BIGGEST LOSER: ORANGUTAN STYLE - LINDA M. VELASQUEZ, LVT PRIMATE KEEPER LOUIS DIVINCENTI, DVM ASSOCIATE VETERINARIAN SENECA PARK ZOO ROCHESTER, NY
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Biggest Loser: Orangutan Style
Linda M. Velasquez, LVT
Primate Keeper
Louis DiVincenti, DVM
Associate Veterinarian
Seneca Park Zoo
Rochester, NY
Introduction • We have three Bornean orangutans at Seneca Park Zoo • Kumang is our 34 year old female • Dara is her 12 year old daughter • Denda is our 9 year old male – came to us last year from Brookfield Zoo • The focus of this presentation is on our females
The Excuses
• We are learning more and more about the problem of obesity in
captive orangutans and…………..
• We knew our females were “big”, but…………………..
• Kumang, our 34 year old is a large female, she is big boned!
• Her daughter, Dara, just takes after her!
• Kumang is a grandma, she has had 3 children, give her a break!
More Excuses • We did separation training last year for the transfer of Datu to Madison, WI. We had to give them extra treats. • After all, the vet staff needs to establish a relationship with them! And so on………………….!
Facing Reality • We were not weighing our orangutans on a regular basis • Our last recorded weights were: March 2011 - Kumang (200 lbs.) August 2011 - Dara (140 lbs.) • Done during routine PE, not as a trained behavior • Our girls were overweight and we needed to make it a priority!
What’s the BIG Deal?
• 2012 Orangutan
Health Survey
– Obesity 3rd most
serious health problem
facing captive
orangutans
• Behind respiratory and
cardiovascular disease
– 50% of institutions
diagnosed obesity
Taman Safari Park
Jakarta, Indonesia
within last 10 years
Obesity • Cardiovascular Disease – Hypertension – Atherosclerosis – Stroke – Deep Venous Thrombosis • Diabetes • Osteoarthritis • Endometrial, breast, and colon cancer • Menstrual disorders / reduced fertility
Implications for Orangutans
• During the period between
2010 and 2012, most
orangutans were 20-30yr
old at time of death
• 5/7 cardiovascular related
for last year
• Seneca Park Zoo
– Jiggs – dead at 34 – stroke
– Lowell – dead at 21 –
myocardial fibrosis
A Primer of Orangutan Nutrition
Information Drawn
Extensively From
Deb Schmidt
Orangutan SSP Nutritionist
Orangutan Diets
• Average Body Weights
for Free Range Animals
– Males = 86kg
– Females = 39kg
• Caloric Intake
– Fruiting Season
Dependent
• 3,800-8,400kcal/day males
• 1,800-7,400kcal/day
femalesDaily Diets
• Frugivores
– Opportunistic Though
• Leaves
• Bark
• Pith
• Flowers
• Insects
• Honey
• Meat (?)
• Consume 1-2% body weight per dayDaily Diets
• Precise nutritional needs of orangutans not
actually known
• Most extensive research based on work by
Cheryl Knott in Gunung Palung National Park
– Energy Expenditure
• Males = 3,400 kcal/day
• Females = 1,900 kcal/day
• Maternal Females = 2,400 kcal/dayWild Orangutan Diet
Food Item Fiber
Seeds 9-84%
Pulp 9-77%
Leaves 21-72%
Bark 53-73%
Flowers 46-57%
Whole Fruits 50-65%
Source:
Pith 51-82% Cheryl KnottAnalysis of Zoo-Fed Produce
Sugar Starch Fiber
Fruit 41% 24% 13%
Vegetables 26% 23% 19%
Leafy 18% 15% 19%
Greens
Source: Deb SchmidtNot All Fruit Created Equal
• Fruits eaten in
the wild have
much higher fiber
and lower sugar
concentrationsGastrointestinal Physiology
• Intestinal tract different among primates
– Orangutans and gorillas share long large intestine
• Ability to ferment fiber
– Humans and chimpanzees have shorter and
smaller large intestine
• More omnivorousSources of Calories • Protein • Fat • Carbohydrates – Free Sugars – Starch – Fiber
Fiber Fermentation • Mammals do not produce digestive enzymes to degrade plant fiber • Intestinal bacteria break down fiber and excrete volatile fatty acids (VFAs)
So what should we feed orangutans?
• Special Adaptations
– Consume a significant number of calories, which is
stored as fat
– Survive on low quality, extremely high-fiber food
items during non-fruiting periods
• Only the first is needed for life in zoosDiet Recommendations
• High Fiber Primate Biscuits 15%
– Feed individually
• Leafy Green Vegetables 57%
• Vegetables 17%
• Fruit 7%
• Root Vegetables 4%Increase Fiber • Offer fruits as raw and unpeeled • Replace soft fruits with hard fruits • Increase greens and browse • Use highest fiber primate biscuits possible
Caloric Requirement Formulas
Dara
Weight = 67kg
15% Weight Loss = 57kg
57kg x 40kcal/kg/day = 2,280kcal
Original diet provided 6,000kcal in
just biscuits!!!Dara’s Diet
Food Category Original Diet Weight Loss Diet
Biscuits 2,200g 107g
Leafy Vegetables 2.5lbs 1,300cal
Vegetables 2.5lbs 388cal
Root Vegetables 0.63lbs 91cal
Fruit 1.25lbs 160calCaloric Requirement Formulas
Kumang
Weight = 103kg
20% Weight Loss = 82kg
82kg x 40kcal/kg/day =
3,296cal
Original diet provided 11,000
calories in biscuits!!!Kumang’s Diet
Food Category Original Diet Weight Loss Diet
Biscuits 3,520g 154g
Leafy Vegetables 4.12lbs 1,879cal
Vegetables 4.12lbs 560cal
Root Vegetables 1.0lbs 131cal
Fruit 1.96lbs 230calGetting Started
• There was someone who had
done this before many years
ago and she was still there!
