TheRATEL Journal of the Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers

Volume 36. No. 4 December 2009

sponsored by Twycross Zoo www.abwak.org www.twycrosszoo.com cover photo: rhino training at Colchester Zoo The Association of British & Irish Wild Animal Keepers (ABWAK) ABWAK is a non-profit making organisation catering for those interested in and involved with the keeping of wild animals. The aim of the association is: “To achieve and advance the highest standards of excellence in wild animal care” We believe that: • We are the voice of animal keepers in Britain & Ireland for whom excellent animal welfare is the highest priority • We can have a significant impact in welfare issues by bringing keepers and stakeholders together and by being a strong representative & consultative body • We can make a significant contribution to the training & development of animal keepers thus raising standards and increasing the recognition of wild animal collections • By developing the skills & expertise of our members we can make a unique contribution to conservation Membership rates (2009) Professional or Associate £25 Joint Professional £45 Overseas £45 Subscription to RATEL only £25 Overseas Subscription to RATEL only £35 Subscription is for ONE copy of each issue of RATEL and does not give membership privileges or rights President: Stewart Muir www.abwak.org Vice Presidents: Jonathan Barzdo; Rick Green; Dr Miranda Stevenson ABWAK COUNCIL (2009) Acting Chair: Ross Snipp, Flamingo Land Honorary Treasurer: Richard Barnett, NEZS Chester Zoo Vice Chair & Editor: Stephen Woollard, RZSS Edinburgh Zoo Acting Honorary Secretary: Marilyn Beech, Myerscough College Symposium Secretary: Laura Gardner, Leeds Castle Aviary Membership Secretary.: Alaina Macri, RZSS Edinburgh Zoo Other Members of ABWAK Council: Lynsey Jones, NEZS Chester Zoo Paul Howse, NEZS Chester Zoo Richard Champion, Reaseheath College Lesley Harmer Brendan Walsh, Dublin Zoo Mairee Vincent, Leeds Castle Aviary Chris Mitchell, South Sta ordshire College, Rodbaston Campus John Ray. Tropical Wings Lindsay Lederer, Capel Manor College Julian Chapman, Painton Zoo

To contact the ABWAK Council: Membership: contact Alaina Macri, Membership Secretary [email protected] Back Issues & merchandise: contact Mairee Vincent [email protected] Articles and advertising: contact Stephen Woollard [email protected]

RATEL is published four times a year: March, June, September, December. (Deadlines for submission 23rd Jan; 23rd April; 23rd July; 23rd Oct). We will try to publish your material as soon after receiving it as possible. All material should be sent to: Stephen P. Woollard, Editor RATEL, c/o RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, 134 Corstorphine Road, EDINBURGH, EH12 6TS Email: [email protected] Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or ABWAK.

Advertising Full, half and quarter page advertising space is available (colour or black and white) – contact the Editor for rates. © Copyright 2009 Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers ISSN 0305 – 1218 Contents Vol.36. No.4 Dec. 2009

From the editor 2 3rd International Congress of Zookeeping, Seattle 3 Danielle Smith

Training Successes with Southern White Rhinoceros 5 at Colchester Zoo Jennie Cook

It’s a Natural Vision L. Jones 8 Cover Photograph rhino training The Use of Fruit and Other Foods as Enrichment for 11 at Colchester Zoo Rainbow Lorikeets and Blue Faced Honey Eaters in Rainbow Landings at Edinburgh Zoo Gordon Peerless see page 5

The Effect of Environmental Enrichment on the 16 Behaviour and Welfare of Zoo Bred Waldrapp Ibis (Geronticus eremita) at Dublin Zoo Yvonne C McCann

A Two Week Investigative Study into the Effects of 21 Fibre Length on Feeding and Rumination in Giraffes (Giraffa cameloprdalis) Susan O’Brien

The BIAZA Flamingo Focus Group: Addressing 25 the Sustainability of Flamingos in British and Irish Collections Steve Nasir, Rebecca Lee & Nigel Jarrett

ABWAK Symposium 2010 28 Environmental Enrichment Conference 2010 Nutrition Training Seminar 2010

Special announcement - Ratel maRcH 2010 tHe next iSSue of Ratel will focuS upon 2010-inteRnational YeaR of BiodiveRSitY Articles in the next issue of RATEL - deadline for submission 23rd January - will focus upon IYB 2010. We will be featuring special guest articles, including an introduction to biodiversity from Sir David Attenborough, a contribution by Dr Lee Durrell, and an overview of what IYB is about from Dr Bob Bloomfield, Natural History Museum, convenor IYB2010-UK. Other articles will highlight the importance of biodiversity. Articles are also welcome that introduce aspects of the behaviour, conservation, welfare, enrichment, or housing of the major taxa (e.g. mammals, invertebrates, fish) and illustrate the relevance of biodiversity to zoos and the role of the zoo keeper. Please email articles, and illustrations to the editor as soon as possible: [email protected]

Articles may be returned to the author for modification /revision if this is felt necessary and we reserve the right to edit articles as appropriate or not to publish. Feature articles are usually 4-8 sides of A4 (including illustrations); however, shorter articles are also welcomed together with news items and updates. Articles and photographs for the cover may be submitted at any time of year. N.B. All articles must be your own work and all photographs/illustrations properly credited. You must also tell us if your article has been published elsewhere. If published the article is copyright of ABWAK and the author and should not be reproduced without permission. 1 From the editor ABWAK the Professional Association for Zookeepers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) may ABWAK Council held a two day strategy meeting seem like “management speak” but is now recognised at South Staffordshire College Rodbaston in as being of great importance for employees in many September. The Association is in good health, walks of life. however we need to grow our membership so that we can provide even more for keeper training and In recent years there have been advances in the advance keeper professionalism. recognition and the training of zookeepers, and ABWAK is proud to be associated with these developments, We have decided that we will now accept and will continue to promote the important role keepers membership applications at any time of year, play not just in animal care but also in aspects such with membership running for 12 months from as conservation management programmes, education joining date. Members get: RATEL four times and research. a year; discounts on Symposium, workshops and the ANCMZA course; membership of ICZ, ABWAK was delighted to team up with Reaseheath as well as being members of the professional College (thanks particularly to Richard Champion) to zookeepers association which is recognised by run a keeper training workshop there in October, and BIAZA and through ICZ, recognised by WAZA. we intend to repeat this in other parts of the country Please encourage your colleagues to join - and and develop more workshops in future. why not give ABWAK membership as a Christmas Opportunities for keepers to come together, exchange present. ideas and learn new skills are very important and useful. Changes on Council: We are delighted to co-opt ABWAK was delighted to be part of the International Julian Chapman from Paignton Zoo, and John Ray Congress of Zookeepers held in Seattle in September now at Tropical Wings onto Council. Their election (see next page) and we were directly involved in the as Council members will take place at the AGM in selection of the speakers for this important congress. March. As I write this we are in the process of confirming At our Council meeting in September, I accepted the speakers for our own Symposium at Flamingo the additional role of Vice Chair and will continue Land in March next year. We have a great venue with as Editor. We are also delighted that Ross Snipp accommodation on site and can cater for even more has accepted our nomination as Chair, and under delegates than usual so we hope to see over 100 of the terms of our Constitution will stand for formal you there. The last Symposium in Dublin was very election to the Chair position at the AGM. successful, and I am delighted to feature two articles in this issue from Dublin Zoo; enrichment for waldrapp We are looking forward to the challenges ahead ibis (page 16) and giraffe rumination (page 21). and representing our members and striving towards achieving our mission. Thank you to our sponsors We would like to express our thanks to Twycross Zoo for their sponsorship for RATEL over the past 3 years. This support has enabled us to develop the journal into its full-colour format and to do this without extra cost to the membership. We are delighted to announce that MAZURI Zoo Foods have agreed to sponsor RATEL from next year. Stephen P. Woollard, Editor

SYMPOSIUM 2010 BIODIVERSITY & THE MODERN ZOO 6th-7th March 2010 Flamingo Land Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire Formal Notice is given that the AGM of ABWAK will www.abwak.org take place at the Symposium. Members will be asked to vote on matters of council membership 2 and constitution 3rd International Congress of Zookeepers, Seattle, USA Danielle Smith, Hoofstock Keeper, Flamingo Land

