Archive for the 'GOALS' Category

9-3-08 Sticky Wall Meeting

Posted September 3, 2008 * Comments(1)

Jane facilitated a meeting with Education, Animal Care and Natural Resources, and Animal Health departments.

Kelley explained our goal: Sustainability

To refine a management strategy that will sustain captive populations in a manner that meets the needs for genetic diversity, herd health, social flexibility and ecosystem health.

Management options for collaborating institutions:

  • Current:  Small enclosure setting- Year around conception–> run females with one bull and take away the young males at puberty; enclosures too small for more than one mature bull
  • New: Large pasture setting- limit possible conception to several months–> trade out intact bull & vasectomized bull, to synchronize births to occur at seasonally good times for lactation, calf weaning, and recovery of female body condition after weaning.

We want to collaborate with other institutions to keep herds that are…

  • Socially adept–> stable matriarchal hierarchy and bachelor groups to socialize young males
  • Genetically healthy–> do not breed with close relatives
  • At balance with the natural pasture (*sustainable–> natural resource management)
  • Physically healthy–> e.g. we would be concerned if  the vasectomized bull was overworked because females continued to cycle at 2-3 week intervals when not pregnant.

Initial goals

Posted December 17, 2007 * Comments(0)

 INITIAL GOAL STATEMENT

“To quantify a better management protocol for hoofed mammals at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, focusing on Addax, Arabian Oryx, Gemsbok, Waterbuck, Sable, Scimitar Horned oryx, Bongo, Kudu and Addra gazelle.  Create the ability to breed for optimal nutrition to cows, weaning times of calves, and herd management with vasectomized males for normal herd structure while capitalizing on prime calving times. ”

OBJECTIVES

1.  Synchronize births: manage the herds to calve during the optimal season (March and April).

2.  Social structure: manage the herds for more socially educated animals (keep a good balance of young, old, male and female).

3.  Minimize risks: try to keep males integrated into herds to reduce the risks of injuries due to fighting, keeping in mind the typical behavior in nature for this species.

4.  Collect & share data: 

(K. Snodgrass, A. Eyres, personal communication, 8/2007, edited by J. Packard 1/2008)