ABMA 2012 Friday Abstracts

Friday Abstracts

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES: 2 FOSSAS (CRYPTOPROCTA FEROX) TRAINED AS ANIMAL AMBASSADORS

Leslie Storer,
San Diego Zoo Safari Park

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Working hands on with large strong animals and the public is always a risk we take as animal trainers. At the San Diego Zoo we have greatly minimized the risk factor and increased the safety factor for training our Grant’s Zebra equus burchellii boehmi. Her name is Zari , she weighs 250Kg and is used as an animal ambassador in our Backstage program. Zari can meet up to 100 guests per day, who have the opportunity to pose for photographs as well as touch her. This process is safe because of the installation of a metal frame called the “crib” which has been permanently fitted to her exhibit sliding door. The structure is made of strong metal and serves to contain her in a very small area should she spook. Guests and trainers can touch her and get very close to her. Since the implementation of the ” crib” more trainers have been cleared to work with her, she partakes in her own medical behaviors by offering all four hooves for footwork, anal thermometer, abdominal palpations, stethoscope, bathing , teeth floatation and future blood draws and intubation. The crib has provided a safe environment for both trainers and guests building confidence and trust between trainer and animal in a nurturing environment set up for all to succeed.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE THROUGH PROTECTED CONTACT

Charmaine Hook, Kelly Elkins, Krista Perry,
San Diego Zoo

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MIXING IT UP! MANAGING AND TRAINING A HOOFSTOCK EXHIBIT IN THE PRESENCE OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

Jeremy Dillon, Sara Squires,
Heather Seymour, Robbie Clark,
Dallas Zoo Management, Inc

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In May of 2010 the Dallas Zoo opened its new 11 acre exhibit ‘The Giants of the Savanna’, which is a progressive model of animal management, welfare and training. The highlight of the Savanna is our four acre habitat. Through extensive planning and hard work, our team has been able to achieve a mixed exhibit that includes Impala, Zebra, Ostrich, Guinea Fowl, Elephants and eventually Giraffes. The unique presence of African Elephants with a mix of iconic Savanna species presents staff with many management challenges, especially switching from previously managed free-contact hoof stock species to protected-contact. The staff’s best option for safely managing this exhibit is to train all species to have a strong recall and to station. This allows for control over introductions, emergencies, and separating the species at the end of each day. Our paper covers this rare experience of planning for a mixed exhibit, including exhibit setup, animal training and emergency protocols, and the knowledge gained from our observations of the unique interactions between the species. By setting this precedent of zoo animal management, the zoo has provided an exceptional opportunity for the Dallas public to view a snapshot of an African ecosystem.

DESENSITIZATION FOR UNRESTRAINED INTRAMUSCULAR INJECTIONS
WITH A REEVES MUNTJAC

Stacie Marchionne,
Discovery Cove/SeaWorld Orlando

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Managing small hoofstock species such as the Reeves Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) can often be quite challenging due to their sensitive nature and instinctual flight response. As we have learned through working with a variety of species, training and conditioning can be valuable tools in overcoming natural fears and tendencies. Without concentrated desensitization training these small, shy creatures can easily become anxious, and may attempt to escape from aversive stimuli when husbandry or medical procedures need to be performed. At Discovery Cove, past methods of anesthetizing our muntjacs for veterinary exams required keepers to use physical restraint to keep the animal still while a veterinarian would administer an intramuscular injection. Attempts to restrain the animal would cause them to become very agitated, and they would often attempt to escape the area by running and jumping, potentially injuring themselves or staff members. In May of 2009 a training plan was implemented to help make medical exams safer and easier for all involved. The goal of the plan was to desensitize our female muntjac “Eve” to accept unrestrained intramuscular injections. The execution of this injection training plan involved numerous challenges, such as training Eve to station to a fixed location, and desensitizing Eve to various stimuli including tactile, cleaning of the injection site, and the pressure of the needle itself. In the end, the training plan proved to be a success, as we were able to administer anesthesia to Eve via an unrestrained intramuscular injection.

