Und Der Galapagos-Riesenschildkröte (Geochelone Elephantopus) in Menschlicher Obhut Unter Besonderer Berücksichtigung Der Fortpflanzung

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Und Der Galapagos-Riesenschildkröte (Geochelone Elephantopus) in Menschlicher Obhut Unter Besonderer Berücksichtigung Der Fortpflanzung Aus dem Institut für Zoologie der Tierärztlichen Hochschule Hannover und dem Zoo Hannover Zur Biologie und Haltung der Aldabra-Riesenschildkröte (Geochelone gigantea) und der Galapagos-Riesenschildkröte (Geochelone elephantopus) in menschlicher Obhut unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Fortpflanzung I N A U G U R A L - D I S S E R T A T I O N zur Erlangung des Grades einer D O K T O R I N D E R V E T E R I N Ä R M E D I Z I N (Dr. med. vet.) durch die Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover Vorgelegt von Katja Ebersbach aus Leipzig Hannover 2001 Wissenschaftliche Betreuung: Univ.-Prof. Dr. K. Wächtler 1. Gutachter: Univ.-Prof. Dr. K. Wächtler 2. Gutachter: Privatdozent Dr. M. Böer Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 28.11.2001 Meiner Familie in Liebe und Dankbarkeit Inhaltsverzeichnis Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 EINLEITUNG 17 2LITERATUR 18 2.1 Allgemeines 18 2.1.1 Systematik 18 2.1.1.1 Systematik der Klasse Reptilia 18 2.1.1.2 Fossile Verbreitung von Riesenschildkröten 18 2.1.1.3 Ursprung und Systematik von G. gigantea 19 2.1.1.4 Ursprung und Systematik von G. elephantopus 21 2.1.2 Verbreitungsgebiet und Bestandszahlen 24 2.1.2.1 Verbreitungsgebiet und Bestandszahlen von G. gigantea 24 2.1.2.2 Verbreitungsgebiet und Bestandszahlen von G. elephantopus 25 2.1.3 Anatomische Besonderheiten 29 2.1.3.1 Anatomische Unterschiede zwischen G. gigantea und G. elephantopus 29 2.1.3.2 Anatomie der inneren Organe 30 2.1.3.3 Schildanomalien bei G. gigantea 30 2.1.3.4 Geschlechtsbestimmung 30 2.1.3.5 Körpergröße und -gewicht von G. gigantea und G. elephantopus 30 2.2 Biologie der Riesenschildkröten in ihrer natürlichen Umwelt 32 2.2.1 G. gigantea in ihrer natürlichen Umwelt 32 2.2.1.1 Umweltbedingungen auf dem Aldabra-Atoll 32 2.2.1.2 Ernährung und Wachstum 33 2.2.1.3 Verhalten und Sinnesleistungen 35 2.2.1.4 Fortpflanzung 36 2.2.1.5 Erkrankungen und Mortalität 40 2.2.2 G. elephantopus in ihrer natürlichen Umwelt 41 2.2.2.1 Umweltbedingungen auf den Galapagos-Inseln 41 2.2.2.2 Ernährung und Wachstum 42 2.2.2.3 Verhalten und Sinnesleistungen 43 2.2.2.4 Fortpflanzung 44 2.2.2.5 Erkrankungen und Mortalität 46 2.3 Riesenschildkröten in menschlicher Obhut 47 2.3.1 Haltung und Fütterung 47 2.3.1.1 Haltung von G. gigantea 48 2.3.1.1.1 Bestandsgröße und Geschlechterverhältnis 48 2.3.1.1.2 Außengehege 49 2.3.1.1.3 Innengehege 50 2.3.1.1.4 Management 52 2.3.1.1.5 Gesetzliche Vorschriften zur Haltung 52 2.3.1.1.6 Jungtierhaltung 53 2.3.1.1.7 Private Haltung von G. gigantea auf den Seychellen-Inseln 54 2.3.1.2 Fütterung von G. gigantea 54 2.3.1.3 Größen- und Gewichtszunahmen der Jungtiere 58 2.3.1.4 Haltung von G. elephantopus 58 Inhaltsverzeichnis 2.3.1.4.1 Bestandsgröße und Geschlechterverhältnis 58 2.3.1.4.2 Außengehege 59 2.3.1.4.3 Innengehege 60 2.3.1.4.4 Management 60 2.3.1.4.5 Gesetzliche Vorschriften zur Haltung 61 2.3.1.4.6 Jungtierhaltung 61 2.3.1.5 Fütterung