Preliminary studies of flying foxes’ diet intake as an integration work between keepers and nutrition staff at Temaikèn

Citation

Olocco Diz MJ, Feo S. 2005. Preliminary studies of flying foxes’ diet intake as an integration work between keepers and nutrition staff at Temaikèn. In Graffam W, Hellinga D, Maslanka M, Ward A, Eds. Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Omaha, NE.

Abstract

During 6 months, as part of an integration experience, keepers and nutrition staff worked together to study the flying foxes’ (Pteropus vampyrus and Pteropus lylei) diet intake at the Temaikèn Wild Animal Park. At the beginning of the study, animals weighed an average of 763.84 g in the case of the former, and 398.8 in the case of the latter. During a first 5-day period, diet weights, scraps and leftovers were controlled. In the second period, novel ingredients and new feeders were tried. The roost trees and the floor conditions were changed. After that, during a third 7-day period, diet weights and leftovers were controlled again. Feed intake could not be compared but animals weights improved to an average of 874.92 g and 468.86 g respectively. The diet offered at that time weighed 39.56 kg. Preferred ingredients could be determined and competition was kept to a minimum.

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