CHALLENGES OF CONVINCING AN EUROPEAN ZOO TO LET THE COUNTRY'S ONLY ANIMAL TRAINER START AN OPERANT CONDITIONING PROGRAM

Anna Oblasser-Mirtl,
Animal Training Center, Austria

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After graduating from Moorpark College in 2006 Anna Oblasser-Mirtl went back to Austria to enhance animal training and care in her home country. She started her own business, providing various services related to R+ training unique to Austria. While most ideas did appeal to costumers right away, zoo animal training was the hardest concept to succeed with. Due to her personal passion for animal training in a zoo setting, Anna has tried to get a chance to present her ideas for more than 4 years. After months of discussions, presentations and demonstrations, Anna finally persuaded the staff of a mountain zoo to start a basic training program. This paper covers basic parameters necessary for convincing a CEO of new ideas. The importance of thinking like a non-trainer or even a non-animal person and of staying motivated and not frustrated or over-motivated (both can be fatal) will be discussed. The daily challenges Anna faces in Europe when it comes to implementing ideas which require open-minded facilitators take a lot of understanding for the other side. After half of the animal care staff was allowed to attend Anna's Chicken Camp, it only took about 4 weeks until they could crate their timid mountain lions. The first training success at the mountain zoo isn't only a jackpot for Anna and her staff, it's also a big step to spread the idea and benefits of a well planed, carefully and professionally accomplished, time and money saving training program all around Europe.

BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT
IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Kimberly Rappaport,
University of California, San Francisco

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The 8th edition of The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals emphasizes the greater need for detailed records in behavioral management and social housing. Paper records are a storage burden. Requiring manpower, time and resources to retrieve and share information. Despite advances in both technology and animal behavior, the current market for behavioral database programs is limited by both its affordability and effectiveness. Most institutions are highly impacted by the economy and budget cuts, making the cost of a system overhaul difficult. We designed versatile interface program using fileMaker that reduces the tedious act of manual searching, copying and redacting. Our goal was to offer employees an effective program for documenting behavioral management while providing a user friendly intervace for optimal transitioning and record maintenance. Our findings show that modifications to specific institute needs increased usage and compliance. A simple data entry interface reduced the level of computer skills required, allowing users to enter data more frequently and with greater detail. In this presentation, we review the features of this new database, that would be useful in a range of facilities, making regulatory compliance simpler and more importantly, allowing better tracking of animals’ needs.

A CLASSICAL CONDITIONING STORY: THE LIFE AND TRAINING OF AN UNUSUAL CALIFORNIA SEA LION

Jenifer Zeligs, Ph.D. and Stefani Skrovan, Animal Training and Research International, Moss Landing Marine Labs

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Cali, a premature demoic acid surviving California sea lion suffers from extensive behavioral/neurological problems that have resulted in an unnatural appetitive condition: strictly speaking, food is not always a primary reinforcer for her. Cali has trouble eating food placed in her enclosure, delivered from strangers, offered in strange environments, in multi-animal conditions, through a fence or barrier and several other very specific situation-dependent circumstances. This abnormal attitude toward food has resulted in long periods of nearly fatal fasting and other psychological and physiological disruptions. Using very minute and careful successive approximations it has become possible to use classical conditioning to condition food consumption from new people and in new circumstances by associating these stimuli with relationships that have already been solidly conditioned previously. Over time, Cali can learn to eat from people she doesn’t know or in certain uncomfortable circumstances if the food is treated as a secondary reinforcer and the existing relationship is treated as the primary. A description of the unique and somewhat backwards way of working with Cali will be presented as an interesting case study in behavior modification techniques.

INITIAL APPROXIMATIONS FOR CONDITIONING HUSBANDRY BEHAVIORS IN A NAIVE FRESHWATER WHIPRAY (HIMANTURA DALYENSIS)

Karey Harris,
National Aquarium in Baltimore

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The National Aquarium in Baltimore (NAIB) houses 1.1 freshwater whiprays (Himantura dalyensis). The male’s training is described in this case study. He was trained using operant conditioning techniques to touch his rostrum to a target. Training was initiated because he was feeding in a manner that was harmful to himself, and trainers wanted a way to prevent this. Trainers have had some challenges such as interpersonal coordination and a major medical treatment of the tank, but have made significant progress by successfully asking him to target with a trainer in the water. Initially the target was placed anterior to his rostrum, and approximations were made to shape for gentle touches. A clicker was added as trainers began asking for more complex responses. After associating the clicker with rewards, trainers could effectively shape the targeting. He is able to reliably target when a trainer is on the land or in the water. The immediate goal is to work on asking for an extended duration touch to the target. NAIB staff would like to continue his training with a trainer in the water, so approximations to medical treatments and desensitization to a stretcher can be made.

CHIMPANZEE PARTICIPATES IN DEVELOPING TRAINING PLAN

Sarah Hunsberger,
Language Research Center,
Georgia State University

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Panzee is a 25-year-old female chimpanzee used in cognitive research at Georgia State University. She has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism caused by either a deficiency of or a resistance to insulin. To properly manage cases of insulin-dependent diabetes, the glucose levels of the body must be routinely monitored. In order to do this with Panzee, small blood samples are taken from her multiple times per day. Blood was previously collected from Panzee by anesthetization, a practice the laboratory does not wish to perform because of the involved risks. Therefore, we developed and implemented a training program to create a safe and comfortable framework for Panzee's blood glucose tests. The planning team included the veterinarian, animal technicians, and Panzee. Being a chimpanzee who communicates with humans by using lexigrams, Panzee chose to be involved. She selected positive reinforcers as rewards for meeting training expectations, voluntarily presented herself for blood sampling, and decided the part of her body that she preferred to use as the testing site. This presentation will show that by way of communication, humans and a chimpanzee together created and performed a successful training plan.

