ABMA 2018 Friday Abstracts
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WHAT THE FLOCK? HOW WE INTEGRATED OUR AMBASSADOR FLAMINGOS INTO THE EXHIBIT FLOCK
Rachel Salant, Regina Smith, Woodland Park Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Woodland Park Zoo’s expanding Ambassador Animal program took on a new species this year- Chilean flamingos. In 2016, eggs rolled off nest mounds resulting in two birds needing to be hand reared. By November, WPZ decided that the pair should be used as Ambassadors, so the Ambassador Animal team started taking over their daily exercise walks and training sessions. The only housing option was to keep them as a pair in the flamingo holding barn behind the exhibit- a space that is half concrete/half grass with no pool or water feature. It was soon decided the best thing for their welfare was to integrate them into the exhibit flock of 38 birds, which would provide them with a flock for social interaction, naturalistic substrate, and water features. We came up with an experimental plan to train the two chicks a recall in order to voluntarily call them off exhibit to join keepers on walks around the zoo for daily educational up-close experiences. The birds were taught this recall using krill AND walks around zoo grounds as reinforcers. No weight management was used to create motivation, and at no time were we to physically retrieve the birds if they chose not to leave the flock. Commitment to sessions 1-2x daily for a year and cross team collaboration and communication has allowed us to finally have our cake and eat it too: two Ambassador flamingos that live on exhibit and have the choice as to whether or not they participate in programs. |
HUSBANDRY STAFF CARE MANUAL: HOW THE HUSBANDRY LEADERSHIP TEAM AT ADVENTURE AQUARIUM CREATED A SUCCESSFUL MENTOR PROGRAM
Ann-Marie Bisagno & Kathryn Budion Adventure Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Adventure Aquarium houses, 464 species of 15,042 individual animals, with a husbandry staff of 39. We realized the care of the animal staff is just as important as taking care of the animals, and sometimes more difficult. As part of Adventure Aquariums commitment to constantly improve in all areas of the business, including employee satisfaction, we frequently solicit employee feedback by formal and informal ways. As a result of this feedback the husbandry leadership realized that we needed to take steps to improve moral and communication, so we developed a mentor program. As the program evolved over a period of 5 years we found it to be beneficial to the team in many ways. It gave the staff the opportunity to learn new skills by becoming mentors to their peers. It enabled them to keep track of their yearly goals with support along the way to achieve them. Animal care benefited by keeping up on training goals and improving communication between trainers. Staff development improved by expanding the program to include the next level biologists. The mentor program proved to be an important tool to address communication and performance issues on a peer to peer basis. This paper will discuss the methods used and the evolution of the bird and mammal mentor program. It will describe how it helped staff and leaders to improve communication, animal care and staff development. |
THE USE OF SOCIAL INTRODUCTION OF ASIAN BULL ELEPHANTS TO REDUCE STEREOTYPICAL BEHAVIOR
Danielle Lints Denver Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Historically, zoos have managed bulls in a solitary fashion, replicating what was thought to be a natural state for male elephants. Research today shows that bulls often come together in loose bachelor groups. This was the inspiration for Denver Zoo when deciding to socialize our 3.0 Asian elephants. This goal could help us mimic natural behaviors and potentially reduce stereotypy. In late summer 2016, we observed stereotypy that was demonstrated while the bulls lived alone. Introductions began in December of 2016 with Bodhi (12) and Billy (8). Groucho (47) was introduced a month later. Social behaviors were closely observed, and stereotypy was monitored. The bulls have various social opportunities allowing us to replicate natural behavior. We observed the bulls spent a large amount of time interacting together and we saw a significant decrease in stereotypic behaviors when they had access to social interaction. However, we did have an unexpected result with Billy who had had no stereotypy prior to introduction. Billy started exhibiting pacing behaviors along areas where he could see the other elephants but did not have physical access to them. The team immediately began to assess potential triggers for this behavior and how to address this new stereotypy. The results that we’ve seen so far indicates that socializing the three bull elephants at Denver Zoo has had positive impacts on their day to day experiences, reduced stereotypy overall and continued to challenge our team to pursue best practices for the future of bull management. |
