Captive Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa breeding success: potential for bird conservation in Thailand?

Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa is one of the most popular bird pets worldwide due to its ability to mimic diverse sounds, especially human speech. However, Mynahs have rarely been bred in captivity, so nestlings from natural populations are in large demand, resulting in many populations being threatened with extinction. Both subspecies in Thailand, intermedia and religiosa, are costly and desired in the pet market. Captive breeding is one of the most practical strategies to solve a conservation problem of this nature and this report describes a success in breeding Hill Mynahs in captivity. Mated pairs were given free access to food, nest-cavities and nest materials. Reproductive behaviour in captivity was not different from that in the wild, with the exception that breeding occurred throughout the year, even during the non-breeding season for wild populations. Although there are doubts concerning the reintroduction of captive-bred birds and whether successful Hill Mynah breeding in captivity is an economically competitive alternative to poaching, it ensures species survival in captivity as the risk of extinction increases.

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Somewhat saved: a captive breeding programme for two endemic Christmas Island lizard species, now extinct in the wild

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605316001071 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 52 (1) ◽

pp. 171-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Paul Andrew ◽

Hal Cogger ◽

Don Driscoll ◽

Samantha Flakus ◽

Peter Harlow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Biodiversity Loss ◽

Breeding Programme ◽

Lizard Species ◽

Christmas Island ◽

Captive Populations ◽

Captive Breeding Programme ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild

AbstractAs with many islands, Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean has suffered severe biodiversity loss. Its terrestrial lizard fauna comprised five native species, of which four were endemic. These were abundant until at least the late 1970s, but four species declined rapidly thereafter and were last reported in the wild between 2009 and 2013. In response to the decline, a captive breeding programme was established in August 2009. This attempt came too late for the Christmas Island forest skink Emoia nativitatis, whose last known individual died in captivity in 2014, and for the non-endemic coastal skink Emoia atrocostata. However, two captive populations are now established for Lister's gecko Lepidodactylus listeri and the blue-tailed skink Cryptoblepharus egeriae. The conservation future for these two species is challenging: reintroduction will not be possible until the main threats are identified and controlled.

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Female control of reproductive behaviour in the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), with notes on female competition for mating

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-00003476 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 155 (1) ◽

pp. 27-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jessica L. Thomas ◽

Marissa L. Parrott ◽

Kathrine A. Handasyde ◽

Peter Temple-Smith

Keyword(s):

Mating Behaviour ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Female Competition ◽

Time Investment ◽

Ornithorhynchus Anatinus ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild ◽

Males And Females ◽

Infrared Cameras ◽

And Control

Abstract Opportunities for studying platypus courtship and mating behaviours in the wild are limited due to the nocturnal and cryptic nature of this species. We report on platypus courtship and mating behaviour from a successful breeding program at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, in which platypuses were held as either breeding pairs or trios over seven years. Behaviour was recorded daily on infrared cameras resulting in over 80,000 h of footage that was analysed for activity periods, and courtship and mating behaviours including non-contact and contact courtship, mating and avoidance. Our aims were to describe and quantify courtship and mating interactions between males and females, and to determine if either sex controlled the initiation and continuation of the behaviours. From our observations, we describe a new courtship behaviour, non-contact courtship, which constituted the majority of all mating season interactions between males and females. The time between first and last appearance of a courtship and mating behaviour was 41.0 ± 6.6 days, with the females showing behavioural receptivity for 29.6 ± 5.1 days. Female platypuses used three evasive strategies in relation to approaches by males: avoidance, flight and resistance. Females controlled the duration of 79% of encounters using resistance. For the first time, two females were seen competing with each other over access to the male platypus in their enclosure and for nesting material. Time investment in courtship and mating behaviours was a poor indicator of receptivity and breeding success, and we suggest that breeding failure is more likely to be associated with failure of fertilisation, nest building, embryonic development or incubation. We describe how female platypuses demonstrate evasiveness and control of courtship and mating behaviours, and the importance of providing these opportunities in captivity to promote successful breeding.

