Husbandry Manual for the Greater One-horned or Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis LINNÉ, 1758).

94 Seiten. Zoo Basel.

Vorwort:

To date two husbandry guidelines for Rhinoceroses have been published, the Husbandry Guidelines for Rhinoceroses, edited by Reinhard Göltenboth et al., published in the EEP Yearbook 1994-95 and the AZA Rhinoceros Husbandry Resource Manual, edited by Michael Fouraker & Tarren Wagener (1996). Both guidelines cover all five living rhino species. The Indian or Greater one-horned rhino, however, is in many aspects somewhat atypical. As the International Studbook Keepers and the EEP Species Coordinators we felt the need to have a more specific manual at hand. Using the two general guidelines as a basis, we compiled this mono-specific husbandry manual for the Indian rhino.

The Basel Zoo has been continuously keeping Indian rhinos for almost half a century. So far 27 calves have been born in Basel, including the first captive-born Indian rhino worldwide (male Rudra, 1956). The experiences of a wide variety of collaborators, former and current, of the Basel Zoo, with very different points of view have been summarized in this paper - keepers, technicians, researchers, veterinarians, curators and directors. Further important input came from many other European and American zoos currently keeping Indian rhinos.

These guidelines emphasize the practical aspects of keeping Indian rhinos. In animals with as slow a reproduction as the Indian rhinos, it is often impossible to give recommendations based on statistically sound data. Many observations have been made only a couple of times over a keeper's professional life. Nonetheless, they can give us hints about how to improve our understanding of these beautiful creatures. However, intuition, common sense and good nerves are as important as quantifiable facts if you want to keep Indian rhinos successfully.

Volltext:

http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_files/125/1251304516.pdf

guldenschuh-biblio

Chronoethologische Studie am Indischen Panzernashorn (Rhinoceros unicornis) zur Untersuchung des Wohlbefindens und der Haltung im Tiergarten Schönbrunn.

Diplomarbeit

129 Seiten.

Ganzer Text

Karl-Franzens Universität Graz£
Leitung: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Karl Crailsheim, Dr. Annette Benesch
Tiergarten Schönbrunn

Zusammenfassung:

In der vorliegenden chronoethologischen Arbeit sollte der circadiane Aktivitätsrhythmus, die Zeitgeber, Zeitbudget, Haltungsbedingungen und allgemeine Verhaltensweisen an indischen Panzernashörnern (Rhinoceros unicornis) im Zoo untersucht werden. Der Besitz einer Inneren Uhr stellt einen Selektionsvorteil im Sinne einer vorzeitigen Anpassung an wiederkehrende Umweltbedingungen dar. Ist der normale Verhaltensrhythmus eines Tieres bekannt, können Abweichungen Aufschluss auf Unwohlsein oder Krankheit geben.
Das Verhalten der beiden Panzernashörner, „Sundari“ (Weibchen) und „Jange“ (Männchen) wurde in Schönbrunn mittels 24-Stunden-Zeitraffer-Videos aufgezeichnet. Die Dunkelphase konnte nur in der Innenanlage lückenlos aufgezeichnet werden. In den Hellphasen des Tages gab es außer einer Datenlücke keine weiteren verlorenen Daten. Die Auswertung der Daten erstreckte sich von 08. Dezember 2007 bis Ende Jänner 2008 für die Winterhaltung und von Anfang Juni 2008 bis Ende Juli 2008 für Sommerhaltung (insgesamt ca. 2736 Stunden). Es wurde das gesamte beobachtete Verhalten notiert und mittels Ethogramm beschrieben. Besonderes Augenmerk wurde auf die Verhaltensweisen Lokomotion, Schlafen, Futteraufnahme und Pflegerinteraktionen gelegt.

Abstract:

Rhinoceros unicornis are difficult to keep in zoos because activity patterns are influenced by a variety of factors including ambient temperature, keeper routine an handling and the relative disposal and distribution of food, and other essential resources. Indian rhinos spend a considerable amount of time with food intake. In zoos, feeding is restricted to certain times, usually excluding the night. Many of these factors influences the well-being and health influence and also the internal harmony of the circadian clock system. The study give information on rhinoceros behavioural elements and activity patterns that could indicate health problems and stress via chronoethological study. At Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna two Rhinoceros, one male and one female were observed for two month in winter and two month in summer each, with a infrared video system for 24 hours. The questions for the study are: What is the activity rhythm of the two rhinoceros? Are there any differences between activity patterns of male and female? Which zeitgebers influence captive rhinoceros? How different are the activity rhythms between winter and summer keeping? The study shows that the keepers routine has an high influence of the behaviour of the two animals. This demonstrate the activity profiles on which four peaks are highest when the keeper brings food in. I show time budgets and day:night ratio for both animals which show the complete behaviour occurred between the observation time. The animals are less nocturnal than free living rhinos. Activity bouts are much shorter during the night and feeding or locomotor acitvity is less shown. The nocturnal or diurnal activity changes not when the animals can use the outside enclosure in summer but the activity peaks a much higher in winter during the day as in summer. The scheduled feeding times probably functions as a zeitgeber for the rhinos and determined there activity rhythms.

dengg-biblio

Untersuchungen zur Fütterung und Verdauungsphysiologie am Indischen Panzernashorn (Rhinoceros unicornis).

Studies on digestive physiology and feed digestibilities in captive Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis).

Dissertation

182 Seite

Klinik für Zoo-, Heim- und Wildtiere, Department für Kleintiere, Vetsuisse-Fakultät der Universität Zürich
Leitung: Prof. Dr. Marcus Clauss
Zoo München, Zoo Basel, Zoo Nürnberg

Abstract:

In this study, food intake and apparent digestibility coefficients of eleven adult Indian rhinoceroses from four zoos were investigated. In each case, the regular zoo diet (concentrates and roughage, ration conc.) and, after an adaptation period of at least seven days, a roughage-only diet (ration rough.) were used. Faeces were collected in toto. Additionally, the mean retention time of fluids and particles in the gastrointestinal tract were measured, as well as the faecal concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and lactate, faecal pH, faecal particle size distribution, water intake and the calcium:creatinine-ratio in sporadically sampled urine. Four animals were actually weighed; the body weight of the other animals was estimated. The following results were obtained: 1. Mean retention time: the average mean retention time of the fluid marker (CoEDTA) in the total gastrointestinal tract was 41.4 ± 3.7 h (n = 6) and of the particle marker (Cr-mordanted fibre, particle size < 2 mm) 60.0 ± 3.7 h (n = 6). 2. Results on food intake, apparent digestibility coefficients and intake of digestible energy are presented in Table 32.
The concentration of lactate in faeces was on average 1.9 ± 0.7 mmol/I faecal water (n=13) and did not differ between rations. The concentration of VFA in faeces was on average 39.4 mmol/l faecal water (n=6) on ration conc. and 25.4 mmol/I faecal water (n=6) on ration rough.; the ratio of acetate to proprionate was on average 5.5 and 8.2, respectively. Faecal pH did not differ between rations and was 6.4 ± 0.2 (n=8). 4. Faecal particle size distribution did not differ between rations. On average, 40.9 t 16.2% (n=14) of all particles retained on the sieves was of a size > 4 mm. 5. The average total water intake was 4.1 ± 1.0 kg/100 kg BW (n=14) and did not differ between rations. 6. The calcium:creatinine-ratio in urine increased with increasing calcium intake

polster-biblio