RHINO Husbandry Manual
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RHINO Husbandry Manual Lara Metrione and Adam Eyres Editors INTERNATIONAL RHINO FOUNDATION Association of Zoos and Aquariums Rhino Advisory Group u Metrione, L. and Eyres, A. (Eds.) 2014. Rhino Husbandry Manual. Fort Worth, TX: International Rhino Foundation, 327 pages. International Rhino Foundation 201 Main Street, Suite 2600 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 USA CONTRIBUTORS Lara C. Metrione • South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation, International Rhino Keeper Association Editor, Behavior, Nutrition Adam Eyres • Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, International Rhino Keeper Association Editor, Taxonomy and Conservation Status (White, Black, GOH), Management (White, Black, GOH), Transportation (White, Black, GOH), Research Steve Shurter • White Oak Conservation Holdings, LLC Preface, Crisis for Rhinos, Research Susie Ellis • International Rhino Foundation, International Rhino Keeper Association Crisis for Rhinos Terri L. Roth • Center for Conservation and Research in Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Taxonomy and Conservation Status (Sumatran), Management (Sumatran), Reproduction, Transportation (Sumatran), Enclosure Design (Sumatran), Research Wendy Shaffstall • Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, International Rhino Keeper Association Enrichment Adam Felts • Columbus Zoo, International Rhino Keeper Association Enrichment Jill Piltz • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Training Michael Lebanik • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Training Michelle Skurski • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Training Dan Beetem • the Wilds Transportation, Enclosure Design Michele Miller • Stellenbosch University, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, MRC Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics Health, Research RHINO HUSBANDRY MANUAL 2 Robin Radcliffe • Cornell Conservation Medicine Program, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine Health Barbara Henry • Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens Nutrition (Sumatran) Ellen Dierenfeld • Ellen S. Dierenfeld, LLC, Comparative Animal Nutrition Consulting Nutrition (White, Black, GOH), Research Michael Schlegal • San Diego Zoo Nutrition (White, Black, GOH), Research Peter J. Van Coeverden de Groot • Queen’s University Research Monica A. Stoops • Center for Conservation and Research in Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Research Ronald R. Swaisgood • Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global Research, Behavior Paul R. Reinhart • Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, International Rhino Keeper Association Taxonomy and Conservation Status (Sumatran), Management (Sumatran), Transportation (Sumatran), Enclosure Design (Sumatran) Randy Rieches • San Diego Zoo Safari Park 1996 Rhino Husbandry Manual Electronic Conversion Lance Aubrey • San Diego Zoo Safari Park, International Rhino Keeper Association 1996 Rhino Husbandry Manual Electronic Conversion Gloria Kendall • San Diego Zoo Safari Park, International Rhino Keeper Association 1996 Rhino Husbandry Manual Electronic Conversion Jane Kennedy • San Diego Zoo Safari Park, International Rhino Keeper Association 1996 Rhino Husbandry Manual Electronic Conversion Michael Fouraker • Fort Worth Zoo Editor, 1996 Rhinoceros Husbandry Resource Manual Tarren Wagener • Fort Worth Zoo Editor, 1996 Rhinoceros Husbandry Resource Manual RHINO HUSBANDRY MANUAL 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements . 6 Preface . 7 Part I. 8 Crisis for Rhinos ............................................8 Taxonomy and Conservation Status: Overview ..................8 Part II. White Rhinoceros . 15 Taxonomy.................................................15 Management...............................................15 Reproduction ..............................................24 Enrichment................................................29 Training...................................................33 Transportation .............................................37 Enclosure Design...........................................40 Health ....................................................49 Nutrition..................................................65 Research ..................................................72 Behavior ..................................................80 Part III. Black Rhinoceros . 91 Taxonomy.................................................91 Management...............................................92 Reproduction ............................................ 100 Enrichment.............................................. 104 Training................................................. 108 Transportation ........................................... 112 Enclosure Design......................................... 115 Health .................................................. 123 Nutrition.................................................144 Research ................................................ 152 Behavior ................................................ 160 Part IV. Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros . 167 Taxonomy............................................... 167 Management............................................. 167 Reproduction ............................................ 176 Enrichment.............................................. 180 Training................................................. 184 Transportation ........................................... 188 RHINO HUSBANDRY MANUAL 4 Enclosure Design..........................................191 Health ...................................................200 Nutrition.................................................216 Research .................................................224 Behavior ................................................ 231 Part V. Sumatran Rhinoceros . 237 Taxonomy................................................237 Management............................................. 238 Reproduction ............................................ 243 Enrichment.............................................. 245 Training................................................. 249 Transportation ........................................... 252 Enclosure Design......................................... 255 Health .................................................. 263 Nutrition................................................ 281 Research ................................................ 288 Behavior ................................................ 296 References ...........................................................300 Appendix A. Javan Rhinoceros ........................................320 Appendix B. Trained Behaviors........................................321 Appendix C. Example Training Plans ..................................322 Appendix D. Training Documentation Form...........................323 Appendix E. Instructions for Rhinoceros Estrus Record-Keeping System ..................................324 Appendix F. White Rhino Estrous Behavior Record Sheet .............326 Appendix G. Greater One-Horned Rhino Estrous Behavior Record Sheet .............................................327 RHINO HUSBANDRY MANUAL 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Numerous people and organizations deserve recognition for their contributions to this manual including: the International Rhino Foundation and its Executive Director, Dr. Susie Ellis, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Rhino Taxonomic Advisory Group and its Chair, Steve Shurter, for their input and support; San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Randy Rieches, Lance Aubrey, Gloria Kendall, and Jane Kennedy for transcribing the original 1996 document into electronic working form; Fossil Rim Wildlife Center and San Diego Zoo Global for hosting planning meetings for the revision; the International Rhino Keeper Association Board of Directors and rhino keepers for submitting valuable information included in this manual. Acknowledgement and gratitude goes out to the various contributors and reviewers for sharing their knowledge through their chapters and reviews, and to all those who have shared with us their published and unpublished data and experiences. Finally, we are grateful to Charylu Roberts of O.Ruby Productions and Russell Anayas of (RNR Consultants) for digital formatting of this document and to Bill Konstant of IRF for providing the cover photo. RHINO HUSBANDRY MANUAL 6 PREFACE A rhinoceros husbandry manual is a dynamic document, representing our current understanding of the rhinoceros in managed settings, and presenting a diverse set of parameters and recommendations for managing this unique, iconic mammalian taxon in zoo collections. In 1996, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Rhino Advisory Group (AZA RAG) and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) collaborated to produce the first Rhinoceros Husbandry Resource Manual, published by the Fort Worth Zoo and edited by Michael Fouraker and Tarren Wagener. This excellent reference has weathered the times, and with great relevance to rhino husbandry in 2013, the historic document has formed the basis for this new edition. Recognizing that the depth of our rhino management experience has improved, that our skills, tools and techniques have been refined, and that targeted research projects have shed new light on our base of knowledge, the RAG and IRF have worked to gather crucial new information and input to update the Rhinoceros Husbandry Manual. At the 2009 bi-annual working meeting of the AZA RAG, held at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, the Steering Committee formed a working committee and developed the outline for the 2014 Rhinoceros