von G. elephantopus 62 2.3.1.6 Gewichtszunahmen der Jungtiere 64 2.3.2 Fortpflanzung 65 2.3.2.1 Fortpflanzung von G. gigantea 65 2.3.2.1.1 Übersicht zu Eiablagen und Fortpflanzungserfolgen 65 2.3.2.1.2 Verhaltensweisen im Zusammenhang mit der Fortpflanzung 65 2.3.2.1.3 Reproduktionsabläufe im Jahresverlauf 68 2.3.2.1.4 Individuenbezogene Angaben zu reproduzierenden Tieren 68 2.3.2.1.5 Störungen im weiblichen Fortpflanzungsgeschehen 69 2.3.2.1.6 Eiablage, Inkubation und Schlupf 70 2.3.2.1.7 Fortpflanzung in privaten Haltungen auf den Seychellen 72 2.3.2.2 Fortpflanzung von G. elephantopus 74 2.3.2.2.1 Übersicht zu Fortpflanzungserfolgen 74 2.3.2.2.2 Verhaltensweisen im Zusammenhang mit der Fortpflanzung 74 2.3.2.2.3 Reproduktionsabläufe im Jahresverlauf 75 2.3.2.2.4 Individuenbezogene Angaben zu reproduzierenden Tieren 76 2.3.2.2.5 Störungen im weiblichen Fortpflanzungsgeschehen 77 2.3.2.2.6 Eiablage, Inkubation und Schlupf 78 2.3.2.3 Einfluss des Haltungsmanagements auf die Fortpflanzungsrate 82 2.3.2.4 Untersuchungen zum Fortpflanzungsgeschehen bei Riesenschildkröten 85 2.3.2.4.1 Untersuchungen bei weiblichen Tieren 85 2.3.2.4.2 Untersuchungen bei männlichen Tieren 92 2.3.2.5 Einflussgrößen der Umwelt auf Reproduktionszyklen 94 2.3.3 Erkrankungen und Todesfälle bei G. gigantea und G. elephantopus 95 2.3.3.1 Juvenile und subadulte Tiere 95 2.3.3.2 Adulte Tiere 96 2.3.4 Schutzstationen und Projekte 97 2.3.4.1 Schutzstationen und Projekte für G. gigantea 97 2.3.4.2 Schutzstationen und Projekte für G. elephantopus 99 3 MATERIAL UND METHODE 103 3.1 Befragung 103 3.1.1 Aufbau des Fragebogens 103 3.1.2 Auswertung 104 3.1.2.1 Deskriptive Auswertung 104 3.1.2.2 Berechnung statistischer Zusammenhänge 105 3.2 Sonographische Untersuchungen der Ovarien bei G. gigantea 107 3.3 Messung der Lichtstärke und UV-Strahlung im Innengehege von G. gigantea 108 3.4 Spermienuntersuchungen an Kloakenabstrichen G. gigantea 109 Inhaltsverzeichnis 4 ERGEBNISSE 110 4.1 Ergebnisse der Befragung 110 4.1.1 Teil I: Allgemeine Angaben 110 4.1.1.1 Angaben zu den Tieren 110 4.1.1.2 Angaben zu Haltungsbedingungen im Innengehege 111 4.1.1.3 Angaben zu Haltungsbedingungen im Außengehege 120 4.1.1.4 Fütterung während der Haltung im Innengehege (Winter) 124 4.1.1.5 Fütterung während der Haltung im Außengehege (Sommer) 127 4.1.1.6 Spezielle Haltung und Pflege 130 4.1.1.7 Erkrankungen und Todesursachen 132 4.1.2 Teil II: Fortpflanzungsbezogene Angaben 135 4.1.2.1 Management bzgl. der Fortpflanzung 135 4.1.2.2 Sexualverhalten 136 4.1.2.3 Fortpflanzungserfolge 138 4.1.2.4 Bewertung verschiedener Einflussfaktoren auf die Fortpflanzung 141 4.1.2.5 Berechnung statistischer Zusammenhänge 147 4.1.2.6 Eigene Untersuchungen der Zoologischen Gärten 147 4.2 Ultraschalluntersuchungen im Zoo Hannover 147 4.3 Messung von Lichtintensität und UV-Strahlung 148 4.4 Untersuchung von Kloakenabstrichen auf Spermien 149 5 DISKUSSION 150 5.1 Vorbemerkung 150 5.2 Material und Methode, Kritik der Methoden 150 5.2.1 Befragung 150 5.2.2 Ultraschalluntersuchungen 153 5.2.3 Spermienuntersuchungen 153 5.3 Haltung 153 5.3.1 Tierbestand 154 5.3.2 Haltungsbedingungen 156 5.4 Fütterung 164 5.4.1 Futterzusammensetzung 165 5.4.2 Futtermenge 167 5.4.3 Fütterung und Aktivität 168 5.5 Fortpflanzung 169 5.6 Ausblick 173 