International
Zoo News Vol. 51/2 (No. 331) March
2004
CONTENTS
GUEST EDITORIAL
Miranda Stevenson
FEATURE ARTICLES
Reptiles in Japanese Collections.
Part 2: Ken Kawata
Squamates and Crocodilians, 1999
Breeding Titi Monkeys Jan Vermeer
at La Vallée des Singes
The
– a Model of Cooperation Between
a Zoological Society and a National
Park
Letter to the Editor
Book Reviews
Conservation
International Zoo News
Recent Articles
* * *
GUEST EDITORIAL
Tangled webs and what we weave
Nicholas Gould asked me to enter the
debate on wide-ranging carnivores and their welfare in zoos. Or, as the
reputable scientific journal Nature put it, `animals that roam over
large distances in the wild do not take kindly to being confined.' This
sub-title, added by the journal and not the authors, pin-points a real problem.
This is that in this media-driven age, where stories have the potential to
break not only locally but globally, information is `sexed-up' to gain greater
coverage. Nature is in competition to get the best science, but it also
wants papers that make the newspapers. The more dramatic the conclusions
appear, the more likely that the information will hit the global news network.
Scientists get much kudos from having work published in Nature,
therefore it is possible that they may focus on findings that make their work
more newsworthy – conclusions like `zoos could stop housing wide-ranging carnivores
and concentrate instead on species that respond better to being kept in
captivity' may just give that paper the edge in today's competitive world
of science.
For some reason the media still find
the zoo debate good value. In the past year I and my colleagues have taken part
in many debates – the latest in the February Ecologist between myself
and Daniel Turner of the Born Free Foundation (Zoo Check). Although these are
good fun and give us all ample opportunity to put forward our cases, they are
also doing much damage, and the harm is being done to the one thing that we all
claim to be working for – the future of the planet and the species that make it
a living planet. The media forces us to a level of defensiveness and
dividedness, so instead of putting forward the many areas in which we all agree
and in which action is required, we end up appearing more and more polarised.
The public become confused, and the real message, that of the urgency for us
all to unite to try and save the planet, is lost.
Of course Ros Clubb and Georgia
Mason's data are useful to the zoo world (after all, zoos were the major
funders of the work, they wanted it carried out), but the results require
discussion, much of that on what additional work is required to further investigate
this area. We need to be clear about what the paper actually shows. It
demonstrates that for the species considered there is a relationship between
home-range size in nature and infant mortality rates in captivity. There is
also a relationship between home-range size and body weight and frequency of
pacing. It is important to note that this does not mean that large-ranging
carnivores are more likely to pace in captivity, but that when they do pace
they do so more frequently. As in all research, the results are only as good as
the data used and leave many questions unanswered. The data on stereotypy came
only from animals that paced, therefore we do not have information on the
proportion of individuals of each species that show stereotypic pacing. It
would have been interesting to look at sex differences, as male carnivores tend
to pace more than females, but it is the females who rear young and are
therefore usually responsible for poor parental care and resulting infant
mortality. Are females that pace more poorer mothers? The research cannot
answer this question because of the nature of the data used. Polar bears have
emerged as the flagship species from this work – much was made in the press of
the paper's emotive statement `a polar bear's typical enclosure size, for
example, is about one-millionth of its minimum home-range size'. The EAZA
Bear TAG has been collecting and collating information on captive polar bears
for some years, and much research has been done which has resulted in designs for
enclosures which better reflect the needs of the animals (which is not a
sterile ice flow – the chosen back-drop for so many old enclosures). The TAG's
work shows that group size may have greatest effect on breeding success, i.e.
bears housed in pairs were most likely to rear young; yet another aspect which
requires further investigation. In the Nature paper infant mortality was
taken from the International Zoo Yearbook data, which does not
differentiated between animals in managed programmes and others. We know that
species in managed programmes, where breeding is planned, do better and have
higher survival rates than species not in managed programmes; it would be
interesting to examine studbook data from large carnivores and relate this back
to enclosure design and other variables. We also know, from studies on the same
animals in different conditions, that changes in feeding regimes and increasing
the complexity and size of enclosures do reduce stereotypic behaviour (and it
is important to remember that complexity may be more important than size).
Research like this helps zoo biologists design good carnivore environments.
Basically the Nature paper
raises interesting hypotheses which require further testing, using direct
observations on known animals and analyses of the many large carnivore
studbooks that are available. The data presented in the paper cannot, and do
not, justify the suggestion that zoos should stop housing wide-ranging large
carnivores.
We are having this debate at a time
when African lion numbers have fallen by 90% in the past 20 years, and there
are fewer than 8,000 tigers left in the wild. There are about 15,000 cheetah
left (most of these in
So let's untangle the web, and stop
weaving confusion. In their editorial Ros and Georgia agree that the best zoos
care about welfare, that there are some good and successful enclosures and
that, in fact, measures like infant mortality are improving. We don't want
researchers to go away – we want more of them carrying out zoo work. At the
Catalysts for Conservation meeting in ZSL in February some things came across
very clearly. Zoos have tremendous potential as conservation organisations, but
they need to collect, present, analyse and publish more data on their work, and
they need to work more closely with universities and other partners in order to
do this to maximum effectiveness. So my call to arms is for more cooperation
and more sensible research on the welfare of zoo animals, and less
sensationalisation of results that only serve to feed a press greedy for
conflict.
Miranda F. Stevenson
Director
Federation of Zoological Gardens of
* * *
REPTILES IN JAPANESE COLLECTIONS. PART 2: SQUAMATES AND
CROCODILIANS, 1999
BY KEN KAWATA
This article is dedicated to the
memory of Dr. Roger Conant,
There are 98 member zoos and 65
member aquariums listed in the 1999 Annual Report of the Japanese
Association of Zoological Gardens and Aquariums (JAZGA). Obviously, some
collections in
Table 1. Sauria, Serpentes and
Crocodilia in Japanese collections.
Families Species Specimens
Sauria 11 72 836
Serpentes 6 65 880
Crocodilia 2 19 545
Total 19 156 2261
Overview
Table 1 represents the number of
squamates and crocodilians held by JAZGA member institutions, while Table 2
depicts the entire inventory. Taxonomic arrangement and scientific names have
been adopted from the inventory. In general, common English names for Japanese
taxa have been taken from Goris (2003), native North American taxa from Collins
et al. (2002), and other commonly used names from
Thirteen institutions had more than
30 species of reptiles. The largest holders of species, with 97 each, are Izu
Andyland (702 specimens) in
Table 2. Squamates and crocodilians
in Japanese collections.
Species No. of No. of
specimens institutions
Sauria
Iguanidae
Blue ameiva (Ameiva ameiva) 3 1
Green anole (Anolis carolinensis) 13 3
Knight anole (A. equestris) 17 4
Cuban green anole (A. porcatus) 2 1
Brown anole (A. sagrei) 5 1
Brown basilisk (Basiliscus
basiliscus) 2 1
Green crested basilisk (B.
plumifrons) 9 3
Brown basilisk (B. vittatus) 2 1
Casque-headed iguana (Corytophanes
cristatus) 2 1
Eastern collared lizard (Crotaphytus
collaris) 1 1
Black iguana (Ctenosaura similis) 3 1
Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) 3 1
Green iguana (Iguana iguana) 157 44
Northern curly-tailed lizard (Leiocephalus
carinatus) 6 1
Cuban curly-tailed lizard (L.
cubensis) 6 1
Baja blue rock lizard (Petrosaurus
thalassinus) 2 1
Blue spiny lizard (Sceloporus
cyanogenys) 38 2
Agamidae
Common agama (Agama agama) 2 1
Frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus
kingii) 6 2
Malayan sail-finned lizard (Hydrosaurus
amboinensis) 2 1
Weber’s sail-finned lizard (H.
weberi) 1 1
Philippine sail-finned lizard (H.
pustulatus) 1 1
Okinawan tree lizard (Japalura
polygonata) 125 5
Asian water dragon (Physignathus
cocincinus) 31 5
Inland bearded dragon (Pogona
vitticeps) 7 2
Spiny-tailed agama (Uromastyx
acanthinurus) 2 1
Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard (U.
aegyptius) 2 1
Chamaeleonidae
Panther chameleon (Furcifer
pardalis) 4 1
Veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo
calyptratus) 3 2
Gekkonidae
Leopard gecko (Eublepharis
macularius) 104 12
Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) 37 7
Japanese gecko (G. japonicus) 6 2
Emerald gecko (G. smaragdinus) 2 1
White-striped gecko (G. vittatus) 4 1
Lichtenfelder’s gecko (Goniurosaurus
lichtenfelderi) 1 1
House gecko (Hemidactylus
frenatus) 2 1
African fat-tailed gecko (Hemitheconyx
caudicinctus) 7 3
Flat-tailed day gecko (P.
laticauda) 1 1
Moorish gecko (Tarentola
mauritanica) 1 1
Teiidae
Black tegu (Tupinambis teguixin) 5 3
Lacertidae
Sakishima grass lizard (Apeltonotus
dorsalis) 1 1
Japanese grass lizard (Takydromus
tachydromoides) 21 3
Scincidae
Ryukyu short-legged skink (Ateuchosaurus
pellopleurus) 3 1
Prehensile-tailed skink (Corucia
zebrata) 22 7
Okada’s five-lined skink (Eumeces
latiscutatus) 8 2
Ryukyu five-lined skink (E.
marginatus) 6 1
Miyake-jima skink (E. okadae) 5 1
Yaeyama seven-lined skink (E.
stimpsonii) 2 1
Sand skink (Scincus scincus) 2 1
Indonesian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua
gigas) 5 3
Shingleback skink (T. rugosus) 9 2
Blue-tongued skink (T. scincoides) 14 5
Cordylidae
Sungazer (Cordylus giganteus) 2 1
Shingleback skink (C. warreni) 23 1
Tawny plated lizard (Gerrhosaurus
major) 5 1
Giant plated lizard (G. validus) 1 1
Anguidae
Scheltopusik (Ophisaurus apodus) 5 3
Eastern glass lizard (O.
ventralis) 1 1
Helodermatidae
Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma
horridum) 2 1
Gila monster (H. suspectum) 6 3
Varanidae
Dumeril’s monitor (V. dumerili) 1 1
Savanna monitor (V.
exanthematicus) 7 5
Mangrove monitor (V. indicus) 4 3
Komodo dragon (V. komodoensis) 1 1
Rough-necked monitor (V.
rudicollis) 2 1
Malayan water monitor (V.
salvator) 19 9
Desert monitor (V. griseus) 1 1
Serpentes
Typhlopidae
Brahminy blind snake (Ramphotyphlops
braminus) 3 1
Xenopeltidae
Sunbeam snake (Xenopeltis
unicolor) 1 1
Boidae
Papuan olive python (Apodura papuana) 1 1
Boa constrictor (Boa constrictor) 43 15
Pacific tree boa (C. carinata) 12 1
Emerald tree boa (Corallus
caninus) 3 3
Rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria) 84 9
Hispaniolan boa (E. striatus) 2 1
Smooth sand boa (Eryx johnii) 1 1
East African sand boa (E.
colubrinus) 86 6
Green anaconda (Eunectus murinus) 5 3
Yellow anaconda (E. notaeus) 12 4
Water python (Liasis fuscus) 2 1
Macklot’s python (L. mackloti) 1 1
Olive python (L. olivaceus) 1 1
Scrub python (
Green tree python (M. viridis) 19 8
Carpet python (M. spilota) 8 4
Blood python (Python curtus) 17 8
Indian python (P. molurus) 60 23
Ball python (P. regius) 71 18
Reticulated python (P.
reticulatus) 20 14
African rock python (P. sebae) 19 8
Colubridae
Ryukyu keelback (Amphiesma pryeri) 1 1
Mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila) 2 1
Ryukyu green snake (Cyclophiops
semicarinatus) 1 1
Oriental big-tooth snake (Dinodon
orientalis) 5 2
Chinese red banded snake (D.
rufozonatus) 2 2
Ryukyu banded snake (D.
semicarinatus) 13 3
Japanese green ratsnake (Elaphe
climacophora) 63 20
Japanese forest ratsnake (E.
conspicillata) 9 4
Japanese four-lined ratsnake (E.
quadrivirgata) 31 13
King ratsnake (E. carinata) 3 1
Cornsnake (E. guttata) 47 8
Mandarin ratsnake (E. mandarina) 1 1
Black ratsnake (E. obsoleta) 17 5
Eastern kingsnake (Lampropeltis
getulus) 35 11
Prairie kingsnake (L. calligaster) 4 1
Milksnake (L. triangulum) 6 4
Pine snake (Pituophis
melanoleucus) 1 1
Yamakagashi (Asian tiger snake) (Rhabdophis
tigrinus) 4 3
Western ribbon snake (Thamnophis
proximus) 14 1
Elapidae
Hyan coral snake (Calliophis
japonicus) 1 1
Black-headed sea snake (Hydrophis
melanocephalus) 4 1
Erabu sea snake (Laticauda semifasciata) 30 9
Monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia) 3 1
Asian cobra (N. naja) 3 1
Yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis
platurus) 1 1
Viperidae
Japanese mamushi (Agkistrodon [Gloydius]
blomhoffii) 14 6
Cottonmouth (A. piscivorus) 1 1
Copperhead (A. contortrix) 1 1
Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus
adamanteus) 1 1
Uracoan rattlesnake (C. vegrandis) 8 2
Chinese pit viper (Deinagkistrodon
acutus) 5 1
Hime habu (Ovophis okinavensis) 15 4
Red-tailed bamboo viper (T.