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Firefly Translocation: A Case Study of Genetic and Behavioral Evaluation in Thailand

10.5772/intechopen.97455 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anchana Thancharoen

Keyword(s):

Success Rate ◽

Captive Breeding ◽

Large Population ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Success Rates ◽

Captive Populations ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild ◽

Threatened Fauna

Conservation translocation is frequently used to conserve the threatened fauna by releasing individuals from the wild or captive populations into a particular area. This approach, however, is not successful in many cases because the translocated populations could not self-sustain in the new habitats. In this chapter, I reviewed the concept of translocation for conservation and the factors associated with the success rate. I used example problems from several cases involving different insect taxa. With its often high potential to mass rear in captivity, captive breeding can be a powerful tool by assuring large population size for insect translocation, which can result in a high success rate. However, genetic consequences from inbreeding and genetic adaptation to captivity can reduce the fitness of the captive population to establish successfully in the wild. Additionally, as the evidence in Japanese fireflies shows, the genetic differences between the translocated and local populations should be considered for a sustainable translocation program. A case study involved genetic and behavioral evaluation of S. aquatilis populations to assess the possibility of including the species for the firefly translocation program in Thailand. Although the results revealed no genetic variation among populations, examination of the variation in flash signals showed that the long-distance population had a longer courtship flash pulse than other populations in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. With no geographical barrier, the light pollution and urbanization are probably important fragmented barriers causing adaptation of flash communication to increase the fitness. As a consequence, firefly translocation should consider flash variation between populations to prevent this potential pre-mating isolation mechanism from resulting in probable lower translocation success rates.

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Purple Swamphen or Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) and Humans

Society and Animals ◽

10.1163/15685306-12341432 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 574-595

Author(s):

Ricardo Jorge Lopes ◽

Juan Antonio Gomez ◽

Alessandro Andreotti ◽

Maura Andreoni

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Ample Evidence ◽

Waterbird Species ◽

Literary Sources ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Porphyrio Porphyrio ◽

Induced Changes

Our knowledge of the historical use of nonhuman animal species in captivity and subsequent human-induced changes in their distribution is poor in comparison to contemporary case studies. Here we assess the hypothesis that, in the case of one waterbird species, the purple swamphen or gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio), we have neglected the high probability that people transported these birds within the Mediterranean, from Roman to recent times. In ancient iconographies, literary sources, and more recent records there is ample evidence for the use of this species in captivity, captive-breeding, and for trade during several historical periods, especially within the Mediterranean region. All this evidence supports the hypothesis that released or escaped birds might have hybridized with other populations living in the wild. This case study stresses the importance of taking into account past human activity when interpreting contemporary distributional patterns of species.

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The effects of seasonal variation on the nutritional condition of Nephrops norvegicus (Astacidea: Nephropidae) from wild populations in the western Mediterranean

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315414000022 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 94 (4) ◽

pp. 763-773 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Guiomar Rotllant ◽

Joan B. Company ◽

Inmaculada Alvarez-Fernández ◽

José A. García ◽

Jacopo Aguzzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stock Assessment ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Nutritional Condition ◽

