked to Complete & |
||
|
Return AKF Survey |
Nov |
325 |
|
AKF Survey (Insert) |
Nov |
|
|
AKF Statement of Ownership |
Nov |
358 |
Animal Keepers' Forum; A Decade of Growth & a Future of Challenge
Dec 374
SCOOPS AND SCUTTLEBUTT
Reptile Collection Center Coor- dinator Named for Diet Notebook Sept 261
Indian Zoo Seeks Assistance/
Support Sept 261
Questions Needed for
'Feed Bag* Column Oct 297
Diet Notebook Collection
Centers Oct 297
Members Asked to Complete and Return AKF Survey Nov 325
December Issue to Again Contain AAZK Conference Proceedings
Nov 325
Shipping An Animal?
ADT Form Reminder Nov 325
Call for Papers for 1984 AAZK
Southern Regional Jan 1
Zoo & Aquarium Library News Jan 1
Zookeepers in Public Education
Committee Forming Jan 1
Animal Care Registry Open
This Month Feb 29
From the Outgoing President Feb 29
Grants Committee Seeks Help on
Research Guide Feb 29
From the Membership Directory
Editor Feb 30
New Phone Numbers for SFCC Mar 57
4th Annual Elephant Workshop
Proceedings Available Mar 57
Keeper Video Tape Now Available
Mar 57
Diet Notebook Project Update Plant Research Project Note from Chapter Affairs Coordinator
AAZK Express Train Proposed For Seattle Conference New AAZK Awards Committee Member Named by Board May 121
Notice to Members on Renewal Procedures
Celebrate Your Zoo During June 1984
KAL Update/Survey Results AAZK Board Approves New RC Information Sought on Institutions Offering Zoo Curriculum Jul 193 From the President — ^Appreciation Letter to Mike Coker Jul 193
Diet Notebook Info Request Aug 229 Staff Training Session at
Miami AAZPA Conference Aug 229 AAZK Sends Greetings to ABWAK on its 10th Anniversary Aug 230
New Education Committee Members
Named by AAZK Board Sept 261
Ap 89 Ap 89
Ap 90
Ap 90
May 121
Ju 157 Ju 157 Jul 193
CONTINUING KEEPER EDUCATION COLUMN
Education Committee Update/
Committee Member Listing Feb 35
Staff Exchange Update/ List of Participating Institutions
Mar 62
What’s Your Zoo Doing About Continuing Keeper Education?
Ap 94
Animal Management Correspondence Course May 126
Project Updates Ju 161
Front Royal Visiting Keeper
Program Outlined Jul 200
Santa Barbara Zoo Keeper Education Program/Animal Management Courses Aug 236
A Look Back at the Accomplishments of the AAZK Education Committee Sept 265
Conference Offers Ideas/
Information Exchange Nov 330
Universities Offer Zoo Courses
Dec 365
KEEPER NEWS/ZOO NEWS
Zoo & Aquarium Library News Jan 4 Special Session on Staff Training Part II Jan 10
Keeper Training Tapes
Available Jan 10
Sacramento Offers Lodging for AAZPA Regional Feb 32
Chapter News Feb 36
Mar 68 Ap 117 May 147 Ju 170 Jul 204 Sept 292 Oct 308
507
KEEPER NEWS/ZOO NEWS (conf d)
AFS Seeks Host Homes for
Conservation Students Feb 43
A Keeper Exchange Experience -
"My Penguin Encounter" Mar 63
Zoo News from Japan Mar 65
Chapter News Feb 32,
Mar 68, Ap 117, May 147, Ju 170, Jul 204, Sept 292, Oct 308, Dec 440
AAZK Kenya Safari 1983 THINK Safety!
