Hand rearing a Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus at ZSL London Zoo. Issue 1 (24th July 2019)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- Hand rearing a Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus at ZSL London Zoo. Issue 1 (24th July 2019)
- Main Title:
- Hand rearing a Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus at ZSL London Zoo
- Authors:
- Kelleher, K.‐A.
Ferguson, A. - Abstract:
- Abstract : There is an increasing emphasis on the importance of ensuring the long‐term viability of taxa maintained in zoological collections. The captive population of Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus is monitored and managed in European and American breeding programmes. However, although breeding success is increasing the population is still not sustainable. Hand rearing is one option in the 'toolbox' of measures that can be used to assist with achieving integrated conservation goals, despite being challenging and labour intensive. This paper describes the enforced, but successful, hand rearing of a two‐toed sloth from 26 days of age at ZSL London Zoo, UK. The feeding protocol, behaviour and development are reported, and growth‐rate data are presented. While presenting data for only one individual, the experience has provided practical information about hand‐rearing practice that may inform future interventions in the management of ex situ populations, and assist with rescue and rehabilitation efforts for this and related species in the field. This species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List; however, these sloths are threatened by habitat loss. Two of the six extant species of sloths are assessed as threatened; Pygmy three‐toed sloth Bradypus pygmaeus (Critically Endangered) and the Maned three‐toed sloth Bradypus torquatus (Vulnerable). Abstract : This paper describes theAbstract : There is an increasing emphasis on the importance of ensuring the long‐term viability of taxa maintained in zoological collections. The captive population of Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus is monitored and managed in European and American breeding programmes. However, although breeding success is increasing the population is still not sustainable. Hand rearing is one option in the 'toolbox' of measures that can be used to assist with achieving integrated conservation goals, despite being challenging and labour intensive. This paper describes the enforced, but successful, hand rearing of a two‐toed sloth from 26 days of age at ZSL London Zoo, UK. The feeding protocol, behaviour and development are reported, and growth‐rate data are presented. While presenting data for only one individual, the experience has provided practical information about hand‐rearing practice that may inform future interventions in the management of ex situ populations, and assist with rescue and rehabilitation efforts for this and related species in the field. This species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List; however, these sloths are threatened by habitat loss. Two of the six extant species of sloths are assessed as threatened; Pygmy three‐toed sloth Bradypus pygmaeus (Critically Endangered) and the Maned three‐toed sloth Bradypus torquatus (Vulnerable). Abstract : This paper describes the enforced, but successful, hand rearing of a Linné's two‐toed sloth Choloepus didactylus from 26 days of age at ZSL London Zoo, UK. The feeding protocol, behaviour and development are reported, and growth‐rate data are presented. This practical information may inform future interventions in the management of ex situ populations, and assist with rescue and rehabilitation efforts for this and related species in the field. (Photo: ZSL London Zoo) … (more)
- Is Part Of:
- International zoo yearbook. Volume 53:Issue 1(2019)
- Journal:
- International zoo yearbook
- Issue:
- Volume 53:Issue 1(2019)
- Issue Display:
- Volume 53, Issue 1 (2019)
- Year:
- 2019
- Volume:
- 53
- Issue:
- 1
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2019-0053-0001-0000
- Page Start:
- 287
- Page End:
- 300
- Publication Date:
- 2019-07-24
- Subjects:
- breeding -- development -- hand rearing -- Linné's two‐toed sloth -- nutrition -- rehabilitation -- reproduction -- xenarthral
Zoos -- Periodicals
590.73 - Journal URLs:
- http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1748-1090 ↗
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1111/izy.12235 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0074-9664
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 4552.600000
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library STI - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 12459.xml