Nephrops Norvegicus ◽

In Captivity ◽

Consumption Rates ◽

In The Wild ◽

Biochemical Analyses ◽

Fishery Species

The Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus is a target fishery species in European waters. The stock assessment of N. norvegicus is complicated because it is caught in commercial gear only when it emerges from its burrow. Landings are lower in winter, and feeding limitations have been hypothesized as the cause. Wild large-sized male lobsters were sampled each season (winter, spring, summer and autumn), and two groups of animals were kept in captivity for 90 d (fed and food-deprived). The hepatopancreas and muscle were dissected, weighted, frozen for biochemical analyses (proximal analyses and DNA/RNA) and fixed in Bouin solution for microscopic observations. The oxygen consumption rates in the wild individuals caught in the spring and in the captive animals after the treatments were measured. Significant differences among the experimental groups were observed in the lipid concentration of the hepatopancreas and muscle, the water content in the hepatopancreas, and the numbers of vacuoles and pyknotic nuclei in the cells of the tubules of the hepatopancreas. The results showed that the wild Norway lobsters generally presented intermediate values between those observed in the food-deprived and the fed lobsters kept in captivity, but the values were closer to those obtained for the fed animals. This finding indicates that the wild animals exhibit a good nutritional condition throughout the year. Therefore, the wild males of N. norvegicus do not face food deprivation during winter as is suggested by the pattern of commercial catches, the flow of organic matter, and the moulting period/reproductive behaviour of the species.

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Understanding the Role of Semiochemicals on the Reproductive Behaviour of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)—A Review

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11113140 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 3140

Author(s):

Alexia Tommasi ◽

Jacek A. Koziel ◽

Annelin H. Molotsi ◽

Giulia Esposito

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Mating Behaviour ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Reproductive Aging ◽

International Union ◽

Acinonyx Jubatus ◽

In Captivity ◽

Insight Into

The cheetah species (Acinonyx jubatus) is currently listed as vulnerable according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Captive breeding has long since been used as a method of conservation of the species, with the aim to produce a healthy, strong population of cheetahs with an increased genetic variety when compared to their wild counterparts. This would then increase the likelihood of survivability once released into protected areas. Unfortunately, breeding females have been reported to be difficult due to the age of these animals. Older females are less fertile, have more difficult parturition, and are susceptible to asymmetric reproductive aging whereas younger females tend to show a significantly lower frequency of mating behaviour than that of older females, which negatively affects breeding introductions, and therefore mating. Nonetheless, the experience from breeding methods used in some breeding centres in South Africa and the Netherlands, which also rely on the role that semiochemicals play in breeding, proves that cheetahs can be bred successfully in captivity. This review aims to give the reader an in-depth overview of cheetahs’ reproductive physiology and behaviour, focusing on the role that pheromones play in this species. Furthermore, it aims to provide new insight into the use of semiochemicals to improve conservation strategies through captive breeding.

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Fatal chytridiomycosis and infection loss observed in captive toads infected in the wild

Acta Veterinaria Brno ◽

10.2754/avb201382040351 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 351-355 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vojtech Baláž ◽

Martina Kubečková ◽

Petr Civiš ◽

Roman Rozínek ◽

Jiří Vojar

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽

Parasitic Fungus ◽

Biodiversity Crisis ◽

Green Toad ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild ◽

Initial Sampling ◽

Over Time ◽

Apparent Adverse Effect

A parasitic fungus,Batrachochytrium dendrobatidisis now recognised as an important factor in the amphibian biodiversity crisis. Toad species of the genusBufoare among those susceptible to infection by the pathogen in Europe. The aim of this study was to observe the presence and impact of infection in adults of two toad species collected for captive breeding. The total number of animals included in the study was 162, but only subsets were used for sampling at different occasions (35 specimens in the initial sampling in summer 2011, 48 post hibernation during winter 2011, and 31 in summer 2012, after all toads in captivity were treated with itraconazole). We performed TaqMan real-time quantification PCR to detect and quantify the pathogen. We found that a large infection load was linked to mortality in a single adult green toad (Bufo viridis). However, low infection loads observed in fiveB. viridisand five natterjack toads (B. calamita)were lost over time, with no apparent adverse effect. Intraconazole treated animals were all clear of infection. As infection in these two toad species either led to mortality or recovery, it seems unlikely they could act as permanent carriers ofB. dendrobatidisand therefore persistence of the pathogen is likely maintained by different host species. This is the first study to date that has detected infection and observed its impact and persistence in wild-infected toads in Europe.

