07-14-2006, 05:30 AM
Les:
In captivity we strive to provide optimal diets and habitats for the specimens under our charge. In doing so I have seen the lifespan of individual specimens and species extend three fold from their life expectancy in the wild. Most bird populations have to produce allot more offspring to ensure that a certain percentage will live to sexual maturity and be able to reproduce to keep the population viable. For example we had a Caribbean Flamingo at National that was 65 years old and was still healthy when a kid in the zoo threw a rock and killed the bird, sad day for all of us. What we learned in the 1970's when allot of bird importation was ongoing is that absolutely everything in the wild is infected with intestinal parasites (nemeatodes/cestodes), external parasites (feather lice in birds), and depending on the species and geographical location a mix of bacterial/fungal/and viral organisms that each particular resident species had developed some resistance to. It was always interesting to see the specimens convert from what was a seemingly healthy bird to a sick bird from the exposure to multiple stress syndromes. What I mean by that is when the bird is caught and removed from it's natural habitat (One stressor), then the bird is put on a diet usually different from the one it existed on in the wild (Stressor two), then the bird is put in a confined area (Stressor three), then the bird is.......you get the idea. When these multiple stressors occur it reduces the efficiency of the bird’s immune system and you start to see fungal overgrowths, intestinal parasite overloads that cause dramatic weight loss etc. The birds were able to maintain the resident bacterial/fungal/viral load until their immune system was upset. Wild birds consume all sorts of things we would not necessarily feed them in captivity and their selections are not always necessarily healthy. There is allot to be said for not doing anything to imbalance Mother Nature. Hope this answers your question. If you want to talk reproductive biology etc in endangered species I can be reached at 202 693-5904. I am at this point on east coast time (6 hours ahead of you) but always like to discuss animals.
Enjoy
Will Peratino
In captivity we strive to provide optimal diets and habitats for the specimens under our charge. In doing so I have seen the lifespan of individual specimens and species extend three fold from their life expectancy in the wild. Most bird populations have to produce allot more offspring to ensure that a certain percentage will live to sexual maturity and be able to reproduce to keep the population viable. For example we had a Caribbean Flamingo at National that was 65 years old and was still healthy when a kid in the zoo threw a rock and killed the bird, sad day for all of us. What we learned in the 1970's when allot of bird importation was ongoing is that absolutely everything in the wild is infected with intestinal parasites (nemeatodes/cestodes), external parasites (feather lice in birds), and depending on the species and geographical location a mix of bacterial/fungal/and viral organisms that each particular resident species had developed some resistance to. It was always interesting to see the specimens convert from what was a seemingly healthy bird to a sick bird from the exposure to multiple stress syndromes. What I mean by that is when the bird is caught and removed from it's natural habitat (One stressor), then the bird is put on a diet usually different from the one it existed on in the wild (Stressor two), then the bird is put in a confined area (Stressor three), then the bird is.......you get the idea. When these multiple stressors occur it reduces the efficiency of the bird’s immune system and you start to see fungal overgrowths, intestinal parasite overloads that cause dramatic weight loss etc. The birds were able to maintain the resident bacterial/fungal/viral load until their immune system was upset. Wild birds consume all sorts of things we would not necessarily feed them in captivity and their selections are not always necessarily healthy. There is allot to be said for not doing anything to imbalance Mother Nature. Hope this answers your question. If you want to talk reproductive biology etc in endangered species I can be reached at 202 693-5904. I am at this point on east coast time (6 hours ahead of you) but always like to discuss animals.
Enjoy
Will Peratino
Will Peratino