Umgestaltungsmaßnahmen im Giraffengehege des Zoos Osnabrück zur Förderung der Klauengesundheit.

Reconstruction of the giraffe exhibit at Osnabrück Zoo to improve the quality of hooves.

Bachelor Thesis

Fakultät Agrarwissenschaften und Landschaftsarchitektur, Hochschule Osnabrück. Betreuer: Prof. Thomas Heinrich und Prof. Olaf Hemker

Zoo Osnabrück, Prof. Dr. Michael Böer

Veröffentlichung: Der Zoologische Garten, 85 (3–4): 121-130

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Abstract:

The Bachelor thesis answered many questions regarding the hoof health of giraffes. It determined that it is dependent on many different factors like the horn wear. From the biomechanical view an adequate, natural horn wear is essential for healthy hooves. The rougher the ground material and the more sharp-edged the grain shape, the stronger is the horn wear. At the Zoo in Osnabrück the sharp-edged, crushed grit on the concrete surface in the giraffe stable is responsible for the horn wear. Thus, an adequate natural horn wear is guaranteed. However, the ground in the area around the feed baskets should be set up with concrete and grit because of the long lasting of the giraffes in this area at day. Additional sharp-edged material should be placed on the itineraries of the giraffes as well. The grain size should be over 8mm and compacted very well to prevent a possible removal of the material. The analysis of the gradient and the ground samples of the “Samburu-Land” showed that the formation of channels and the material removal was caused by the interaction of different factors like the water permeability of the ground, the hoof pressure, the amount of the water runoff and the gradient in the enclosure. The visitor survey revealed that the “Samburu-Land” seems very “grey” and “deserted” in the winter month. A possible solution could be a planting with evergreen wood, the creation of a grassing element or the planting of redtop (Agrostis gigante.).

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