scholarly journals Possible variation in microbiota community structure and composition in same species bred in zoos and a wildlife refuge, and its implications on reproductive success

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Wildlife Refuges

Considering the difficulty of breeding endangered species in captivity relative to those in the wild, specific environmental factors such as availability of roaming space and nutrition may be important reasons contributing to the relative lack of procreation capability in animals housed in zoos. Like humans, animals acquire their microbiota from the immediate environment they reside as well as from food. Specifically, the environs in which an animal grows and matures as well as nutrition play important roles in modulating the types and relative abundances of different microbes present on different parts of the animal body. Thus, differential microbiota may exist on animals in captivity and in the wild (e.g., a wildlife refuge or a national park), and this may impact on reproductive success. Hence, one research direction that could lay the foundation for understanding the microbiological underpinnings impacting on breeding success of animals in zoos may be the profiling of the gut and skin microbiota of endangered species such as pandas in zoos and in wildlife refuges. In particular, while most panda breeding programs around the world try to recapitulate the conditions and nutrient sources available in the native environment, significant differences remain such as the influence of human contact with pandas on the transfer of microbial species, as well as the amount and type of spaces available for roaming. By using a tracking and periodic sampling approach for understanding the microbial populations in the gut and skin of wild and zoo pandas, knowledge could be progressively accumulated on the microbiological evolution of animals throughout their lives in captivity or in the wild, and correlated with their relative success in procreation. Doing so would help unlock mysteries on fundamental questions of how does human contact and breeding programs change microbiome structure and function in zoo animals relative to wild pandas, and, more importantly, the roles of differential microbiota in health and disease of the animals, which directly impact on reproduction fitness. Taken together, success of breeding programs hinge on multitude of factors ranging from human influence on social behavior of pandas, nutrition, artificial recreated habitat, and microbiological environment of enclosure, but given the important roles of microbial species (alone and in aggregate) on animal physiology and neurobiology, profiling the possible differentiated microbiota of animals in captivity and the wild may be the first incision point for unveiling deeper mysteries of how microbes influence higher order animal function and decision making. Interested researchers can expand on the ideas presented herein.

scholarly journals Possible variation in microbiota community structure and composition in same species bred in zoos and a wildlife refuge, and its implications on reproductive success

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenfa Ng
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Research Direction ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Microbial Species ◽  
Human Contact ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Wildlife Refuges

Considering the difficulty of breeding endangered species in captivity relative to those in the wild, specific environmental factors such as availability of roaming space and nutrition may be important reasons contributing to the relative lack of procreation capability in animals housed in zoos. Like humans, animals acquire their microbiota from the immediate environment they reside as well as from food. Specifically, the environs in which an animal grows and matures as well as nutrition play important roles in modulating the types and relative abundances of different microbes present on different parts of the animal body. Thus, differential microbiota may exist on animals in captivity and in the wild (e.g., a wildlife refuge or a national park), and this may impact on reproductive success. Hence, one research direction that could lay the foundation for understanding the microbiological underpinnings impacting on breeding success of animals in zoos may be the profiling of the gut and skin microbiota of endangered species such as pandas in zoos and in wildlife refuges. In particular, while most panda breeding programs around the world try to recapitulate the conditions and nutrient sources available in the native environment, significant differences remain such as the influence of human contact with pandas on the transfer of microbial species, as well as the amount and type of spaces available for roaming. By using a tracking and periodic sampling approach for understanding the microbial populations in the gut and skin of wild and zoo pandas, knowledge could be progressively accumulated on the microbiological evolution of animals throughout their lives in captivity or in the wild, and correlated with their relative success in procreation. Doing so would help unlock mysteries on fundamental questions of how does human contact and breeding programs change microbiome structure and function in zoo animals relative to wild pandas, and, more importantly, the roles of differential microbiota in health and disease of the animals, which directly impact on reproduction fitness. Taken together, success of breeding programs hinge on multitude of factors ranging from human influence on social behavior of pandas, nutrition, artificial recreated habitat, and microbiological environment of enclosure, but given the important roles of microbial species (alone and in aggregate) on animal physiology and neurobiology, profiling the possible differentiated microbiota of animals in captivity and the wild may be the first incision point for unveiling deeper mysteries of how microbes influence higher order animal function and decision making. Interested researchers can expand on the ideas presented herein.