ABWAK at ICZ: Danielle Smith, Brendan Walsh, Paul Howse, Richard Barnett, Lynsey Jones On 24th September the 3rd International Congress of Zookeepers was held in Seattle. The main venue was the Red Lion Hotel on 5th Avenue, a great location in a great city. A few months before, ABWAK were offering the opportunity of support to attend the conference. I applied for the grant and within a few days, received the exciting news that my application had been accepted, alongside Lynsey Jones, who works at Chester Zoo. I arrived in Seattle at 2am (UK time!) but it was only 6pm local time and I was starting to feel the beginning effects of jetlag, but there was so much to do in so little time, my first night in Seattle ended at a very respectable 9pm (5am GMT). The next day was crammed with sightseeing and shopping, the views from the futuristic Space Needle were awesome and the shops were to die for! We also visited the famous Pike Place market which was vibrant with displays of food, arts and crafts on offer. The fun had to stop there, it was back to business and first on the agenda was the ice breaker event, at the Seattle Aquarium, (Just because its business doesn’t mean we go thirsty!!) where we got to meet some of the 390+ delegates representing 24 different nations. We also got to see some of the residents of the aquarium, including sea otters, fur seals, octopus and obviously, various species of fish. We then settled into 4 days of papers and presentations, all 72 of them! There was a great mixture of talks, quite a few of these were aimed at promoting in-situ conservation projects, from the great apes in Uganda, magpie robins in the Seychelles, Javan rhinos in Indonesia and Hochstetter’s frogs in New Zealand, to name a few. Other talks were intended to inspire and motivate fundraising ideas. Spotlight on Species caught my attention. The keepers from Houston Zoo, Texas decided to ‘spotlight’ their attention on one species of their choice to raise funds and awareness in a weekend of activities, the wild counterparts of their Coquerel’s sifaka benefited from one of these events as the money raised went to the MFG (Madagascan Fauna Group). Their 2nd event supported patas monkeys and the money was donated to Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. In their presentation they pointed out: “As zoo keepers we support conservation efforts everyday. ... we talk to zoo visitors about conservation ... We are so passionate about our profession and the animals we care for that we want to make an even bigger difference.” On their first fundraising event they raised $1800. (approx. £1000). The lesson learned from this is that small efforts can make a huge difference. The AAZK Bowling for 3 Rhinos presentation was testimony to this, raising over $3 million for various conservation projects. There were also lots of presentations about husbandry, training and enrichment. Another which caught my attention was Jason Pootoolal‘s paper about ‘Giraffe Management and Reproductive Research’. The keepers at African Lion Safari and Game Farm LTD, Canada, have conditioned their large herd of Rothschild giraffe to not only enter an adapted giraffe tamer/chute, but also accept having their hooves trimmed, legs desensitised to being roped and even trans-rectal ultrasound scanning! They’ve detected an embryo as early as 28 days into the gestation. They have also been able to deliver a calf which the dam was struggling to pass, and within 15 minutes of her entering the tamer, the calf was delivered safely, with minimal stress and was calmly reunited with its dam. One of the conference days was ‘zoo day’ where we packed up and visited Woodland Park Zoo, 92 acres with over 300 species of animals. Personally the most impressive thing about this zoo was the theming, which had gone into the public areas as well as the enclosures. The exhibits housed many mixed species and others, like the hippo and giraffe, gave the impression they were mixed. The theming gave the visitor the impression they were in the rainforest or savannah before even seeing the animals which lived there. The species they held too were pretty spectacular: grizzly bears, jaguars, orangutans, gorillas, anaconda, dart frogs, toucans ... something for everyone.

Woodland Park Zoo hippo enclosure (above) jaguar viewing window (left)

The ICZ committee did a fantastic job in organising the event, it was a 5 day conference and a lot went into making it go smoothly. All the talks, posters and workshops were interesting and inspirational. I would definitely recommend attending ICZ to everyone. It’s a fantastic way to meet people with similar outlooks and who work with the same species. I didn’t know anyone when I arrived in Seattle on Wednesday 23rd September. I’m writing this 1 week after returning from the conference with new friends and people who I’ll never forget and I’m sure will meet again. It is with massive thanks to ABWAK for providing me with most of the funds to attend the meeting; it was an experience which I wouldn’t have had without their support!

ABWAK were delighted to support Danielle and Lynsey with our small grant scheme to assist with costs in attending ICZ. Our small grants are available to those working in zoos primarily to assist in 4 professional training and development activities, including attendance at symposia. (Applications must be made in writing and are assessed by members of ABWAK Council). Training Successes With Southern White Rhinoceros at Colchester Zoo Jennie Cook, Qualied Keeper, Colchester Zoo, UK

The old saying goes ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’. The same does not apply to the southern white rhino at Colchester Zoo. A remarkable training practice involves Flossie, an elderly female suspected to be in her early forties, willingly lifting her hind leg to receive medical treatment on her hoof, much as a horse lifts its hoof for a farrier. This procedure is evidently painful yet she daily submits to the treatment due to the familiarity and trust built up by our section team. Who’s who Flossie is one of three female white rhinos housed in a mixed species exhibit at Colchester Zoo. Flossie herself was wild born and has had foot problems for about the last ten years. Since coming to the UK, she has spent most of her adult life with a male, Simba, who sadly was put down earlier this year due to old age and failing health. In addition, the zoo is home to two much younger females, Emily who is approximately 9 years old and Cynthia who is around 11 years old. Both originate from a reserve in South Africa and were brought to the UK to boost the European breeding programme. Training initiation Target training of the rhino was first proposed in order to make it easier to move the two tonne animals between their night quarters and in and out of the paddock. Each animal was introduced to its individual target, which is simply a plastic rod with different coloured balls secured to the end. Using the classic technique, a verbal cue (‘target’) is given, in response to which the rhino touches the target with its top lip, a whistle bridge is used and small pieces of bread given as a reward. In a short space of time each rhino was successfully touching their targets when asked. A white rhino’s eyesight is relatively poor compared to their sense of smell and hearing, however each animal recognises its own target and appears to actively enjoy each session. 5 Practical training uses mats soaked with disinfectant, were not effective. It was necessary to have direct access to the hole This simple training method, widely used in zoos and on the underside of her toe. Therefore a proposal aquariums with a multitude of species, has allowed was put forward, protocols drawn up and a new our team of keepers the flexibility to change the rhinos’ scheme implemented. This involved positioning daily routine whenever necessary without causing Flossie in the yard, close to vital safety gaps (even undue trauma to the animal. It has greatly helped an elderly rhino with major hoof problems can turn when introducing each rhino to a new experience, for very quickly when spooked!) and encouraging example positioning an animal for injections by hand her to lift and hold up her hind foot, a precarious and to take blood from the ear, both of which are now stance for such a large animal. Thanks to the carried out successfully with the rhino on a regular previously learnt target training, Flossie could be basis. The familiar ‘game’ of a session makes these easily manoeuvred into the correct spot and she new experiences less stressful for both the rhino and was already very used to, and indeed sought out, the keepers. physical contact with her keepers. The zoo recently had a new birthing den area and crush system integrated into the present rhino indoor Lifting that leg living quarters. The zoo had also been approached by Scratching Flossie’s inside thigh (apparently a researchers from the Royal Veterinary College looking popular pressure point for white rhino) resulted in into gait and weight distribution of large mammals. This the raising of her hind leg. A whistle bridge and seemed an ideal opportunity to use our new crush and bread reward reinforced the behaviour. Over time further test our training. Targeting the rhinos repeatedly this was developed until tapping the outside toe of through the crush helped keep them focussed and the afflicted foot with the simultaneous cue of ‘lift’ gave an unusual activity a recognisable feel. After a few generated the same response. When lifted, one weeks of training this resulted in all three girls happily keeper supports the foot while another performs walking through the crush over special electronic mats treatment on the toe. Whenever the foot is raised a minimum of 20 times each and the researchers were continuous reward of apple and carrot, not to able to collect some really good data on the day with mention the ever-desired bread, is supplied to minimum fuss from the rhinos. encourage her to continue holding her foot up. To start with a block of wood was used to support Back to that old dog her foot throughout the treatment, however this Flossie’s foot had started to cause her serious problems. interfered with the keepers access to her toe and The source of the difficulty being a hole in one of her it was soon apparent that Flossie was happy to toes on her hind hoof. There were days where she keep her foot raised and supported by keepers for would refuse to leave her stall due to the pain in her long periods of time without the block. hoof and previous treatments, such as foot baths and

White rhino `Flossie’ having been targeted into position in preparation for her footwork. 6 Daily routine This is now a daily routine for Flossie, occurring every morning before spending the day in the mixed species paddock. She often has an audience from the public viewing platform above the yards and will stand for treatment despite regular disturbances. Healing in such an elderly animal is, inevitably, a very slow process. However the remedy prevents infection within the toe, encourages healing and alleviates pain. This method is a fantastic success for Colchester Zoo, one that we hope to build on as we progress the training further. Apart from the practicalities of training, our keeping staff have built up a very close relationship with the rhino in their care. To be able to have such a working relationship with white rhino is invaluable and, quite frankly, uniquely enjoyable. Acknowledgements The writing of this article was only possible due to the hard work and dedication of the staff at Colchester Zoo and in particular the rhino keepers - Joanne Row, Adam Gore, Deb Carter, Sarah Cooper and Tiffany Bailey and the Animal training co-ordinator Jez Smith.