Mar 75 Ap 103 May 147 Ju 168 Jul 202 Aug 258
Radiation Safety Sept 293
Safety — Your Responsibility Oct 316
IBA Offers Keeper Member- ships May 128
Environmental Education
Grants Announced May 143
Important First at San Diego
Wild Animal Park May 153
Siamang Birth at San Francisco
Zoo
Celebrate Your Zoo During June 1984 KAL Update
Film Offers Visual Delight.
Food for Thought Safety Training Tape Now Available
May 141
Ju 157 Ju 157
Ju 189
Ju 189 Nov 341
Nixon Griffis Establishes Fund
For Zoological Research Jul 198
A Haunted House in a Zoo? Jul 205
Keeper’s Alert — Staff Training
Session at Miami Aug 229
Sea Otter Birth First in
Japan Aug 239
Great Ape Loan in Atlanta Sept 269
Call for Papers for 5th Annual
Elephant Workshop Sept 270
Keeper's Alert — Diet Notebook
Collection Centers Listed Sept 272 "Kunik" To Help Science (MTZ) 0ct308 Environmental Institute Management Internships Offered Oct 315
Viewpoint — Writing Zookeeper
Blues Nov 332
Keeper's Alert — Grants in
Herpetology Nov 340
LEGISLATIVE NEWS
Two Florida Mammals Listed As
Endangered in Emergency Rule Jan 18
EPA Cancels Strychnine Use
Against Prairie Dogs Jan 19 Bighorn Sheep in Quiet
Crisis Jan 20
Two Foreign Reptiles Proposed for Listing, One for Delisting
Feb 51
Two Fishes Removed from
Endangered Species List Feb 52
Proposal to List Nine Species from Mariana Islands Feb 53
Woodland Caribou Emergency
Listing Extended Feb 53
FWS Reclassifies Three Native Species of Wildlife Mar 82
Proposal to Remove Brown Pelican in SE U.S. from Endangered Species List Mar 82
USFWS Reviews the Status of
Three Fish Mar 82
Trade in Panda Skins
Revealed Mar 82
Legislation Introduced to Prohibit Taking of Killer Whales for Public Display Mar 83
Marine Mammal Protection
Act Reauthorization Mar 83
Proposed Endangered Status for Fresno Kangaroo Rat and Smokey Mad tom Mar 83
Cat Skin Trade Shifts to
Smaller Species Ap 109
Texas Alligators
Reclassified Ap 110
Review of Species Listed
In 1978 Ap 112
Recent FWS Actions Under
Endangered Species Act May 151 Final Rulemaking on Endangered/ Threatened Species Announced By USFWS Jun 186
Interior Dept. Withdraws Proposal to Remove Kangaroo from Endangered Species List Jun 186 Regulations Proposed for
Experimental PopulationsJun 187 Guam Rail Given Emergency
Protection Jul 218
Marine Mammal Protection Act Favorably Reported Out of House/Senate Jul 218
USFWS Compiles List of 1,000 Invertebrates as Potential Candidates for ESL Jul 219
Harbor Porpoise Proposed for
Endangered Listing Jul 219
Changes in Migratory Bird Treaty Act Regulations Aug 251
Marine Mammal Protection Act
Passes House Aug 251
508
LEGISLATIVE NEWS (cont'd)
Finding on Alligator Snapping
Turtle Petition Aug 251
Minnesota Wolf Regulations
Amended Aug 252
Selkirk Herd of Woodland Caribou
Now Endangered Aug 252
American Alligator Proposed for