erythrurus) 5 1
Habu (T. flavoviridis) 14 2
Mangrove viper (T.
purpureomaculatus) 1 1
Bamboo viper (T. stejnegeri) 3 2
Tokara habu (T. tokarensis) 7 2
Loricata
Crocodylidae
Philippine crocodile (C.
mindorensis) 1 1
Morelet’s crocodile (C. moreletii) 3 1
Nile crocodile (C. niloticus) 29 3
Marsh crocodile (C. palustris) 8 1
Salt-water crocodile (C. porosus) 15 6
Cuban crocodile (C. rhombifer) 7 2
Siamese crocodile (C. siamensis) 70 3
African slender-snouted crocodile (C.
cataphractus) 2 1
Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) 10 3
Dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus
tetraspis) 33 8
False gavial (Tomistoma
schlegelii) 20 7
Alligatoridae
American alligator (Alligator
mississippiensis) 60 11
Chinese alligator (A. sinensis) 22 5
Spectacled caiman (Caiman
crocodilus) 97 28
Broad-nosed caiman (C. latirostris) 134 3
Dwarf caiman (Paleosuchus
palpebrosus) 17 2
Smooth-fronted caiman (P.
trigonatus) 7 1
Curiously the mainstream Japanese
zoos, which are municipally owned and operated old establishments located near
the center of cities, are not necessarily the champions in terms of the size of
reptile collections (obvious exceptions, as noted above, are Ueno and
Higashiyama). They seem to focus more on the `basic stock' of crowd-pleasing
mammals. By comparison, privately owned smaller institutions, as shown above by
three examples, and medium-sized municipal zoos are often the holders of a
diversity of reptile species. It is also interesting to note that 37 of the 163
member institutions, or more than 20 per cent, reported no reptiles in their
collections. This should not come as a surprise, since reptiles have yet to be
given a full-fledged membership status in many Japanese zoos. Probably this has
little to do with the cultural aspect of Japanese people. They do possess
irrational fear of reptiles, particularly snakes, but their level of fear does
not seem more intense than that of other ethnic groups. More likely, it is
rooted in the history of zoo development in
Historical aspect
Because of geographical proximity
large reptiles, such as pythons and crocodiles, were brought into the country
from
A parallel history is found half-way
across the world in Kyoto Zoo, opened in 1903 as
After
In October of that year Ueno Zoo
opened a large, four-storied aquarium, designed to exhibit a wide range of
animal life including marine invertebrates, fish, amphibians and reptiles. In
fact, during the planning stage, the new complex was tentatively named `the
aquatic and reptile building', patterned after a European model as seen in such
institutions as Berlin Zoo (in former West Berlin) and Frankfurt Zoo (Ueno Zoo,
1982). Aquatic amphibians were located on the third floor of this complex, and
the entire fourth floor was devoted to the rest of the amphibians and reptiles.
(However, this floor was only partially open; due to construction delays, the
reptile and amphibian section was not completed until June 1973.)
In many aspects, Ueno sets the
standard for the rest of the zoos in the country. Gradually, other zoos began
to follow suit. In 1971 a reptile house made a debut in Nogeyama Zoo in
In terms of more modern exhibit
concepts, in March 1995
A view of the Vivarium, Ueno Zoo's
facility for reptiles and amphibians. (Photo: Akiyoshi Nawa)
The above episodes depict the
evolution of reptile exhibits in more traditional, municipal zoos with
`generalized' animal collections. Outside of the mainstream lie smaller
municipal zoos and privately-owned institutions which feature specialized
collections. In more recent decades, those smaller institutions have developed
reptile exhibits and husbandry programs, rapidly catching up with – and, in
many cases, surpassing – their larger municipal cousins blessed with far more
resources. This is certainly welcome news. The aforementioned Atagawa Tropical
and
As the result of this development,
and traditional zoos expanding reptile programs, more diverse reptile
collections have been made available for public viewing in
Group-by-group accounts
There are approximately 7,150 extant
reptile species; most are squamates with 6,850, followed by turtles (260),
crocodilians (22) and tuatara (2), according to Pough et al. (1998). The
chelonian collection held by JAZGA member institutions is quite representative,
including nearly all families and some 45% of the world's species (Kawata,
2003). As shown in Table 1, the Japanese collections cover nearly all
crocodilian species. The squamate collection, by comparison, is not as
extensive due to the huge number of species in this order. Nevertheless, the
collections still include a fair cross-section of the world's lizard and snake
species.
Squamata. As might be expected, universally
common zoo (and pet trade) species such as green iguana, leopard gecko and boa
constrictor make a prominent presence in this inventory. Behind such standard
specimens lie regional specialities. Notable on this list are lizards and
snakes from remote and small islands that are little known to the public.
Examples include skinks in Eumeces, Ryukyu keelback, Ryukyu green snake
and some vipers in Trimeresurus. Found in limited geographical
distributions, they are not commonly seen in zoos in other regions of the
world. Another regional characteristic is the presence of sea snakes, which are
rarer in North American collections. Conversely, rattlesnakes are uncommon in
Japanese collections in comparison to their
Crocodilia. Atagawa Tropical and
Breeding
Births and hatchings of squamates
and crocodilians during the 1999 fiscal year (
Table 3. Sauria, Serpentes and
Crocodilia bred in Japanese collections.
(Figures in brackets represent the
number of animals which failed to survive.)
Species No. born No.
collections
Tegu 9
(3) 1
Rainbow boa 10 (10) 1
Sand boa 10 (9) 1
Blood python* 11 (0) 1
Ball python 5 (0) 1
Chinese alligator 3 (0) 1
*First breeding in
During the 2000 fiscal year a total
of 20 species in reptiles and two species in amphibians reproduced (offspring
from four of them did not survive) in 11 zoos and eight aquariums. Considering
that there were 99 zoos and 70 aquariums, or a total of 169 JAZGA member
institutions, in the country during that year, the figures may appear
surprisingly low in the eyes of European and American zoo officials. However,
in the historical context, even such a modest `report card' represents an
improvement (Kawata, 2003).
There may be hidden factors behind
rather low figures. Some institutions may be regulating reptilian reproductions
based on marketability; more common species can saturate the country's carrying
capacity rather quickly. This is particularly true with crocodilians. Hideo
Shimizu (2001) of the Atagawa Tropical and
Conservation programs
Varanidae, Boidae and Crocodilia include
a large number of species in the CITES Appendices. Reflecting this status,
JAZGA's squamate and crocodilian inventory includes 13 CITES Appendix I species
and 53 CITES Appendix II species. However,
As far as reptiles and amphibians
are concerned,
A total of 23 Chinese alligators
are held in five institutions. Thus far, Maruyama Zoo in
Compared to the above two species
the other two are larger, which adds more challenges to managers. There are
nine gharials (three of them unsexed) in three institutions, and 17 false
gavials (nine of them unsexed) in five institutions. More than half of the
false gavials are long-term captives believed to be around 30 years of age,
indicating the difficulty in importing wild-caught specimens, and the urgent
need for captive breeding. The aforementioned H. Shimizu of the Atagawa
Tropical and
`Taking
a global view on crocodilians in captivity, one cannot help but notice a
poverty of even the basic data on the numbers in each country, indicating a
lack of awareness on conservation and breeding. Statistical data in IZY
and ISIS alone do not shed insight into the reality of captive situations.
Husbandry protocol itself seems to have unresolved questions. We sent gharials,
one to
`There
seems to exist a mentality, according to which just one crocodilian is
sufficient for a zoo; such exhibit-centered thinking reflects the fact that a
satisfactory facility for crocodilian breeding is extremely costly. It is
unrealistic for a nation in the temperate zone, such as
As in any similar programs, those
who are given the charge of managing amphibian and reptile programs are
experiencing growing pains. It is, however, encouraging that this oft-forgotten
animal group is making an inroad into the management programs of
Table 4. Longevity of squamates and
crocodilians in Japanese collections.
(In nearly all cases the years
indicate duration of captivity, not ages, of animals living as of
Species >36 yrs 31–35
yrs 26–30 yrs 21–25 yrs
Boa constrictor – – 0.1 –
Ball python – – – 1.0
Erabu sea snake – 0.1 – –
Salt-water crocodile – 0.0.1 1.0.1 –
Cuban crocodile – – 0.1 –
Dwarf crocodile – 1.0 2.1 –
False gavial – – 1.0.1 –
American alligator 1.0 1.2 – –
Chinese alligator – 0.0.1 – –
Broad-nosed caiman – – 1.1 –
(Spectacled) caiman – – 1.1 1.0
Longevity
Data in Table 4 represent squamates
and crocodilians that had been living in Japanese collections for at least 21
years as of
Considering their biological faculty
for long life spans, the number of crocodilians on the list is not surprising,
particularly American alligators, which were an established fixture on public
display in
Addendum to chelonians: In the 1999 Annual Report,
previously unreported data in chelonian longevities were presented by Ueno Zoo,
Tokyo, to be added to Table 4, IZN 50 (5): 274. As of
Acknowledgements
The author would like to express
sincere appreciations to the following friends: Frank Indiviglio, Herpetology
Department of the Bronx Zoo, for his critical review of the manuscript and
resourceful suggestions; Dr Richard Goris for a master list of reptiles and
amphibians of
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Behler, J.L. (1995): Reptile
rendezvous. Wildlife Conservation 98 (2): 40–41.
Collins, J.T., and Taggert, T.W.
(2002): Standard Common and Current Scientific Names for North American
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Goris, R.C. (2003): A Guide to the
Amphibians and Reptiles of
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System (1988):
Japanese Association of Zoological
Gardens and Aquariums (1962): The JAZGA Directory. (In Japanese.)
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Gardens and Aquariums (2000): The 1999 Annual Report. (In Japanese.)
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Gardens and Aquariums (2001): The 2000 Annual Report. (In Japanese.)
Kawata, K, (1991):
Kawata, K. (2003): Reptiles in
Japanese collections. Part 1: chelonians, 1998. IZN 50 (5): 265–275.
Miyashita, M. (1995): News from
Pough, F.H, Andrews, R.M., Cadle,
J.E., Crump, M.L., Savitzy, A.H. and Wells, K.D. (1998): Herpetology.
Prentice Hills,
Takizawa, A. (1986): The Record
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Ken Kawata, General Curator,
* * *
BREEDING TITI MONKEYS AT LA VALLÉE
DES SINGES
BY JAN VERMEER
Titi monkeys (Callicebus
spp.) have always been rare in European zoos. Only the primate station of
Taxonomy
The taxonomy of the genus Callicebus
is disputed (Hershkovitz, 1990; Groves, 2001; van Roosmalen, 2002), as is the
identification of the animals from
Housing
Our breeding group has one inside
enclosure with an area of about 12 m2. Outside they have access to a
wooded area of about 3,000 m2. They share this area with a family of
white-faced saki monkeys, a pair of golden lion tamarins and a family of common
marmosets. Despite the fact that the animals were kept in cages at
The non-breeding couple with the old
female have two inside enclosures of about 2.5 m2. They share a wooded
area of over 6,000 m2 with a group of 60 squirrel monkeys (Saimiri
boliviensis peruviensis) and a family of golden-headed lion tamarins.
Contacts with these species are also positive. Although they are sometimes somewhat
dominated by the boisterous young squirrel monkeys, there are rarely aggressive
interactions. Play and grooming between the titi monkeys and the lion tamarins
occurs often.
We are planning to mix our third
couple with a variety of callitrichids and saki monkeys on a new territory in
2004.
Rain and cold rarely stop the
animals from going outside. The temperature of the inside enclosure is kept
between 17° and 19°C, and humidity at 70%.
Diet
The feeding behavior of C.
cupreus and the closely related C. brunneus has been studied on
different sites in
Table 1. Diet of titi monkeys at La
Vallée des Singes (for five adults)
08.3075 grams of Mazuri tamarin cake
improved with casein, vitamins, minerals and sunflower oil.
12.00 65 g apple
40
g carrot
80
g fruit (kiwi, peach, orange, pear, etc.)
35
g cucumber or zucchini
80
g vegetables (chicory, fennel, turnip, lettuce)
16.15 100 g apple
35
g carrot
35
g paprika
50
g cucumber or zucchini
6
grapes or 60 g other fruit
a
small amount of vegetables (celery, fennel, radish, lettuce, cabbage)
50
g banana
20
g peanuts
Once a week one egg (white only)
During the day, several small
feedings with biscuits, Cruesli (a breakfast cereal, a mixture of oats, wheat,
raisins, nuts and honey), sultanas, nuts and 20 g mealworms.