White rhino `Flossie’ undergoing daily treatment on her toe. 7 It’s a Natural Vision! L. Jones, Assistant Development Manager, North of England Zoological Society – Chester Zoo [email protected] This paper was presented at the 3rd International Congress of Zookeeping, Seattle, USA, September 2009. Natural Vision is Chester Zoo’s ambitious £225 million development plan to transform the Zoo into a must-see European conservation, animal and leisure destination. Chester Zoo, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in May 2009, is a conservation charity that welcomes 1.3 million visitors per year. The Zoo’s mission is to be a major force in conserving biodiversity worldwide. This mission is achieved by supporting and promoting conservation by breeding rare and endangered animals and plants, by excellent animal welfare, high quality public service, recreation, education and science. Natural Vision is the culmination of many years of planning that will have huge economic benefits for the North West of England region. It will also showcase and financially support Chester Zoo’s national and international conservation work which already spans 50 countries worldwide, including nine major field programmes. Currently Chester Zoo occupies around 50 hectares of land but this is only around a third of its landholding. The Natural Vision project will increase the core zoo grounds to 80 hectares including new access roads and parking. The programme will be phased over a number of years and the first phase will include the only domed ecosystem in the UK. Heart of Africa This African rainforest-themed exhibit, called Heart of Africa, will be an impressive bio-dome that will be home to a range of animal species. This will include a breeding group of western lowland gorillas, a large group of chimpanzees, pygmy hippo and the elusive okapi, to name but a few mammal species. A large aviary will house birds from the wetland forest edge, whilst invertebrates, fish and reptiles will be housed in a number of vivaria throughout the exhibit. Heart of Africa will be carefully landscaped so that barriers are visually unobtrusive. The bio-dome will represent the Congo Rainforest and is planned to be approximately 18,000m2 in area. The building’s design will be iconic and will be instantly recognisable. With internal and external viewing, visitors will also be able to get unique vantage points of the surroundings including tree-top walk-ways and a river ride. The exhibit will also feature retail, catering and play, all of which will be fully integrated into the theme. It is proposed that the main roofing material will be ETFE, the same that is used in the UK’s Eden Project and the Masoala exhibit at Zoo Zurich. Bio-floors will be used as this will function as a system to prevent the spread of disease and parasites. The structure will also have a direct link to the main entrance to allow evening functions to take place in the immersive environment which will be promoted as a unique venue. As Chester Zoo was the first UK Zoo to achieve the environmental standard ISO14001, this commitment will naturally be reflected in Heart of Africa. A host of viable renewable technologies are being appraised such as biomass boilers and photovoltaics to ensure energy efficiency is maximised. 8 Futures The proposed Futures education centre will be a cultural centre for educational excellence, community interaction and a ‘base camp’ for Chester Zoo’s public library facility and volunteers. Futures will be a significant cultural and community venue and an inspirational hub for events, exhibitions, live performances, storytelling and traditional classroom learning. A strong feature of the building design will be a multi-purpose and flexible space to accommodate experiential and accessible learning in its widest sense. The footprint of Futures will sit on the perimeter of the core zoo grounds to enable access both when the zoo is open to the public and also in the evenings. This will enable the building to be a facility not only for Chester Zoo, but for the community it serves. Education is about investing in the future – Futures will provide a national focus for environmental education in the heart of a world class conservation organisation. Through Futures, global issues can be presented on a local level. More than just an education centre Futures will be a focus for discovery for all ages. Resort Cheshire The aim of Natural Vision is to strengthen the Cheshire region as an international destination and this will be supported by a 120-bed fully themed hotel. A revitalized main entrance will also help support the extra number of visitors that will be attracted to Chester Zoo. This orientation hub will create a sense of arrival for visitors and will help reduce queuing during peak times. The nearby canal system will also feed into a new marina development to encourage alternative methods of transport. Future Phases The ambition of Natural Vision spans across 20 years and future phases will include a themed Cheshire experience. This will include UK native species, a farm area as well as a tree-adventure zone to attract teenagers. It is envisaged that this area could stay open into the evening beyond general zoo opening hours for dining and functions. Still in concept stage, the African Savannah Zone is predicted to be a large mixed exhibit with fully covered walkways, ideal for the UK winter months. The centre piece will be a Hippo exhibit with underwater public viewing. Summary It is envisaged that visitation will increase to 1.6 million annually after phase one, rising to 2 million on completion of the full project. Natural Vision has been developed in partnership with the Zoo’s regional government agency, the Northwest Development Agency, who have provided funding to progress the project. Funding options for phase one are currently being investigated and planning permission will be submitted in October 2009. We are confident that Natural Vision will push the boundaries of the modern, 21st century zoo and lead the way for exciting new achievements in biodiversity conservation in the North West of England and worldwide.

The use of fruit and other foods as enrichment for rainbow lorikeets and blue faced honey eaters in Rainbow Landings at Edinburgh Zoo Gordon Peerless Animal Presentation Team, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo

