A global survey of banteng (Bos javanicus) housing and husbandry

Abstract

Banteng (Bos javanicus) are an example of a species of conservation concern without current “best practice” guidance, as they have been the focus of little applied husbandry research. Despite their elevated conservation status, and established, increasing global captive population, zoos do not yet have information on optimal husbandry. To help address this problem, a husbandry survey was distributed to all global holders of banteng. Questions focused on herd demographic structure, exhibit features (including mixed‐species exhibition), dietary provision, and behavioral management. Completed surveys from 16 zoos enabled analysis of contemporary practice between institutions. Results indicate differences in enclosure size between zoos, and that herd size is unlikely to predict enclosure size. Herd sizes are smaller than wild examples, and enclosure space (per animal) is significantly smaller than a potential wild range. Banteng are frequently maintained successfully in mixed species exhibits alongside a wide range of other taxa. Nutrient analysis focused on fiber and protein, and although provision of these nutrients appears comparable between zoos, more work is needed on browse and forage intake to determine overall diet suitability. Behavior management shows variation between zoos, with numerous collections providing browse but only a minority undertaking training, and not all providing enrichment. The overall diversity in findings between zoos suggest future research areas that should focus on key aspects of behavioral ecology, such as wild foraging behavior, food plant selection and day/night activity patterns, which may help underpin husbandry guidelines and excellent animal welfare. Zoo Biol. 35:546–555, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

What’s new from the zoo? An analysis of ten years of zoo-themed research output

“…Secondly that housing and husbandry are historically based on anecdote or tradition. A scientific approach to inform husbandry is noticeable in our dataset, with housing style (Rowden and Rose, 2016), daily husbandry regimes , nutrition (Gussek et al, 2018), enrichment practices (Costa et al, 2018), breeding recommendations (Asa et al, 2011) and animal health measures (Greenwell and Montrose, 2017) being based on evidence gathered to determine optimal care. The asking of numerous questions (Table S4) with an amphibian model shows that zoo researchers are considering key knowledge gaps at different taxonomic levels when constructing an experimental design.…”

Risk factors for stereotypic behaviour in captive ungulates

“…Data for exotic ungulate species are sparse [21], with large inter-species differences in the type, prevalence and frequency of SB. For example, it is estimated that 80% of giraffes ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) and okapi ( Okapia johnstoni ) in captivity exhibit at least one form of SB [22], yet in a survey of 25 collections housing banteng ( Bos javanicus ), only two reported any historic occurrence of SB [23]. Although the potential within-species risk factors for SB performance have been identified for some of the most susceptible ungulates, such as giraffe [22], horses [24,25] and pigs [26], this information remains unstudied for the majority of ungulate species.…”

Specialised for the Swamp, Catered for in Captivity? A Cross-Institutional Evaluation of Captive Husbandry for Two Species of Lechwe

“…Global husbandry surveys for specific ungulate species can identify key areas of good practice as well as deviation from any published husbandry standards [ 8 ]. Such research approaches can also form the foundation for development of husbandry guidelines, using information collected from the zoos that have been surveyed [ 1 ] to fill knowledge gaps that may be a barrier to the implementation of ecologically-sound management regimes. The focus of this research are two species of highly adapted wetland antelope; the southern lechwe (Kobus leche) and the Nile lechwe (K. megaceros) .…”

“…Approximately 150,000 even-toed ungulates are held in captivity across all 863 species360 © (https: //www.species360.org/) member zoos (as of August 2020). Research into optimum management practices for exotic ungulates is a growing area of zoo science [1][2][3][4] and, given the diversity of populations held, and the multiple ways of exhibiting ungulates in zoos, the growth of ungulate-focussed research is useful to the development of good practice. However, not all commonly housed species are well understood.…”