Better Home for Pheasants Through Environmental Enrichment

A Quarterly Source of Ideas for Enrichment Better Home for Pheasants through Environmental Enrichment By R Lakshminarasimha, Assistant Curator, and Vijay Ranjan Singh, Executive Director, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, India t the Mysore Zoo, one of our objectives is to Most of the pheasants are fairly or completely Aprovide the best possible home for the ani- sedentary, they use the same habitat throughout mals. For several of the exotic species of pheas- the year, and they do not use separate areas for ants housed different activities, such as nesting or feeding. here, like They mainly occur in forested and semi-forested golden pheas- habitats, both in temperate and tropical areas. ant (Chryso- The daily routine of pheasants follows a simple lophus pictus), pattern that involves feeding following emer- green pheas- gence from roost, resting during mid-day, and a ant (Phasianus late afternoon feeding before retreating to their versicolor), shelter. silver pheasant (Lophura PRE-ENRICHMENT OBSERVATIONS: What nycthemera), was the environment earlier? Chinese Pheasants at the Mysore Zoo were housed in Silver pheasant ringed-necked enclosures made of chain-link mesh with dimen- (Lophura pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), and Lady Am- sions 24 ft. long × 15 ft. wide × 14 ft. in height nycthemera) herst’s pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae), we and a ground covering of soil. Wooden logs were noticed that the animals were not active and being used as perches and roosting grounds, their enclo- which resulted in an increase in the rodent popu- sures failed lation inside the enclosure as they used them as to provide refuge. Rodents would consume the feed placed them with in the enclosure for the pheasants and defecate the necessary inside the enclosure, resulting in various health stimuli for problems, and destroy the eggs laid inside the the display enclosure. Small concrete arches were construct- Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens of natural be- ed inside the enclosures to offer the pheasants haviors. Also, a hideout from the public and also served as a stereotypic shelter during the monsoon (Figure 1). behaviors In an attempt to increase the well-being of like pecking our pheasants and simultaneously to enrich their Figure 1: among adja- enclosures, the following measures and modifi- Concrete arch cently housed pheasants, meager use of enclo- cations were implemented. These changes were shelter sure space, and poor breeding were observed. intended to increase the foraging activity and re- Volume 18, No. 4 November 2009 t f J Z P V i x S E I m v G j Q K U T g o L w t f J Z P r duce the display of stereotypic behaviors. We also addition to coffee stumps, Casuarina and Euca- aimed to increase their use of enclosure space by lyptus poles were also used as perches at higher providing more perching grounds, nesting sites, elevations inside the enclosure. and hideouts. Bamboo mats were tied to the mesh partitions We also hoped between enclosures to a height of four feet. These that the ad- mats served as visual barriers among adjacently ministration housed pheasants (Figure 2). Bamboo grasses of enrichment were planted inside the enclosure and along the would help side walls of the enclosure, intended to provide improve the privacy and at the same time offer areas of con- Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens breeding cealment for the pheasants. success in Wooden platforms measuring 4ft. long × 3ft. our pheasant wide were placed inside the enclosure at a height Figure 2: population. of about two feet from the ground. The platforms Bamboo mats Various aspects were considered during the were covered from the top and on the two sides as visual barriers. design and the implementation of the enrichment and were positioned at the farther end of the plans for these exotic species of pheasants. enclosure, away from the viewing areas (Figure HABITAT: Species-appropriate 3). These served as nesting sites and also offered habitat, complexity of the habitat, privacy to the pheasants. The platforms were usable enclosure space, hideouts, covered with hay, which served as nesting mate- and nesting sites rial. Multiple platforms were provided at various BEHAVIOR: Social and reproduc- heights so that the birds get an opportunity to tive choose their preferred nesting site. FEEDING: Feeding habits, forag- Pheasants are exclusively terrestrial birds and ing activity, presentation of food need dry sandy areas to dust bathe; an activity and diet. for feather maintenance that soaks up excess In order to achieve the desired moisture and removes parasites that infest the enrichment objectives, the inclu- feathers. The enclosure was covered halfway sion of more enclosure furniture, through using metal sheets to a height of seven provision of multiple nesting feet to prevent dampness inside the enclosure Chinese