Introduction Rainbow Landings is a relatively new exhibit at Edinburgh Zoo opened in November 2007. It is a walk through rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus haematodus) exhibit built around an area planted with a variety of trees and bushes that go some way to mimic the natural environment of these colourful birds. Within the exhibit there are nearly 60 rainbow lorikeets, 2 blue faced honey eaters, 3 Nicobar pigeons and within a separate internal enclosure a family of long nosed potoroo. The area provides members of the public with the opportunity to feed the lorikeets with a pot of nectar, which they purchase at the shop on the way in. The project At the outset of this project the aim was to provide natural stimulation for the birds and not to bring in any ‘’toys’’ or anything artificial. This would have gone against the whole ethos of Rainbow Landings of keeping the birds in as natural an environment as possible so as to encourage natural behaviour patterns. In essence we were trying to replicate natural feeding patterns in order to provide the extra stimulus for the birds that we felt was lacking at the moment. As a secondary benefit it was felt that this would also provide an extra positive experience for the visitors as well as a further opportunity for education within the exhibit. Part 1 The first job was to look at the birds natural feeding behaviours. For both the lorikeets and the honey eaters this meant understanding their natural diet of nectar and fruit and how they would access this in the wild. Both birds obviously get their nectar from flowers but the manner in which they do this is different. The lorikeets have longer, thicker tongues with bristles at the tip which are specially adapted to get at the 11 furthest recesses of the flowers so as to reach the nectar. The honeyeaters on the other hand have a long slender beak which means they can get away with Where to put the fruit was answered by the having proportionally a shorter tongue. environment within rainbow landings. When it comes to eating the fruit the lorikeets use their As previously stated and can be seen from the typically parrot shaped beaks to bite off pieces of fruit photographs Rainbow Landings has a large which they then roll around inside their mouths to get garden area at its heart. When examined more the best of the juices before spitting what they don’t closely there were four plants in particular that want out onto the ground. looked as if they could provide us with The honey eaters (right) are places to place fruit on, under or in, more delicate and will actually these were the Washington robusta, swallow the pieces of fruit that tentra palm, Livingstone palm and the they peck off. buddha belly bamboo. There were also a couple of trees that were past their The lorikeets, also typically of best but which the gardeners agreed to parrots, have two toes pointing leave in place as they provided twigs at forward and two pointing the ends of their branches onto which backwards (zygodactyl) we could stick pieces of fruit. which enables them to hang upside down whilst feeding The Washington robusta provides whereas the more traditional arrangement of the toes many hiding places amongst its rubbery, spiky of the honeyeaters means that they need to be on the leaves as well as having a fibrous inner into which same plane as their food. mashed fruit in particular can be pushed. Part 2 The tentra palm is very useful in that around its central stem is hessian like covering into which Secondly we had to look at how the birds food is provided quite large pieces of fruit could be hidden. at the moment. The Livingstone palm has large hand like leaves As already stated members of the public can buy nectar onto which fruit can be placed as well as spiky with which to feed the lorikeets when they enter the stems for sticking things on. exhibit. This is then deducted from a projected daily total and the rest is provided in the night time aviary in Finally the buddha belly bamboo is a versatile larger pots. plant because it has little twigs at its extremities that can be used for sticking fruit on, it has little This first part provides a large amount of stimulation holes at the very tips of its branches into which for the lorikeets comprising as it does of a great deal mashed up fruit can be pushed and finally the way of interaction with the public, something which is not it grows it puts down inner platforms between its unheard of even in the wild. However this provides nothing for the honey eaters as they do not interact with the public in the same way. The second part of their diet, namely the fruit, is provided in the night time aviary on trays to which all the birds have access. The honey eaters are also given nectar during the daytime in pots within Rainbow Landings itself, however this is not mutually exclusive as the lorikeets can also get at this. It was decided therefore that the provision of fruit was probably the best way forward in finding a method of stimulation within a natural environment. Part 3 The next stage was to look at which fruits seem to go down well at the moment and what we could do to change the way in which it is presented in order to achieve what we were trying to do. The favourite fruits would appear to be apples, grapes, nectarines and, bearing in mind the nickname of the honey eaters, bananas. 12 Washington robusta After this first successful attempt it was obvious that we had the beginnings of something that not only benefitted the lorikeets but could also give the visiting public a display of how these birds would feed in the wild thus as we had hoped opening up opportunities for education through “entertainment”. One thing that was noticeable from the outset was that although they were greatly outnumbered our 2 honey eaters were also interested in the fruit tentra palm (left), Livingstone palm (right) therefore we had to work growth rings that mean we can drill holes into here out ways whereby we could and the birds have to work out how to get at what put out fruit that they might be able to get at as well, we put inside. without being bullied off it by the lorikeets. The buddha belly became a great favourite with the Second attempt birds, staff and public alike in particular because The choice of fruit with which to entice the honey we were able to get hold of an old dead piece that eaters was easy with their nickname being the banana meant we could “dress” it in fruit and hang it upside bird”. down from another tree thus setting yet another set Secondly after watching the behaviour of the birds of challenges. within the exhibit it became apparent that they often The first attempt frequented a particular Livingstone palm where they It was decided for the first attempt and just to see could sit on one of the large leaves whilst another hung how the birds would react we would keep things across them. This appeared to give them a degree of relatively simple. privacy from the others. Most of the fruit was put onto trees that had little or So with this in mind we decided to mash up the no foliage but which provided twigs onto which we banana and put it right in the heart of the lower leaf. could slide fruit as well as tangles of small branches We also put some on the Washington robusta whose where it could be hidden. Other pieces were put fibrous inner would allow them to use their long beaks onto stumps that could be seen by the birds and to probe for food. which would bring them down from some of their It was an anxious wait to see if it would work first favourite roosts up in the rafters. time but with a bit of patience and no doubt a lot of We didn’t have long to wait for a reaction. As we were luck the lorikeets did not find the banana in the palm putting the fruit onto the trees we were inundated leaves right away, they were to busy elsewhere and by birds trying to get at it and the noise level rose the honey eaters finally got their reward. excitedly. Third attempt By the time we had finished putting out all the fruit For the third attempt we decided to make use of we had nearly every one of our near 60 lorikeets the further attributes of the buddha bamaboo. As down amongst the trees impatiently waiting to get mentioned earlier this plant has holes at the end of its at the fruit. branches, so we decided to try to push some mashed Many pieces had an excited crowd soon gathered up banana into these to encourage the lorikeets to round, hanging from any vantage point to get at it. use their long tongues to get the food. Anything that fell to the ground wasn’t wasted This was an awkward procedure because the birds by either as the less pushy birds were able to get their now had begun to recognise what we were doing 13 share. and became excited when we came in with the Rainbow Landings, RZSS Edinburgh Zoo (above), lorikeets feed on fruit placed on Buddha belly bamboo (right) fruit and would even try to get it from us before we put it on the trees. Not only did we have to deal with their Eventually though one of them did make the first enthusiasm but the holes we were using were quite move and as predicted when one of them broke small but eventually we did it and as expected the the ice the others saw that it was safe and soon lorikeets soon worked it out. followed. As an added bonus the honey eaters were also able to This event was witnessed by a large number of get at the fruit this way. members of the public who happened to be in the Fourth attempt exhibit at the time and proved to be great success This was the time when we were able to get our hands with them as well. It provoked a lot of interest and on a piece of the buddha bamboo that had been cut off questions, especially from the children who were a dead plant. This allowed us to make the holes at the fascinated to see the birds feeding upside down. ends of the branches slightly larger which made the job This piece of bamboo is now used regularly and is of stuffing them easier. It also allowed us to put the fruit known as the “upside down Christmas tree” and is on it before going into the exhibit. still as popular with the birds. It was also decided to try to hang this piece upside Again however we were left with the problem of the down, not easy when gravity keeps trying to pull the honeyeaters and how to get them involved and so fruit off but fortunately most of it stayed in place. for the fifth attempt we resorted to another of the It was placed in a prominent place on a tree that attributes of the buddha bamboo. had been used frequently before and therefore the birds were used to coming to and which also provided them with a number of other perches. The result as usual was that a large number of the lorikeets that were interested in the fruit soon filled the perches on the tree, but instead of going directly to the fruit they obviously recognised this as something new and played a waiting game to see who would go first. The interaction between the birds was vocal to say the least with many of them taking tentative steps towards the fruit before backing off. It almost looked at times as if they were turning to 14 each other and saying “after you Claude” Fifth attempt Acknowledgements As stated earlier the buddha bamboo has growth rings My thanks have to go to all of those who have along its length. At each of these there are “platforms” helped me with this project:- inside that at one time were the top of the plant, this Sarah Wright, Head Keeper Animal Presentations means that we could drill holes into the side of a plant James Bell, Gardener, who has allowed us to that had just been dug up by the gardener because it was “abuse” his plants dead and we could pack mashed banana inside without the fear of it falling out of reach. All members of the presentation team, who helped in the preparation of fruit. As with before we placed this amongst the Livingstone Debbie Kerr, Education Presenter, Rainbow palms where the honey eaters like to go and although Landings there was some initial suspicion it appears that this again has distinct possibilities for the future. And finally to the 58 rainbow lorikeets and 2 honey eaters. Summary This project has now been going for 8 weeks and it was decided at the outset that rather than do it every day and have it become just part of daily routine we would do it on 3 days a week, namely Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Also we would not make the fruit extra to what they were getting before but instead we would take it from the fruit that was allocated for that day, the rest being served in the night time aviary as before. So far the birds seem to be getting a lot out of it judging by their reaction when they see the fruit being brought out and the fact that there is very little wasteage. We are always looking for new challenges to set them and have recently started using the tentra palm with its hessian like outer coating. This is despite the fact that this particular plant is now officially dead but our understanding gardeners have left it in place for us to use. Without a bout our biggest challenge so far is to find feeding places for the honey eaters where they will not be pushed out by the lorikeets. It would appear that using holes into which they can insert their beaks but the lorikeets are unable to get their tongues is a viable way forward. The project has also provided the public with a further enhancement of their visit to rainbow landings that allows them to see the birds reacting and feeding in a more natural manner and has lead to a great deal of interest on their part. This initial stage of the project has shown that there is definitely more work to be done on the enrichment of the lorikeets and the honey eaters and it is hoped that as the project continues to run for the next 6 months we can gather further information on the birds reactions and behaviour as well as the reactions of the visitors and their perception of the zoo in general. 15 The Effect of Environmental Enrichment on the Behaviour and Welfare of Zoo Bred Waldrapp Ibis (Geronticus eremita) at Dublin Zoo, Ireland. Yvonne C McCann Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, contact for correspondence; [email protected]