Reclassification in Florida Sep 290 Final Rule on Snail Darter
Reclassification Sept 290
Extinction of Rare Butterfly May Have Been Caused by Error Sept 290
Successful Embryo Transplants Bring New Hope for Endangered Oct 319
International Whaling Commission Meeting Oct 319
Wood Stork Listed as Endangered
Species Oct 319
Recent Actions Under ESA Oct 320
Recent Actions Under ESA Nov 354
Proposals Made for Upcoming
CITES Meeting Nov 355
FWS Proposes Measures to Reduce Risk of Lead Poisoning in Bald Eagles
Nov 355
Sec. Clark Honors Tenneco Oil Co. for Wetlands Conservation Efforts Nov 357
BOOK REVIEWS
Survival in the Wild — Sexual Strategies The Fall of the Wild, The Rise of the Zoo The Return of the Brown Pelican
OTHER REVIEWS
Review of Research Methods
Videotape Jul 220
FEED BAG
Cuban Anoles and Giant
Toad Diet Jan 13
Maribou Stork Diet Feb 40
VETERINARIANS AND KEEPERS
Captive Reproduction of the
Red Brocket Deer Ap 102
EDUCATION (Includes Continuing
Keeper Education CKE)
CKE — Vancouver Special Session on Staff Training Part II
Jan 4
AAZK Staff Exchange Program —
Help Wanted Jan 7
Keeper Training Video Tape Project Seeks Participants
Jan 10
CKE — Education Committee Update/ Committee Members Listing
Feb 35
This Article Has No Title For A Good Reason (Keepers and Gomputers, Part 1) Feb 42
GKE — Staff Exchange Update —
Institutions Listed Mar 62
Keeper Exchange Experience —
My Penguin Encounter Mar 63
Buying Your Own Gomputer of The Joy of ZX (Part 2) Mar 67
GKE — What's Your Zoo Doing About Continuing Keeper Education?
Ap 94
Sorting It All Out: or You're Never Out Of Sorts With a Computer By Your Side (Part 3)
Ap 98
Wildlife Preservation Trust
Training Program Ap 115
CKE — Animal Management Corres- pondence Course May 126
More Register for Staff Exchange
May 127
Environmental Education
Grants Announced May 143
Figuring It All Out: Or Gomputer Statistics Are Not Sadistics (Part 4) May 148
GKE — Project Updates Ju 161
Teaching Your Gomputer To Teach You Is A Bit Like Watering Your Garden Ju 175
AAZK Keeper Training Video Tape Now Available Ju 191
Nov 341
GKE — Front Royal Visiting
Keeper Program Jul 198
Keepers & Gomputers: Some Final Considerations (Part 5) Jul 203 Education Alternatives -
Research Methods Video Tape Reviews Jul 220
CKE — Santa Barbara Zoo Keeper Education Program/ Animal Management Courses Aug 256
Feb 38 Mar 76 Ju 185
509
EDUCATION (conf d)
RESEARCH
Education Alternatives -
Some of the Animals Work for A Living: Theirs and Others Aug 247 Public Education Committee
Report Aug 246
CKE — A Look Back at the
Accomplishments of the AAZK Education Committee Sept 265
Exhibit Design Committee
Report Sept 276
Radiation Safety Sept 293
Education Alternatives - Environmental Institution Management Internships Offered Oct 315
CKE — Conference Offers Ideas,
Information Exchange Nov 330
CONSERVATION