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WINGS, WHALES AND DOLPHINS: A GAME CHANGER FOR MULTI-SPECIES ENRICHMENT Philip Waugh, Jordan Greene, & Sophia Snell SeaWorld San Antonio Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Enrichment programs in zoological facilities are common around the world. The main purposes of enrichment are to stimulate animals mentally and physically as well as encourage natural behavior. At Wings, Whales, and Dolphins Theater in SeaWorld San Antonio, we had the unique opportunity to incorporate multispecies training into our enrichment program. We are home to Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), Pacific White-Sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), and 6 species of macaws. Through the implementation of our behavioral plan, we were able to introduce the majority of our animals to one another. As a result of this success, multispecies training was variably incorporated into training sessions in the form of enrichment. Our animal training team no longer viewed the animals in our care as 3 separate groups, but one pod composed of many species. By altering our perception of the animal groups, we were able to provide high quality social enrichment that changed the lives of our animals and trainers. |
VARIATIONS IN THE BEHAVIOR AND ENCLOSURE USE OF BLIND AND SIGHTED COMMON GUILLEMOTS (Uria aalge)
Carrie Ellis Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Plymouth University UK, Living Coasts Zoo & Aquarium UK Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Evidence-based husbandry and welfare practices are becoming the norm in zoos and other captive-animal facilities around the world, yet research into the benefits of these practices for animals with disabilities remains sparse. To date, very few studies have been conducted which examine the behavior of blind animals in comparison to their sighted conspecifics. For this study, a colony of 32 common guillemots (Uria aalge) was used to explore the behavioral variations of two sight-impaired individuals (N=2) that have been diagnosed with partial to full blindness as a result of age-onset avian cataracts. State behavior and enclosure use data were collected using instantaneous focal sampling methods over a period of 2 months. Analysis revealed significant differences in behavior and enclosure use between the sight-impaired and sighted conspecifics. Both sight impaired guillemots spent significantly more time resting (F2, 77 = 6.9, p = 0.002), less time in the water (X2 = 22.56, df = 2, p < 0.001) and utilized less of their enclosure than the sighted individuals. Recommendations for maintaining the welfare of sight-impaired individuals include provision of adequate rest/hiding spaces and reliably accessible feed sources. Generalization of these results to the welfare of other zoo animal collections will also be discussed. |
OPENING THE BARN DOORS IN A NEW DIRECTION Katie Stevens, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
The Animal Programs department took over the guest interaction element of the “My Barn” goat yard at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in 2014. We have grown from talking about goats to also caring for and expanding our barn collection to help convey our message, which focuses on heritage breeds. We place an emphasis on heritage breeds and their importance by training behaviors showcasing their learning abilities, adaptations, and even historic purposes. These behaviors are showcased in our “Home Heritage” show where we introduce guests to both domestic and wild animals that call the barn home. This show focuses on our history with heritage breeds, how they are beneficial, and how wild animals also serve a purpose around a barn. The goat yard is a guest favorite but, thanks to inspiration from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the corner stone of our guest engagement are “defining moments.” These are moments throughout the day that staff involves guests in unique experiences. Guests might have the opportunity to help us feed, clean or train one the of barn animals. Guests think of zoos as focusing on the conservation of exotic species but we also want to instill in them a passion for the preservation of heritage breeds, and that by doing simple things they can help domestic and wild animals. My paper with elaborate on how we are continually changing the “My Barn” area of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and how these changes are engaging for our guests and staff. |
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AN APPROACH TO ASSESSING AND SUPPORTING THE BEHAVIORAL WELLNESS OF AGEING ZOO ANIMALS
Debra Marrin Dr. Bethany Krebs Dr. Jason Watters San Francisco Zoo and Gardens Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