Abstract This study looked at the differences in the behaviour of a group of 13 zoo bred Waldrapp ibis at Dublin Zoo before and after the addition of a simple enrichment feeding technique. Due to unstable wild populations it may be necessary to restock using zoo bred individuals. With many reintroduction programmes failing due to animals having lost the behaviours necessary to survive in the wild, efforts should be made to ensure that behavioural diversity is encouraged in zoo populations (McDoughall et al., 2005). Also, from a welfare point of view, birds which display more wild type behaviours are less likely to suffer from foot problems such as bumblefoot (Bourne & Boardman, 2000). After the introduction of simple feeding tubes and scatter-feeds the amount of time spent displaying ‘Active’ behaviours increased significantly with a noticeable decrease in all ‘stationary’ behaviours. Introduction Conservation Status of the Waldrapp Ibis (Geronticus eremita) Waldrapp ibis (Geronticus eremita), also known as the northern bald ibis or hermit ibis, are one of approximately 200 species of bird classed as critically endangered (Birdlife International, 2008). The species former range included North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe but has been extirpated across most of its range due to predation and habitat loss (Bowden, 1998). Current estimates put the wild population at over 500 birds, with ~420 in Souss-Massa National Park Morocco, 100 in Turkey and a further 7 individuals in a recently discovered population in Syria (IAGNBI website). The worldwide zoo population stands at approximately 1200 with the majority in Europe (900), with most being less than 10 years old. Management of zoo stock As regards conservation initiatives, translocation of stock from such a small population would not be of benefit. Instead, reintroductions using zoo bred individuals are likely to be important for the recovery of this species. For these zoo bred individuals to have a chance at survival in the wild, a long- 16 term management strategy should be implemented behaviours such as grooming, standing, resting in all institutions holding the species with funding etc. and to increase more ‘active’ behaviours such and encouragement available for further monitoring as walking, probing, flying etc. These ‘active’ (Bowden, 1998). As Beck et al., (1994) discussed, behaviours were assumed to be more like wild- only about 11% of bird reintroduction programmes type behaviours. succeed. Rabin (2003) attributes this to the fact that Materials and Methods there is a pronounced lack of behaviours necessary for survival in zoo bred birds for various reasons, i.e. The study took place between early October 2008 lack of opportunity to learn and therefore inability to and mid-January 2009. teach offspring. This has been demonstrated in zoo Birds and Housing birds which have been released. They often show insufficient knowledge on how to forage, vocalise, The colony consisted of 13 (6.6.1) parent reared avoid predators, raise young etc. individuals. 9 of these were born in Twycross Zoo in the UK and arrived at Dublin Zoo in 2002. The Some authors argue that wild and zoo populations remaining 4 individuals were born at Dublin Zoo. are not comparable as the individuals within their The age profile of the group ranges from 4 to 13 groups have adapted overtime to a specific set of years. The last successful breeding season was environmental conditions (Hosey, 2004). Boehm 2005, with two chicks being reared. (2003), the European Studbook keeper for Waldrapp ibis, at the International Advisory Group for Northern The birds are housed in a 10 m (H) x 20m (W) x Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) workshop stated that she saw 20m (L) outdoor aviary which they share with two comparative analysis between wild and zoo groups little egrets (Egretta garzetta). Plate 1 shows part as being a major indicator as to the suitability of re- of the aviary, which has been designed to mimic the introduction candidates. Many researchers also Waldrapp ibis’ natural, semi-arid habitat. The aviary believe that where the behaviour of zoo groups differ was constructed in such a direction that it gets the significantly from their wild counterparts efforts should morning sun. The cliffs were carefully moulded to be made to encourage a more ‘wild-type’ behaviour allow the birds to make nests (Oosterweghel, pers (Melfi & Feistner, 2002). comm.). The substrate in the aviary is 85% pebble/ small stones, 5% is soil covered by grass and 5% Welfare is a freshwater 0.5m deep pool. The enclosure All zoos should strive to keep their animals as has a large glass window to the front which gives healthy as possible. Regarding birds, bumblefoot the public a view of 90% of the aviary. (pododermatitis) is a serious illness which can Before the study was carried out the food was inflict great pain and distress. It is an inflammatory presented in two large bowls, one minced horse condition which ranges from mild redness or swelling meat (1.5Kg) and one fish (200g). MVS30 (a bird to a more chronic condition which disables the bird, vitamin supplement) was sprinkled over the food. causing lameness and an inability to use one or both The birds were fed once a day in the morning feet normally (Guanzini, 2003). Birds most at risk are (~1000hr). The bowls were placed at the back of generally those which display sedentary behaviours for the aviary out-of-sight from public view. abnormally extended periods of time such as perching, standing etc. Whilst Waldrapp ibis in the wild can Behavioural Observations prior to enrichment forage for up to eight hours a day, zoo colonies can (baseline) spend that same amount of time exhibiting stationary An ethogram was constructed following an behaviours. A study by Quevedo (2003) showed adequate period of ad lib observations of the birds. that euthanasia was a common cause of death for Prior to any enrichment devices being put into the Waldrapp ibis in zoos (20%), with 17% of such cases exhibit baseline data (Stage 1 data) were taken. being due to foot related problems. Under the various The collection method used was instantaneous animal welfare acts zoo bred birds are afforded the scan sampling. Data were taken for 30 minutes right to be free from pain and distress. Environmental three times a day with a scan interval of 2½ minutes. enrichment devices encourage overall activity which Six replicates from each time period were deemed has been shown to reduce the incidences of such sufficient in order to determine an average activity ailments in other avian species (Bizeray et al., 2002). budget for the group. Out-of-sight individuals were Aim not included. The overall aim of this study was to investigate the Data sheets had been drawn up by Brogan (pers effect of various feeding techniques on the behaviour comm.) during a similar study and permission was of a group of zoo bred Waldrapp ibis (Geronticus granted to use them. eremita) at Dublin Zoo. The primary aim was to reduce the amount of time spent displaying ‘stationary’ 17 Design of Feeding Enrichment Programme for the birds to get used to the new feeding regime The new feeding device needed to be a durable, easy but also any behaviour changes due to the novelty to use, easy to keep clean system. It also needed to effect would have diminished. be inconspicuous to the public. A simple but effective Statistical Analysis of Data system was developed whereby 60ml plastic syringes were used. When the ‘plunger’ portion was removed The statistical analysis package used was SPSS the remaining part resembled a test tube with a spout at v12. The data were found to be unevenly distributed the bottom for drainage. 30 of these were then set into therefore non-parametric tests were carried out. the ground randomly around the exhibit. Water piping, Single behaviours were compared pre- and post with a 1 inch diameter, was used to anchor the tubes enrichment using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results and make them easier to put in and remove. They were were deemed significant if p<0.05, i.e. a rejection completely invisible to the public as they were flush with of the null hypothesis. the ground. A rotational system of 60 tubes was in place Results whereby 30 tubes were left soaking in a diluted Milton™ Pre- and Post Enrichment solution overnight whilst the other 30 were being used. Clean tubes were put in every morning. There was a significant difference in the behaviours displayed by the zoo group before and after the addition of enrichment. See figures 1-4 (page 19) Drinking also slightly increased as more time was spent off the perches and on the ground (where the pool is). Time spent at the feed bowl was down as The author the food was much more evenly dispersed around placing the exhibit. Active behaviours such as walking a mince increased. The amount of time spent flying also filled tube significantly increased (U=82, N=18,18, p=0.011). in the ground Some natural behaviours absent from or rarely observed in the pre-enrichment phase became significantly more prominent afterwards, such as scrounging for food (U=90, N=18,18,p=0.022). Although no formal data were taken on the differences in behaviour between sexes, it did become apparent to the author that the majority of the birds which scrounged were female. Discussion Time Food item & presentation method Birds that are inactive for long periods of time 10.00 AM 30 mince filled tubes (total ~900g) randomly are more susceptible to foot conditions such as placed in the ground aroud the exhibit. 200g bumblefoot (Tully et al., 2000 & Muller et al., 2000). fish chopped and also placed in tubes. Logically then, if the birds become more active ~100g mealworms placed in randomly the likelihood of them developing this disease placed foraging pits (four in total). decreases. The results of this study, and others similar to it (Vargas-Ashby & Pankhurst, 2007), Scatterfeed of gut loaded mealworms/ have shown that it is relatively simple to encourage 12.30 PM crickets/locusts/pinkies (depending on what Waldrapp ibis to become more active. was available) Birds in a zoo environment often lack ‘wild’ type does not have to be strictly everyday behaviours due to certain conditioning elements, i.e. they are presented with enough food to meet Remaining mince either in tubes or minimum their caloric needs. Whilst they are taken care of 4.30PM of five bowls randomly placed in exhibit regarding nutrition, the way in which the food is presented can drastically alter the way the animal Post-Enrichment Data Collection behaves, not only at feeding times but throughout the entire day. Before this study the birds were The plastic tubes were used as part of the daily feeding presented with two bowls of food (1 mince, 1 fish) schedule for approximately 6 weeks. After this time ‘post- once per day. This resulted in 13 birds competing for enrichment’ data (Stage 2) were collected using a resource which ultimately came to be dominated exactly the same method are the pre-enrichment 18 by two or three individuals. phase. By this stage enough time had passed Behaviour of Waldrapp Ibis Before and After Enrichment

1000 800 600 400 displayed 200 0 No. of times Behaviour l l l d e n l e n st p t rt h lk ly h k il n ck w g e a t ck se o e e e m t a t in B u o o n e C la e a ti e e re l o a F a r o R b u r u P h a R l A ro B W b D n r d o p p C it S G d n a G g e lo o g n G u le in e cr l r a S g b F S A C u t C in o g S b r e ro P R P Before Enrichment Behaviour After Enrichment Figure 1. All behaviours displayed by the birds during the pre- and post enrichment phases of the study.

Figure 2: Mean number of times Figure 3: Mean number of Figure 4: Mean number of ‘Resting’ behaviour was observed times ‘Probing Rock’ was scrounging events pre (1.00) pre (1.00) and post (2.00) observed pre (1.00) and post and post (2.00) enrichment. enrichment. (2.00) enrichment. This corresponded to a noticeable increase in probing, both ground and in particular rock (U=94, N=18,18, p=0.029).

Unlike animals such as carnivores, birds are foragers. Foraging for food naturally makes up a large portion of there day. In a semi-wild group of Waldrapp in Austria more than 50% of their day consisted of probing/ foraging compared to just 15% in the zoo group (prior to enrichment). This did increase to >25% after the enrichment indicating that the enrichment devices and scatterfeeds were having an affect on the zoo colony. The new feeding regime allows all 13 birds to get an even and fair share of the food provided. Scrounging and pecking (completely natural survival behaviours) also increased significantly. Their claws are also less likely to become overgrown now as walking has increased significantly. Such enrichment devices also stimulate the birds mentally. Often people are inclined to think of enriching mammals such as carnivores and primates, the ‘clever’ ones. Nowadays keepers, vets, curators etc. are seeing the benefits of enriching birds. By becoming more active the birds are less likely to be over weight and are considerably less likely to develop debilitating foot conditions. Although bumblefoot is not prevalent in the Dublin zoo colony, prevention is surely better than cure. Why should we take the risk when we know of ways to keep the animals active and healthy? 19 This study has also seen an overall increase in the spatial use of the Waldrapp ibis aviary at the zoo. Previously the birds had spent much of the time on the perches at the back of the enclosure. Now they can be seen foraging on the ground for much of the day just a few feet from the public. Waldrapp ibis naturally forage for invertebrates living in the top 10 cm of the ground. The new feeding regime has at least trebled the amount of invertebrates being fed to the birds. Live food such as locusts, grasshoppers and crickets increase overall activity and muscle use as the birds try to catch them. This also increases the cognitive health of the birds. In summary, this study has shown that a simple, easy to use enrichment method can have a positive influence on the behaviour of a group of Waldrapp ibis by decreasing stationary behaviours and by promoting a more natural and active way of life, therefore reducing the risk of foot aliaments and by increasing the overall well being of the birds.