The Ugly Truth: Negative Aesthetics and Environment

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 83-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Brady
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Natural History ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild

In autumn 2009, BBC television ran a natural history series, ‘Last Chance to See’, with Stephen Fry and wildlife writer and photographer, Mark Carwardine, searching out endangered species. In one episode they retraced the steps Carwardine had taken in the 1980s with Douglas Adams, when they visited Madagascar in search of the aye-aye, a nocturnal lemur. Fry and Carwardine visited an aye-aye in captivity, and upon first setting eyes on the creature they found it rather ugly. After spending an hour or so in its company, Fry said he was completely ‘under its spell’. A subsequent encounter with an aye-aye in the wild supported Fry's judgment of ugliness and fascination for the creature: ‘The aye-aye is beguiling, certainly bizarre, for some even a little revolting. And I say, long may it continue being so.’

scholarly journals Female-Male and Female-Female Social Interactions of Captive Kept Capercaillie (Tetrao Urogallus) and Its Consequences in Planning Breeding Programs

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Rosenberger ◽  
Artur Kowalczyk ◽  
Ewa Łukaszewicz ◽  
Tomasz Strzała
Keyword(s):  
Way Of Life ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Male Individual ◽  
Breeding Center ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Egg Destruction ◽  
Nesting Place ◽  
Push Out

Capercaillie behavior, both in the wild and in captivity, is poorly known due to this species’ secretive way of life. Female-male and female–female social organization and interactions are especially poorly documented. The research was conducted in Capercaillie Breeding Center in Wisła Forestry District where a breeding flock is kept throughout the year. Thanks to video monitoring, we were able to observe mate choice, and then later, female–female interactions during laying and incubation period. Male individual variation in tooting latency and duration were recorded. Females’ interest in males was related to males’ tooting activity, but when males became too insistent and started to chase the females, the females avoided contact with them. There was a significant relationship between calendar date and when tooting starts, and between the tooting duration the female spent with a male. Two incidents of female-male aggression caused by competition for food were observed. Female intruder presence and competition for nesting place was observed in 66.67% nests. Most female–female interactions were limited to threat posturing, but fights and attempts to push out the intruder from the nest occurred as well. Such interactions may lead to nest abandonment and egg destruction, lowering the breeding success.

scholarly journals Radiological studies on endangered Mascarene fauna

Oryx ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Cooper ◽  
C. D. West
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Traumatic Injuries ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Radiological Studies

When managing small populations of endangered species, in the wild and in captivity, the premature death of even one individual may give cause for concern. The authors carried out whole-body radiographs (X-rays) on dead specimens of endangered Mascarene fauna—three species of birds, three species of reptiles and one bat species. They found skeletal problems indicating traumatic injuries and nutritional abnormalities. The authors suggest that the technique has a role to play in the investigation of deaths in populations of endangered species, and may provide information that leads to improved management of the species in question.

scholarly journals MHC-associated mate choice under competitive conditions in captive versus wild Tasmanian devils

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1196-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenna Day ◽  
Rebecca M Gooley ◽  
Carolyn J Hogg ◽  
Katherine Belov ◽  
Camilla M Whittington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Mate Choice ◽  
Breeding Success ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Mhc Diversity ◽  
Reproductive Rates ◽  
Captive Breeding Programs