Our diet (Table 1) was based on
these studies, discussions with Dr Welker of
Health
A large variety of health problems
with titi monkeys have been reported by the veterinary department at
Breeding
The reproductive biology of C.
cupreus has been studied extensively at
Until now, six offspring have been
born at La Vallée des Singes (Table 2). Before our breeding female came to us
she had reared several offspring at Davis (Phillip C. Allen, pers. comm.). The
interbirth intervals were about 12 months. Her first infant at La Vallée des
Singes was indeed born 12 months after the birth of her earlier infant.
However, the interbirth interval between the four subsequent births in Group 1
decreased to only eight months and one week. This high reproductive rate does
not seem to have had any negative effect on her condition. Matings have also
been observed during pregnancy. Our old female had reared several offspring in
Table 2. Titi monkeys at La Vallée des
Singes.
Name Sex Date of Place
of Arrival
birth birth
Group 1
Loretta female 03.02.92
Muqui male 11.03.01 Romagne –
Tapajo female 04.09.02 Romagne –
Anya female 28.05.03 Romagne –
– male 06.02.04 Romagne –
Group 2
Lucia female 13.03.81
Group 3
Piquiri male 10.10.99
– unknown 23.02.04 Romagne –
Social behavior
Titi monkeys live in monogamous
pairs that do not accept the presence of other adults in their neighbourhood.
Keeping titi monkeys in captivity close to conspecifics may cause stress, which
results in serious health problems (Jantschke, 1992). However, temporary
contacts between a sexually receptive female and a male from a neighbouring
group has been observed in the wild (Kinzey, 1997). The bonds between both
adults are very strong and there is rarely any aggression. They defend their
territory by impressive calling bouts. While at rest, all individuals of the
family group entwine their tails. Especially when the group is getting larger,
it may take a lot of time for everyone to find a good sleeping position in the
evening.
Group size ranges from two to six
animals. Although the peripheralization of a sub-adult is often reported to
happen without much aggression from the adults (Kinzey, 1981; Welker, pers.
comm.), this happened differently in our group. After the birth of the fourth
baby in 2003, our group had grown to seven individuals. Three weeks after the
birth, the breeding female started to attack her oldest daughter, who was at
that time about 38 months old. Both animals were wounded, and we had to separate
the daughter to prevent anything worse happening.
As with the callitrichids, the adult
male titi monkey is the principal carrier of the newborn offspring – the female
only takes it for nursing (Kinzey, 1997). This is also the case in our group, but
there was some variation between the babies. The breeding female did all the
carrying in the first week with one baby, while with the others the carrying
was shared between the father and the older offspring during the first week.
After the first week the father does almost all the carrying of the offspring.
Conclusion
In the three years that we have now
kept titi monkeys in our park, there have been very few husbandry problems.
However, they have to be observed closely as short periods of diarrhoea can
quickly cause serious loss of condition. Our original breeding pair has reared
several offspring, and our second pair has also started breeding. Offspring
should probably be removed from the breeding group before they reach the age of
three years. Titi monkeys are active and attractive animals, and a welcome
addition for European zoos.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the keepers of
the titi monkeys for taking good care of the animals and observing them
closely.
References
Crandlemire-Sacco, J. (1988): An
ecological comparison of two sympatric primates: Saguinus fuscicollis
and Callicebus moloch of
Hershkovitz, P. (1990): Titis,
Jantschke, B. (1992): Der
Springaffe. Zeitschrift des Kölner Zoo 35: 155–160.
Jantschke, B., Welker, C., and
Klaiber-Schuh, A. (1995): Notes on the breeding of the titi monkey Callicebus
cupreus. Folia Primatologica 64 (4): 210–213.
Kinzey, W.G. (1978): Feeding
behavior and molar features in two species of titi monkeys. In Recent
Advances in Primatology. Vol. 1: Behaviour (eds. D.J. Chivers and J.
Herbert), pp. 373–385. Academic Press,
Kinzey, W.G. (1981): The titi
monkeys, genus Callicebus. In Ecology and Behavior of Neotropical
Primates, Vol. 1 (eds. R.A.
Mittermeier and A.F. Coimbra-Filho), pp. 241–276. Academia Brasileira de
Ciências, Rio de Janeiro.
Kinzey, W.G. (1997):
Lorenz, R., and Mason, W.A. (1971):
Establishment of a colony of titi monkeys. International Zoo Yearbook
11: 168–175.
Roberts, J., Murphy, B., Prahalada,
S., and Anderson, J. (1984): Diseases of captive titi monkeys at the
Roberts, J., Line, S., and
Blanchard, P. (1986): Spontaneous hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in a
titi monkey. Journal of Medical Primatology 15: 131–138.
Tirado Herrera, E.R., and Heymann,
E.W. (2000): Mom needs more protein – sex differences in the diet composition
of red titi monkeys, Callicebus cupreus. Folia Primatologica 71:
189–248.
Valeggia, C.R.,
Valverde, C.R., Pettan-Brewer,
K.C.B., Lerche, N., and Lowenstine, L.J. (1993): A 20 year retrospective study
of causes of mortality in a colony of titi monkeys (Callicebus spp.). Proceedings
of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians 1993: 208–213.
Van Roosmalen, M.G.M, van Roosmalen,
T., and Mittermeier, R.A. (2002): A taxonomic review of the titi monkeys, genus
Callicebus Thomas 1903, with the description of two new species, Callicebus
bernhardi and Callicebus stephennashi from Brazilian Amazonia. Neotropical
Primates 10 (suppl.): 1–52.
Webster, D. (2003): European
Studbook for Red Titi Monkeys (Callicebus cupreus). Blackpool Zoo, U.K.
Jan Vermeer, La Vallée des Singes, Le
Gureau, 86700 Romagne, France. (E-mail: j.vermeer@la-vallee-des-singes.fr
)
* * *
THE
BY PAUL A. REES
Deep in the heart of the
The centre has been constructed around
a kopje: a small rocky outcrop that is characteristic of the Serengeti
landscape. One of its main themes is the famous wildebeest migration which
links the grasslands of the Serengeti to those of the Masai Mara in
The path eventually leads across a high-level
walkway to a two-storey open-air building containing more display boards. As
the visitor approaches, the sound of lions and hyenas can be heard from hidden
loudspeakers, although it only becomes apparent that they are not the real
thing when the source is discovered. The walkway joins the building at the top
floor, where near life-size photographs of Dr Bernhard Grzimek and
A series of bilingual (English and
Swahili) information boards describes the work of Dr Grzimek and his son,
including photographs of the black-and-white striped Piper Cub they used to
conduct aerial wildlife censuses of the area. Other exhibits illustrate the
history of Tanzanian wildlife legislation, and include historical maps of the
development of the system of protected areas. The collection of early
photographs includes one of the German governor responsible for the
introduction of the first wildlife laws, Hermann von Wissmann, and his
protection troop, taken in 1889 (above). The
The ground floor exhibits explain
the work of TANAPA (Tanzania National Parks Authority), the management problems
faced by the park authorities, and the place of the Masai and other tribes in
the local culture and ecology. TANAPA was created in 1959 to oversee the
management of the growing number of national parks in
The last port of call is a small
shop and a refreshment area where the local avifauna is attracted to a small
pool. I hoped to find all manner of useful publications about the Serengeti on
sale at the centre but, alas, the shop was filled with the usual African
souvenirs with hardly a book in sight. Anyone wishing to take away more
information about the park and its spectacular wildlife will be disappointed.
In spite of this criticism, the
Serengeti visitor centre is a remarkable addition to an extraordinary place,
made possible by the work of a single zoological society and support from the
European Union. East African national parks are sadly lacking in interpretation
centres, or indeed interpretation of any kind. This one should serve as a model
for how zoos and national parks can co-operate to truly engage in conservation
education.
Dr Paul A. Rees, School of
Environment & Life Sciences and Telford Institute of Environmental Systems,
University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WT, U.K. (E-mail: p.a.rees@salford.ac.uk )
* * *
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Sir,
I was fascinated by Dr van Bruggen's
interesting and valuable paper on the Amsterdam Aquarium, and particularly by
his references to early problems in keeping certain fish species.
Certainly the herring is still a
notoriously difficult-to-keep species, largely on account of the strong
migratory instinct that makes it almost the piscatorial equivalent of the
wildebeest – in fact its habit of rapidly moving in large numbers gives it its
name, from the Saxon here, meaning `army'. This is the time when captive
shoals, restlessly moving about, lose large areas of scales by brushing against
rocks and other `furnishings'. The British collection which has done best with
the species is
Earlier in the paper it was noted
that it was rare for anything to live more than a year or so in early aquaria.
I, for one, would not dispute this, but there's always the odd exception that
contrives to prove the rule, and a very notable, and coincidental, one here is
the first living fish to be photographed, c. 1853, in Regent's Park's
`Fish House', as its first aquarium was called. It died on 19 April 1870 – an
astonishing record when it's born in mind that this was a pike (Esox lucius),
a species still difficult to keep for long in good health owing to its
susceptibility to infestations of ectoparasites, particularly the dreaded
`ichth' or `white-spot' (Ichthyophthirius).
Yours faithfully,
Shalford,
* * *
BOOK REVIEWS
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD:
Volume 8 – BROADBILLS TO TAPACULOS edited by Josep del Hoyo, Andrew Elliott and
David Christie. Lynx Edicions,
With Volume 8, the Handbook of
the Birds of the World has crossed a major ornithological watershed, that
separating the non-passerines from the passerines. For many readers, myself
included, this means a move into relatively unknown territory. Non-passerines,
much more often than not, can be identified at a glance, at least to family
level. Even we amateurs know an auk, an owl, a wader, a pigeon, a hornbill, a
humming bird, a woodpecker when we see one. We may not often be able to go any
further, but at least we know roughly where it fits into the pattern of the
class Aves as a whole. But passerines are another matter: here we feel lost in
a formless blur of species, many of them the sort even birders tend to lump
together as `little brown jobs', the Lumpenproletariat of the bird
world.
From now on, though, as the
Passeriformes start getting the HBW treatment, we'll begin to see them
finding their places in the pattern. This first volume on them covers nine
families – Broadbills, Asities, Pittas, Ovenbirds, Woodcreepers, Typical
Antbirds, Ground-antbirds, Gnateaters and Tapaculos. All these birds are small
or medium-sized, and yes, many are brown – though some, especially among the
pittas, are astonishingly gaudy. Only the broadbills and pittas, I think, have
any significant presence in zoos, and only a few species of them – the hooded
pitta (by no means the most spectacular of the group, and not threatened, so
its frequency in captivity must be a historical accident), and the green and
long-tailed broadbills – seem to have self-sustaining ex situ
populations. [A recent breakthrough at Walsrode which may be the start of more
successful pitta management and breeding was reported in IZN 50 (4),
244.] At the other end of the spectrum, none of the 55 species of tapaculo `has
been reported to have been successfully held in captivity,' though the Bronx
Zoo succeeded in keeping a single Acropternis orthonyx alive for a few
months. Since many tapaculos (though not this one) have dull plumage, and all
feed by foraging in undergrowth and avoid flying whenever possible, they aren't
often seen in the wild either.
With many zoos' current enthusiasm
for all things Madagascan, it may be only a matter of time before asities start
appearing in our collections. (
In general, of course, Volume 8
follows the now tried and trusted HBW formula, so it has all the
features readers have come to expect. Little improvements continue to be made
here and there – for example, the distribution maps now include major rivers,
making it easier to pinpoint species' ranges, especially in inland areas. The
photos have always been one of the series' supreme triumphs: am I imagining it,
or are the present lot even more stunning than usual? Actually, I think that
tends to be my reaction to every new volume! They are different in one
respect, though; many more of them than previously were taken specifically for HBW.
This, a policy to be continued in future volumes, is in part a response to the
fact that many passerine families are relatively poorly known. For the same
reason, this volume contains much more previously unpublished information than
any previous one.
The foreword on a general
ornithological topic is a regular bonus in HBW. This time it's `A brief
history of classifying birds' by Murray Bruce, who takes the story through from
ancient
Nicholas Gould
AUSTRALIAN MAMMALS: BIOLOGY AND CAPTIVE
MANAGEMENT by Stephen Jackson. CSIRO Publishing, 2003. xxii + 524 pp.,
hardback. ISBN 0–643–06635–7. AU$240.00. [For prices and purchase details
outside
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF
When new books as impressive as
these two can land on my desk within a few weeks of each other, I feel inclined
to proclaim that the golden age of natural history publishing is here right
now. Each of them, it seems safe to say, is by far and away the best book on
its subject ever to appear; and neither is likely to be superseded in the foreseeable
future. Each of them, too, is an essential purchase for any zoo holding animals
from the region it is devoted to.