A cradle-to-grave approach for managing animal welfare requires care adjustments for varied life stages. It is now very common for zoo animals to reach extended ages. Aged animals may experience frequent physical and behavioral changes. As a result, assessing the well-being of these animals should occur frequently. San Francisco Zoological Society’s Wellness Team has developed a simple behavior-based method that can be used to assess the well-being of aging animals. The technique is inexpensive and based on both inputs that support and outputs that indicate behavioral wellness. It considers both caretaker effort and animals’ perspectives of their well-being. Our approach can be used to monitor quality of life of animals as well as the efficacy of modifications to housing, training, enrichment, husbandry and medication aimed at supporting quality of life. Ensuring positive quality of life for our animals supports the education and conservation missions of modern zoos by allowing our animals to be the best ambassadors for their species across all life stages. |
SOCIALIZATION IN TRAINING: SUCCESSFUL VOLUNTARY HIP INJECTION Alysia Lavendar & Emily Mittleman San Antonio Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
The San Antonio Zoo achieved a new milestone with the birth of 2.1 African Lion cubs in July of 2015. Given that this was the first lion cub birth at the zoo in over three decades and the emergence in popularity of parent reared carnivore offspring socialization, the decision was made to pursue socializing as a benefit for both the cubs and their animal care staff. Daily socialization sessions began with the cubs at approximately 1 month old and continued until the cubs reached 3 months. Sessions consisted of general play, basic training and relationship building with the 2.1 cubs. Early on in socialization sessions animal care staff noticed the 0.1 lion cub would often present her hip for tactile reinforcement. Building on our socialization and her bond with animal care staff, we were able to capture the hip presentation behavior much quicker once the training foundation had been established. Positive relationship building and frequent socialization sessions increased the overall success in the training of new behaviors further down the road. Using these tools, we were able to successfully voluntary inject all three cubs with vaccines within a 3 week deadline. |
I OTTER TAKE A HEARING TEST (OTTERS LEARN TO VOLUNTARILY TAKE
A HEARING TEST) Lesa Scheifele, FETCHLAB at the University of Cincinnati Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
As caretakers, it’s easy for us to visualize daily needs of clean food, water and shelter. We see to health needs; obvious injuries and not so obvious parasites, but an area of care that is rarely thought about yet can have a major impact is animal hearing. Waterfalls echoing off the walls, constant filtration sending noise into an aquatic animal’s pool at levels we know would damage human ears, animals having difficulty in species interactions and training scenarios due to undiagnosed problems with their hearing, neurological issues which can be diagnosed earlier with a simple audiological test done in conjunction with a regular sedated physical; audiological testing can give insight to all. Arguably the most important role that our chargers fill is that of teaching us about their wild counterparts. We have become sophisticated in our knowledge of what protecting habitat entails. But what if an endangered species is being interrupted during critical breeding times by man-made noise? Without being able to prove what the range of hearing is for the animal, we are at a loss in court to answer how we know that the animals are bothered by the sounds. In conjunction with FETCHLAB at the University of Cincinnati, we taught two otters to take a hearing test by entering a box and exiting on the side they heard a tone issued. The fun part of the training came in teaching them to tell us when they did not hear a tone even though we had played one. |
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TRAINING AN AMUR LEOPARD IN A NATURAL PREY DRAG BEHAVIOR Basia Dann Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Animal ambassadors at zoos are a key component of inspiring conservation action. Training natural behaviors as part of training demonstrations is a way that keepers and animal ambassadors can introduce guests to the amazing abilities of species that guests are unlikely to see in the wild. One of the most impressive behaviors leopards exhibit in the wild is dragging a heavy prey item to a safe spot for caching. This paper describes in detail the training of an Amur Leopard in a natural prey drag behavior. Keepers trained 0.1 Amur Leopard “Anya” to drag a firehose toy up the side of a mountain as a part of a natural behavior show. Leopards in general have been considered a species that is difficult to train due to their “high energy” and tendency toward “aggressive” behaviors. Throughout the training, keepers learned several valuable lessons illustrated in this paper. Keepers worked through many obstacles including the pairing of an inexperienced trainer with an inexperienced cat, learning how to encourage a cat to place a foreign object in their mouth, and learning how to get a super food motivated cat to walk away from where the food was. This behavior in completion has lead to many valuable benefits including ease in training other behaviors, an expenditure of energy that reduces stereotypic behavior and the inspiration of countless guests to care about a highly endangered species. This behavior and the application of it as a conservation message is truly history in the making. |