AbstractMate choice contributes to driving evolutionary processes when animals choose breeding partners that confer genetic advantages to offspring, such as increased immunocompetence. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is an important group of immunological molecules, as MHC antigens bind and present foreign peptides to T-cells. Recent studies suggest that mates may be selected based on their MHC profile, leading to an association between an individual’s MHC diversity and their breeding success. In conservation, it may be important to consider mate choice in captive breeding programs, as this mechanism may improve reproductive rates. We investigated the reproductive success of Tasmanian devils in a group housing facility to determine whether increased MHC-based heterozygosity led individuals to secure more mating partners and produce more offspring. We also compared the breeding success of captive females to a wild devil population. MHC diversity was quantified using 12 MHC-linked microsatellite markers, including 11 previously characterized markers and one newly identified marker. Our analyses revealed that there was no relationship between MHC-linked heterozygosity and reproductive success either in captivity or the wild. The results of this study suggest that, for Tasmanian devils, MHC-based heterozygosity does not produce greater breeding success and that no specific changes to current captive management strategies are required with respect to preserving MHC diversity.

scholarly journals Born to Be Wild: Evaluating the Zoo-Based Regent Honeyeater Breed for Release Program to Optimise Individual Success and Conservation Outcomes in the Wild

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy S. Tripovich ◽  
Gordana Popovic ◽  
Andrew Elphinstone ◽  
Dean Ingwersen ◽  
Glen Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Pedigree Information ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Captive Breeding Program ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Release Program ◽  
Individual Success ◽  
The Impact

Evaluating the effectiveness of captive breeding programs is central to improving conservation outcomes in released animals. However, few studies have assessed the impact of the strategies and trade-offs involved in husbandry decisions and the selection of traits on the success of breeding programs. This study evaluated a range of husbandry features including an animal's environment, health, and traits of the released individual and its parents involved in the zoo-based Regent Honeyeater breed for release program to optimise individual reproductive success and survivability, leading to improved conservation outcomes in the wild. We analysed 285 birds using a penalised Cox proportional hazard model to assess survival and an ordinal logistic model to evaluate the reproductive success of zoo bred birds released to the wild. Key features identified by the study highlight the importance of having parents that are successful breeders and parents that have an overall higher lifetime reproductive output. However, there were associated quantity-quality trade-offs, as the success of young (i.e., released birds) produced by parents was negatively associated to the number of clutches per year (where one clutch per year was found optimal). The study demonstrated the importance of considering the parental effects on the traits of its offspring beyond its pedigree information and found there was an associated decline in fitness of its offspring with older fathers. Song tutoring using wild Regent Honeyeaters was also important for increased survival post-release. Other important factors are discussed within the review. In general, the study recommended that a multi-faceted approach in the assessment and evaluation of the captive breeding program, to identify markers that will improve conservation outcomes of future releases.

scholarly journals On the modulation and maintenance of hibernation in captive dwarf lemurs

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina B. Blanco ◽  
Lydia K. Greene ◽  
Robert Schopler ◽  
Cathy V. Williams ◽  
Danielle Lynch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Restriction ◽  
Metabolic Disorders ◽  
Biological Rhythms ◽  
Food Ingestion ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Cheirogaleus Medius ◽  
Save Energy ◽  
Metabolic Strategies

AbstractIn nature, photoperiod signals environmental seasonality and is a strong selective “zeitgeber” that synchronizes biological rhythms. For animals facing seasonal environmental challenges and energetic bottlenecks, daily torpor and hibernation are two metabolic strategies that can save energy. In the wild, the dwarf lemurs of Madagascar are obligate hibernators, hibernating between 3 and 7 months a year. In captivity, however, dwarf lemurs generally express torpor for periods far shorter than the hibernation season in Madagascar. We investigated whether fat-tailed dwarf lemurs (Cheirogaleus medius) housed at the Duke Lemur Center (DLC) could hibernate, by subjecting 8 individuals to husbandry conditions more in accord with those in Madagascar, including alternating photoperiods, low ambient temperatures, and food restriction. All dwarf lemurs displayed daily and multiday torpor bouts, including bouts lasting ~ 11 days. Ambient temperature was the greatest predictor of torpor bout duration, and food ingestion and night length also played a role. Unlike their wild counterparts, who rarely leave their hibernacula and do not feed during hibernation, DLC dwarf lemurs sporadically moved and ate. While demonstrating that captive dwarf lemurs are physiologically capable of hibernation, we argue that facilitating their hibernation serves both husbandry and research goals: first, it enables lemurs to express the biphasic phenotypes (fattening and fat depletion) that are characteristic of their wild conspecifics; second, by “renaturalizing” dwarf lemurs in captivity, they will emerge a better model for understanding both metabolic extremes in primates generally and metabolic disorders in humans specifically.