That said, they don't have much else
in common. Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management is a
practical husbandry guide to all the country's native mammals, with separate
chapters on platypus, echidnas, carnivorous marsupials, numbats, bandicoots and
bilbies, koalas, wombats, possums and gliders, macropods, bats, rodents and the
dingo. Stephen Jackson, who compiled most of the book (there are additional
contributors for a few of the chapters), was the author of an article in International
Zoo Yearbook 38 entitled `Standardizing captive-management manuals:
guidelines for terrestrial vertebrates', in which he outlined the principles he
here puts into practice. Australian Mammals might indeed serve as a
model for others to follow, not merely in fat volumes like this one, but also
in more modest management guideline notes for single taxa. Each of the book's
twelve chapters follows the same outline, with an introduction followed by
sections on Taxonomy, Natural history, Housing requirements, General husbandry,
Feeding requirements, Handling and transport, Health requirements, Behaviour,
Breeding and Artificial rearing. Each section is further subdivided into
numbered sub-sections, which in turn may be subdivided. So if you want to know
the main health problems of kangaroos, or whether wombats are suitable for a
mixed exhibit (they aren't), or how to hand-rear a fruit bat, or how to train a
dingo or catch a wallaby, it's easy to go straight to the appropriate heading.
Numerous tables, charts and line drawings are included for information best
presented in such ways – nest types and locations for different possum species,
oestrous cycle and gestation data for macropods, koalas' daily activity cycle,
methods of handling microchiropterans, typical weight growth in echidnas,
nest-box designs for numbats. . . Speaking as someone whose zoo knowledge is
overwhelmingly theoretical, I cannot remember ever seeing a book which made the
practical side of zoo work seem more intelligible and accessible. It
goes without saying that every zoo with any Australian mammals should buy a
copy. But so should any zoo with bats or rodents, for there's nothing peculiar
to
In its very different way, The
Natural History of Madagascar is equally ground-breaking. There seems no
reason to doubt the publishers' claim that it is `the most extensive collection
of research ever assembled on the vast diversity of life found on this
spectacular island.' Indeed, there may never have been a comparable book
published on the natural history of any country or region. Its sheer
physical dimensions command respect: almost 1,800 pages, a weight of about four
kilos – this isn't a book ecotourists will want to take with them to
As the editors point out in their
preface, there has been an exponential growth of biological research in
Madagascar in recent decades, so that `the associated expansion of scientific
reports and publications on the fauna and flora of the island . . . is now
beyond the scope of a single researcher or research group to synthesize.' To
produce a synthesis in the present volume, consequently, they have enlisted no
fewer than 281 contributors from 15 countries (including an encouraging number
from
Chapters follow on climate, forest
ecology, human ecology, and marine and coastal ecosystems, and then on plants,
invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A lengthy
chapter on conservation concludes the book. Each chapter except that on climate
consists of a series of essays on different topics; thus every significant
vertebrate taxon, for example, has its own expert monograph. So many Madagascan
species are currently of major interest to zoos – not just lemurs, but
freshwater fishes, frogs, chameleons, day geckos, tortoises, numerous birds,
tenrecs, fossas, giant jumping rats. . . – that it is hardly possible to single
out particular topics to mention. Here, anyway, are up-to-date monographs on
all of them.
The closing 170-page chapter on
conservation includes reports on general policy and on particular reserves,
taxa and projects. The in and ex situ work of zoos is given good
coverage, with sections on, for example, the Madagascar Fauna Group, the work
of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, and the efforts to establish ex
situ breeding populations of endemic fish species (an extraordinarily
diverse assemblage, as yet largely intact but almost all under some degree of
threat). The Natural History of Madagascar is not a book many people
will read from cover to cover: but I am sure I and many others will come to
rely on it as an all-embracing, authoritative work of reference. It sets a new
standard which future natural histories of biodiversity hotspots will find hard
to match.
Nicholas Gould
* * *
CONSERVATION
Bongos return to Africa
On
At that time, bongos were found in
three separate forests in central
Meanwhile, fortunately, several
organizations in
Before their repatriation, the
animals were assembled at White Oak Conservation Center in Florida from the
participating institutions: African Safari Wildlife Park in Ohio, Busch Gardens
and Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida, Cape May County Zoo in New Jersey,
Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles, Sacramento, St Louis and Virginia Zoos,
Peace River Refuge and Rare Species Conservancy Foundation in Florida, and
White Oak itself. This group of bongos is the first of several that will be
making the trip to
Abridged and adapted from Zooscape
(Los Angeles Zoo) Vol. 27, No. 7 (February 2004), with additional material from
Marc Lacey in the New York Times (
Siamese crocodiles survive in
Cambodia
The Siamese or mountain crocodile (Crocodylus
siamensis), one of the world's most endangered animals, is a handsome
freshwater crocodile with a distinctive bony crest at the back of its head. It
is reputed to be rather timid and not a `man-eater'. Siamese crocodiles
originally inhabited all countries in south-east
The crocodile's decline began with
competition With rice farmers for wetlands, but the deathblow came in the
1950s, with the rise of organized crocodile farming and the international skin
trade. These crocodiles produce fine, soft leather and are easy to breed in
captivity. To speed up production, they were hybridized with salt-water
crocodiles (C. porosus – native to coastal areas) and Cuban crocodiles (C.
rhombifer). The thousands of `Siamese' crocodiles in captivity today
contain a bewildering array of mongrels which only genetic testing can
distinguish.
Today, two wild individuals are
confirmed in
The ecology of this species is still
poorly understood, but research on the wild colonies in
Decades of hunting have taught Siamese
crocodiles to be shy, but in some parts of the
The Cambodian government must be
praised for strengthening protection for the crocodiles, notably by gazetting the
new 400,000-ha
Jenny Daltry, Boyd Simpson and
Chheang Dany in Fauna and Flora No. 5 (October 2003)
An unusual translocation success
story
In the early 1990s the Brehm Fund
for International Bird Conservation sponsored studies by Dieter Rinke [now
scientific director of
Despite rumours in the late 1990s
that both transfers had been successful, no hard evidence was published.
Finally, in March 2003 ornithologist Dick Watling, based in nearby
René W.R.J. Dekker in Annual
Review of the World Pheasant Association 2002/2003
The greater stick-nest rat (Leporillus
conditor) was abundant at the time of the European settlement of
Stick-nest rats are native rodents
with the unique habit (amongst Australian rodents) of constructing large stick
and twig nests. They have compact fluffy-coated bodies with large rounded ears
and blunt noses. The rats seem to prefer building their nests around, underneath
or adjacent to some form of existing structure. Records exist of nests built in
caves, under sandstone overhangs, around trees, against fences. The
reproductive rate is low compared to Rattus rats, with a gestation
period of 42 days, one to four offspring in a litter (average two) and a period
of up to a month when the young are `attached' to the dam's teats. Endearingly,
for those of us lucky enough to work with this species, they are extremely
tolerant of handling and rarely, if ever, attempt to bite.
The Greater Stick-nest Rat Program
received original funding in 1983 from the World Wildlife Fund to cover two
major projects – a three-year population study of the
– Maintain the
– Establish an effective
captive-breeding population;
– Increase the number of wild
populations from one to at least three, with each population consisting of no
fewer than 500 mature individuals;
– Increase the total number of
mature individuals from about 1,000 to at least 5,000;
– Increase substantially the
geographic spread of these populations within the species' former known range.
Captive breeding for release was
identified as a key method for achieving these objectives. Breeding would be
performed by National Parks and Wildlife Service staff at the Monarto Fauna Complex,
which is located within
A total of 420 captive-bred rats
were released to six sites between 1990 and 1999. The release sites were
By 1999, the aims of the recovery
plan had been met. Enough suitable release sites were supporting sustainable
populations of 500 rats. At the same time it was noticed that the incidence of
cataracts had been increasing in the rat population managed at Monarto. It was
decided to use the remaining captive rats to investigate the reasons, and this
research was completed in 2003 with results pending.
The captive breeding and release
component of the recovery program has proven an enormous success, achieving all
goals set out for it, and firmly establishing the species' recovery process.
Now that this phase of the program is complete,
Abridged from Suzy Barlow in ARAZPA
Newsletter No. 60 (November 2003)
An ecological domino effect
The North Pacific's ecosystem
remains in flux half a century after Japanese and Russian whaling ships
conducted massive campaigns in its waters, a new study reveals. Slaughter of
great whales, including bowhead, sperm and humpback, caused irreversible damage
down the food chain that is currently affecting fragile kelp forests in
Puzzled by a 90 percent reduction of
kelp forests in some areas, scientists concluded that a population explosion of
kelp-grazing sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp.) was to blame. The sea
urchins were proliferating because one of their main predators, sea otters, had
become scarce in the 1990s. The scientists were able to trace the cause of the
otters' disappearance up the food chain, through a string of events that began
50 years ago with the commercial whaling campaigns.
The whaling ships took half a
million great whales, depriving orcas of their main prey. The orcas were forced
to turn to alternative prey sources, beginning with harbor and fur seals. It
takes a lot of seals to equal the calorific value of a single whale; consequently,
the orcas soon depleted seal stocks, and moved on to sea lions, with similar
results. When most of their larger prey populations were exhausted in the 1970s
and 1980s, orcas began to hunt the relatively diminutive sea otter, causing a
population crash for the otters that began in the 1990s and a subsequent sea
urchin boom. This domino effect reinforces the need for ecosystem-scale
conservation, rather than species-specific conservation.
Kit Sergeant in Zoogoer
(Friends of the National Zoo) Vol. 33, No. 1 (January/February 2004)
* * *
INTERNATIONAL ZOO NEWS
The adolescent male gorilla Makula,
the third son of our troop leader Bongo, was causing some trouble in his birth group,
indicating that he was ready to start a group of his own. He was eventually
given the companionship of his younger half-brother M'Tongé while he waits to
be transferred to another zoo. The two gorillas have been placed together on an
island of their own. The white-throated capuchins live on two islands connected
by a climbing frame. An electric fence now divides one of the islands into two
parts. Approximately one-eighth is for the monkeys and the rest has been made
gorilla-proof for Makula and M'Tongé. In this way, the capuchins can still use
their climbing frame, while the gorillas have a considerable part of the island
for themselves. The electric fence keeps the two groups from mingling. Once
each species had been given the chance to acclimatize in the absence of the
other, it should be possible for them all to be out at the same time without
problems.
Translated by Gina Kornblith from De
Harpij Vol. 22, No. 3 (2003)
Burgers' Zoo,
On
Translated by Gina Kornblith from De
Harpij Vol. 22, No. 3 (2003)
Seahorses have always captivated the
fish fancier. They come in all shapes and sizes – from the small pygmy
seahorse, the size of your thumbnail, to the giant seahorses that are over a
foot long, seahorses grab our attention with their unique life under the sea.
The seahorses' graceful, fluid movements, distinctive form and the curious fact
that the male carries the young drove Denver Zoo's interest in keeping these
creatures.
Keeping seahorses has long been the
bane of many aquarists' careers, as their natural diet was hard to replicate in
captivity. For many years, institutions and hobbyists alike tried to sustain
seahorses with brine shrimps (Artemia salina), but these were
nutritionally deficient. The seahorses would slowly lose weight, show signs of
stress, develop diseases and eventually perish. What the public may have
perceived as a thriving seahorse exhibit was, in reality, an exhibit in which
the seahorses were constantly replaced. Until recently, Denver Zoo was no
exception. The zoo had attempted, in good faith, to keep seahorses in the past,
but with little success. Adult seahorses arrived in good health, but over the
next few months would meet the same, sad fate.
In the 1990s, a few aquariums around
the world started perfecting seahorse husbandry. Food was one of the most
critical pieces of the puzzle that needed to be solved. Institutions on the
coasts started collecting small shrimps called mysids directly out of the ocean
to nourish these hard-to-keep creatures. These very small shrimps turned out to
be a great food for the seahorse. Adult seahorses increased their resistance to
disease, began surviving for years, and finally reproduced in captivity. The
newly discovered food source was a great find for institutions on the coasts,
but for those of us in landlocked aquariums, mysid shrimps were very costly.
Each little shrimp costs five cents on average, and each adult seahorse eats
hundreds per day. This might not seem like a lot of money for one seahorse, but
for 30 seahorses, food alone would cost $4,500 per month. Thus, the cost made
mysids prohibitive for Denver Zoo.
Luckily, one species of mysid shrimp
has now been commercially harvested and frozen for us to feed to our fish
guests. This breakthrough paved the way for inland aquarists to keep and even reproduce
the fascinating seahorse. Yet, in spite of this development, there was still
one more hurdle to overcome in raising young seahorses.
Here at
Unfortunately, we were not prepared
for this surprise. Despite our efforts to raise the fry, we were unsuccessful.
Even though we were able to provide an adequate diet for the fry from the
beginning (the fry eat brine shrimps), we had other obstacles. The fry were
getting air entrained in their bodies, which caused them to stay on the surface
and prevented them from swimming and feeding, and ultimately led to their death.
The solution was to keep the fry away from the water surface. Obviously, they
cannot get air stuck in their systems if they do not come into contact with
air. To address this issue and to prepare for the next batch of fry, we needed
a round tank without corners and with a constant, circular water flow that
keeps the seahorse fry from ever coming into contact with the surface. Very
fancy and expensive Kreisel tanks that utilize this design have been used in
other places for jellyfish exhibits, but an individual commercially purchased
tank can cost $10,000 or more. Here in
Kent M. Weissenfluh in The Zoo
Review (Fall 2003)
Thanks to some pioneering work by
vets and a specialist surgeon and the dedication of the keepers, a young giraffe
at the zoo has overcome a potentially life-threatening condition to make a full
recovery. Keepers first realised that something was wrong in late October when
they noticed that Sapphire, a female born in July 2002, was refusing to eat. So
they called in a team from the
Briefly, the vets and keepers
considered euthanasia, as the break was very severe, and it was possible that
Sapphire would be unable to eat and just waste away from malnutrition. However,
they decided instead to call on the expert services of Professor Dixon, a
veterinary surgeon also based at the Royal, who specialises in orthopaedic work
with horses. He decided to use a procedure which he has developed for horses, and
which we believe has never been used on a giraffe before.