sites, appropriate social pairing, and changes in during the rains. Areas with dry and loose soil ringed-necked the feeding schedules were planned. mixed with small amounts of ash were also pro- pheasant vided for the pheasants to dust bathe. (Phasianus CHANGES IMPLEMENTED: What was done to colchicus) enrich the environment? Feeding enrichment Habitat en- Our primary intentions before designing feed- richment ing enrichment for pheasants was to increase the Wooden logs activity among the birds, encourage the use of were re- more enclosure space, and change their diet and moved from feeding regimes to match natural conditions. Leaf the enclosure litter was scattered on the enclosure floor and and coffee food grains were dispersed among the litter. A Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens tree branches portion inside the enclosure was used to cultivate were used grains and cereals. A mesh guard was used to as perches. protect the seedlings from the pheasants (Figure 4). This also ensures that pheasants have ac- Figure 3: These ranged Covered in height from six to eight feet, and also provided cess to seedlings only when they are sufficiently wooden multiple levels of perching areas. These also grown. Fish meal, liver function enhancers, and platforms for served as roosting grounds during the night. In vitamin supplements were included in the diet. nesting. 2 THE SHAPE OF ENRICHMENT Volume 18, No. 4 November 2009 t f J Z P V i x S E I m v G j Q K U T g o L w t f J Z P r Live insects like termites were also included in in pheasants laying eggs anywhere in the enclo- their diet and these were offered on a regular ba- sure, and the eggs were frequently abandoned. sis. This served as a protein supplement and also Post-enrichment, pheasants have been found mimics their using the wooden platforms in preference to the natural ground where they used to lay eggs, and they environment have also been observed incubating the eggs. The where they provision of wooden platforms offered them the forage for much needed and preferred nesting sites as well insects, thus as privacy. And the shelter and provision of dry arousing their areas has encouraged them to dust bathe more Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens interest in frequently (Figure 4). feeding and The use of leaf litter and the dispersal of food also increas- grains among the litter have resulted in a sub- ing their stantial increase in the foraging activity. It has activity. also encouraged the use of more enclosure space. Figure 3: Mesh- The cultivation of the grains and cereals inside covered grains BEHAVIOR POST-ENRICHMENT: How did the enclosure also improved foraging time and growing in exhibit. the enrichment work? also adds necessary nutrients in their natural and The use of coffee tree freshest state. The addition of live insects to their branches as perches and diet increased their protein intake and simultane- roosting ground has helped ously offered them the necessary stimuli mimick- in two ways: one, it has ing their natural environment and promoted the resulted in a significant display of natural behaviors. reduction in the number of Following the administration of enrichment rodents inside the enclo- to the pheasant exhibits, significant changes have sure, and second, it has been observed in the animals’ activity budget. added to the aesthetic ap- There have been notable changes with respect to pearance of the enclosure. the use of enclosure space by the pheasants and Pheasants were observed also a reduced display of stereotypic behaviors. using the wooden poles The changes in feeding regimes have resulted in Golden pheasant and tree branches to roost increased foraging activity and the changes in (Chrysolophus during dusk. The use of bamboo mats for the en- the diet have resulted in a significant increase in pictus) closure separation wall has resulted in a reduced the fertility rate to 52%, compared to 18% in the display of ste- previous breeding season. G reotypic pecking behavior among adjacently housed pheasants, and the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens planting of bamboo grass inside the enclosure has provided the pheasants Figure 4: Dry with a suf- areas for dust ficient number of hiding areas. bathing. Lack of suitable nesting grounds had resulted THE SHAPE OF ENRICHMENT Volume 18, No. 4 November 2009 3 t f J Z P V i x S E I m v G j Q K U T g o L w t f J Z P r Importance of Environmental Enrichment for Guanacos By M. Florencia Presa, Head of Environmental Enrichment, Bioparque Temaiken and F. Astrada, D. Avejera, and E. Martinez, Zookeepers, Bioparque Temaiken he guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is an extremely • Pinecones with fruit spread between the Tinquisitive animal with good sight, smell scales and hearing. Exclusively an herbivore, its diet • Different fruits hidden between mounds of consists of herbs and the browsing from shrubs bark and trees.

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