Panda Update — Ling-Ling Shows
Potential for Recovery Jan 16
Dusky Seaside Sparrow Notes Mar 74 Mississippi Kite Hacking
Project Mar 77
Endangered Species Act's First
Ten Years Mar 84
Elephant Crisis Deepens Ap 101
Golden Lion Tamarin Reintroduction Program Update Ap 113
The Species Survival Plan: A Suitable Case for Treatment
May 142
A Cruel Dilema May 144
Horse Trading — Research Pays Off With Important First Birth at San Diego Wild Animal Park May 153
1984 Marked by Setbacks, Successes for Endangered California Condor
Ju 188
Sea Otter Birth First in Japan
Aug 239
A Comment on the SSP Aug 253
Results of a Post-Release Telemetry Study Involving Barn Owls in Northern Illinois Sept 283
"Kunik: To Help Science Oct 306
Wildlife Research — Columbus Zoo's 1981 Bald Eaglet Returns to Wild and Reproduces Oct 318
Struggle for Survival - Cincinnati Zoo Celebrates Embryo Transfer Success Nov 349
Captive Breeding of Hooded
|
Vultures |
Jan 22 |
|
Dusky Seaside Sparrow |
|
|
Notes |
Mar 74 |
|
Mississippi Kite Hacking |
|
|
Project |
Mar 77 |
|
Elephants in Japan - |
|
|
Mid-1982 to Early 1984 |
Ju 177 |
|
Elephants in Japan— |
|
|
Mid-1982 to Early 1984 |
Jul 211 |
|
Research Methods Video Tape |
|
|
Reviews |
Jul 220 |
|
Results of Post-Release Telemetry |
|
|
Study Involving Barn Owls in |
|
|
Northern Illinois |
Sep 283 |
|
Breeding the Rockhopper |
|
|
Penguin at the St. Louis |
|
|
Zoo |
Oct 311 |
|
Habitat Preference in House |
|
|
Crickets |
Nov 342 |
|
INFORMATION REQUESTS |
|
|
Elephant Commands |
Jan 15 |
|
Timber Wolves |
Jan 15 |
|
Macaws, Parrots |
Feb 56 |
|
Sloth Bears |
Feb 56 |
|
Colobus Monkeys |
Feb 56 |
|
Seals and Sea Lions in |
|
|
Fresh Water Exhibits |
Mar 81 |
|
Brazilian Tapir |
Mar 81 |
|
Polar Bear |
Mar 81 |
|
Reticulated Giraffe |
May 140 |
|
Black Bears |
May 140 |
|
Training Macaws |
May 1 40 |
|
Tawny Frogmouth |
Ju 166 |
|
Ectoparasites/Endoparasites/ |
|
|
Fecal Matter Research |
Ju 166 |
|
Plants for Use in Sloth |
|
|
Bear Exhibit |
Ju 166 |
|
Scarlet Macaw |
Ju 166 |
|
Celebes Apes |
Ju 166 |
|
Bat-eared Fox |
Aug 237 |
|
Labrador Species |
Sept 275 |
|
South American Fur Seal |
Sept 275 |
|
Capybara Infanticide |
Nov 332 |
|
Post-release Behavior and |
|
|
Survival Rates |
Nov 332 |
|
Primate Identification |
Dec 393 |
|
Blue & Gold Macaws |
Dec 393 |
|
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE |
The Endangered Species
Technical Bulletin Jan 17
Turtle Trust Turtle Book Jan 17
510
MISCELLANEOUS
PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE (conf d) 4th Annual Elephant Workshop
Proceedings Mar 57
Free Catalog of U.S.
Government Publications Aug 257
Mierlcan Source Book™
Guide to Bears Sept 278
Care of Wild Infant Birds Nov 353
Captive Breeding of Bald
Eagles Nov 353
1984 AAZK CONFERENCE
How Many Keepers Does It
Take to Change a Light Bulb?
