AZA Ungulate TAGs
2015 Midyear Meeting

Held in conjunction with the AZA Mid-Year Meeting
21-23 March 2015
Hosted by the Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia SC

Pre-conference Behavior Management Workshop

This ungulate behavior management workshop is facilitated by Darren Minier (Oakland Zoo), which focusing on applied behavior in managed ungulate systems, featuring a lecture, round table discussions, and paper presentations. Through understanding and influencing behavior through the framework of “ABC Analysis” (looking at all behavior as Antecedent, Behavior, and Consequence), the goal is to take a positive approach to behavior management - not looking at how to avoid a negative or undesired behavior, but instead focusing on how to achieve desired behavior.

• Applied Behavior in Managed Ungulate Systems - Darren Minier

Following the initial presentation, attendees will work on a difficult, “real life” case submitted by participants. Each group will problem-solve their case together, identifying solutions for this real life challenge of ungulate behavior management, and then share their case(s) and solutions with the room.

The second half of the day includes presentations from workshop attendees, covering ungulate behavior management success stories, interesting case studies, behavior management focused research projects, or ungulate behavior management innovations!  Be inspired by your esteemed peers!

• Anoa Training Program at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium - Telena Welsh
• Okapi Behavior Management at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park –  Lissa McCaffree

Hoof Mapping & Hoof Trimming Workshop

Maintaining exotic equid’s feet in a captive environment can be challenging.  The amount of time between trims, the existence of hoof distortions due to extended trimming periods, and lameness or pathology problems are all circumstances that add difficulty to the task.  The Equine Lameness Prevention Organization farriers, in cooperation with the Denver Zoo, worked diligently for several years to not only develop a safe and effective approach to trimming exotic equids, but also conducted a yearlong study on using external hoof references to locate internal anatomy without the need for radiographs.  This workshop will go into the “hoof mapping” research product in great detail and give you the practical information required to accurately locate the distal phalanx or coffin bone within the hoof capsule of your exotic equids without that added cost and time required to take radiographs.  From there, the workshop will cover the basic hoof trimming protocol used to eliminate pathology-causing hoof capsule distortions and maintain well balanced, properly functioning hooves.  This workshop will help exotic equid caretakers and hoof care providers a useful set of guidelines that will ultimately reduce the time required to keep the animals anesthetized, reduce the number of trims required per year, and decrease the instances of foot related lameness issues. Riverbanks Zoo has graciously provided working space at the zoo, and the farriers are donating their time.

Schedule
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM- Lectures (Powerpoint)
                                       - Hoof Mapping Research Project
                                       - Trimming Protocol for Exotic Equids
    12:00 PM – 1:00 PM - LUNCH
     1:00 PM – 3:30 PM - Hands-On Mapping & Trimming of Cadaver Feet

TAG Meeting Presentations

AZA Ungulate TAG Chair Briefings

• Antelope and Giraffe TAG
• Caprinae TAG and Caprinae PVA Update
• Cervid TAG
• Equid TAG
• Wild Cattle and Camelid TAG
• Wild Pig, Peccary and Hippo TAG

TAG Initiative Updates from 2014

• TAG Program Updates
• Ruminant Importation Update – Linda Penfold & Jeff Holland
• Marketing Team Update – Roxanna Breitigan, Brent Huffman & Michelle Hatwood
• Updates from the International Joint TAG Meeting
• SPA and C2S2 Update - Adam Eyres
• Giraffe Conservation Alliance and Giraffe Resource Group – Sheri Horiszny, Amy Phelps & Amy Roberts
• AZA Sustainability Reports - Lauren Wilson

Reports from the Field

• Sahara Conservation Fund – John Newby
• Desert Bighorn and Sonoran Pronghorn Conservation Projects – Devorah Young
• Oman Arabian Oryx Reintroductions – Steve Metzler (for Andy Blue)
• Okapi Wildlife Reserve Update – John Lukas
• Argali Conservation in Mongolia – Diana Boon
• Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Program Update – Jeff Holland
• Javan Warty Pig Project – Jeff Holland
• Tadjik Markhor and Buchara Urial Project – Jeff Holland
• Saola Conservation – Bill Robichaud
• Chacoan Peccary Field Program – Michelle Hatwood

Annual Ungulate Research Symposium

• Updates on semen transport and AI initiatives for Global Population Management in Equids – Mandi Schook
• The relationship between husbandry and reproductive success in captive Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus) – Annie Newell-Fugate, University of Texas A&M
• Translating Recommendations into Action for Red River Hog  – Yari Rodriguez Bello & Mel Covey
• Artificial Insemination in Anoa – Linda Penfold
• Update on Ungulate Research and Sable Genomics at SCBI – Budhan Pukazhenthi
• Results of the Nationwide Survey of Attitudes about Euthanasia – Dave Powell

Ungulate Husbandry, Enrichment & Training Session

• Gerenuk Training at the Denver Zoo – Christina Seely
• Hoofstock Training at Zoo Miami – Terry Webb
• Hippo Castration and Reproductive Study at Disney's Animal Kingdom – Kristen Wolfe
• Safety Policies and Procedures involving Giraffe Training at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Tracy Thessing (for Amy Schilz)
• Behind the Scenes Tours at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park – Matt Gelvin
• Wild Pig Training Survey Results – Tanya Barton-Gracia
• Bighorn Sheep Horn Surgery – Devorah Young
• Urolithiasis in Giraffe/Diet Survey – Terry Webb
• Sarcoids in Somali wild ass – Scotty Wade