References Beck, B.B., Rapaport, L.G., Stanley-Price, M.R. & Wilson, A.C. (1994) Reintroduction of Captive-Born Animals In ‘Creative Conservation: Interactive Management of Wild and Captive Animals’. Pp 264-386. Chapman & Hall, London. Bizeray, D., Estevez, I, Leterrier, C. & Faure, J.M. (2002) Effects of increasing environmental complexity on the physical activity of broiler chickens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 79: 27-41. Boehm, C. (2003) The Northern Bald Ibis EEP – An Overview In Boehm, C., Bowden, C. & Jordan, M. Proceedings of the International Advisory Group for Northern Bald Ibis – Tirol, pp 33-35. Bourne, D.C. & Boardman, S.I. (2000) Waterfowl: Health and Management. Wildlife Information Network. Bowden, C. (1998) Last Chance for the Northern Bald Ibis. World Birdwatch, 20(2); pp 12-16. Brogan, B. (2009) PHD Student, Trinity College Dublin. Personal Comments. Guanzini, L. (2003) Treatment of Bumblefoot in Birds. Cornell University, USA. Hosey, G. (2004) How does the zoo environment affect the behaviour of captive primates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 90 (2): pp. 107-129. McDoughall, P.T., Reale, D., Sol, D. & Reader, M. (2005) Wildife Conservation and animal temperament: causes and consequences of evolutionary change for captive, reintroduced and wild populations. Animal Conservation 9: 39-48. Melfi, V.A. & Feistner, A.T.C. (2002) A comparison of the activity budgets of wild and captive Sulawesi crested black macaques (Macac nigra). Animal Welfare, 11: 213-222. Oosterweghel, L. (2009) Director of Dublin Zoo. Personal Comment. Rabin, L.A. (2003) Maintaining Behavioural Diversity in Captivity for Conservation: Natural Behaviour Management. Animal Welfare 12; pp 85-94. Tully, T.N., Lawton, M.P.C. & Dorrestein, G.M. (2000) Avian Medicine. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford UK. Quevedo, M.A. (2003) The diseases and health problems known for the Northern Bald Ibis in captivity In Boehm, C., Bowden, C. & Jordan, M. (Editors) Proceedings of the International Advisory group for the Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) meeting Alpenzoo Innsbruk, Tirol, Austria, pp: 46-50. IAGNBI, RSPB: Bedfordshire, UK. Vargas-Ashby, H.E. & Pankhurst, S.J. (2007) Effects of feeding enrichment on the behaviour and welfare of captive waldrapps (Northern Bald Ibis). Animal Welfare, 16: 369-374. Online Resources Author Unknown. Birdlife International, Northern Bald Ibis Returns. 20 www.birdlife.org/news/news/2007/03/bald_ibis_returns.html Accessed 12th December 2008. Hogan 2004

A two-week investigative study into the effect of fibre length on feeding and rumination in Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis). Susan O’Brien, Dublin Zoo

Abstract: Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) are the tallest terrestrial animals in the world reaching up to 5.5 metres tall (Fowler & Miller, 2003). Some of their unique characteristics include adaptations for feeding. A two-week investigative study was conducted on Dublin Zoo’s herd of Giraffa camelopardalis which comprise of 1.3 captive born animals, one of which is hand reared (ARKS, 2005). The study was carried out in the Giraffe House in the African Plains of Dublin Zoo over two weeks in June 2005. The main aim was to investigate if the length of the fibre offered had any effect on Giraffa camelopardalis rumination and feeding times. The length of each strand of haylage they eat normally is approximately 30 to 50cm in length and this was used as the control in week one. In week two the haylage was chopped into lengths of approximately 10 to 15cm and this is the experimental condition. The null hypothesis is that fibre length will not have an effect on rumination time and the alternative hypothesis is that the fibre length will have an effect on rumination. A range of behaviours were recorded by scan sampling using instantaneous recording (Bateson, 1993). The primary variable is the length of the fibre. The results were analysed using the statistical programme MINITAB 15. A Mann Whitney test proved that rumination increased significantly when the fibre length was shortened, i.e. the haylage was chopped. The null hypothesis was therefore rejected and the alternative hypothesis was accepted. 21 Introduction: as for other mammals (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). Transit of food can take 75 to 100 hours to pass through Giraffes are termed selective browsers and the digestive tract (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). they feed on woody plants, trees, shrubs and dicotyledonous plants (MacDonald, 2004). Acacia Giraffes at Dublin Zoo are given the main bulk of their and Combretum species are part of the giraffe’s feed in the evening when they are brought back to the staple diet (Hutchins et al, 2003). house and locked in for the night. As well as various fruit and vegetables, the giraffes are fed 10kgs of The picture (at the start of this article) shows the haylage divided between 4 open topped hayracks. long narrow muzzle, densely haired prehensile lips and long prehensile darkly pigmented tongue, Aims: which can reach up to 46cm in length (MacDonald, The author wanted to investigate if fibre length had 2004). The unique atlas joint at the base of the any effect on rumination and eating times on captive skull can also be seen, allowing them to tilt their Giraffa camelopardalis and if they preferred the heads at a 450 angle, which gives them extra chopped haylage to the normal length. reach (Hutchins et al, 2003). The inner surfaces In this study the author wanted to see: of the lips have long papillae that point inwards to the oesophagus helping to retain leaves (Dagg & > If they wasted as much food when the haylage was Foster, 1976). They have a neck containing seven chopped. When they eat the normal length haylage elongated vertebrae with lots of strong tendons and they would take huge mouthfuls of it and would drop muscles anchored to a thoracic projection (Dagg & huge quantities of it on the ground. Small amounts of Foster, 1976) or hump at the shoulders, almost like this were eaten, however generally it was walked into a pivot (Hutchins et al, 2003). the ground and would have to be disposed of Giraffa camelopardalis can spend between 47% > If they spent more time ruminating with the normal and 60% of the day eating and foraging mainly in haylage or chopped haylage. the morning and evening. Rumination takes place > If the change in fibre length had any other effects on at midday and at night (Dagg & Foster, 1976) and them, such as any differences in faeces or in overall may account for approximately 11% to 15% of their body condition. day. Giraffe are unique in that they can ruminate and walk at the same time (MacDonald, 2004). Null hypothesis H0: Fibre length will not have an effect on rumination time. There are four compartments in the giraffe stomach, the rumen, reticulum, omasum and the Alternative hypothesis H1: Fibre length will have an true stomach the abomasum (Kardong, 2002). As effect on rumination. no mammal can break down cellulose in plant cells Materials and Methods: they employ the use of symbiotic micro-organisms housed in their rumen to do it for them. The giraffe A pilot study was carried out prior to main study period, gets the energy released from the plant as well as which established what behaviours were relevant to energy from micro-organisms washed through their the study. An ethogram was determined from this tract. The microbes get optimal housing conditions pilot study and time budget sheets were constructed and food (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). from the ethogram (Bateson, 1993). The two main behaviours recorded were rumination and feeding. Swallowed food goes to the rumen for microbes to Week one when fibre length remained the same is the start acting on them and they are regurgitated for control condition. Week two when the fibre lengths are re-mastication to further break down the surface chopped is the experimental condition or independent area (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001), thus giving variable (Wehnelt et al., 2003). 10kgs of haylage was enzymes more surface area to work on (Kardong, weighed out for the evening feed and the next morning 2002). The re-chewed pieces may be swallowed any leftover haylage in the racks or on the floor was and fermented in the rumen and reticulum weighed and recorded. numerous times (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). The lighter pieces tend to move to the next section the Confounding variables such as seasonal effects, abomasum where it is further broken down and weather and time of day were recorded as they may then onto the true stomach the omasum where it is have some bearing on the results of data. As many chemically digested (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). other conditions as possible will stay the same; no individuals will enter or leave the group, no animals Copious amounts of saliva are produced to aid will receive medication and there will be no major lubrication of the often dry fibrous food. It also deviation from their normal diet or daily routines. contains a buffer to keep the pH neutral for the microbes in the rumen (Hildebrand & Goslow, Data was collected by scan sampling using 2001). Food is then absorbed in the intestines instantaneous recording (Fowler et al., 2000) every 22 minute for one hour, using a stop watch which beeped on the minute. This was carried three times a day for 14 consecutive days. Data was recorded ten minutes after the author first starts observing the subjects which, gives them time to get used to being observed. On the beep, the behaviour of the animals were recorded by looking at and recording what each individual was doing from left to right in the enclosure. Statistical analysis was also carried out using the non parametric Mann Whitney test (Fowler et al., 2000) on data using the statistical programme MINITAB 15. It tests for the difference in medians as opposed to means of samples (Fowler et al., 2000). Results: Under these conditions these Figure 1: Clustered columns illustrating behaviour were the data recorded. Raw differences between week one and week two. data was recorded using the time budget sheets 250 and in total over 10,000 observations were recorded 200 over 40 hours. 150 week one Figure 1 (right) illustrates the differences visually with 100 week two feeding and rumination between week one and two. 50

The results from the Mann No. of times observed Whitney analysis indicated 0 a significant difference feeding rumination between week one and two Behaviour for rumination but not for feeding. See results below:

Rumination: W = 186.0, n = 15, P = 0.046. Feeding: W = 237.5, n = 15, P= 0.8519. Table 1 showing total amounts of haylage provided, taken out and eaten over the two week period.

