MVSc

Husbandry practices adopted for captive zoo mammals, were studied in
the Government owned zoological gardens located at Thiruvananthapuram and
Thrissur districts ofKerala State. The mammals in the zoos were classified into
ten groups, based on the taxonomic position and food habits. In the feeding
management studies, the different feed ingredients used to formulate the ration
for these ten groups of mammals were recorded. The dry matter content of the
ration was worked out. A comparative study was taken up between
Thiruvananthapuram and Thrissur Zoos, in the feed ingredients as well as in the
dry matter content of the ration in all the above ten groups of mammals.
The management practices with regard to housing of animals were also
observed. Cages and enclosures were provided for the animals and in most of
the cases the floor was made of cement concrete. A comparison between the
two zoos with regard to the substrate and the type of cage for the ten groups of
mammals were also made. The environment enrichment methods adopted as
well as the provisions for wallowing and perching were also observed and
compared in the two zoos among the ten groups of mammals.
Under the captive breeding observations in Thiruvananthapuram Zoo it
was found that 23 different mammalian species were kept in breeding pairs
though successful breeding were noticed in 19 of them. The animals which do
not breed in captivity even when kept in pairs, were the Indian Porcupine, the

Himalayan Black Bear, the Sloth Bear and the Jungle Cat. Whereas in Thrissur
Zoo" 11 mammalian species were in breeding pairs and out of that eight species
were successfully breeding. The Indian Porcupine, Small Indian Civet and the
Camels in the zoos were not breeding, eventhough they were in pairs.
Disease prevalence was another management practice studied. Parasitic
diseases (44.68 per cent), infectious diseases (35.11 per cent), non-specific
conditions (17.02 per cent) and neoplastic conditions (3.19 per cent) were
observed in captive mammals in Thiruvananthapuram Zoo; and infectious
conditions (59.32 per cent), neoplastic conditions (15.25 per cent), parasitic
diseases (13.56 per cent) and non-specific conditions (11.87 per cent) were
observed in Thrissur Zoo.
Vaccinations were regularly done only in felids in Thiruvananthapuram
Zoo and no vaccinations were done in Thrissur Zoo. Regular dewormings were
done for all mammals in Thiruvananthapuram Zoo, but only in carnivores and
Camels in Thrissur Zoo. The frequency of deworming varied between the
species and did not conform to any scientific suggestions.
Hygiene and sanitation showed that the enclosures in the zoos were
cleaned daily in the morning, before the feeding of the animals. Along with that
the feed and water troughs were also cleaned. The water pools were emptied,
cleaned and refilled twice in a week. 'Benzalkonium chloride' solution was the
disinfectant used in the zoos, and were occasionally used only in the carnivore
and primate cages.