MAXIMIZING CAPTIVE ELEPHANT WELL-BEING AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES: USING BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATION DATA COLLECTION TO DETERMINE BASELINE DATA FOR COMPARISON TO WILD AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

Gina Kinzley,
Oakland Zoo

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Providing larger spaces, free access to browse and pasture, allows captive elephants to exhibit feeding strategies and feeding activity budgets more comparable to those in the wild, by increasing foraging time and opportunity. A forty year study in Amboseli National Park, Kenya has collected a wealth of information about African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana), particularly on social behavior and activity budget. Due to Amboseli’s unique characteristics, this “unbroken” population’s baseline data is the optimal candidate for comparison to zoo elephants or the like. The goal of this study was to collect behavioral and locomotive data from four captive African Elephants at the Oakland Zoo for both increased welfare management practices and wild-elephant comparison purposes. Hundreds of hours of data were collected from 2007 to 2011, using both keepers and a specially trained volunteer observer team. Our data shows similar activity budget percentages to that of wild elephants in Amboseli National Park. We also found statistical significance in comparing our own data from year to year, season to season, and daytime to nighttime, which may give us suggestions on current management practices and how to further progress. While there can never be a perfect comparison due to so many different components of both the natural and artificial environments, we believe that in the zoo setting we should always be striving for the most natural and psychologically stimulating conditions.

RHESUS ALPHA FEMALE BEHAVIOR AS AN INDICATOR OF SOCIAL INSTABILITY

Allison Heagerty,
Animal Behavior Graduate Group,
University of California- Davis

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Social overthrows occur with increasing frequency in captive groups of rhesus macaques. A social overthrow is when the top-ranked females of a social group are attacked by other females, resulting in severe injury and sometimes death of many individuals. Although some group-level risk factors have been identified, as yet, social overthrows cannot be predicted with enough certainty to warrant social intervention. Identifying reliable indicators of instability would allow caretakers to intervene prior to social overthrows to prevent physical harm, and possibly reduce psychosocial stress by restoring stability of the group. The goal of this research was to identify behavioral patterns of key individuals that will allow us to predict social overthrows in rhesus macaque groups. Newly formed groups, which are known to have unstable hierarchies as a consequence of the unfamiliarity of group members, were used as a model for established-group instability. I conducted focal sampling of alpha females and mid to high-ranking control females to record all occurrences of social behaviors under conditions of stability and known instability. Preliminary results indicate that in times of social instability, rhesus alpha females show an increased frequency and duration of dominance displays, nonaggressive displacements, and proximity with high-ranking males. These findings could provide colony managers an easily-monitored barometer of social stability, thus preventing threats to the physical and psychological welfare of captive macaques.

OBTAINING A VOLUNTARY
BLOOD SAMPLE ON A POLAR BEAR

Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey,
Oregon Zoo

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The Oregon Zoo is home to 1.1 geriatric polar bears. In early 2011, the Marine Life staff began training the female polar bear (Tasul) for voluntary rear foot radiographs to help diagnose suspected arthritis and confirmed bone spurs. After four months of training, staff successfully obtained radiographic images of her rear foot. Access to the foot for radiographs also allowed for great access to a vein in the top of the ankle. Staff began training for a voluntary blood sample via the dorsal metatarsal vein. After two more months of training, staff successfully obtained our first voluntary polar bear blood sample. Today, staff routinely checks Tasul’s BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine serum concentrations to monitor kidney function. This is a valuable tool as no other facility has reported the ability to track blood values long term with a captive polar bear. This paper will discuss the training steps taken by staff to obtain both the radiographs and blood samples. In addition, the design plans of the modified restraint cage and the specialized equipment needed to make this training possible will be discussed.

