Zoo Animal Feeding: A Natural History Viewpoint

In order to formulate animal feeding programs, zoos traditionally borrow knowledge and techniques, developed for domesticated animals, from livestock industry. Although livestock industry provides some of the basic components of feeding it is aimed at economic gain from animals, and the number of species it covers is extremely small. Moreover, wild animals are forced to make considerable adjustments to captivity in all aspects of life, and limitations of domesticated animal models should be recognized and examined. There exists a dire need to increase utilization of knowledge on food habits of wild animals acquired by field biologists, in our effort to improve zoo animal husbandry. Natural history attracts limited interest by zoos. However, it offers a wealth of information which needs to be explored to benefit zoo animal feeding practices.     

Zoo Animal Feeding: A Natural History Viewpoint

In order to formulate animal feeding programs, zoos traditionally borrow knowledge and techniques, developed for domesticated animals, from livestock industry. Although livestock industry provides some of the basic components of feeding it is aimed at economic gain from animals, and the number of species it covers is extremely small. Moreover, wild animals are forced to make considerable adjustments to captivity in all aspects of life, and limitations of domesticated animal models should be recognized and examined. There exists a dire need to increase utilization of knowledge on food habits of wild animals acquired by field biologists, in our effort to improve zoo animal husbandry. Natural history attracts limited interest by zoos. However, it offers a wealth of information which needs to be explored to benefit zoo animal feeding practices.     

Exorcising of a Cage: A Review of American Zoo Exhibits,Part III

Enlargement of captive space has become a trend in zoos, frequently designed with geographic and mixed species themes. Geographic exhibits, however, often mislead the public; in mixed species exhibits, welfare of individual animals and their breeding potentials in some species are ignored. Another popular “natural” open and outdoor exhibit system commonly runs contrary to nature and the requirements of the inhabitants. In all this, the quality of space is forgotten. Zoos need to reevaluate the advantages of cages as well as animal housing in buildings, to ensure management of diverse species in a larger number of taxonomic groups. As zoos reach a crossroad in history, renewed significance of wildlife conservation must be realized in exhibit design consideration. The importance of cohesive and proper exhibit design processes cannot be over-emphasized.     

Romancing The Celluloid Nature: A Review of American Zoo Exhibits, Part I

Zoos have gone through metamorphosis in recent decades, largely in response to the changing tide of the society. The central theme for the modern zoo is Conservation. Zoo exhibitry has been evolving accordingly toward a more “naturalistic” trend, symbolized by the landscape immersion method. This approach, however, has a built-in dilemma since nature cannot be duplicated in captivity. Animals are often concealed from the visiting public, generating complaints. At its core, currently common exhibit schemes are anthropomorphic as well as anthropocentric. Animals’ sensory faculties are ignored during the design process. In terms of taxonomy, distributions of the species in zoo collections are biased toward large mammals, and as resources are allocated toward species with public appeal, often left behind are smaller species of mammals and birds and lower vertebrates. There exists a need to turn a critical eye on today's zoo exhibits from all aspects.     

Management and husbandry of ruffed lemurs,Varecia variegata,at the San Diego Zoo. I. Captive population,San Diego Zoo housing and diet

The captive history of the ruffed lemur is presented with concentration on taxonomy, captive population and husbandry of the San Diego Zoo population. At the conclusion of 1985, the living population of black and white ruffed lemurs numbered 358; red ruffed lemurs totaled 125. The San Diego Zoo population, established between 1965 and 1970, began with two pairs of each subspecies. Intensive breeding at the Primate Propagation Center resulted in the birth of 135 black and white ruffed lemur infants and 95 red ruffed lemur infants as of January 7, 1986. Housing specifications are presented for the off-exhibit 96-unit breeding facility, describing enclosure size, material, nest box composition, and enclosure furniture. The diet is described, which emphasizes high-protein, high-fiber foods and leaves.     

动物园展馆评估系统的建立及应用

在全面阐述动物园展馆评估方法的基础上,建立了从游客、动物和员工三个角度评估展馆的新的指标体系,并在搬迁前哈尔滨动物园的象馆、猩猩馆和水禽馆应用了该方法。评估结果显示：象馆的综合评估总分为84．1分,水禽馆为83．5分,猩猩馆为58．8分。象馆和水禽馆的总体使用效果稍好,而猩猩馆在平面布局、通风、采光和排水设施等方面存在问题,未能很好地吸引游客、保障动物健康和方便员工操作。最后针对评估结果提出了新展馆设计的几点建议。     

动物园,根在自然

建园百年,尤其是建国后的几十年来,动物园和自然之间的关系经历多次变化。最初我国动物园是直接依赖野外获取动物,当时在野外有5个动物搜集站。1989年,我国颁布了野生动物保护法,随着执法力度的增强,想要从野外得到动物资源几乎是不可能了。     

Of Circus Wagons and Imagined Nature: A Review of American Zoo Exhibits, Part II

While animal welfare is an important issue, in actuality zoos’ resources are allocated for the public viewing while animals (in this case, mostly mammals popular to the public) are confined in small cages more than half of their time, away from the public's eye. The “naturalistic” exhibits have little resemblance to the animals’ in situ habitats. For great apes, there exists confusion as to how to accommodate animals; some subscribe to the needs of animals while others prefer imagined “natural” furnishing. Elaborate large exhibits often send misleading messages to the public regarding endangered species and zoo-based Conservation. The currently popular theme park approach hardly meets the goal of raising the public's environmental awareness. Although education is expected to be zoos’ mission, in reality it represents a formidable task. What is needed is independent and critical thinking for creative ideas, beyond the realm of accepted practices in zoos.