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Edentata No.5. Dec 2003.Indd • Los párpados pueden ser abiertos y cerrados is first section is followed by the results of a sin dificultad con la mano. survey made in European and North, Central, • Las orejas grandes presentan una coloración and South American zoological gardens that keep más oscura y están dispuestas en la nuca armadillos. e zoos were asked for informa- como en individuos adultos, unidas en la tion about housing, nutrition, reproduction and base. ethology as well as the diagnosed pathologies and • Se encuentran completamente formados y causes of death of their armadillos. e analysis son verdaderas réplicas de los adultos. of this survey demonstrated that there are serious problems in the care and maintenance of arma- dillos, which affect their reproduction and health and create stereotypic behavior, such as pacing or constant digging. Because of poor data, we were unable to pinpoint the factors responsible NEWS for the lack of reproductive success and the onset of stereotypic behavior, although possible reasons Biology and Maintenance of Armadillos for the appearance of this behavior in 50% of (Dasypodidae) the zoos surveyed are discussed. Some recom- mendations are made for behavioral enrichment, A doctoral thesis which reviewed the biology, improvement of enclosures, better nutrition and maintenance and current status of armadil- ideas for presentation to the visitor, in order to los kept in captivity was defended by Mariella increase the attractiveness of armadillo exhibits. Superina in June 2000 at the Institut Für Zoo-, A comparison of the conditions in which arma- Heim- und Wildtiere, University of Zürich, dillos are usually kept in zoos on different conti- Switzerland. Her research advisor was Prof. Dr. nents with Swiss legislation and the guidelines of Ewald Isenbügel, with codirector Prof. Dr. Rico the Swiss Society for the Protection of Animals un. Her research was supported in part by a clearly shows that it is unacceptable to keep Reisestipendium (a grant for scientific studies in armadillos in current conditions. e animals are a foreign country) from the Schweizer Akademie held in exhibits that are too small and have little für Naturwissenschaften in Zürich, Switzerland enrichment, are fed inappropriately and suffer in October 1999. It permitted a one-month stay from pathologies related to poor maintenance in at the Universidad Nacional del Sur in Bahía captivity. Of the zoos surveyed, only a few have Blanca, Argentina, which enabled her to par- breeding programs, and they are rarely successful. ticipate in field studies and learn the handling Keeping armadillos in captivity is only justifiable of armadillos. if efforts are made to improve their living condi- tions and to meet the dietary needs of each spe- e introduction is based on the literature, con- cies. Field studies and further research on captive versations with scientists and personal observa- armadillos are recommended in order to reach tions. It discusses the evolution, taxonomy and this goal. biology of the 21 known species of armadillos, as well as different aspects of their care and mainte- Dr. Superina is currently working on the transla- nance in captivity, and contains information on tion of her doctoral thesis into English, which adequate and appropriate housing, nutrition and she plans to have completed and published their reproduction. Comments on their handling soon. and on suitable blood-sampling techniques, hematological parameters and a compilation of Mariella Superina, University of New Orleans, the most common diseases and their therapies Department of Biological Sciences, New should help zoo veterinarians in the husbandry Orleans, LA 70148-0001, USA. E-mail: and management of armadillos. <[email protected]>. 54 Edentata no. 5 • December 2003 55 Reference may be a suitable food source for giant anteaters Superina, M. 2000. Biologie und Haltung von (Redford, 1986). Gürteltieren (Dasypodidae). Doctoral thesis, Institut Für Zoo-, Heim- und Wildtiere, Uni- Acknowledgements: Fundação O Boticário de Pro- versität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland. 250pp. teção à Natureza / MacArthur Foundation, e Whitley Laing Foundation / Rufford Small Grants, Centro Nacional de Pesquisas para Conservação Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) de Predadores Naturais – CENAP / IBAMA and Beehive Foraging at Emas National Park, Instituto Conservation International do Brasil Brazil supported the Project “Ecology and Conservation of the Giant Anteater in Emas National Park.” e largest species of anteater in the world, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is widely dispersed Guilherme Henrique Braga de Miranda, Insti- throughout Central and South America, living tuto Nacional de Criminalística / Departamento in varied habitats, including forests