Because of the great size and depth
of giraffes' teeth, they are excellent at anchoring surgical wires to help
treat jaw fractures without the use of any surgical plates and screws that
could damage the long teeth lying within the mandible. As Prof. Dixon explains:
`The fracture was repaired simply by wiring the incisor teeth (in the loose
part of the jaw) to the stable cheek teeth further back in the giraffe's mouth
on both sides, and tightening the two wires together in front, to compress the
fracture together. Because giraffes are herbivores, they cannot open their
mouths very far and so this teeth wiring was performed through small openings
made in the cheeks – taking care to avoid the facial nerves and salivary
ducts.'
Anaesthesia carries significant
risks for giraffes, so the first relief was when Sapphire recovered from this,
and was alert and lively within hours of the procedure. She was kept inside
overnight, and monitored by a closed-circuit TV that the keepers fixed up to
record her behaviour. The very next morning, she seemed to be interested in
food. At first, the keepers gave her only loose hay, to prevent any pressure on
the fracture site, but by the afternoon she was chomping on carrots and
bananas, her usual favourites.
Weeks passed, and then, in January
this year, the veterinary team came back to the zoo to remove the wires, again
under general anaesthetic. Thanks to their continued skill and ability, this
operation also went very smoothly, and Sapphire has made a complete recovery.
Abridged from an
John G. Shedd Aquarium,
The huge face hovering at eye level
is so riveting that you hardly notice the scar. But the hand-sized indentation
on the broad forehead of Bubba, the 140-pound Queensland grouper (Epinephelus
lanceolatus) in the Wild Reef shark habitat, is a mark of how far
veterinary medicine has come, and how far Shedd's dedicated animal-care staff
will go, when the patient is a fish and the diagnosis is cancer. Shedd
veterinarians believe that the use of chemotherapy to halt a connective tissue
tumor on Bubba's head is the first such application in treatment of a fish.
Bubba arrived at Shedd in 1987 as a
ten-inch [250-mm] female left at the receptionist's desk. Most likely his owner
realized that this fast-growing fish would become more than a home aquarium
could accommodate.
In August 2001, aquarists noticed
pimple-like pink growths on his forehead. Thinking that the fish had a
bacterial infection, Shedd's veterinarians treated him with antibiotics.
Initially, the bumps seemed to go away, but by the end of August he had a bunch
of nodules on his head. A biopsy in January 2002 revealed nothing, but a second
test six months later came back positive for a malignant tumor. `On 8 November
we did the first surgery and chemotherapy,' says Dr Natalie Mylniczenko,
Shedd's associate veterinarian. `I was able to get a good chunk of tissue out.
The wound was only about a centimeter deep, so it healed beautifully.'
Mylniczenko also injected a chemotherapy agent into the tissue surrounding the
excised area. `We watched him very closely. He did so well and healed so
quickly. Then we started seeing pink lumps and bumps around the edges of the
surgical wound.' The cancer had come back.
The veterinary team did a second
surgery in March 2003. `We went very deep and took very wide margins to get as much
tumor as possible,' Mylniczenko says. `That's why he has such a big hole in the
tissue now. We wanted to make sure the cancer cells were gone. Because it was
such a big hole, we put pig epithelium on it to enhance healing and tissue
growth.' She again injected a chemotherapy agent around the edges of the
surgical wound, using human plastic-surgery collagen to keep the treatment in
the tissue longer. `We also gave him aspirin for several days after the surgery
for pain.'
Though his treatment isn't experimental,
Mylniczenko notes, `The use of chemotherapy agents hasn't been reported in
fish. In zoo and aquarium medicine, everything we do has to be creative and
extrapolative of everything we've learned in veterinary medicine. This
treatment was not used in a grouper before, but certainly chemotherapy is used
in small animals. We're taking it to different levels with animals that live in
water – it gives us a whole different set of limitations.' For one thing, the
surgery had to take place in water. Divers steered the bulky fish into a
specially designed sling, then lifted him into a water-filled tub at the pool's
edge. A standard fish anesthetic added to the water kept Bubba still while the
sling held him in position, with his forehead out of the water, during the
one-hour surgery and chemotherapy treatment. Back in the reserve pool, divers
guided the fish around in the water until the anesthetic was out of his system.
Healing was also underwater.
`Obviously, we couldn't keep the wounds dry,' says the vet, `but fish have an
incredible immune system on their skin. The mucus contains immunoglobulins, or
antibodies.' In October, Bubba was given a clean bill of health and introduced
to the 400,000-gallon [1,500,000-liter] central habitat in the Wild Reef exhibit.
Like the marine mammals, Bubba has training sessions to accustom him to come
to, or `target' on, a specific shape – in his case a large blue plastic
triangle – at mealtimes. By having Bubba target, aquarists can make sure he
gets the food intended only for him as well as get close enough to check his
forehead as it heals.
`He's very comfortable around us
now,' says Wild Reef collection manager Mark Schick. He's also comfortable in
the company of the two dozen or so sharks with whom he shares the spacious
habitat. Before the grouper left the reserve pool, aquarists wanted to make
sure the sharks weren't curious about the healing wound on Bubba's head, so
they carefully introduced several sharks. `He was fine with them,' Schick says,
`and they were fine with him.' The story of Bubba's battle with cancer has
generated many wishes for the big fish's continued good recovery. After several
years off exhibit, he seems to find the parade of guests interesting. He is
usually front and center in the shark habitat, affording Wild Reef visitors a
chance to get eye-to-eye with one remarkable fish.
Abridged from Karen Furnweger in WaterShedd
Vol. 25, No. 1 (Winter 2004)
Occasionally fate contrives to
provide a zoo with an incredible list of births that any curator would wish
they could replicate annually, but they know this would be impossible. London
Zoo is having one of those years. At the time of writing the most recent birth
was that of a Malayan tapir, only the third in ZSL's history, the first being
in 1921. Other hoofstock births included bearded pigs (two litters), a female
okapi and three bongo calves. Hopefully the birth on 1 July of our second
female okapi in recent years, coinciding with a birth on the same day in
For two of the three female bearded
pigs this was their first successful rearing of litters, and the arrival of the
five youngsters has proved incredibly rewarding, with the whole group proving,
as pigs always do, to be favourites with the visitors.
Within a few weeks of each other the
giant anteaters and a species new to London Zoo, a tamandua, gave birth.
Although the baby was her first offspring, the mother proved to be absolutely
perfect with it.
Births in Geoffroy's marmoset,
common marmoset, Goeldi's monkey and golden-headed lion tamarin complemented
significant births of a red-bellied lemur, a
Abridged from Nick Lindsay, senior
curator, in LifeLines (Zoo Federation) No. 83 (December 2003)
Loro Parque,
We ringed 1,375 chicks in 2003, an
increase of 5% over the previous year. One hundred and seventy-one species and
subspecies of parrots were bred. Not every species reproduces on a yearly
basis: there are always species that have a break in breeding, or are
unsuccessful in breeding or in the incubation period. Nevertheless, aside from
the regular breeding parrots, 30 species and subspecies produced young for the
first time after a breeding pause.
Taxa bred here for the first time
were Salvin’s amazon (A. autumnalis salvini), orange-winged amazon (A.
amazonica), Tres Marias amazon (A. oratrix tresmariae),
Traditionally, the first parrots
regularly inaugurating the new breeding season, already in December, are the
keas. Our reliable pair have already laid four eggs and are incubating well.
But the highlight of January is the clutch of one of our palm cockatoo pairs,
newly formed last year from an adult male and a younger, only
five-and-a-half-year-old, female. Both of them have moved to a high wooden
nesting box and built a nest with all sorts of branches, and they are
incubating on a rotating basis the single egg of the clutch.
Another sensational announcement is
of an egg from the Riedel's eclectus parrot (E. roratus riedeli). These
birds exist in only two zoos in
Abridged from the report for January
2004 compiled by Matthias Reinschmidt, Curator, Loro Parque
National Zoo Conservation and
The Conservation and Research Center
(CRC) of the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, about 75 miles from
Washington, DC, is a unique facility, in that it houses collections of animals
– clouded leopards, Micronesian kingfishers, and hoofstock such as Mongolian
wild horses and Eld's deer – many of which are not easily housed in traditional
zoo situations. But beyond that, the CRC is both a field site for long-term
ecological monitoring studies and a home base for scientists from many
disciplines who work around the world to study and protect species and
ecosystems.
The land on which the CRC sits
(3,200 acres [1,300 ha] which originally comprised about 75 small farms at the
turn of the last century) was obtained by the U.S. Army during World War I to
serve as a Quarter Master Remount Depot, where horses and mules were housed, bred
and trained for use by the U.S. Cavalry. After World War II, the `cavalry' no
longer consisted of four-legged animals, but was instead armored cars and
tanks, and the old Remounts became obsolete. The land was obtained by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture in partnership with
In late October 2003, a number of
American Zoo and Aquarium Association staff were invited to visit the CRC.
After our tour of the grounds, we went to the veterinary hospital to meet with
the scientists and learn about some of their research projects and the work they
do in areas such as gamete biology, genome banking, endocrinology and
nutrition. Next was the bird house, where
After taking a break for lunch, we
divided into two groups to observe and take part in the CRC's long-term
white-tailed deer study. For almost a decade, scientists at the CRC have
studied how white-tailed deer affect the forest understory, and in turn, affect
other species. Many of the deer are radio-collared and tracked to provide
behavioral information on foraging, reproduction and dispersal. Part of our
group had to head back to DC and just got a brief overview of the deer study
using stationary triangular radiotelemetry sites. The rest of us were given the
chance to participate in the `walk-up' deer tracking, and the interns who work
on the study drove us out to the wooded project site and gave us a briefing on
both the telemetry equipment and the global positioning system (GPS), and how
they worked. Some people might not be too enthusiastic about spending a few
hours tramping through the woods on a cold day, trying to listen for the subtle
differences in the pinging sounds that the telemetry equipment made, while at
the same time trying to avoid tripping over logs or getting smacked in the face
with a tree branch. But on a normal weekday afternoon, AZA staff would be
sitting in a meeting or sending faxes, so this was a welcome and exhilarating
change! We headed into the woods, each taking turns using the equipment and
leading the group. After everyone had the chance to use the equipment, and just
as the day was winding down, we finally located one of our elusive quarry,
plugged in its position using the GPS unit, and called it a day, with everyone
feeling chilly but satisfied.
This trip wasn't just an opportunity
to get out of the office for a day, it was a chance to go and be a part of what
we spend our days working for. It allowed us to re-focus and become re-invigorated
about what we do and to meet our members face-to-face. We were fortunate enough
to see first-hand the different facets of the CRC, and the variety of ways –
education, captive breeding, field research, partnerships, capacity building
and more – in which they, and all AZA members, are contributing to conservation
of species and habitat. Now we can get back to those faxes, phone calls and
e-mails that help the membership do what it does best, but with a greater
understanding of why.
Abridged and adapted from Michael
Souza in Communiqué (American Zoo and Aquarium Association), January
2004
We currently house 2.4 Asian
elephants. The bulls are 41 and 20 years old and are managed in protected contact.
The cows range from eight to 48 and are managed in free contact. About 18
months ago, we started taking a closer look at our program and began expanding
and improving on many things. As at many facilities, our animals were
overweight and under-stimulated. One of the first steps was to work with the
veterinarian and nutritionist to evaluate the diets and develop a better plan
to monitor what each elephant is eating. Next, we focused on exercise (or the
lack of it). This was a big concern, so we started looking at all the different
options available. As a result, training has become a major focus for our
program and all of the elephants have benefited. Besides the tremendous mental
stimulation and better husbandry techniques that training provides, the
elephants are in better physical shape as well.
We have greatly expanded the bull
training programs and begun routinely walking them in the exhibit. For the
cows, a whole new world has been opened up. They are learning to push and pull
logs, brace, bow, paint and many other behaviors. A special donation has
allowed us to purchase two work harnesses to pull logs and other large items.
One elephant in particular has responded very well to the new training program.
Rose is a very intelligent nine-year-old with a lot of energy to burn. She
learns very quickly and has come a long way in the last year. Along with the
behaviors the other elephants have learned, she is learning a tub sit, a ground
sit, a routine for demonstrations, to pull in a harness and is now used for
behind-the-scenes tours. Also, we are currently walking two of the cows in the
zoo before operating hours. One of the cows, Shine, was born at this facility
20 years ago and had never been beyond the barn doors. She is now walking in
the zoo and the health and enrichment benefits are quite remarkable. By closely
monitoring her diet, increasing her training, and walking in the zoo, she has
lost nearly 1,000 pounds [450 kg] in the last two years. Another huge benefit
of being able to walk the elephants involves our youngest cow, Chendra. We
discovered that Chendra's left jaw was swollen and we were concerned that she
had an abscessed tooth. The vet staff took X-rays at the barn with a portable
machine, but this was not powerful enough to produce very clear pictures of her
tooth. So what do you do? You take the elephant to the bigger X-ray machine at
the vet hospital! Luckily, she was still small enough to fit through the
hospital doors, and after a few days of walking calmly into the X-ray room, we laid
her down and took X-rays. She was fabulous and the pictures were much clearer.