Feb 37
First Call For Papers (Insert) Mar
|
Lion-Tailed Macaque Logo |
Ap |
105 |
|
Registration Form |
Ap |
106 |
|
May |
137 |
|
|
Ju |
173 |
|
|
Jul |
208 |
|
|
Aug |
242 |
|
|
Hotel Information |
Ap |
107 |
|
May |
138 |
|
|
Ju |
174 |
|
|
Sept |
281 |
|
|
Ten Ways To Have Fun In |
||
|
Seattle |
Ap |
108 |
|
Rhino In Rain Cartoon |
May |
135 |
|
Because You Can’t Afford To |
||
|
Miss the Conference in |
||
|
Seattle |
May |
136 |
|
Vacation Suggestions for 1984 |
||
|
Conference Delegates |
May |
139 |
|
Leopard Logo-Hang in There |
Ju |
171 |
|
Note from Committee/ Final |
||
|
Call For Papers |
Ju |
172 |
|
Macaque Logo |
Jul |
207 |
|
Papers Deadline/Auction Items/ |
||
|
Day Fees/Tentative Schedule |
||
|
Jul |
209 |
|
|
Leopard Art /Hang in There |
Jul |
210 |
|
JOIN US ! ! |
Aug |
240 |
|
Conference Update |
Aug |
243 |
|
Listing of Conference |
||
|
Papers |
Aug |
244 |
|
Board Meeting Agenda |
Sept |
279 |
|
Conference Update |
Sept |
280 |
|
Schedule of Tours, Workshop |
s |
|
|
& Discussions |
Sept |
282 |
|
From the President-Post |
||
|
Conference Thoughts |
Nov |
326 |
|
Final Thoughts from Seattle |
, Dec |
361 |
|
Overview of 1984 AAZK Board |
||
|
of Director’s Meeting |
Dec |
368 |
Brookgreen Gardens Good Choice for Post-Regional Trip Jan 11 Imminent Herpetologist Dies, Memorial Fund Established
Jan 21
AFS Seeks Host Homes for
Conservation Students Feb 43 Safari Memories — AAZK 1983
Kenya Safari Mar 75
Monkey Munchies Ap 100
Those Terrible Tax Returns
Ap 104
Take Heart! Ap 116
IBA Encourages Keeper
Involvement May 128
Environmental Education
Grants Announced May 143
Film Offers Visual Delight,
Food for Thought Ju 194
Viewpoint — A Tribute to a Man Who Has Made a Difference
Jul 201
Viewpoint — A Question of
Priorities Aug 238
Foreign Objects in Exhibits:
Averting a Tragedy Aug 240
Viewpoint—Counterviewpoint : Education and Exotic Animal Keepers Sept 270
Zoorific Experience Sept 271
San Diego Zoo Was Birthplace Of AAZK Sept 274
Viewpoint-Poem Oct 317
Survival of the Fittest
(poem) Oct 317
Husbandry Hints: An Easily-
constructed Seal Restraint Net Oct 321
Viewpoint— Writing Zookeeper Blues Nov 332
For All You Do— This One’s
For You Nov 339
NZP Volunteers Serve Varied
Areas of Zoo Education and Research (Missing Lynx)
Nov 345
511
1984 AKF PAPERS INDEXED BY MONTH
|
Use of Natural Toys By Small Felids at the Milwaukee Zoo |
Jan 8 |
|
|
Captive Breeding of Hooded Vultures |
Jan |
22 |
|
This Article Has No Title For A Good Reason! |
Feb |
42 |
|
For Love of Pippin - A Bat Rescue That Beat the Odds |
Feb |
44 |
|
My Penguin Encounter |
Mar |
65 |
|
A Zookeeper’s Reflections On Peru |
Mar |
71 |
|
Dusky Seaside Sparrow Notes |
Mar |
74 |
|
Mississippi Kite Hacking Project at the Memphis Zoo |
Mar |
77 |
|
Buying a Gomputer: or the Joy of ZX |
Mar |
67 |
Sorting It All Out: or You’re Never Out of Sorts With a Computer By Your Side Ap 98
Golden Lion Tamarin Reintroduc- tion Update Ap 113
People and Polecats Ap 118
Separation Depression in an
Adult Female Orangutan May 131
A Species Survival Plan: A Suitable Case for Treatment May 142
Figuring It All Out: or Computer Statistics are not Sadistics
May 148
Horse Trading and Behavioral Research Pays Off With Important Firsts at San Diego Wild Animal Park May 153 Predation on a Nicobar Pigeon by a Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo Ju 164 Reptile Care — Relating to the