scholarly journals Previously unknown behavior in parasitic cuckoo females: male-like vocalization during migratory activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Swetlana G. Meshcheryagina ◽  
Alexey Opaev
Keyword(s):  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Harmonic Spectrum ◽  
Common Cuckoo ◽  
Neck Extension ◽  
Migratory Activity ◽  
Call Production ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Combined Features ◽  
Female Call

Abstract Background In the last decade, enigmatic male-like cuckoo calls have been reported several times in East Asia. These calls exhibited a combination of vocal traits of both Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) and Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) advertising calls, and some authors therefore suggested that the enigmatic calls were produced by either Common × Oriental Cuckoo male hybrids or Common Cuckoo males having a gene mutation. However, the exact identity of calling birds are still unknown. Methods We recorded previously unknown male-like calls from three captive Oriental Cuckoo females, and compared these calls with enigmatic vocalizations recorded in the wild as well as with advertising vocalizations of Common and Oriental Cuckoo males. To achieve this, we measured calls automatically. Besides, we video-recorded captive female emitting male-like calls, and compared these recordings with the YouTube recordings of calling males of both Common and Oriental Cuckoos to get insight into the mechanism of call production. Results The analysis showed that female male-like calls recorded in captivity were similar to enigmatic calls recorded in the wild. Therefore, Oriental Cuckoo females might produce the latter calls. Two features of these female calls appeared to be unusual among birds. First, females produced male-like calls at the time of spring and autumn migratory activity and on migration in the wild. Because of this, functional significance of this call remained puzzling. Secondly, the male-like female call unexpectedly combined features of both closed-mouth (closed beak and simultaneous inflation of the ‘throat sac’) and open-mouth (prominent harmonic spectrum and the maximum neck extension observed at the beginning of a sound) vocal behaviors. Conclusions The Cuculus vocalizations outside the reproductive season remain poorly understood. Here, we found for the first time that Oriental Cuckoo females can produce male-like calls in that time. Because of its rarity, this call might be an atavism. Indeed, female male-like vocalizations are still known in non-parasitic tropical and apparently more basal cuckoos only. Therefore, our findings may shed light on the evolution of vocal communication in avian brood parasites.

scholarly journals Reintroduction of the Golden Conure (Guaruba guarouba) in Northern Brazil: Establishing a Population in a Protected Area

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 198
Author(s):  
Marcelo Rodrigues Vilarta ◽  
William Wittkoff ◽  
Crisomar Lobato ◽  
Rubens de Aquino Oliveira ◽  
Nívia Gláucia Pinto Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Lines ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Territorial Disputes ◽  
Amazon Forest ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Viable Population ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Northern Brazil ◽  
Native Foods

Brazil has the highest number of parrots in the world and the greatest number of threatened species. The Golden Conure is endemic to the Brazilian Amazon forest and it is currently considered as threatened by extinction, although it is fairly common in captivity. Here we report the first reintroduction of this species. The birds were released in an urban park in Belem, capital of Para State, where the species was extinct more than a century ago. Birds were trained to recognize and consume local food and to avoid predators. After the soft-release, with food supplementation and using nest boxes, we recorded breeding activity in the wild. The main challenges before the release were the territorial disputes within the aviary and the predation by boa snakes. During the post-release monitoring the difficulties were the fast dispersion of some individuals and the dangers posed by anthropic elements such as power lines that caused some fatalities. Released birds were very successful at finding and consuming native foods, evading predators, and one pair reproduced successfully. Monitoring continues and further releases are programmed to establish an ecologically viable population.

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