Thankfully, it appears that her tooth is normal.
Our oldest cow, Pet, is 48 years old
and pigeon-toed. Over the years, her feet have continued to turn inward
resulting in severe arthritis. We have confirmed arthritis in the joints of her
wrists and feet (interdigital joints and metacarpophalangeal joints) by X-ray,
and it is very likely that she also has arthritis in her hips and shoulders.
For a while, we feared the end was near. Now we go into the yard several times
a day to pick up her feet. She has a lot more flexibility now and appears to be
in a lot less pain. We do not plan on taking Pet on long walks through the zoo,
but our goal is to take her to a clearing and let her kick up her heels for a
while. The entire training process for walking the elephants has been a
valuable experience for the staff as well. In the near future we hope to have
all three cows walking through the zoo together.
We believe that educating the public
is an integral part of our job and by making it a memorable experience we can
make a difference. We have expanded our traditional keeper talks to include
demonstrations and discussions on training that involves the cows and the
bulls. We also bring overnight groups into the exhibit to scatter food for the
elephants and focus on talking with the guests as we go through our day. We are
also currently working on a logging routine that demonstrates the history and
culture between humans and Asian elephants.
We have a wonderful volunteer staff,
who do everything from cutting up fruit and cleaning to making enrichment
items, and any other project we may think of. One of the elephant handlers
developed a special group of volunteers that make up the Elephant Enrichment
Committee. They meet with the staff once a month to identify enrichment needs
and develop a plan to meet their goals. They are so efficient that other areas
of the zoo are trying to use members of the committee to help with their
enrichment projects. Some of the ideas include a speaker system throughout the
barn for audio enrichment, a hay feeder with enrichment items built in, and a
scratching post. One of the interesting projects we are working on is in
collaboration with a local university. Students from the Portland State
University Engineering Department are developing a machine that will encourage
the bulls to exercise when the handlers are not present. The device randomly
sets off an audible cue from stations around the yard. The elephant has to walk
to the stations to trigger the motion sensors. Once the sequence is complete a
different audible cue will sound and a separate machine will dispense a flake
of hay at the opposite end of the yard. Another project in the works is a
computer program that will generate a random enrichment schedule. It includes
the ability to add or subtract items to be included on the calendar. The goal
of this program is to reduce the amount of time necessary to schedule
enrichment, which is one of the many obstacles in having a successful
enrichment program.
Oregon Zoo is well known for its
amazing Asian elephant breeding history. Twenty-seven elephants have been born
at this facility, including the first second-generation captive birth [see IZN
51 (1), 40 – Ed.]. However, with the loss of our breeding bull, the
direction of our breeding program is undetermined at this time. We are
committed to breeding at our facility and we are currently discussing our
options. We will determine which option is best for the species and for our
facility. Even though we are not breeding, we have done introductions with one
of our bulls and the oldest cow to provide an opportunity for social
interaction.
Many facilities battle with foot
problems associated with captive elephants, and we are no exception. The wet
winters in the north-west present even more challenges when it comes to
maintaining healthy feet. Fortunately, we recently learned that we have
received a grant from the
Abridged from April Yoder in Journal
of the Elephant Managers Association Vol. 14, No. 3 (Winter 2003)
Orsa Grönklitt,
For the third year in a row a web
camera will be placed in one of the bear dens at Orsa Grönklitt, one of
We first offered the unique
opportunity to visit a bear den via the internet in January 2002. The camera
project, which was the first of its kind, received an enormous response from
all over the world. During the three months that the camera was placed in the
den, more than 400,000 visitors were recorded from over 80 different countries.
The female bear Saga and her three cubs were the bear park's largest attraction
during the summer season. The 2003 project also generated worldwide attention.
However, this time it was the female bear Ebba and her two cubs that were the
centre of attention.
The opportunity to provide information
globally is one of the major reasons why Orsa Grönklitt will once again start a
new camera project. However, the decision was also based on demands from
predator enthusiasts, all over the world, who would like to see a continuation
of the project. `The two previous projects demonstrate that there is great
interest in our predators and particularly in the brown bear,' says Torbjörn
Wallin, the park's managing director. `Therefore it feels extra satisfactory
that we are able to offer the opportunity to follow life in one of our bear
dens this year as well.'
The keepers have confirmed that
Freja has had her cubs and that there are at least three of them. However, as
they are currently no bigger than a squirrel and are lying close to their
mother embedded in her fur, it is quite possible that there is another one.
Further information about this will be available on the website. As the cubs
grow, the activity in the den will gradually increase.
The web project is a collaboration between
Orsa Grönklitt, the
Abridged from the park's press
release
Information about the newly found
sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) population in
Aquarium researchers are able to
attract sixgill sharks to a research station built at the end of the aquarium's
pier in 60 feet [18 m] of water. This program is a long-term investigative
effort with multiple partners to further the body of knowledge of this exciting
apex predator, attempting to answer natural history questions through visual
and acoustic tagging efforts, genetic analysis of tissue samples and
hypervariable microsatellite nuclear markers. The new exhibit featuring the Sixgill
Shark Research Station will give aquarium visitors an opportunity to view the
sharks that swim under the pier through both live and recorded video footage.
Interpreters will use this footage to explain the research program, demonstrate
the research process, introduce the importance of sixgill sharks to the
biodiversity of
Communiqué (American Zoo and Aquarium
Association), January 2004
The Storm's stork (Ciconia stormi)
is considered one of the rarest storks in the world. Estimates say there are
fewer than 400 remaining in the wild. These beautiful storks are found in
remote areas of
Four birds were received by the
Zoological Society of San Diego from Malaysia's Zoo Negara in 1995, all thought
to be two to three years of age. One pair was housed at the zoo and another
pair at the park. For the first few years, the birds showed little interest in
nest building. But then that changed with the pair housed off-exhibit at the
park's bird breeding complex.
The keeper staff first noticed that
the birds' facial colors were getting deeper, a sign that breeding could be
imminent. The pair then began courtship behaviors, facing each other on the
nest and extending their wings. The next step was courtship bowing, which was
repeated several times and accompanied by vocalizations that can be best
described as `wheezing'. These displays continued until some signal told the
male it was time to approach the female for mating. The Bird Department staff
were quite excited by the developments, hoping that eggs were on the way. To
put these events in perspective, Storm's storks had never been successfully
bred in captivity outside of
Fortunately, our hopes were
realized, and the female laid one egg every other day until she had a clutch of
four. In the wild, both parents participate in incubation. While one bird is
sitting on the eggs, the other spends most of its time perched on the edge of
the nest, perhaps serving as a sentinel. Because these birds are so rare,
however, and because we wanted to increase the chances of hatching success, we
removed the eggs from the parents either right after they were laid or after
they had been incubated for a short time, taking the eggs to our off-exhibit
facility to incubate them in safety. The oval, chalky-white eggs were placed in
an artificial incubator, and the development of the embryos was carefully
monitored.
Incubation took 29 days. On
hatching, the chicks were sent to the
As with many species, the most serious
threat to Storm's stork in the wild is logging and deforestation in their home
range. The exact status of the species in the wild is difficult to determine
and will require more extensive scrutiny in the future. We are currently
talking with officials at Zoo Negara about the possibility of a reintroduction
project for this rare stork. We will also exchange offspring to increase
genetic diversity, so we can make every effort to try to ensure that this
species will be around for many generations to come.
Abridged from Michael Mace in Zoonooz
Vol. 77, No. 1 (January 2004)
The 24 living species of softshell
turtles belong to one family, Trionychidae, and have a distribution through
Softshells also have an array of
physiological tricks that allow a longer stay underwater. They can pump water
in and out of their mouths and throats, where the rich vascular lining extracts
oxygen directly from the water. These turtles often lie in shallow water and
bury their entire bodies in sand or the mud bottom, so that only a small
portion of the head is visible. When they need to breathe, they stretch their
heads to the surface until just the nostrils touch, then quickly gulp a few
breaths while the body remains buried.
Narrow-headed softshell turtles (Chitra
indica) are one of the true giants among the softshells. They approach four
feet [1.2 m] in length and weigh nearly 250 pounds [110 kg] – about the size of
a card table and the weight of a mid-sized Galápagos tortoise. They feed on
fish, mollusks, and crustaceans. The species is widespread in southern
In the wild, narrow-headed
softshells live in some of the same rivers as gharials (Gavialis gangeticus).
So in planning the new Indian gharial exhibit at the zoo, we decided to include
softshells and display them with the crocodilians – a feat few zoos have tried.
Along the exhibit's main beach, there are two submerged sand pits made
especially to accommodate the turtles. They can often be seen buried in these
pits, with just the eyes and a vague outline of the shell visible. In this
position, the turtles periodically extend their elongated heads and necks to
the surface to take a quick breath, causing visitors to wonder what peculiar
creature shares the exhibit with the strange-looking `alligators'. I've even
heard visitors say, `Ooohh, look at that eel!'
The narrow-headed softshell turtles
are actually just the start of turtle-watching at the gharial exhibit – they
share the habitat with six other species of turtle. One of the most distinctive
is the painted terrapin (Callagur borneoensis). In the wild they are
found in tidal flats, large freshwater and brackish streams, and rivers
throughout the
In the horsetail and reed beds of
the exhibit, you may notice small turtles peering out of the vegetation. These
are
Spotted pond turtles (Geoclemys
hamiltonii) come from slow-moving waters of the
One of the easiest turtles to spot
in their wild habitat is the Chinese stripe-necked turtle (Ocadia sinensis),
usually found basking on logjams or along the shoreline. They are found in slow-moving
rivers, lakes, and ponds in
Other than the softshells, the
largest turtle on exhibit is the Malaysian giant terrapin (Orlitia
borneoensis), which will be almost 32 inches [0.8 m] when fully grown. This
species inhabits larger bodies of water in
The river terrapin (Batagur baska)
is a critically endangered species that also grows to a large size, almost two
feet [0.6 m]. Also on the 25 Most Endangered Turtle list, they were
historically widespread in
Abridged from Donal M. Boyer and
John Kinkaid in Zoonooz Vol. 76, No. 12 (December 2003)
Finless porpoises (Neophocaena
phocaenoides) are one of the many endangered species whose survival is threatened
as a result of bi-catch fatalities, coastal water development, pollution
created from human activities and diminished fish stocks. The species is found
only in shallow coastal waters ranging from the
In May 2001, a male finless porpoise
was rescued from a setnet, which had been left in shallow water and was light
enough to allow him to surface and breathe. At the time of rescue, the porpoise
was exhausted, suffering several deep cuts from the net and would have soon
drowned had he not been removed. He was brought to the recently opened museum,
and after several months of rehabilitation and treating infections of the
wounds, he finally began to swim, eat and behave normally enough for us to feel
confident that he had overcome the experience. He is now the rarest animal
maintained in our aquarium.
The
If they are to survive in their
natural habitat, finless porpoises throughout
Grant Abel in ARAZPA Newsletter
No. 60 (November 2003)
The zoo's new `Creatures of the
Night' show is designed to showcase the incredible adaptations of animals that
feed and hunt in the night. It features over 19 species of night animals from
around the world, including puma, binturong, small-toothed civet, barn owl,
eagle owl, great horned owl, reticulated python, small-clawed otter, leopard
cat, fishing cat, crab-eating raccoon, raccoon, serval, rat, striped hyena,
spotted hyena, flying fox, fruit bat, banded mongoose and timber wolf.
This varied cast of animals is the
largest number of species featured in any zoo show in the world. The state
of-the-art amphitheatre for the show seats 600 and the set depicts the ruins of
an ancient coliseum that has been partially devoured by the jungle. A
futuristic sound and lighting system enhances the unique sounds and sights of a
rainforest. To house the extensive animal cast of 80 mammals, raptors and
reptiles for the show, an extensive back-of-house facility was also
incorporated into the theatre. This includes large yards and holding areas,
landscaped with natural material to ensure the animals are comfortable and
happy when not working in the show. A large training yard, one of the biggest
available for a facility of this nature, allows trainers to develop new
behaviors and routines in an area that will best mirror actual stage
conditions.
Developing the animal action for the
show was the biggest challenge we faced. The ground rules for the trainers were
simple. Every behavior featured in the show had to highlight a unique
adaptation for hunting, food gathering or survival in the night jungle, and
everything had to happen within 30 minutes for the show. A crew of ten trainers
was assigned various animals and routines to work on. From casual play sessions
with the animals, and armed with special food rewards, the trainers spent hours
coaxing the various animal cast members to display a wide range of hunting and
food-gathering behaviors. Patience was the key, especially with the many small
predators we were working with. An important part of the work also involved hand-raising
different species, especially the large carnivores featured. This ensured that
there was a special bond with the trainers and that these young animals were
slowly acclimatized to get comfortable with the various different distractions
that would be part of a live production.