Inquiring Novice Part 1 Ju 165 Wild Animal Park’s Asian Elephants Soon to Get New Dream Home Ju 169 Teaching Your Computer to Teach You Is A Little Like Watering Your Garden Ju 175
Elephants in Japan: Mid-1982
to Early 1984 Part I Ju 177
Part II Jul 211 Reptile Care: Relating to the
Inquiring Novice Part 2 Jul 206
Animal Introductions: Some Suggestions for Easing the Trauma Jul 222
A Not Totally Successful Hatching of a Green Mamba Jul 226
Reptile Gare: Transportation
and Handling Aug 245
Some of the Animals Work For a
Living: Theirs and Others Aug 247
Hand-Raising Infant Insectivorous Bats Aug 254
Zoorific Experience Sept 271
Reptile Care: Housing (Design & Construction)
Sept 268
Results of a Post-Release Telem- etry Study Involving Barn Owls in Northern Illinois Sept 283 Radiation Safety Sept 293
Reptile Care: Housing Part 2
Oct 304
Breeding Rockhopper Penguins at the St. Louis Zoo Oct 311 Columbus Zoo’s Bald Eaglet Returni to Wild and Reproduces Oct 318 Reptile Care: Environment
(Temperature) Nov 334
Thermostat-Controlled Heat
Lamps for Zoo Animals Nov 336 Habitat Preference in House
Crickets Nov 342
Survey of Hind Limb Paralysis in Captive Opossums Nov 346 A Record System for the
Small Zoo Nov 350
Animal Keepers ’ Forum: A Decade of Growth and a Future of Challenge Dec 374
Illness and Recovery in a Male Koala — A Case History Dec 380 The Keeper as an Educational Resource Dec 384
Fish Without Tears - Some Basic Considerations in Aquatic Ex- hibit Design in Zoos Dec 388 Horticultural Enhancement of Exhibits at the Arizona- Sonora Desert Museum Dec 390 A Gorilla Food Preference
Study Dec 394
Fresno’s Wolf Woods:
Frustrations Resolved Dec 398 Captive Maintenance of the Tailed Frog jMchapiU t/iU-QA.) at the Washington Park Zoo
Dec 402
The Modern Keeper in a Small Growing Zoo Dec 411
What to Do When Your Zoo Doesn’t
Have a Graphics Dept. Dec 416
Preparations for Artificial Insemination in Two Asian Elephant Cows Dec 420
Husbandry and Breeding of the Water Ouzel ( CXncZiU mx^LCOntU ) at the Washington Park Zoo
Dec 424
Zoo Camp: A Learning
Experience Dec 437
512
PAPERS INDEXED BY MONTH (conf d)
Activity Patterns and Sexual Behavior in Two Pairs of Snow Leopards ( VayitkoAg ancAjd] Dec 441
Captive Breeding of the Common Trumpeter [?60plujX CA2,p^CLYUi ) at Woodland Park Zoo Dec 461
AAZK Exhibit Design Form Dec 466
Management and Husbandry of the
Western Tarsier (TaA^yCLU bancancU ) at the National Zoological Park
Dec 468
Establishing a Pride of Lions at
the New Pittsburgh Zoo Dec 478
Sliding Door Nest Boxes at
Front Royal Dec 482
Death of an Alpha Guinea Baboon ( Pap^O pap-lo ) - the Effect on the Offspring Dec 493
PAPERS INDEXED BY SUBJECT
MAMMALS
Use of Natural Toys by Small
Felids at the Milwaukee Zoo Jan 8 For Love of Pippin — a Bat Rescue
That Beat the Odds Feb 44
Golden Lion Tamarin Reintroduction Update Ap 113
People and Polecats Ap 118
Separation Depression in an
Adult Female Orangutan May 131
Horse Trading and Behavioral
Research Pays Off With Important Firsts at SDWAP May 153
Wild Animal Park’s Asian Elephants Soon to Get New Dream Home Ju 169
Elephants in Japan: Mid- 1982
to Early 1984 Ju 177
Jul 211
Hand-Raising Infant Insectivorous Bats Aug 254
Survey of Hind Limb Paralysis in
Captive Opossums Nov 346
Illness and Recovery in a Male
Koala: A Case History Dec 380
A Gorilla Food Preference