and open de Polícia Federal and Programa de Pós-graduação grassland. e Emas National Park (ENP), about em Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, 133,000 ha and mostly savanna, is one of the Universidade de Brasília, 70.910-900 Brasília, most important reserves of the Cerrado, and is DF, Brazil. E-mail: <[email protected]>. located in the southwest of the state of Goiás, bordering the states of Mato Grosso and Mato Flávio Henrique Guimarães Rodrigues, Associa- Grosso do Sul. ção para Conservação dos Carnívoros Neotropicais – Pró-Carnívoros and Departamento de Zoologia, In the late afternoon of 1 February, 2003, we were Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de following two giant anteaters to capture one of Brasília, 70.910-900 Brasília, DF, Brazil. E-mail: them to attach a radio-transmitter (the other was <[email protected]>. already equipped) in a grassland area of the ENP. Following the capture and near the capture site, Ísis Meri Medri, Fundação Pantanal Com- we observed and photographed marks produced Ciência, Av. Rio Branco 1270, Universidade by an anteater’s claws, alongside a nearly circular Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, 79304-020 burrow (20 cm diameter) in a termite mound Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. E-mail: about 1.5 m high. Inside this burrow, were found <[email protected]>. bees, honey, beehive wall, and the remains of a recently destroyed small Apis mellifera colony. Fernanda Vinci dos Santos, SHIN QI 7, Con- junto 12, Casa 18, 71515-120 Brasília, DF, We found a bee in the fur of the captured anteater Brazil. E-mail: <[email protected]>. and a small swarm hovered around it, suggesting that this animal may have attacked the beehive to References eat the insects and/or the honey or other items. Cabrera, A. and Yepes, J. 1940. Mamíferos Sud- Anteaters have rarely been recorded attacking bees’ Americanos. Historia Natural Ediar, Compañía nests (Cabrera and Yepes, 1940). Bee products are Argentina de Editores, Buenos Aires. rich in nutrients and the association of a beehive Redford, K. H. 1986. Dietary specialization and with the termite mound, commonly foraged by variation in two mammalian myrmecophages anteaters, could facilitate the encounter, resulting (variation in mammalian myrmecophagy). in the consumption of bees and their products. In Revta. Chilena Hist. Nat. 59: 201-208. spite of similar problems associated with ants and Redford, K. H. and Dorea, J. G. 1984. e nutri- termites (low nutritional value of the prey, small tional value of invertebrates with emphasis prey size and forms of defense relying on the soci- on ants and termites as food for mammals. ality of the prey) (Redford and Dorea, 1984), bees J. Zool., Lond. 203: 385-395. 54 Edentata no. 5 • December 2003 55 Official List of Brazilian Fauna Threatened with Odonata, and Onycophora and Cnidaria were Extinction – 2002 assessed in 1989), but also to an increase in our knowledge of the status of the country’s fauna. Eight edentates were assessed, and four were listed A workshop, involving about 200 Brazilian and as threatened, of which two are endemic to Brazil international specialists, was held from 9-12 (Bradypus torquatus and Tolypeutes tricinctus). e December, 2002, in Belo Horizonte, Minas criteria used to evaluate threatened status were Gerais, to revise the Official List of Brazilian those of the IUCN – World Conservation Union Fauna reatened with Extinction (Lista Oficial Species Survival Commission (SSC), Version 3.1 da Fauna Brasileira Ameaçada de Extinção). e (IUCN, 2001), with adaptations to a regional previous revision was in 1989 (Edict 1.522, 19th scale as proposed by Gärdenfors et al. (2001) and December, 1989; Bernardes et al., 1990). e approved by the SSC. workshop was coordinated by the Fundação Bio- diversitas, in collaboration with the local NGO Adriano Chiarello (Pontifícia Universidade Terra Brasilis, Conservation International do Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte) was Brasil (CI do Brasil), and the Sociedade Brasileira the coordinator for the Mammal Group. Gustavo de Zoologia (SBZ), and was held at the spe- A. B. da Fonseca (Center for Applied Biodiver- cific request of the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio sity Science at Conservation International and Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo (IBAMA) of the Ministry of the Environment Horizonte) and Adriano Chiarello were joint (MMA). Sponsorship was provided by the coordinators of the Edentate Sub-group. Prior Programa de Biodiversidade (PROBIO) of the to the workshop, information and the opinions Ministry of the Environment (MMA), Shell of numerous mammalogists and conservationists do Brasil, Grupo Odebrecht, and Conservation were solicited through a site on the internet spe- International do Brasil.
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