All the animals were trained on the
operant conditioning system, which basically meant that the animals were the
operators during training – they were in control and could decide if they
wanted to participate or not. The trainers had to be very creative and come up
with various ideas to encourage the animals to display the required action.
This also meant there were endless late-night meetings with the training and
production crew, as animals decided to go a different way, which meant that the
animal action plan had to be rewritten. In tandem, the script, lighting and
sound effects had to change as well. This left a lot of frustrated humans
scrambling to come up with last-minute creative changes to their areas. The
crew, especially the specialists not used to working with wild animals, quickly
learned that the animals were in charge.
To feature the many species in the
30 minutes available for the production, we had to have animals overlap each
other as they entered and left the performing area during the show. Timing
these entries and exits was crucial to ensure the flow of the show was
effective and quick. More crucial was that animals had to perform with minimal
or no cues from the human performers – this was to create the impression that
the animals just appeared from the jungle, displayed a behaviour and
disappeared back into the forest.
To develop an engaging, interactive
script for this new show, the services of scriptwriters from Action Theatre, a
professional theatre production company, were engaged. From a rough working
script developed in house, the team from Action Theatre set out to create the
words that would support the animal action. After numerous drafts and
brainstorming sessions with the production crew, the final script incorporated
three different endings and – unlike normal theatre productions – adequate
additional material for the presenters in the event that the animals decided to
`change gears' and do something different from the plan during a live show!
Abridged from a
On
Dr Bernhard Blaszkiewitz
Ueno Zoo,
In October 2001 the zoo received a
pair of aye-ayes from
The female came into oestrus for the
first time in January 2002. Copulation was observed in April and June, but no
pregnancy resulted. Her fourth oestrus occurred in July. No copulation was
observed, but pregnancy was confirmed at the end of September by changes in the
female's mammae. On
The female came into heat again in
January 2003, and copulation was observed. Her genital region around the time
of oestrus had now been photographed for a full year, so that it was possible
to determine pregnancy from these observations. Pregnancy was confirmed at the
beginning of March. In the evening of 8 July, she began carrying twigs into her
nest box. She did not leave the box on 9 July, but a faint voice could be
heard, and during the night there were sounds of suckling as well. On 10 July
10 the female came out of the box with the baby in her mouth. She kept trying
to take it into her hands, but kept dropping it. However, a thick layer of wood
chips had been spread on the floor and the baby was unharmed. By evening the
baby was weakening, so the keepers picked it up, fed it milk, and returned it
to the nest box.
After that, the mother gradually got
used to handling the baby. But after about two weeks the baby began to lose
weight, and the mother would walk around with it in her mouth as many as 30
times a day. It was surmised that she was not producing enough milk, and it was
noted that she was not eating her mealworms and honey very well. When she was
given mealworms without honey, her daily intake of five grams increased to 30
grams. Now she is given three species of insect larvae, of which she eats about
55 grams a day, and the baby is gaining weight steadily.
On 6 September the baby came out of
the nest of its own accord, and began tapping branches and gnawing on them.
After ten days it was climbing up and down, and at the end of September it was
even jumping.
On 24 October it showed interest in
the macadamia nuts its mother was eating. At the age of about four months it
was frequently seen eating fruit with its middle finger. The normal nursing
posture of the aye-aye has not been reported, but inside the nest box this
female would lie on her back and the baby would suckle at the teats near the
groin with its head between the legs of the mother.
English summary of article in
Japanese by Takahisa Hosoda, published in Animals and Zoos Vol. 56, No.
1 (January 2004)
Underwater World,
Over the last three years Underwater
World has had some amazing success with the breeding of a variety of
cartilaginous fish species. These include brown-banded bamboo sharks, blotched
fantail rays, shovelnose rays, wobbegong sharks and sandbar whaler sharks. We
were also the first aquarium in the world to successfully breed grey nurse
sharks on several occasions in the 1990s.
Currently Underwater World breeds
over 300 brown-banded bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium punctatum) each year,
with many being used for research and educational purposes. Some are
transferred to other aquariums and many are released. This species has always
done well in captivity and specimens never need to be obtained from the wild.
The blotched fantail ray (Taeniura
meyeni) grows to over 1.8 m in diameter and is a pleasant, tame and docile
species well-suited to captivity. There is very little published information
available about this species.
According to S.W. Michael's Reef
Sharks and Rays of the World (Sea Challengers, Monterey, 1993) this species
only has a longevity record in an aquarium of 81 days; however, Underwater
World has kept a pair of adults since 1989. For many years we had problems
rearing our juveniles due to an unknown monogenean trematode (fluke), but we
now have a better understanding of the life cycles and have implemented new
procedures to manage these parasites. Although we have successfully produced
pups on six separate occasions, it is only since 2000 that juveniles have
successfully been reared. Litter sizes average seven pups, and due to this
recent success we have sent juveniles successfully to Sydney Aquarium as well
as to Busan Aquarium in
We constantly breed wobbegongs (Orectolobus
ornatus) and shovelnose rays (Aptychotrema rostrata) in our main
tank and ray pool. These juveniles are removed and placed into safer smaller
exhibits and quarantine tanks for rearing before being put back into the main
tank. We attribute this success to the professionalism of the staff, the
excellent water quality and other environmental parameters that are being
maintained.
The beautiful and majestic sandbar
whaler shark (Carcharinus plumbeus) is listed by IUCN as lower risk
(near threatened) globally. In February 2003 both our females produced pups.
These were transponder-tagged and placed into our cave zone exhibit where they
would not be eaten by our large grey nurse shark. The pups are growing well and
thriving. Our female is again pregnant and possibly due to have pups again in
February 2004. This success is a testament to the dedication of the keepers who
maintain their environment. The research and success we have achieved in
reproducing this species in captivity will hopefully lead to its better
conservation.
The grey nurse shark (Carcharias
taurus) is now listed as vulnerable worldwide, and the local population on
the east coast of
Currently Underwater World, together
with Melbourne Aquarium, the resources company BHP Billiton and
Andreas Fischer in ARAZPA
Newsletter No. 61 (February 2004)
News in brief
Amsterdam Zoo's 50-year-old male
Asian elephant Murugan died peacefully on
Translated by Gina Kornblith from De
Harpij Vol. 22, No. 3 (2003)
* *
* * *
A giant anteater was born at
Montgomery Zoo,
Communiqué (American Zoo and Aquarium
Association), December 2003
* *
* * *
The koala breeding programme at
Translated by Gina Kornblith from De
Harpij Vol. 22, No. 3 (2003)
* * *
RECENT
ARTICLES
Abegg,
C.: Das Siberut-Schutzprojekt – ein Projekt zur Förderung des Primatenschutzes
in Indonesien und der sozioökonomischen Entwicklung von Nord-Siberut. (A project to promote primate
conservation in
Ahlmann,
V.: Arbeitsgruppe Buschmannhase – eine neue Initiative des südafrikanischen
Endangered Wildlife Trusts zum Schutz des Buschmannhasen. (A new conservation initiative for the riverine
rabbit in
Baker, W.K.: Can fatigue or stress
play a part in compromising safety in the workplace? Animal Keepers' Forum
Vol. 31, No. 2 (2004), pp. 58–59.
Baker, W.K.: Recommendations for
preventing human encroachment into a zoological facility. Animal Keepers'
Forum Vol. 30, No. 12 (2003), pp. 484–486.
Baker, W.K.: What types of reference
materials are available for crisis management? Animal Keepers' Forum
Vol. 31, No. 1 (2004), pp. 27–28.
Bauer, H., and Van Der Merwe, S.:
Inventory of free-ranging lions Panthera leo in
Bayrakci, R.: Starting an injection
training program with lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus). Animal
Keepers' Forum Vol. 30, No. 12 (2003), pp. 503–512. [
Bertok, K.: Ideas for kinkajou
enrichment. The Shape of Enrichment Vol. 12, No. 3 (2003), pp. 1–3. [Potos
flavus; Carnivore Preservation Trust,
Bralsford, G.: Breeding the
chestnut-backed thrush Zoothera dohertyi. Avicultural Magazine
Vol. 109, No. 4 (2003), pp. 150–153.
Congdon, S.: Breeding the bearded
barbet Lybius dubius at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Avicultural Magazine
Vol. 109, No. 4 (2003), pp. 154–162.
Davies, H.T., and du Toit, J.:
Anthropogenic factors affecting wild dog Lycaon pictus reintroductions: a
case study in
Dowell,
S., and Bo, D.: Durchbruch in Sachen Naturschutz in Sichuan. (Breakthrough for conservation in
Encke,
W.: Von der Bienenfresser- zur Eisvogelbrutwand: Erfahrungen aus dem Zoo in die
freie Natur übertragen. (From
a bee-eater breeding-wall to one for kingfishers: transfer of zoo experience to
the wild.) Der Zoologische Garten Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp. 402–408.
[German, with English summary. The author describes the construction of a
breeding-wall for kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) at the riverside of an old
branch of the
Engelmann,
W.-E., and Horn, H.-G.: Erstmalige Nachzucht von Karl-Schmidt's Waran, Varanus
jobiensis, im Zoo Leipzig. (First
breeding of peach-throated monitor at Leipzig Zoo.) Der Zoologische Garten
Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp. 353–358. [German, with very brief English summary.
One 27.2-cm lizard hatched on
Fa, J.E., Burn, R.W., Stanley Price,
M.R., and Underwood, F.M.: Identifying important endemic areas using
ecoregions: birds and mammals in the Indo-Pacific. Oryx Vol. 38, No. 1
(2004), pp. 91–101. [Concentrations of large numbers of endemic species have
been singled out in prioritization exercises as significant areas for global
biodiversity conservation. This paper describes bird and mammal endemicity in
Indo-Pacific ecoregions. An ecoregion is a relatively large unit of land or
water that contains a distinct assemblage of natural communities. The authors
prioritize 133 ecoregions according to their levels of endemicity, and explain
how variables such as biome type, whether the ecoregion is on an island or
continental mass, montane or non-montane, correlate with the proportion of the
total species assemblage that are endemic. Following an exploratory principal
components analysis, they classify all ecoregions according to the relationship
between numbers of endemics and overall species richness. Endemicity is
negatively correlated with species richness. They show that plotting the logit
transformation of the endemicity of birds and mammals against log of species
richness is a more effective and useful way of identifying important ecoregions
than simply ordering ecoregions by the proportion of endemic species, or any other
single measure. The plot, divided into 16 regions corresponding to the
quartiles of the two variables, was used to identify ecoregions of high
conservation value. These are the ecoregions with the highest endemicity and
lowest species richness. Further analysis shows that island and montane
ecoregions, regardless of their biome type, are by far the most important for
endemic species.]
Furmanski, W.: Studying scent
enrichment for sika deer and Indian muntjacs. The Shape of Enrichment
Vol. 12, No. 3 (2003), pp. 4–7. [Cervus nippon and Muntiacus muntjak;
Oakland Zoo,
Gottschalk,
C., Thielebein, J., and Spretke, T.: Anmerkungen zum Flohbefall bei einem
Korsak, Vulpes corsac (Linnaeus, 1768) im Zoologischen Garten Halle. (Notes on a flea infestation in a
corsac fox at Halle Zoo.) Der Zoologische Garten Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003),
pp. 416–421. [German, with very brief English summary. The wild-caught animal
was infested with Pulex irritans; microscopic measurements suggest
possible differences between these and `normal' human fleas.]
Guerrero, D.: Integration of Zalophus
californianus and Phoca vitulina. Animal Keepers' Forum Vol.
30, No. 12 (2003), pp. 487–488.
Guerrero, D.: Wolf training. Animal
Keepers' Forum Vol. 31, No. 1 (2004), pp. 23–24.
Hegetschweiler,
K.T., Jermann, T., and Baur, B.: Einfluss der pflanzlichen Strukturvielfalt im
Terrarium auf die Aktivität und das Verhalten junger Jemenchamäleons (Chamaeleo
calyptratus). (Influence
of different terrarium plant structures on activity and behaviour of young
veiled chameleons.) Der Zoologische Garten Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp.
359–367. [German, with English summary; Basel Zoo. The plant structure of the
terraria of six individually housed young chameleons was alternately changed to
form a moderately structured or a highly structured habitat. A moderately
structured terrarium contained two to three branches of Prunus spinosa.
To obtain a highly structured terrarium, four 40-cm-high Dracaena plants
were added. The chameleons showed higher locomotory activity in moderately
structured terraria than in highly structured terraria. In moderately
structured terraria they also showed more stress signals such as scratching on
the walls. These effects were more pronounced as the chameleons grew older (six
months). This finding indicates that young veiled chameleons require abundant
cover and hiding places and that these needs increase with age.]