Week Haylage In (KG) Haylage Out (KG) Haylage Eaten (KG) Percentage (%) Haylage Eaten ONE 70 38.4 31.6 45.1 TWO 70 4.5 65.5 93.5

Discussion: From the results of the Mann Whitney test the null hypothesis can be rejected and the alternative hypothesis accepted as there was a significant difference i.e. the giraffe ruminated significantly more when the haylage was chopped. The P value for ruminating was P = 0.0046 (P < 0.005) which is highly significant. The author expected rumination times to decrease slightly with the shorter or chopped haylage lengths, as the microbes in the rumen would have more of a surface area to digest and more small or light pieces would continue into the reticulum. Therefore rumination would not have to take place as often as the pieces are already broken down. One reason that rumination may have increased is that in week two the giraffe ate 93.5% of haylage compared to only 45.1% in week one. As more food was eaten it is plausible that this would lead to an increase in rumination. It would be of interest to compare equal quantities of normal length haylage and chopped haylage actually consumed and then compare rumination times. Further study may also be interesting to establish which food types elicit the biggest changes in behaviour. Feeding times did not change significantly. The author anticipated that feeding times would increase as the animals spent more time eating the chopped haylage and they ate more of it, in total 65.5kg in week two compared to 38.4kgs In week one. As digestion in Giraffa camelopardalis can take 75 to 100 hours to pass through the digestive tract (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001) it is important to ask how much of week one’s feeding was ruminated and digested in week two? This may have skewed the results slightly. By increasing the study time to three weeks of normal and three weeks of chopped, their slow digestion process could be monitored more efficiently. Only four samples were used in this study, making it an extremely small study (less than 15 animals in a group is small). By using more samples and collecting more data a clearer picture would be provided, as small studies such as this generally have low statistical power (Plowman, 2006). 23 Only a small snapshot of the 24 hour day was recorded for this study. Video taping the behaviours would be of huge benefit as quite a lot of feeding and rumination behaviours were missed during the late evening, dusk and dawn. The use of video monitoring also avoids the problems associated with visitor effect (Watters et al., 2009). Conclusion: In conclusion, rumination times increased significantly with a P value of 0.0046. There was no significant effect on feeding times. All the aims were met in this study and the giraffe appeared to prefer the chopped haylage as in week two they ate nearly all the food offered to them. The change in fibre length had no other apparent effect on any of the giraffes. A huge benefit of this is that more time spent ruminating meant less time carrying out displacement activities such as browse playing and window licking. Less dropped food also means less work for the keepers cleaning the house, as they don’t have to pick up large quantities of dropped haylage. The author would recommend a modification to the actual hayrack as opposed to the haylage. Chopping the haylage with a silage knife was both time-consuming and tedious as well as being eaten too quickly. One way to overcome this would be to keep the haylage length the same, but make the animals spend a slightly longer time eating it. This could be achieved by putting a hard wearing, stainless steel mesh wire around the outside of the hayrack, as well as covering the top with the same material. The mesh size could be 4-5cm wide. Using a method like this, the normal length haylage could still be used, but it would make the animal use its prehensile tongue and lips, much like it would do in the wild. It could only pull out small, manageable pieces of haylage, thus saving wastage and time spent cleaning up after these animals. Note: these modifications to the hay racks were carried out in 2006 and have proved to be successful. References: ARKS (2005). Animal record keeping system, Dublin Zoo, Ireland. Bateson, M. (1993). Measuring Behaviour. University Press, Cambridge. Dagg, A.I. and Foster, J.B. (1976). The Giraffe; its biology, behaviour and ecology. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. Fowler, M.E. and Miller, R.E. (2003). Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine. 5th Edition. Saunders, Elsevier Science, U.S.A. Hildebrand, M. and Goslow, G. (2001). Analysis of Vertebrate Structure. 5th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, USA. Hutchins, M., Jackson, J.A., Bock, W.J. and Olendorf, D. (2002). Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopaedia. 2nd Edition. Volume 8, Bird I. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, Detroit. Hutchins, M., Kleiman, D.G., Geist, V. and McDade, M.C. (2003). Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopaedia. 2nd Edition. Volume 15, Mammals IV. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group, Detroit. Kardong, K. V. (2002). Vertebrates: Comparative Anatomy, Function, Evolution. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, USA. MacDonald, D. (2004). New Encyclopaedia of Mammals, Oxford University Press, Oxford

24 Giraffe at Dudlin Zoo (from Gretchen Doyle, Giraffe Enrichment presentation, ABWAK Symposium 2009) The BIAZA Flamingo Focus Group: Addressing the Sustainability of Flamingos in British and Irish Collections Steve Nasir1, Rebecca Lee2 and Nigel Jarrett2 1 Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire, YO17 6UX 2 Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, GL2 7BT

