Hoofcare
T his past year, we created
a new wellness program
that allows the giraffe to
participate in their own health
care. Because their sheer size
makes it challenging for us
to immobilize the giraffe
for exams, we use positive
reinforcement to train them
for hoof trims, X-rays and
blood draws.
Like domestic horses,
giraffe in zoos don’t walk
as much as their wild
counterparts and tread
different terrain, and may
be predisposed to genetic
variables that cause
abnormal hoof growth. For
these reasons, we’ve been
focusing on voluntary hoof
trims; we accomplish this
by first asking the giraffe
to place his or her foot on a wood block and rewarding
this behavior with a treat. Then we desensitize them to
the feeling of a rasp and nippers (tools commonly used
by farriers). We are happy to say that this has been
accomplished with all our adult giraffe!
These achievements require
These training
techniques have
great training skills, but most
also been applied to
importantly a strong, trusting
the X-ray process.
relationship between the
As giraffe age,
they become more
giraffe and their keepers.
susceptible to
arthritis and other
joint issues that can lead
to stiffness and limping. By
determining the condition
of specific areas through
X-rays, we can make more
informed pain management
decisions. Rafiki in
particular is benefitting
from this!
These achievements require
great training skills, but
most importantly a strong,
trusting relationship between
the giraffe and their keepers.
We are proud of our current
program and look forward
to making great progress
to ensure our giraffe are
receiving the care they need
to thrive at the Zoo!
Using Technology to Improve Animal Wellness
P roviding great wellness for our animals includes lots of observation for changes in behavior and activity.
This used to be limited to daylight hours (when animal care staff is present), but a new camera
system installed in the Expedition Africa barn has now let us in on just what the
giraffe and rhinos are up to after everyone leaves.
This system monitors where the animals are at any given time. The video feed
can be viewed remotely so we can keep a close eye on everyone from our
computers and phones. One of the most exciting possibilities is being able to
film giraffe births that often happen overnight. Since animals may change their
behavior when keepers are present, another bonus is the ability to watch the
animals without changing their behavior; this will allow us to see things like
how successful enrichments are and
how herd dynamics change when we
introduce a new animal.
Right now, the system is limited to the
barn, but we would like to install similar
systems throughout the Zoo because
it is a very useful tool for improving
animal wellness by helping us make
more informed animal care decisions.
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