CONDITIONING 0.2 NILE HIPPOPOTAMUS (HIPPOPOTAMUS AMPHIBIOUS) TO ACCEPT VOLUNTARY TUSK TRIMMING
USING A DREMEL TOOL

Ann-Marie Bisagno and Priscilla Welch, Adventure Aquarium

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Adventure Aquarium houses 0.2 Nile Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious). In captive situations, it is a common challenge to safely file or cut a hippo’s tusks without putting the trainers in jeopardy. At Adventure Aquarium the trainers perform many voluntary medical and husbandry behaviors with our animals to decrease stress levels. The team performs monthly dental checks to monitor their oral health. In 2010 the trainers noticed the hippos’ tusks were continuing to grow and had become sharp on the inside edges. This caused some minor mouth irritation and superficial scratches on their bodies. In order to avoid anesthetizing the hippos for this procedure, the team chose to use operant conditioning techniques and desensitization. The training team’s goal was to develop a method of filing the tusks down without using a file or a saw to cut the tusks. The trainers consulted with the Aquarium’s veterinary staff and devised the concept of using a dremel tool to file the tusks. This paper will describe how, through operant conditioning and desensitization, Adventure Aquarium’s Husbandry team was able to successfully train both hippos for voluntary tusk filing using this method.

CONDITIONING A NON-RESTRAINT ADMINISTRATION OF SUBCUTANEOUS FLUIDS WITH LEPTAILRUS SERVAL

Shiloh Underkoffler,
Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay

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An adult male Serval from the animal collection at Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida was diagnosed with progressive and advanced renal failure. Renal Failure is a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood. As a result of this, the metabolic by-products of proteins are excreted at a decreased rate and progressively build up in the bloodstream. Exotic cats are obligate carnivores and are therefore dependent on protein to fulfill their energy requirements. Because protein limitation is not appropriate for these cats, the easiest way to improve kidney function is to supply large quantities of fluids frequently. Administering subcutaneous fluids to an exotic animal may sound like a difficult task. In a typical situation, this would require regular anesthesia to administer these fluids. Complications of anesthesia secondary to renal compromise make this option less than ideal for animal management. We wanted to maintain a positive relationship with our Serval throughout this process, and decided to keep things as simple, and normal for him, as possible. We went a step further from merely desensitizing him to the administration of a needle for fluids, and opted to reshape some of his already trained behaviors. Due to this, we are now able to successfully administer 500 ml of fluids subcutaneously to him biweekly in a free contact setting, either in his habitat, or other familiar places. Not only is this a great message that we can share with our guests, ultimately, this will also keep the procedure itself a positive experience for him, as well as keep him physically comfortable for the time being.

VOLUNTARY ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND ON A MOUSTACHE TAMARIN

Linda Edge,
Bronx Zoo

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Training essential husbandry behaviors is a critical part of improving captive animal welfare; requires relationship-building, consistency, communication and time, all of which can be difficult to maintain in a large facility like the Bronx Zoo. The zoo currently houses a pair of moustached tamarins, Saguinus mystax, in the Monkey House where training is an essential tool for managing small primates in a free-contact environment. Since July 2011, we have worked on voluntary abdominal ultrasound with the female tamarin. Prior to the inception of ultrasound training, this animal underwent two surgeries due to a recurrent gallbladder infection. As a result, it was critical to regularly monitor her gallbladder to determine whether another surgery would be necessary and how her condition would be managed, which would require restraint or immobilization, both of which present risks to the animal. After consultations with veterinary and animal staff, we decided to try monitoring her gallbladder via voluntary ultrasound, and manage her treatment accordingly. After a month of training, we successfully obtained an image of her gallbladder. She is currently off medication, and we continue to do ultrasound sets with a veterinarian at least once a week. This process is a collaborative and continuous effort that has thus far circumvented the need for immobilization or restraint. Behaviors such as ultrasound are commonly performed with large animals that are managed in a protected-contact situation; this is an example of how voluntary participation in a long-term management behavior proved valuable with a small primate in a free-contact environment.

JUMPING AT A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TRAINING POUCH MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORS IN A GROUP OF YELLOW-FOOTED ROCK WALLABIES

Heather Chance And Will Bruner,
San Antonio Zoo And Aquarium

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Currently, there are only a small number of yellow-footed rock wallabies in the captive North American population, and SSP recommendations require strict management of the species in order to develop a sustainable population. As a species, the yellow-footed rock wallaby has a reputation of being nervous, flighty and can become easily stressed, especially when handled. When stressed, females have been known to abort joeys from their pouches. The San Antonio Zoo houses a breeding group of 1.3 Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies. In order to better manage this species, a training program utilizing positive reinforcement was implemented to desensitize the animals to close trainer proximity and to accept tactile contact with the ultimate goal of being able to inspect any young within the pouch. With regular and consistent training, the group has made leaps and bounds in their progress. There have also been unforeseen results to the program that are just as good as gold: the animals are more relaxed overall. They now recover very quickly from the stresses of physical restraint, and construction within their enclosure is more of an enrichment activity then a stressor. The success of this program has far reaching opportunities in not only captive management, but also in the conservation of other endangered macropod species.