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The effect of genetic selection for lack of aggression towards humans on male reproductive physiology in the silver fox

Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science ◽

10.1017/s1752756200003987 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 2001 ◽

pp. 16-16 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

L. V. Osadchuk

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Plasma Concentrations ◽

Genetic Selection ◽

Reproductive Behaviour ◽

Defensive Responses ◽

Silver Fox ◽

Human Contact ◽

In Captivity ◽

Selection For ◽

And Control

Most of silver foxes bred in captivity show predominantly defensive responses to human contact. Since early captive breeding humans have unconsciously carried out selection for tameness. Thus, artificial selection for the absence of aggressive and fearful responses to humans most likely played a key role in domestication process. To establish the genetic and physiological mechanisms of the early evolution of domestic animals, a model of silver fox domestication was developed at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics (Novosibirsk, Russia). A population of silver foxes has been produced in long-term selection for lack of aggression and fear towards humans (domestic behaviour). The method of selection and the behavioural changes in the course of selection have been described (Belyaev, 1979; Trut, 1995). Selected animals show no aggressiveness to humans and they are better adapted to captive conditions than their wild counterparts. The purpose of this study was to determine how behaviour selection influences testicular function in silver fox males. Plasma concentrations and testicular production of testosterone were determined in selected and control males in different parts of the reproductive cycle and prenatal life. In addition, reproductive behaviour and hormonal responses to opposite sex were estimated in the males of both behaviour groups. Sperm production and sexual activity were also compared between selected and control males.

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In-Situ and Ex-Situ status of the Javan Gibbon and the role of zoos in conservation of the species

Contributions to Zoology ◽

10.1163/18759866-0750304005 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 75 (03-04) ◽

pp. 161-168 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Vincent Nijman

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Captive Breeding Programme ◽

In Captivity ◽

Hylobates Moloch ◽

In The Wild ◽

Set Up ◽

Javan Gibbon

The Javan gibbon Hylobates moloch is confined to the last remnants of rainforest on the island of Java, Indonesia. As of 2002, the species has been recorded in 29 forest areas, and the wild population is conservatively estimated at 4100-4500 individuals. Over 95% of the gibbons are in populations of >100 individuals, and the four largest areas support populations of >500 individuals each. In 2003, 56 Javan gibbons were maintained at eight Indonesian zoos, 15 at four Indonesian wildlife rescue centres, with five potential breeding pairs. There is no evidence that the species has bred successfully in captivity in Indonesia. Outside the range country, 48 Javan gibbons were maintained at ten institutions in nine countries, with six breeding pairs. The total ex-situ population is some 120 individuals, the majority of which is wild-caught. At present most initiatives relating to the conservation of the Javan gibbon have targeted small isolated forest areas and the ex-situ population, whereas in-situ protection of the largest populations in the wild has been largely ignored. Significant populations are currently found in unprotected forests. The large captive population of Javan gibbons within Indonesia allows, with improved co-operation, to set up an integrated captive- breeding programme. This should, not be seen, however, as a means to improve the conservation status of the wild Javan gibbons, which needs to be achieved through protection of remaining habitat, but could be used for improving the prevailing low levels of conservation awareness in Java.

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Conservation by Captive Breeding: a General Survey

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605300006098 ◽

1967 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 87-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Richard Fitter

Keyword(s):

Captive Breeding ◽

European Bison ◽

General Survey ◽

Second Best ◽

Wild Horse ◽

In Captivity ◽

In The Wild ◽

Breeding Programmes ◽

Père David’S Deer ◽

Arabian Oryx

Breeding rare animals in captivity is only a second best but essential if they cannot be preserved in the wild, and in this zoos have an important part to play. Richard Fitter, hon. secretary of the Fauna Preservation Society, describes some of the most successful captive breeding programmes so far—Pére David's deer, European bison, Przewalski wild horse and Arabian oryx—and urges zoos to give serious attention now to the more difficult tasks of breeding primates and carnivores, of which several species, notably orang utans and the larger apes are endangered. He also suggests that zoos should anticipate the day when species now common become rare by establishing captive breeding programmes that would make them self-supporting in these animals.

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