2003 POLAR BEAR DIET + FACILITY
REVIEW
SUMMARY OF TELEPHONE SURVEY RESULTS:
by Celia Ackerman
Central Park Wildlife Center
| 39 FACILITIES HOUSING: | 46 - 1.0 (incl. 2 recently deceased bears) | 1.0 = male |
| 60 - 0.1 (incl. 2 recently deceased bears) | 0.1 = female | |
| 1 - 0.0.1 (cub in den, sex unknown) |
Diets: Polar Bear daily diets at most facilities consist of: meat, fish, dry food, and some produce.
Dry Food Diet: Preferred brand = Mazuri Polar Bear Chow.
MAZURI P.B. CHOW OMNIVORE BRAND DOG CHOW OMNI + DOG MIX
21 facilities (54%) 6 facilities (15%) 10 facilities (26%) 2 facilities (5%)
Vitamins, Fish Oil, Lard: participants only noted
10 Facilities give B1 and/or E (1 only to denning female)
7 Facilities give Seatabs or Mazuri Marine Mammal Vitamins
3 Give a combination of B1 and/or E, along with Seatabs or Mazuri Vitamins.
8 facilities give Vitamin A, cod liver, or other fish oil, i.e., 2 give Menhaden Fish Oil.
1 facility gives Mazuri Carnivore Supplement w/B vitamins due to nutritional deficiencies of horsemeat
1 facility gives either Mazuri Marine Mammal Vitamins or Mazuri Carnivore Supplement w/B vitamins.
10 facilities give lard (i.e., 1 gives beef lard only to one 0.1 if she starts to get fur loss, then discontinue once coat improves)
Note: 7 facilities that feed Mazuri Polar Bear Chow do not given vitamin supplements: several comment that vitamins are contained in the labeled food product.
Meat Brand Summary: Used by # of Facilities / Meat Brand / * = used with another meat.
1- AFS meat 1- Feline Meat*
9 - NebraskaFeline Diet / 4* 1- Chicken
7 - Chunk horsemeat / 4* 1- Chunk Beef
3 - TZ Milliken Diet 2 - Nebraska Beef
6 - Dallas Crown / 2* 2 - Nebraska Carnivore Diet
2 - Canine Diet / 1* 3 - Natural Balance Zoo Carnivore Diet
1 - Nebraska Canine Diet* 1 - Grocery meats
Note: 5 facilities previously used Nebraska Feline but switched to new brands. (One had a weight concern with their cats on N.F.; another female polar bear had problems digesting N.F.) At present, one more facility feeding N.F. is contemplating a change.
Exceptions to meat, fish and chow diets are noted:
▪ Brand Dog chow with fish as primary diet. Dallas Crown on occasion. (No coat concerns.)
▪ Meat and Mazuri polar bear chow daily. Fish currently bi-weekly (No coat concerns.)
▪ Brand Dog chow as primary diet. Fish fed off and on. (Coat concern this year for 0.1 out of 1.2)
▪ 3 facilities, do not feed meat:
◦ Mazuri polar bear chow and fish for one female at 6 years. (No coat concern.)
◦ Male/female at 4 years; the core of their diet is Mazuri polar bear chow and some fish. (No coat concerns).
◦ Another facility feeds little to no meat – they are formulating new diets for their bears. (Split coat concern for 1.2 out of 2.4)
▪ New diets established for separate male/female pairs upon tooth concern for one male: One pair gets meat + omnivore (no fish) // and the other, fish + omnivore (no meat) (Coat concern for one female with a thin coat.)
▪ New diet for male polar bear = meat + fish, allergic to grains products so chow removed from diet (Coat concern for 1.2 but 0.2 occasionally.)
COAT CONCERNS (By Individual bears) (* = number of bears ages ≤ 6 years)
Criteria:
No = no concern stated.
Yes = any bare areas; including from rubbing scratching.
