Captive management Flashcards
main focus of captive breeding then vs now
the main focus of captive breeding used to be reintroductions into the wild
now we recognize that conservation, research, and education are the only likely way to save wild species
how did the care of captive animals shift from before?
used to make it easy to maintain by using cement floors etc, now we use more naturalistic habitats
what did the shift of how we care for captive animals allow zoos to do?
this shift allowed zoos to demonstrate the complex interrelationships between plants, animals, their environment and try to accommodate the social, behavioral, and psychological needs of different animal species
AZA
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
independent accrediting organization for the best zoos and aquariums in America and the world assuring the public that when they visit an AZA-accredited facility it meets the highest standards for animal care and welfare
< 10% of the 2,800 wildlife exhibitors licensed by the US Department of Agriculture under the Animal Welfare Act meet the more comprehensive standards of AZA accreditation
AAZK
American Association of Zookeepers
AZVT
Association of Zoo Vet Techs
WCS
Wildlife Conservation Society
mission is to save wildlife and wild places across the globe
biggest conservation organization in the US
medicine used as an integrative part of conservation
what are the 4 biggest issues facing wildlife that the WCS are committed to address in order to protect biodiversity?
climate change, natural resource exploitation, connection between wildlife health and human health, and the sustainable development of human livelihoods
WDA
Wildlife Disease Association
AAWV
American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
species survival plan (SSP)
manages specific and typically threatened or endangered species
each has a Studbook and a Breeding and Transfer Plan with recommendations to ensure sustainability of a healthy genetically diverse population
what do SSP programs do?
significantly contribute to field conservation efforts, species recovery, veterinary care for wildlife disease issues, etc
ex: determine conservation priorities, develop a breed and transfer plan in coordination with the population management center, develop non-breeding plans in coordination with reproductive management center
population management center (PMC)
Lincoln Park Zoo does genetic analyses
reproductive management center (RMC)
provides scientific-based information to AZA facilities on reproductive management to support animal population viability, sustainability, and well-being
pros of captive breeding
some species that are extinct in the wild thrive in zoos, successful reintroductions to the wild from captive breeding can be done, and public education
cons of captive breeding
focus is on a few charismatic endangered species, genetic diversity may have sunk too low to be regenerated, cost diverts resources from ecosystem/habitat conservation, gives a false sense that the battle against extinction is won
captive animal habitats
naturalistic habits with more space, vegetation, and intermixed species
animals seen to thrive in these environments: exhibit natural behaviors and fewer stereotypic behaviors
pros of naturalistic habitats
more attention being paid to megafauna
mental health improved along with medical conditions that older exhibits caused
much better experience for public as well as interest in conservation
megafauna
large animals > 1000lbs
mixed species exhibits
with naturalistic habitats we can educate the public not only about individual animals but the ecosystem and relationships
more animals together means more interactions so important to understand habitats and relationships in the wild
challenges of mixed species exhibits
inter and intra species aggression, possibility of environmental accidents
captive animal observations
can be a challenge
solution: training animals to come into holding areas at night and train certain behaviors such as opening mouth to check teeth
parasitism and hoofstock
combating parasites among hoofstock can be challenging due to large pasture size, large herd size, mixed species pastures, and active breeding programs
dewormers face the challenge of drug resistance so need to rotate dewormers
rotate treatment schedules if possible and rotate pasture
behavior training in the past
trick training was the norm
behavior training now
we train to improve zoo medicine, also includes training normal behaviors for public education
we want to improve emotional state of animals
which type of training do we use in the zoo world?
operant conditioning
positive reinforcement
something the subject wants that occurs in conjunction with an act that tends to increase the probability that the act will occur again
extinction in operant conditioning
method of eliminating a behavior by not reinforcing it any longer
bridge in operant conditioning
a sound or action that tells the animal that it just did something correct and reinforcement is on the way
cue in operant conditioning
a signal that will elicit a specific behavior or reflex as a result of learned association
target in operant conditioning
a prop (or part of the body) that pinpoints a critical location for an animal in training
station training
station training is similar to a target because the animal is trained to target to an actual area
shaping
shifting an act one small step at a time towards an ultimate goal
capturing a behavior
trainer waits for the animal to offer a behavior then reinforces the response