Study Dec 394
Fresno’s Wolf Woods:
Frustrations Resolved Dec 398
Preparation for Artificial Insemination in Two Asian Elephant Cows Dec 420
Activity Patterns and Sexual Behavior In Two Pairs of Snow Leopards
Dec 441
Management and Husbandry of the
Western Tarsier at NZP Dec 468
Establishing a Pride of Lions at the New Pittsburgh Zoo
|
Sliding Door Nestboxes |
Dec |
478 |
|
at Front Royal Death of an Alpha Guinea Baboon: The Effects on |
Dec |
482 |
|
The Offspring |
Dec |
493 |
BIRDS
Captive Breeding of the
Hooded Vulture Jan 22
My Penguin Encounter Mar 65
Dusky Seaside Sparrow Notes Mar 74
Mississippi Kite Hacking Project at the Memphis Zoo Mar 77
Predation on a Nicobar Pigeon by a Matschie’s Tree Kangaroo Ju 164
Results of a Post-Release Telem- etry Study Involving Barn Owls in Northern Illinois Sept 283
Breeding Rockhopper Penguins
at the St. Louis Zoo Oct 311
Columbus Zoo’s Bald Eaglet Returns to Wild & Reproduces Oct 318
Husbandry and Breeding of the Water Ouzel at Washington Park Zoo Dec 424
Captive Breeding of the Common
Trumpeter at Woodland Park Zoo Dec 461
HERPETILES
Reptile Care: Relating to
the Inquiring Novice (Part 1)
Ju 165
Reptile Care: (Part 2) Jul 206
A Not Totally Successful Hatching of a Greem Mamba Jul 226
Reptile Gare: Transportation
and Handling (Part 3) Aug 245 Reptile Care: Housing (Construction & Design)
(Part 4) Sept 268
Reptile Care: Housing (Habitat Parameters)
(Part 5) Oct 304
Reptile Care: Environment
(Temperature) (Part 6) Nov 334 Captive Maintenance of the Tailed Frog at Washington Park Zoo
Dec 402
513
PAPERS INDEXED BY SUBJECT (Cont'd)
EDUCATION
This Article Has No Title For A Good Reason (Keepers and Computers, Part 1) Feb 42
Buying a Computer: or the Joy
of ZX (Part 2) Mar 67
Sorting It All Out; or You’re Never Out of Sorts With a Computer by Your Side (Part 3)
Ap 98
Figuring It All Out: or Computer Statistics Are Not Sadistics (Part 4) May 148
Teaching Your Computer to Teach You Is a Little Like Watering Your Garden (Part 5) Ju 175
Some of the Animals Work For A Living: Theirs and Others
Aug 247
Zoorific Experience Sept 271
A Record System for the
Small Zoo Nov 350
The Keeper As An Educational
Resource Dec 384
The Modern Keeper in a Small
Growing Zoo Dec 411
What To Do When Your Zoo Doesn’t Have a Graphics Department Dec 416
Zoo Camp: A Learning
Experience Dec 437
AAZK Exhibit Design Forms Dec 466
RESEARCH
Captive Breeding of Hooded
Vultures Jan 22
Mississippi Kite Hacking Project at the Memphis Zoo Mar 77
Elephants in Japan: Mid-1982
to Early 1984 Ju 177
Jul 211
Results of a Post-Telementry Study Involving Owls in Northern Illinois Sept 283
Breeding Rockhopper Penguins
at the St. Louis Zoo Oct 311
Habitat Preference in House
Crickets Nov 342
Survey of Hind Limb Paralysis
in Captive Opossums Nov 346
Illness and Recovery in a Male
Koala: A Case History Dec 380
A Gorilla Food Preference
Study Dec 394
Captive Maintenance of the Tailed Frog at Washington Patk Zoo
Dec 402
Husbandry and Breeding of the Water Ouzel at Washington Park Zoo Dec 424
Activity Patterns and Sexual Behavior in Two Pairs of Snow Leopards Dec 441
Captive Breeding of the Common Trumpeter at Woodland Park Zoo
Dec 461
Management and Husbandry of the Western Tarsier at NZP Dec 468
Death of an Alpha Guinea Baboon: the Effect on the Offspring
Dec 493
CONSERVATION
Golden Lion Tamarin Reintorduction Update Ap 113