TELLS AND TAILS: THE WAY OUR GIRAFFE HERD HELPS US, AS TRAINERS, DECIDE WHAT OUR NEXT APPROXIMATIONS ARE
Amy Schilz, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
So often in training, we hear the phrase “select for the behaviors you want to see, ignore the behaviors you don’t want to see”. This procedure has been standard for many training programs. In some scenarios, though, it isn’t always the clearest way of communicating with our animal co-workers. By ignoring unwanted behaviors, you may be missing critical information the animal is trying to provide you with. What if those “unwanted” behaviors are communicating, “Hey, slow down, I’m not ready for that step” and we end up ignoring it? In our giraffe training program, we’ve found that when we have ignored some of these small, “unwanted” behaviors, the result has been escalation of those behaviors, or increased aggression. This paper will run through the way we have worked to create an open dialogue with our giraffe herd during their individual training sessions. By adjusting our approximations based off of what each of the giraffe’s behaviors is telling us, we have created scenarios where each of their behaviors produces desirable outcomes for them. The giraffes can control whether or not we touch them, poke them, brush or pick their hooves, etc. In most cases, the giraffes cue the trainers to cue the behaviors! Once we started paying attention to their smaller, overt behaviors (‘tells’, ex: a tail swish), we could move forward much faster, sometimes by taking steps backwards. The end result has been solid behaviors (blood draws, hoof work, injections, x-rays) built off of trusting relationships. |
BONNIE AND CLYDE: PREVENTING OUTLAW BEHAVIOR IN KING VULTURES J. Nikki Sanders and Traci Schneekloth, San Antonio Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
In October, 2013, the San Antonio Zoo received a juvenile male King Vulture, Clyde, from the Baton Rouge Zoo and a juvenile female, Bonnie, from the Tracy Aviary with hopes for future successful breeding. It is well known in the Aviculture field that many vulture species have the potential to become aggressive and territorial during breeding and rearing seasons. In an effort to prevent and manage these behaviors, a training program was initiated very early upon their introduction to their new habitat. As we walk the conference attendees through the establishment of the program and the steps involved in it, we will explain how positive reinforcement training was used to successfully develop voluntary husbandry behaviors. Along with our successes, we will also share the difficulties that were presented and how they were overcame through alterations, diet management and behavioral observations. |
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SAN DIEGO ZOO GLOBAL’S AMBASSADOR CHEETAHS (ACINONYX JUBATUS): TRAINING, WELFARE AND THEIR ROLE IN CONSERVATION
Kelly Salamone, Jessica Meurer, and Kyle Legoll, San Diego Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) utilizes ambassador animals to fulfill our mission to connect our guests to wildlife in fun and engaging ways. We currently house over 400 ambassador animals (mammals, birds, reptiles and insects) at SDZG, 11 of which are cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). In 2016 we completed 11,390 programs, many of which featured our cheetah and dog duos. Interest in ambassador cheetah welfare led to offering increased opportunities of choice and control in training, and a critical examination of the relationship with the companion dogs. SDZG evaluates welfare based on our five “Opportunities to Thrive” which is grounded on Brambell’s (1965) five freedoms. Welfare research with off-exhibit breeding cheetahs has shown that behavioral diversity can be an indicator of welfare, and personality may effect stress levels shown through fecal glucocorticoid metabolites. In 2017 trainers began working with 0.2 cheetah cubs and 2.0 domestic dogs. A training management program was enacted to increase the ambassadors’ choice and control as wells as to challenge trainers to increase opportunities for positive reinforcement through advanced operant training techniques. Research was conducted starting in February 2017 investigating cheetah (ambassadors, exhibit and breeding) and companion dog welfare at SDZG. This included behavior observations, fecal glucocorticoid metabolite assessment, cheetah personality surveys, detailed keeper records, and a general population survey. This paper describes new methods enacted with the ambassador cheetah and dog training system at SDZG. Additionally, it describes the development of the welfare research project and results gathered to date. |