Thin coat = coat thinning with, no patchy bare areas. n = 106
NO YES THIN
Male = 32 {*9} Male = 11 {*1} Male = 3 {*2}
Female = 30 {*11} Female = 24 {*1} Female = 6 {*1}
Total = 62 Total = 35 Total = 9
“No” male / female “Yes” male / female “Thin” male / female
Mazuri fed: 21 / 16 Mazuri fed: 4 / 13 Mazuri: 0 / 1
Omni fed: 3 / 3 Omni fed: 4 / 5 Omni: 0 / 1
Brand Dog: 7 / 8 Brand Dog: 2 / 5 Brand Dog: 3 / 4
Omni + Dog: 1 / 3 Omni + Dog: 1 / 1
% SUMMARY:
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Males, n = 46 |
Females, n = 60 |
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No |
69% |
|
50% |
|
|
Yes |
24% |
|
40% |
|
|
Thin |
7% |
|
10% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total, n = 106 |
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|
|
|
No |
58% |
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|
|
|
Yes |
34% |
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|
|
|
Thin |
8% |
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|
|
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|
|
|
|
Seasonal Breakdown for Coat Concerns “Yes” Excluding one male with occasional, not seasonal patches of fur loss:
1 facility, male and female listed for summer + winter // 4 places overlap fall into winter // 1 facility starts late summer continues into fall/winter for 1.2 - listed as summer
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| By Facility: | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| By Male/Female: | 2.3 | 4.7 | 2.10 | 3.5 |
Seasonal Breakdown for Coats “Thin”: 6 Facilities: 3.6 Bears: 2.3 fall/winter // 0.1 spring // 0.1 fall/spring
0.1 winter // 1.0 at 3 yr. thin, never patchy (when?)
Coat summaries for facilities giving Vitamin A / Fish Oil / Lard:
◄ 8 Facilities give Vitamin A or Fish Oil (with or without Lard):
4 – Have No Concerns / 3 – Yes, 1 is a Split Concern / 1 – First time concern for 1.0 out of 2.2; allergy suspected.
◄ 10 Facilities currently give Lard:
5 – Have No Concerns / 5 – Yes Concern; 3 of which are Split Concerns for 0.3 out of 3.5.
Diet fluctuations:
Most facilities allow polar bears to dictate their diet needs and report seasonal appetite fluctuations that generally follow a fall / winter decrease in consumption and a spring / summer increase. Exceptions are noted:
19 – Fall / winter decrease in consumption.
5 – Fall / winter increase in consumption (2 slight) including one fall peak and a summer low.
6 – Summer increase in consumption (1 slight).
1 – Spring / summer decrease in chow amounts (March/April – breeding.)
5 – Facilities report diet fluctuates, did not state when.
3 – Facilities unknown for diet fluctuations.
In several cases where appetites diminished, chow was mentioned as the leftover food type; several primarily with females.
15 Bears were reported to eat consistently year-round: Males = 9 andFemales = 6.
Males - 6 bears at 4-6 yrs.No coat concerns. / 2 at 15 yrs. No coat concerns. / 1 at 17 yrs. Yes, concern.
Females - 3 bears at 3-5 yrs. No coat concerns. / 1 at 8-9 yrs. No coat concern. / 2 at 15 yrs. Yes, concern.
General Comments on Diet + Coats:
- 1 facility reports no coat concerns since summer ’90 – Vitamin A and lard added to diet.
- 1 facility reports no coat concerns for past several years since using Mazuri Polar Bear chow.
- 3 facilities report allergy suspected for coat concerns (environmental +/or food).
- 1 facility reports no coat concerns while 0.1 pregnant and lactating and in between successive cubs.
- 1 facility reports improved coat for 0.1 this year might be due to a pre-denning diet increase.
- 2 facilities report stressful situations intensifying fur loss conditions.
Several facilities state that lard helps with coat and weight maintenance. // One gives beef lard 3 times per week to one female, if she starts to get fur loss. Usually it grows back quickly and they discontinue the lard. // Another gives Omega Refined Oils for fur loss.
One facility reports diet fluctuations as well as diet-related deficiencies, such as low taurine levels, might be effecting the coat conditions we are seeing in captive polar bears, as well as influencing their health and behavior. Dramatic weight increases in the summer can be difficult and dangerous to the bears - increases the risk of overheating / stressing captive bears in the summer months.
SUMMARY: Water + Treatment + Coats
15Facilities = Have No Coat Concerns
11 Facilities = Have split Yes/No Concerns
Water: Freshwater, FW Saltwater, SW
Treatment: No treatment = None // Chlorine = Cl // Bromine = Br // Ozone = 0z
15 - No Concern Facilities 11 - Split Concern 13 - Other (w/concerns)
4 / FW / None 4 / FW / None 3 / FW / None
1 / FW / Oz. 1 / FW / Oz 2 / FW / Cl
6 / FW / Cl 1 / FW / Br 3 / FW / Cl + Oz (2, Cl summer only)
3 / SW / Oz. 1 / FW / Oz + Br 2 / FW / Oz
1 / FW / Oz + Cl 1 / FW / Cl 1 / FW / Br
2 / SW / Oz 2 / FW / Br + Oz
1 / SW / Cl + Oz
PACING BEHAVIOR(By Individual bears) (••= number of bears ages ≤ 6 years) n = 105
Survey examines pacing occurrence, not behavioral intensity, i.e. a seasonal pace might be seen at other times of the year but has a strong seasonal tendency.
