The effects of increased hay-to-grain ratio on behavior, metabolic health measures, and fecal bacterial communities in four Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Dynamic Changes in Intestinal Microorganisms and Hematological Indices in Giraffes of Different Ages, and the Effect of Diarrhea on Intestinal Microbiota

This study employed high-throughput sequencing to explore bacterial diversity and hematological variations across different age groups of giraffes, as well as the impact of diarrhea on their intestinal microbiota. Additionally, the correlation between intestinal flora and hematological indices was examined for the first time. Firmicutes, Bacteroides, and Proteobacteria were the predominant bacterial groups in the giraffe's intestinal flora. The α-diversity analysis indicated significant variations in microbial diversity among giraffes of varying ages (p < 0.05). Furthermore, giraffes suffering from diarrhea exhibited significant alterations in the abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteriota at the phylum level (p < 0.05). At the genus level, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group, Monoglobus, and Prevotellaceae_UCG-004 had significant differences compared to healthy counterparts (p < 0.05). Hematological parameters such as lymphocyte count (Lym), red blood cell count (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet count (PLT), and plateletcrit (PCT) varied significantly across different age groups (p < 0.05). A substantial correlation was observed between the intestinal microbiome composition and hematological parameters (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study highlights significant differences in both the intestinal microbiome composition and hematological indices among giraffes of different ages. Diarrhea was found to significantly alter the abundance and composition of the intestinal microbial community. These insights provide a valuable theoretical foundation for the microbiological and hematological aspects of giraffe health management and breeding practices.

The behavior patterns of giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) housed across 18 US zoos

Interpreting animal behavior in the context of welfare can be inherently challenging given the limited behavior data available for many species housed in zoos. Describing common behavior patterns may help animal managers by providing additional background when assessing the individuals in their care. Although valuable, these efforts require a large, collaborative approach and have, consequently, been rare. Here, we share the behavior patterns of zoo-housed giraffes, an iconic and commonly housed megafauna in zoos. Behavior data were evaluated for 66 giraffes living across 18 AZA-accredited zoos using the ZooMonitor Community platform. Data were recorded during 10-minute observation sessions. Observations were conducted during daytime hours over the course of approximately one year at each zoo (mean total observed time per individual = 23.2 hr). The most common behaviors observed were feeding/ foraging behaviors, which accounted for 38.6% of the mean visible time budget across giraffes. Time spent in these behaviors varied by individual and ranged from 14.3% to 69.3% of visible time. Stereotypic behaviors occurred in all study individuals, with oral stereotypic behaviors being most common. Although prevalent, stereotypic behaviors varied considerably across giraffes, with some individuals exhibiting these behaviors only on a few occasions to an individual that exhibited these behaviors once every few minutes. This study provides a robust evaluation of giraffe behavior across zoos to present a picture of their common behavior patterns in managed care. We hope these multi-institutional behavior patterns can provide perspective to aid animal managers in evaluating giraffes in their care.

An investigation of browsing enrichment, especially non-leaf foraging, on giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) at Kyoto City Zoo in Japan

Browsing enrichment may aid in developing species-specific behaviors for giraffes managed in zoos as a means of improving animal welfare. By nature, giraffes are tree-feeding animals, including tree bark, but the extent of food other than leaves as a form of browsing enrichment has not been well investigated. Therefore, to investigate the effectiveness of non-leaf foraging, three giraffes at the Kyoto City Zoo in Japan were observed for 228 h from May 2019 to February 2020. In conjunction with behavioral instantaneous sampling, tree use (landscape tree or enrichment branch) and plant part (leaves, twigs, or barks) were recorded by the 1-0 sampling method. There was no significant change in the foraging behavior on the leaves of enriched branches, nor was there any significant change in the foraging behavior of the giraffes, except for one animal in the deciduous phase. No significant changes were observed in rumination or other behaviors between the two phases. Although vegetation foraging behavior significantly decreased, except for one animal, dry hay foraging behavior significantly increased in all the animals during the deciduous phase. Some individuals also showed a significant increase in the foraging behavior for non-leafy parts of the enrichment branches (twigs and bark) during the deciduous phase. This suggests that in some tree species, giraffes forage on the bark and twigs to compensate for the loss of leaves during the deciduous phase, similar to feeding on hay or hay cubes as a substitute for tree leaves.

Effect of amount of high-fibre pellet in the diet and bedding type on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, eating behaviour and rumination in bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)

Two studies were conducted to determine the impact of the amount of high-fibre pellet (HFP) in the diet and bedding material on feed intake, eating behaviour, rumination, activity and resting behaviour, and also nutrient digestibility in bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus). In Study 1, bongo were fed meadow hay (ad libitum), lucerne hay (0.5 kg/day), browse (0.7 kg/day) and a 'basal diet' containing 0.75 kg/day (low; LP), 1.50 kg/day (medium; MP) or 2.25 kg/day (high; HP) of HFP consisting mostly of insoluble fibre sources (dehydrated grass, dehydrated lucerne, wheat bran). In Study 2, experimental diets resembled those used in Study 1 with the main difference being that bongo were fed 1 or 2 kg of HFP/day and pens were bedded with straw (SB) or wood shavings (WB) (2 × 2 factorial design). In Study 1, dry matter (DM) intake of meadow hay decreased linearly (p < 0.01) with an increasing amount of HFP in the diet but total DM intake increased (p < 0.01). Eating time of basal diet (min/day) increased linearly (p = 0.01), whereas eating time of meadow hay tended to (p = 0.06) decrease linearly with an increasing amount of HFP in the diet. In Study 2, total DM intake was greater for HP treatments compared to LP treatments (p < 0.01) but meadow hay DM intake did not differ between treatments. Straw was consumed by animals and its usage as a bedding material increased meadow hay DM intake and browse DM intake (p ≤ 0.02), and consequently total DM intake (p = 0.03), compared with wood shavings bedding. Feeding more HFP to bongo tended to (p = 0.07) decrease rumination time per day and increased rumination rate (g DM/min). In conclusion, an increased amount of HFP (>1.5-2 kg/day/animal) rich in insoluble fibre in the diet consisting mostly of meadow hay may decrease the intake of roughages by bongo and reduce rumination time. On the other hand, the usage of straw (instead of wood shavings) as bedding unexpectedly increased the intake of roughages by bongo.