6 ZUSAMMENFASSUNG 177 7 SUMMARY 179 8 LITERATURVERZEICHNIS 181 Inhaltsverzeichnis 9 ANHANG 201 9.1 Tabellen 201 9.2 Abbildungen 218 9.3 Fragebogen 220 9.4 Liste der in die Untersuchung einbezogenen Halter von G. gigantea und G. elephantopus mit Hinweisen auf die klimatischen Verhältnisse 225 Abbildungsverzeichnis Abbildungen im Text Abbildung 1: Phänotyp a) "kuppelförmiger Graser" (G. e. vandenburghi) und b) "sattelförmiger Browser" (G. e. abingdoni) nach OBST 1985 22 Abbildung 2: Aldabra-Atoll, Verbreitungsgebiet von G. gigantea 25 Abbildung 3: Galapagos-Archipel, Verbreitungsgebiet von G. elephantopus 26 Abbildung 4: Typische Merkmale von a) G. gigantea und b) G. elephantopus 29 Abbildung 5: Männliches Exemplar G. gigantea in physiologischem Ernährungszustand 56 Abbildung 6: Hochgradig adipöses männliches Exemplar von G. gigantea 56 Abbildung 7: Jungtier von G. gigantea im Alter von ca. 2,5 Jahren mit pyramidaler Carapaxverformung als Folge einer Energieüberversorgung und Mangelversorgung mit Vit. D3, Kalzium bzw. fehlerhaftem Ca:P-Verhältnis 57 Abbildung 8: Adultes Exemplar von G. gigantea mit pyramidaler Carapaxverformung, Ursachenkomplex wie in Abb. 7 57 Abbildung 9: Paarungsversuch bei G. gigantea 66 Abbildung 10: Färbung der Jungtiere von G. gigantea beim Schlupf 73 Abbildung 11: Jungtiere von G. gigantea ca. 4 Wochen alt mit nachgedunkeltem Carapax 73 Abbildung 12: Durchführung der ultrasonographischen Untersuchung: Schallkopfpositionierung im inguinalen Panzerausschnitt und Lage der weiblichen Geschlechtsorgane bei Schildkröten (modifiziert nach SCHACHT (1902) und MADER (1996) ) 107 Abbildung 13: Verteilung der Messpunkte direkt unter dem Dach (UD 1 - UD3) sowie auf Panzerhöhe der Tiere (20 cm über dem Gehegeboden) (MP1 – MP9) im Schildkrötengehege 108 Abbildung 14: Haltungsdauer Innengehege in Monaten in 64 Haltungen G. gigantea 112 Abbildung 15: Haltungsdauer Innengehege in Monaten in 25 Haltungen G. elephantopus 112 Abbildung 16: Flächenangebot Innengehege/adultes Tier 54 Haltungen G. gigantea 113 Abbildung 17: Flächenangebot Innengehege/adultes Tier 13 Haltungen G. elephantopus 114 Abbildung 18: Bodenbeschaffenheit und Strukturierung Innengehege 58 Haltungen G. gigantea und 19 Haltungen G. elephantopus 115 Abbildung 19: Tagesraumtemperatur Innengehege in 54 Haltungen G. gigantea 116 Abbildung 20: Tagesraumtemperatur Innengehege in 16 Haltungen G. elephantopus 117 Abbildung 21: Summe der Monate mit UV-Bestrahlung durch Außenhaltung, täglichen Auslauf oder UV-Strahler im Innengehege 64 Haltungen G. gigantea 118 Abbildung 22: Summe der Monate mit UV-Bestrahlung durch Außenhaltung, täglichen Auslauf oder UV-Strahler im Innengehege 25 Haltungen G. elephantopus 119 Abbildung 23: Relative Luftfeuchte (%) im Innengehege in 37 Haltungen von G. gigantea 120 Abbildung 24: Flächenangebot Außengehege/adultes Tier 58 Haltungen G. gigantea 121 Abbildung 25: Flächenangebot Außengehege/adultes Tier 19 Haltungen G. elephantopus 121 Abbildung 26: Bodenbeschaffenheit- und strukturierung Außengehege in 67 Haltungen G. gigantea und 26 Haltungen G. elephantopus 122 Abbildung 27: Tagesfuttermenge pro adultem Tier während der Innenhaltung (Winter) in 42 Haltungen G. gigantea und in 11 Haltungen G.
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