• We found an old mechanical
scale in our equipment closet!
• Making it work:
Putting the apparatus
together
Testing the scale
It really does work!
• We are ready to move
forward!The Plan
• Where, who, when, how often, etc.
- In our first inside exhibit space
- One keeper on the top to read
the scale and one working down
below
- We would try to do this once a
week
• Behavior training plan
- What “bucket” do we use?
- Do we need to separate them?
- What rewards and how to
deliver them
- Still an ongoing processThe Weigh-In
• We had a plan and we were ready
• The day came and we were excited!
April 29, 2012
We were able to get weights on Kumang, Dara and Denda and…….
UH OH! - our suspicions were confirmed
Kumang now weighed 227lbs - 20 lbs. more than March 2011
Dara now weighed 147lbs - 7 lbs. more than August 2011
Denda weighed 124lbs (his weight is a healthy weight)
• But we were on our way to better health and weight management!!
• We recorded the results on our DKR and waited for the inevitable
And it came in the form of…………………………A New Diet! • A new diet based on calories • A chart of fruits, veggies and greens with gram weights and caloric content • We have to weigh things in grams instead of pounds • This is NOT what we are used to doing!
A Noticeable Difference Kumang Old Half Day Diet Kumang New Half Day Diet
A Noticeable Difference
Fresh Greens for 3 Orangutans Fresh Greens for Kumang
(Old)The Approach • Everyone involved needed to be educated, to understand and to comply • This was not just about the foods themselves but a new way of feeding/nutrition • We need to station our orangutans for feeding and feed throughout the day • We need to work closely with the vet staff
Objections and Concerns
• This involves math! • They don’t have
- Sample diets? enough foraging
- Support opportunities if
- Encouragement stationed for
feeding!
• This takes more - Provision in diet
time!
- Greens
- Sample diets?
- Ask for help
• How can we
• How can we reward provide them with
the orangutans for the best of both
behaviors? worlds?
• This change should be
• They aren’t eating more gradual
all their vegetables
and greens!Meeting the Challenges • You really don’t have to do math! (much) The sample diets did help Everyone got more relaxed about it • It did take more time in the beginning Sample diets did help with this too It became more routine • We do provide foraging with things like : popcorn and cereal as a substitute for root vegetable calories
Meeting the Challenges • We can reward behaviors with low cal items like low cal jello, air popped popcorn, and crystal lite • Keep a log to keep everyone up to date and make adjustments if necessary • Let your veterinarian know of any problems, questions • Given time and opportunity, they do eat their veggies and greens They adjusted more quickly than we did!
Our Orangutans’ Response • Stationing very well! Had started stationing about a year ago Not new to them • Shifting really well! • Initially rejected their vegetables when fruit and monkey chow were gone. If they refused their veggies, they did not get more. They understood very quickly that no more fruit was coming! They started to eat all their fruit, veggies and primate chow while stationed • Denda, our male, tries at times to “steal” Dara’s fruit and primate chow He is returned to his “station” and fed his own diet He is learning that he only gets fed there • Kumang seems almost unaffected and very relaxed
Our Orangutans’ Response • More R/R Particularly with Dara • Diarrhea Again, more so with Dara Bananas, used for a training session, helps • Dara looking for sympathy But less begging from visitors - different expectations
The Results (so far)
• Started new diet on June 28, 2012
Kumang weighed 227
Dara weighed 147
• July 7, 2012
Kumang 224 - down 3 lbs.
Dara 139 - down 8 lbs!
• July 14
Kumang 221 - down another 3 lbs. (total weight
loss of 6 lbs.)
Unable to get Dara’s weight - bouncing around
too much!The Results (so far) • July 21 Kumang 220 - down another lb. (total weight loss of 7 lbs.) Dara weighs the same - 139 • July 28 Kumang and Dara both got in the “bucket” but we had trouble reading the scale
The Results (so far) • August 6 Kumang 218 – down another 2 lbs. (total weight loss of 9 lbs.) • August 12 Kumang 218 – no change. (total weight loss of 9 lbs.) Dara 134 – down another 5 lbs. (total weight loss of 13 lbs.)
A New Scale Because of our success, we were able to justify ordering a new digital scale!!!!
What did we learn? • Be flexible! • Be willing to change • Ask for help • Keep a log/good records of your progress • Make adjustments as needed For instance, we have had to separate Dara at times so Denda would not take her food
The Rewards! • Feeling of accomplishment We learned to do things in a different way despite the challenges We overcame the obstacles and worked as a team • We discovered new ways of enrichment - not all about food! • We justified buying a new digital scale and made our job easier • The weight loss of our orangutans • Best of all - working toward the better overall health and well being of our orangutans!!
Thank You • Janet Dray • Tina Fess • Brian Sheets • Mike Wemett • Louis DiVincenti, DVM • Jeff Wyatt, DVM • Seneca Park Zoo Society • Kumang • Dara • Denda
You can also read