Hennessey,
A.B.: Schutzprojekt für den Rotohrara in Bolivien. (A conservation project for the red-fronted
macaw in
Hu, G., Dong, X., Wei, Y., Zhu, Y.,
and Duan, X.: Evidence for a decline of François' langur Trachypithecus
francoisi in Fusui Nature Reserve, south-west
Hübner,
S.M., Prinzinger, R., and Wink, M.: Neue Erkenntnisse zur Taxonomie der
Hornvögel (Aves: Bucerotiformes) und ihre Bedeutung für die Zucht in
Menschenobhut. (New findings
on hornbill taxonomy and their significance for captive breeding.) Der
Zoologische Garten Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp. 396–401. [German, with
English summary. Within the scope of developing a molecular phylogeny of
hornbills, some results with relevance to captive breeding have arisen. Partly
they are of purely formal importance – that Tockus apparently consists
of two genera, that Ceratogymna and Bycanistes should be united
into only one genus Ceratogymna, that there are obviously two genera
behind Tockus and that Aceros comatus should be relocated into Berenicornis.
But other results are of immediate interest for captive breeding: Tockus d.
deckeni, T. d. jacksoni, Anthracoceros a. albirostris and A.
a. convexus are corroborated as subspecies. In the case of Bucorvus
leadbeateri the results imply the existence of genetically distinctive
populations. Tockus n. nasutus, T. n. epirhinus and some
subspecies of T. erythrorhynchus differ to such an extent that they
should be treated as full species. Further, the existence of more than one Penelopides
species is confirmed; there are also Penelopides-hybrids in European
zoos.]
Hyatt, C.W., Metzler, T., French, B.,
and Fahrenbruck, D.: Mirrors as enrichment for Asian elephants (Elephas
maximus). Journal of the Elephant Managers Association Vol. 14, No.
3 (2003), pp. 12–16. [Mirrors were placed in the activity yards of 15 Asian
elephants and responses noted. Although no explicit behaviors indicating
self-recognition were observed, there were no aggressive acts demonstrated.
Significant effects were found showing increased activity levels when examining
time spent looking at the mirror and frequencies of reaching for the mirror
when compared to baseline. The active interest toward the mirrors displayed by
several of the animals supports the use of supervised mirror interaction as
novel behavioral enrichment for elephants.]
Jacobs, B., Yantz, A., and Lacasse,
C.: Recovery from spinal trauma in a juvenile Allen's swamp monkey (Allenopithecus
nigroviridis). Animal Keepers' Forum Vol. 31, No. 2 (2004), pp.
69–71. [
Jones, M.L.: A history of the genus Picathartes
in captivity, 1948–2002. (Continued from Vol. 109, No. 3.) Avicultural
Magazine Vol. 109, No. 4 (2003), pp. 167–173.
Kobold, S.: Die Primaten von
Mentawai und das Siberut Conservation Project. (The primates of Mentawai and
the S.C.P.) ZGAP Mitteilungen Vol. 19, No. 2 (2003), pp. 7–9. [German,
no English summary. See above, s.v. Abegg.]
Lantermann,
W.: Beiträge zur Embryogenese des Mohrenkopfpapageien (Poicephalus senegalus
L., 1766): Erstes Dunenkleid, Zehenstellung und Schnabelform beim Schlupf. (Notes on the embryology of the
Lernould,
J.-M.: Das internationale Erhaltungszuchtprogramm für den Gelbbrustkapuziner:
eine Zusammenfassung. (A
summary of the international breeding programme for the yellow-breasted
capuchin monkey.) ZGAP Mitteilungen Vol. 19, No. 2 (2003), pp. 26–27.
[German, with English summary. The yellow-breasted capuchin is a subspecies (xanthosternos)
of Cebus apella, nowadays being often considered to be a distinct
species. Its original range included a very large area of tropical rain forest
along the coast of
Lozano-Ortega,
Lusli,
S., and Wood, P.: Das Orangehaubenkakadu-Projekt auf der Insel Sumba. (The
Lutzmann,
N.: Erhaltungsprojekt für Chamaeleo africanus: erste Daten aus Ägypten
und Neues aus Griechenland. (A
conservation project for the African chameleon: first data from
Mickelson, L.: Raising captive
whooping cranes for the recovery program: an analysis of egg management and
chick rearing at the Devonian Wildlife Conservation Centre. Animal Keepers'
Forum Vol. 31, No. 2 (2004), pp. 76–79. [Grus
Miller, A.: Malayan tapir enrichment
at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Animal Keepers' Forum Vol. 31, No. 2
(2004), pp. 63–68.
Nijman,
V., and Smeets, M.: Zum Status des Bawean-Pustelschweins und des
Bawean-Hirsches. (Status of
the Bawean warty pig and Bawean deer.) ZGAP Mitteilungen Vol. 19, No. 2
(2003), p. 25. [German, with English summary. A brief field study on the status
of the Bawean warty pig (Sus verrucosus blouchi) and the Bawean deer (Axis
kuhli) took place in 2002 on the small
Nyhus, P.J., and Tilson, R.:
Characterizing human–tiger conflict in
Owen, N.: Breeding the grey treepie Dendrocitta
formosae. Avicultural
Magazine Vol. 109, No. 4
(2003), pp. 145–149.
Pagel,
T.: Biologie, Haltung und Zucht von Spinten am Beispiel des Weissstirnspintes (Merops
bullockoides) im Zoo Köln. (Biology,
husbandry and breeding of bee-eaters, with special reference to white-fronted
bee-eaters at Cologne Zoo.) Der Zoologische Garten Vol. 73, No. 6
(2003), pp. 374–395. [German, with very brief English summary. Cologne Zoo has
kept white-fronted bee-eaters for the last 11 years. The article describes
their diet and the construction of an artificial riverbank.]
Port,
M., and Rothe, H.: Eine nichtinvasive Methode der Gewichtserfassung an einer
Gruppe semifreilebender Weissbüschelaffen (Callithrix jacchus). (A non-invasive method of taking
weights in a semi-free-living group of common marmosets.) Der Zoologische
Garten Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp. 422–425. [German, no English summary.]
Pratte, J.: Sleeping cats: it's what
they do. . . The Shape of Enrichment Vol. 12, No. 4 (2003), pp. 6–7.
[Sleeping platforms for big cats.]
Prouse, E.: Breeding the blue-crowned
motmot at Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden. Avicultural Magazine Vol. 109, No. 4 (2003), pp. 163–166. [Momotus
momota.]
Quinlan, C.: An intern's enrichment. Animal Keepers' Forum Vol. 30, No. 12 (2003), pp.
498–499. [Houston Zoo,
Raboy, B.E., Christman, M.C., and
Dietz, J.M.: The use of degraded and shade cocoa forests by Endangered
golden-headed lion tamarins Leontopithecus chrysomelas. Oryx Vol.
38, No. 1 (2004), pp. 75–83. [Determining habitat requirements for threatened
primates is critical to implementing conservation strategies, and plans
incorporating metapopulation structure require understanding the potential of
available habitats to serve as corridors. The authors examined how three groups
of golden-headed lion tamarins in Southern Bahia, Brazil, used mature, swamp,
secondary and shade cocoa (cabruca) forests. Unlike callitrichids that
show affinities for degraded forest, Leontopithecus species are presumed
to depend on primary or mature forests for sleeping sites in tree holes and
epiphytic bromeliads for animal prey. In this study the authors quantified
resource availability within each habitat, compared the proportion of time
spent in each habitat to that based on availability, investigated preferences
for sleeping site selection, and determined how golden-headed lion tamarins
allocated time to foraging behaviour in different habitats. Each group
preferred to range in certain habitats during the day, yet patterns were not
consistent across groups. In contrast, all groups preferred to sleep in mature
or cabruca forest. The tamarins spent a greater proportion of time foraging and
eating fruits, flowers and nectar in cabruca than in mature or secondary
forests. Although the extent to which secondary and cabruca forests can completely
sustain breeding groups is unresolved, we conclude that both habitats would
make suitable corridors for the movement of tamarins between forest fragments,
and that the large trees remaining in cabruca are important sources of food and
sleeping sites. It is suggested that management plans for this species should
focus on protecting areas that include access to tall forest, either mature or
cabruca, for the long-term conservation of the species.]
Reichenbach,
H.: Marvin L. Jones 75 Jahre. (Marvin
Jones – a 75th birthday tribute.) Der Zoologische Garten Vol. 73,
No. 6 (2003), pp. 426–429. [German, no English summary.]
Restall, R.: Breeding the
black-faced grassquit Tiaris bicolor omissa, with some notes on
behaviour. Avicultural Magazine Vol. 109, No. 4 (2003), pp. 174–179.
Savastano, G., Barone, A., Hessel,
D., Jones, V., and Vibal, D.:
Schmidt,
V., and Schaefer, H.M.: Erste Erfolge im Schutz des Orces-Sittichs in Ecuador. (First success for conservation of
the El Oro conure in
Schneider,
H., and Reul-Schneider, M.: Einige Erfahrungen zur Haltung und Zucht des
Chinesischen Gelbkehlhäherlings. (Notes on the husbandry and breeding of the yellow-throated laughing
thrush.) ZGAP Mitteilungen Vol. 19, No. 2 (2003), pp. 28–29. [German,
with English summary. The European Studbook for the Chinese subspecies of the
yellow-throated laughing thrush (Garrulax galbanus courtoisi), kept by
Laura Gardner,
Schwammer, H.M., and
Stoeger-Horwath, A.S.: The history of the African elephant in
Serra, G., Abdallah, M., Assaed, A.,
Abdallah, A., Al Qaim, G., Fayad, T., and Williamson, D.: Discovery of a relict
breeding colony of northern bald ibis Geronticus eremita in
Steele, T., and Steele, R.:
Motivating travel by alternating feeding locations. The Shape of Enrichment
Vol. 12, No. 4 (2003), p. 5. [Canis lupus; Menominee Park Zoo,
Stenke,
R.: Projekt Goldkopflangur auf Cat Ba Island, Nordvietnam. (Golden-headed langur project in Cat Ba.) ZGAP
Mitteilungen Vol. 19, No. 2 (2003), pp. 3–5. [German, with English summary.
For the first time in decades the world population of the critically endangered
golden-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus) has increased. A
total of nine births (seven in 2003) but only three animal losses have been
recorded since October 2000, when the Zoological Society for the Conservation
of Species and Populations, in partnership with Münster Zoo, initiated the
Langur Conservation Project on Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. Increasing conservation
awareness among the local indigenous people and improving habitat and wildlife
protection constituted the main objectives of the conservation project during
the past two and a half years. Poaching was brought under control through
ranger work, a strictly protected langur sanctuary in Cat Ba National Park was
established, and active involvement of local people in protection work is
taking place. Resulting from a major governmental development plan for Cat Ba
Island, however, habitat destruction and fragmentation have increased, and so
has the pressure on Cat Ba National Park, which is currently in danger of
losing up to 30% of its area. The langur project is working to alleviate
threats to the park by contributing to mapping the future park boundaries and
by assisting to apply for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve nomination for the Cat Ba
Archipelago. With about 60 individuals, scattered over several isolated
sub-populations, the langur population is still extremely small and fragile,
and with new threats such as proposed military roads, the species will still
need all the help it can possibly get. Even translocation of langurs seems to
be unavoidable.]
Streicher, U.: Saisonale Veränderungen
in Fellfärbung und Fellzeichnung beim Zwergplumplori (Nycticebus pygmaeus)
und ihre taxonomische Bedeutung. (Seasonal changes in fur colour and pattern in
pygmy loris and their taxonomic significance.) Der Zoologische Garten
Vol. 73, No. 6 (2003), pp. 368–373. [German, with English summary. Fur
coloration and pattern of the pygmy loris are frequently used to distinguish it
from another species, the intermediate loris (N. intermedius). This
study aimed to clarify the taxonomic questions concerning these species, to aid
identification of individuals at the
Theuerkauf,
J., and Rouys, S.: Ökologie, Gefährdung und Schutz des Hornsittichs und des
Ziegensittichs in Neukaledonien. (Status and conservation of horned parakeet and red-crowned parakeet in
Tilson, R., Hu, D., Muntifering, J.,
and Nyhus, P.J.: Dramatic decline of wild
Williams, J.L., and Friend, T.H.:
Behavior of circus elephants during transport. Journal of the Elephant
Managers Association Vol. 14, No. 3 (2003), pp. 8–11. [Circuses, zoos,
sanctuaries, and private owners transport elephants for trips lasting from a
few hours to several days. This study used time-lapse video to record the
activities of elephants hauled in semi-trailers and in rail cars. Bouts of
lying down, weaving, and standing were recorded. Video observations of
elephants in semi-trailers lasted from
Wünschmann,
A.: Gefährdung und Schutz des Hainangibbons. (Status, threats and conservation of the
Publishers of the periodicals
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Welfare, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8AN,
Avicultural Magazine, Membership Secretary, Stewart
Pyper, 21 Primrose Hill, Nunney, Frome,
Journal of the Elephant Managers
Association,
Oryx,
The Shape of Enrichment,
ZGAP
Mitteilungen, Zoologische Gesellschaft für Arten- und Populationsschutz
e.V. (Zoological Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations),
Franz-Senn-Strasse 14, D-81377 München, Germany.
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Zoologische Garten, Urban & Fischer Verlag GmbH, P.O. Box 100537,
D-07705 Jena, Germany.