Figure 1. The mixed-species flamingo flock at Flamingo Land (left) and the single-species Caribbean and Chilean flamingo flocks that were established in 2009 (Photo credits: Jackie Goulder) Flamingos are popular species for inclusion in in Britain and Ireland revealed that many BIAZA zoological collections and have long been held in collections hold fewer than 40 birds and in some captivity. While all six species are represented in cases fewer than 20, which is the minimum flock size British and Irish zoos, the three most commonly held recommended by EAZA for welfare reasons. are the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, the While flock size is now well accepted as the most Caribbean Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber and the important factor for breeding success, other factors Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis. have also been shown to play a role, including sex While a number of zoos have demonstrated that ratio, security and nest area characteristics. King Greater, Caribbean and Chilean Flamingos can breed (2008) outlined these factors and indicated their readily in captivity, overall breeding success remains relative importance in a ‘breeding points system’ (see poor and breeding tends to occur erratically. In 2007 Table 1). The results of an FFG questionnaire survey for example, only eight of the 34 BIAZA collections of BIAZA collections in 2008 provided support for the holding flamingos produced young and over half of the points system by demonstrating that collections with 118 chicks produced hatched in just two collections, the highest scores were significantly more likely to both belonging to the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust have had breeding success between 2006 and 2008. (WWT). These findings indicate that the current aging Thus the points system is an immensely useful tool population of captive flamingos is not sustainable for evaluating flamingo enclosures and colonies for in the long term without interventions to encourage the elements most important for breeding success. breeding. Factor Maximum points Addressing this problem is the main focus of the BIAZA Colony size (single species) 8 Flamingo Focus Group (FFG), a sub-group of the BIAZA Security 6 Bird Working Group. The FFG aims to encourage the Colony sex ratio 4 establishment of regularly breeding flocks of flamingos Male wing condition 4 in appropriate collections such that the British and Irish Water area characteristics 4 captive flamingo population becomes self-sustaining. Hours of sun 4 This article describes how the group is attempting to Weather 4 achieve this aim, and outlines other FFG activities. Nest area characteristics 4 Display area characteristics 4 Addressing poor breeding success Strategically-placed barriers 4 Studies have shown that flock size is the key factor Photoperiod 2 in flamingo breeding success and regular breeding Substrate 2 is generally only achieved in flocks of 40 or more Total 50 25 individuals (King & van Weeren 2005, King 2006). Table 1. Factors identified as important for A 2007 census by the FFG of flamingo collections breeding flamingos (King 2008) During an FFG meeting held at WWT Slimbridge in FFG progress in 2008 and 2009 November 2008, the group agreed that the best way Creating single-species flocks forward for the population as a whole would be to At Flamingo Land, a mixed-flock of Chilean, establish flocks of 40 or more birds at appropriate Caribbean and Greater Flamingos have been held collections where other breeding criteria could be since the 1960s and hybridisation has occurred met. The group also agreed that flamingos should be repeatedly over the years. Following the 2008 FFG kept in single-species flocks to avoid hybridisation, meeting, Flamingo Land embraced the initiatives hybrids should be kept together in hybrid-only flocks, discussed and established two single-species flocks. and collections holding small numbers of birds To achieve this, birds were exchanged with Lotherton should consider placing their birds with collections Bird Gardens, Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park and with larger flocks where a flock size of 40 could be Birdworld, and one flamingo was donated by Trotters achieved more quickly. Productivity from the newly World of Animals. established breeding flocks could then be used to re-supply the original donor collections and build The decision to implement these changes at Flamingo up further flocks to breeding size. In other words, Land after such a long period of ‘dormancy’ was met short-term sacrifices were required for long-term with a degree of scepticism. The mixed-species sustainability. flock had bred regularly during the 70s, 80s and 90s. It was accepted, however, that in order to move Based on these group discussions and the AZA/ forward Flamingo Land would need to take a few EAZA Flamingo Husbandry Guidelines (Brown & King steps back. Despite the proposed changes resulting 2005), the FFG agreed the following principles: in an overall reduction in flock size of 20% due to 1. Flocks should contain no fewer than 20 birds on hybrids being removed, Flamingo Land accepted a welfare basis (as agreed by the EAZA TAG this that this was the best forward with regard to the long- highly social bird needs to be maintained in large term sustainability of captive flamingos. groups in order to meet its natural behavioural Increasing flock size through hand-rearing requirements). In 2006, WWT placed 14 fertile Greater Flamingo 2. For best breeding results, flocks should contain eggs with Bristol Zoo to help increase their flock size. more than 40 birds. Bristol Zoo successfully hand-reared the hatchlings 3. Where breeding may occur, birds should be held in and introduced the young birds to their adult flock single-species flocks to avoid hybridisation – mixed- that year. In 2009, the Bristol Zoo flock, including the species flocks should be separated and hybrid birds hand-reared birds, bred producing three chicks. This should be removed and held together in hybrid-only experience demonstrated the value of hand-rearing flocks. The welfare of hybrid birds, however, should as a method for increasing flock-size. also be considered and whenever possible hybrid In 2009, WWT placed 16 fertile Greater Flamingo birds should also be held in flocks of at least 20 eggs with London Zoo, Birdland and Birdworld. individuals. Unfortunately, hand-rearing of these birds had 4. Ensure that all birds are sexed and individually varying success In 2009, WWT placed 16 fertile identifiable (birds should be sexed and marked Greater Flamingo eggs with London Zoo, Birdland at the earliest opportunity as equal sex ratio is an and Birdworld. Unfortunately, hand-rearing of these important factor in breeding success). birds had varying success. In order to improve hand- rearing success, the FFG is working to produce 5. Holders of more than 40 birds in a breeding practical hand-rearing guidelines. situation should consider loaning birds to appropriate collections holding fewer than 40 to encourage the Problem solving establishment of breeding flocks. Mandatory avian influenza vaccination in the Republic 6. Before increasing flock size to encourage breeding, of Ireland has resulted in logistical implications the factors identified in the breeding points system for moving birds between the Republic of Ireland should be considered and addressed as appropriate. and the United Kingdom. To overcome these For example, collection managers should ensure the legislative restraints, Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife flock has access to a suitable nesting area and has Park (both situated in the Republic of Ireland) are room to display, and the sex ratio is known. working together to improve breeding success and sustainability. In 2009, Dublin Zoo placed six Chilean 7. Hand-rearing should be considered as a way Flamingos with Fota to help build up Fota’s flock. to increase flock size. While flamingos have been Following the FFG initiative, Dublin Zoo also plans successfully hand-reared at a number of zoos, it to provide late-season fertile eggs to Fota for hand- is a relatively difficult and time-consuming rearing. The collaboration between Dublin Zoo and technique. Advice should be sort from the Fota Wildlife Park is a good example of two collections 26 FFG before attempting hand-rearing. working together for the benefit of the taxa. Other FFG activities As well as improving breeding success, the FFG aims to improve husbandry standards by documenting husbandry techniques and making husbandry resources widely available. The FFG is working with the Flamingo Resource Centre (FRC, www.flamingoresources.org) to achieve this aim. The FRC is a web-based collection of flamingo resources with a dedicated husbandry section (www.flamingoresources.org/husbandry.html) where husbandry resources are provided for download. Since its launch in August 2008, the visitor numbers to the website have increased rapidly and the site is now receiving over 2800 unique visitors each month who are downloading over 1000 MB of resources. The site is referenced by a large number of other websites and ranks highly in internet search results – a valuable indicator of website popularity and usage. The FRC may provide a useful template for developing similar resource websites for other taxa. The FFG also aims to increase the contribution of ex situ flamingos to the conservation of in situ flamingos. The group encourages donations to in situ conservation projects such as the management of the artificial breeding island for Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor at Kamfers Dam near Kimberley, South Africa (for more information on this project visit www.savetheflamingo.co.za). Conclusions The BIAZA FFG has made positive steps towards improving the breeding success of the captive flamingo population in Britain and Ireland, including the establishment of two single-species flocks at Flamingo Land, increased flock sizes through the placement of eggs from WWT to other collections for hand-rearing, collaboration between Dublin Zoo and Fota Wildlife Park, and the increased accessibility of husbandry resources through the Flamingo Resource Centre website. It is imperative that collections work together to achieve a sustainable population so that flamingos can continue to be included in zoological collections educating and inspiring the zoo visitor and making valuable contributions to in situ conservation. For further information on flamingo related topics please visit www.flamingoresources.org

Figure 2. Breeding Greater Flamingo flock at WWT Slimbridge (Photo credit: Rebecca Lee)

Figure 3,Returning fertile Greater Flamingo eggs for parent-rearing at WWT Slimbridge (© Derek Cropton)

Acknowledgements Flamingo Land would like to thank Lotherton Bird Gardens, Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park, Birdworld, and Trotters World of Animals for realising the importance of the FFG initiative and without whom the single-species flocks could not have been established. References Brown C & King CE (eds). 2005. Flamingo husbandry guidelines: a joint effort of the AZA and EAZA in cooperation with WWT. Available for download from http://www.flamingoresources.org/docs/literature/aza_eaza_flamingo_husbandry_ guidelines.pdf. King CE & van Weeren L. 2005. Captive flamingo management on a European level (from the EAZA Ciconiiformes & Phoenicopteriformes TAG). Available for download from http://www.flamingoresources.org/docs/literature/eaza_ king_2005.pdf. King CE. 2006. Managing flamingos collectively and individually in Europe: EAZA flamingo regional-institutional collection plan (from the EAZA Ciconiiformes & Phoenicopteriformes TAG). Available for download from http://www. flamingoresources.org/docs/literature/eaza_king_2006.pdf. King CE. 2008. A hypothetical husbandry point system for breeding flamingos in captivity, pp 57- 61. In Childress B, Arengo F & Bechet A (eds). 2008. Flamingo 16, Bulletin of the IUCN-SSC/Wetlands International Flamingo Specialist Group, December 2008. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, UK. Available for download from http:// 27 www.flamingoresources.org/docs/literature/king_hypothetical_point_system_for_breeding_flamingos.pdf. SYMPOSIUM 2010 BIODIVERSITY & THE MODERN ZOO 6th-7th March 2010 Flamingo Land Kirby Misperton, Malton, North Yorkshire

We are delighted to invite you to attend our annual symposium which is being hosted by Flamingo Land for the first time. The Zoo is part of the Flamingo Land Theme Park and houses a diversity of species from chimpanzees to Brazilian tapirs and flamingos to Humboldt’s penguins. As the Park doesn’t open officially until Easter we will have special opportunity to enjoy the facilities and to stay at the Flamingo Land Resort. Please check our website for details of costs and booking procedure: Details from our website: www.abwak.org enquiries and bookings (for Symposium only): Laura Gardner, Symposium Secretary, email: [email protected]

For information about Flamingo Land please visit their website: www.flamingoland.co.uk

The 3rd UK & Ireland Regional Environmental Enrichment Conference 10th-12th May 2010 Hosted by Marwell Wildlife Call for papers Talks and posters are requested from any keepers and researchers regarding your collection’s environmental enrichment programmes, activities and theories. Suggested topics at this time include: 1) General Bird enrichment category - what enrichments you are using, how you make it, evaluation of the enrichment, innovation and developments etc... species specific or general. 2) Role of enrichment in health programmes / animal management /Education. 3) Enrichment in mixed species exhibits. These topics are not restrictive, abstracts will be taken on any topic. Topics are subject to change. This event will also include some practical workshops. Abstracts should be submitted electronically to [email protected] Please email first to request an abstract form. Abstracts should be 500 words maximum if you intend to do a 15 minute presentation with 5 minutes of questions, or 1000 words long for a 45 minute presentation with 10 -15 minutes discussion. Posters should be A1 in size (54.9x84.1 cm) Deadline for abstracts - January 4th 2010. Successful abstracts selected by February 15th 2010. Registration opens - October 12th 2009. Deadline for registration - March 31st 2010 28 See www.enrichment.org or email [email protected]

Vision: “To achieve and advance the highest standards of excellence in wild animal care”

Mission: “ABWAK is a membership organisation for those interested & involved in the keeping & conservation of wild animals, which seeks to achieve the highest standards of excellence in animal care through communication, cooperation, training and development” www.abwak.org

‘rear’ photo - rhino at Colchester Zoo

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