Gap analysis of browse provision at San Diego Zoo Global

Citation

D’Amato-Anderson J, Graves A, Bottomley C, Kerr K, Fidgett A, and Shigematsu S. 2019. Gap analysis of browse provision at San Diego Zoo Global. In Brooks M, Freel T, Koutsos E Eds. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition Foundation and AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Saint Louis, MO.

Abstract

At San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG), for many herbivorous species, browse is integral to the opportunity for a thoughtfully presented well-balanced diet; one of the guiding welfare Opportunities to Thrive. However, like many institutions, SDZG struggles to provide adequate browse for its herbivore collection as revealed by a gap analysis of browse provision in 2018. Daily browse proportion as indicated by animal diet sheets was compared to browse harvested and delivered by the Horticulture Browse Department. Dietary proportion was assessed as: Essential (more than 50% of the diet), High (less than 50% of the diet and scheduled to receive daily), Medium (less than 50% of the diet and not scheduled daily), or Low (variable and no scheduled days). Browse provision by the Browse Department was classified into three categories: no browse delivery, browse delivered below dietary proportion, or browse delivered at or above dietary proportion. The curatorial team was polled to provide additional feedback on dietary proportion assessment, browse delivery assessment, species priority, and supplementary browse (keeper cut) provided. Initial findings indicate that the Browse Department provides 42% of browse required by animals in the Essential and High designations. The largest gap in browse provision was identified in the supply to hoofstock at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. More than 50,000 feet of browse per week are required to meet current diet sheet proportions. Moving forward the target for Horticulture Browse Department provision is to meet 100% of current collection needs and have a 10 to 20% buffer to allow for adaptability to collection changes.

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