A Species Survival Plan: A Suitable Case for Treatment
May 142
Horse Trading and Behavioral
Research Pays Off With Important Firsts at SDZWAP May 153
Columbus Zoo ’ s Bald Eaglet Returns to Wild and Reproduces Oct 318
Preparation for Artificial Insemination in Two Asian Elephant Cows Dec 420
EXHIBIT DESIGN
Thermostat-Controlled Heat
Lamps for Zoo Animals Nov 336
Fish Without Tears: Some Basic Considerations in Aquatic Exhibit Design in Zoos Dec 388
Horticultural Enhancement of Exhibits at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Dec 390
The Modern Keeper in a Small
Growing Zoo Dec 411
AAZK Exhibit Design Form Dec 466
Sliding Door Nestboxes at
Front Royal Dec 482
MISCELLANEOUS
A Zookeeper’s Reflections
on Peru Mar 71
Animal Introductions: Some Suggestions for Easing the Trauma Jul 222
Animal Keepers’ Forum: A Decade of Growth & a Future of Challenge
Dec 374
What to Do When Your Zoo Doesn’t Have a Graphics Dept. Dec 416
514
AAZK MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name Check hoAC li Kmowal [ ]
Address
$20.00 Professional Vatt-timc Kccpe/Li
$25.00 International Att mmbe/u ouuUZdc the U,S, and Canada
$10.00 Associate Jndlvd.duat6 not connected Lottk an antmaZ ca/ie {^acAZlty
$15.00 Affiliate
Otken. ^taii and volantee/u
$50.00 Contributing
0n.gantzattoyu> and JndtvtdaaJUy U.$. CURRENCY ONLY PLEASE
VAjiecjtoKy Injo motto n
Zoo Wo^fe Poiea Spectat lnt2A^^t6
Mail this application and check or money order, payable to American Association of Zoo Keepers, to: AAZK National Headquarters, Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Blvd. , Topeka, KS 66606.
Membership includes a subscription to the Anunot KeepCU ' Vo^LUn, The membership card is good for free admission to many zoos and aquariums in the U . S . and Canada
INFORMATION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
Antmat Keeper ' publishes original papers and news items of inter- est to the Animal Keeping profession. Non-members are welcome to submit articles.
Articles should be typed or hand-printed. All illustrations, graphs and tables should be clearly marked, in final form, and should fit in a page size of no more than 6” x 10” (15 cm x 25^^ cm.). Literature used should be cited in the text and in final bibliography. Avoid footnotes. Include scientific names.
Articles sent to AnimoJi Keepe/U' foA,um will be reviewed for publication. No commitment is made to the author, but an effort will be made to pub- lish articles as soon as possible. Those longer than three pages may be separated into monthly installments at the discretion of the editorial staff. The editors reserve the right to edit material without consulta- tion unless approval is requested in writing by the author. Materials submitted will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self- addressed envelope.
Telephoned contributions on late-breaking news or last minute insertions are accepted. However, phone-in contributions of long articles will not be accepted. The phone number is (913) 272-5821.
DEADLINE FOR EACH EDITION 1$ THE 15TH OF THE PRECEDING MONTH
pntnted do not nece^z^antly ^e^lect the optnlovUi oi the Aviimat Keepers ’ fo/Lum ecUtontaZ i>ta(^l ofi 0 1 the AmoAtcan A^^ocJjotton o£ loo KeepenA,
Items in the publication may be reprinted. Credit to this publication is requested. Order reprints from the Editor.
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