Pace types = a pool “swim” or land “walk” - One circus 1.0 with a sway stereotypy not included, so n=45 for 1.0
Also not included: breeding related pacing - such as when a bear is desiring to get access to / or away from another bear during breeding, indoor and anticipatory pacing (i.e., pacing in anticipation of a meal)
* = Has a breeding related pace - noted as point of interest only.
Seasonal pacing = Observed primarily seasonally.
Year-long pacing = Can be seen at any time of the year.
NO PACE PACE INFREQUENT
Males = 23 {4 ••}(* = 3) Males = 19 {6 ••} (* = 2) Males = 3 {1 ••}
Females = 44 {10 ••}(*= 8) Females = 16 {4 ••} (* = 1)
Total = 67 Total = 35 Total = 3
PACING BREAKDOWN
¯
SEASONAL YEAR-LONG
Males = 6 Males = 13
Females = 7 Females = 9
1.0 Spring (pool) 0.1 Summer (land) 1.0 = 7 (land) + 6 (pool)
1.0 Summer (land) 0.2 Late winter / Early spring (land) 0.1 = 7 (land) + 2 (pool)
2.0 Summer (pool) 0.2 Summer (pool)
2.0 Winter (land) 0.1 Winter (pool)
0.1 Fall (land)
Pace Location(Combined for Seasonal + Year-long Pace):
Male = 10 land pace + 9 water pace
Female = 11 land pace + 5 water pace
% PACING SUMMARY:
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Males, n = 45 |
Females , n = 60 |
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No Pace |
51 % |
|
73 % |
|
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Pace |
42 % |
|
27 % |
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Infrequent |
7 % |
|
0 % |
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Total, n = 105 |
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|
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No Pace |
63 % |
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|
|
Pace |
33 % |
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|
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Infrequent |
4 % |
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Pacing Breakdown, n = 35 |
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Seasonal |
37 % |
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|
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Year-long |
63 % |
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|
|
|
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Male, n = 19 |
Female, n = 16 |
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Seasonal |
13 % |
|
12 % |
|
|
Year-long |
29 % |
|
15 % |
|
Note: Stereotypic behavior other than pacing: paw sucking behavior seen with two hand-reared females (one is deceased).
HOUSING AT NIGHT (By Facility): n = 43
n = 43 and not 39 since:
1-facility counted twice for Free choice (summer only) + Kept Indoors (winter only at weather extremes)
1-facility counted twice for Free Choice + Outside Only as multiple bears managed separately.
2-facilities counted twice for Outside Only + Kept Inside as multiple bears managed separately.
Criteria:
Free Choice (FC) = Bears access Inside / Outside.
Outside Only (O) = Bears outside in habitat only.
Out by Rotation (OBR) = Bears inside or outside only by 24 hr. rotation - One facility is entirely indoors but bears rotated on exhibit.
Indoors at Night (IN) = Bears housed indoors in holding at night - One facility’s indoor night area = smaller “open-air” compound.
FREE CHOICE: 21 (49 %) OUTSIDE ONLY: 5 (12%) OUT BY ROTATION: 4 (9%) INDOORS: 13 (30%)
PACING AND HOUSING SUMMARY - Infrequent pacing not included:
NO PACE: PACE:
1.0 = 10 FC / 2 O / 4 OBR / 7 IN 1.0 = 7 FC / 2 O / 2 OBR / 8 IN
0.1 = 22 FC / 4 O / 7 OBR / 11 IN 0.1 = 6 FC / 3 O / 3 OBR / 4 IN
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FC |
O |
OBR |
IN |
|
Males |
|
|
|
|
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No Pace, n = 23 |
44 % |
9 % |
17 % |
30 % |
|
Pace, n = 19 |
37 % |
11 % |
11 % |
41 % |
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Females |
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|
|
|
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No Pace, n = 44 |
50 % |
9 % |
16 % |
25 % |
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Pace, n = 16 |
37 % |
19 % |
19 % |
25 % |
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Total |
FC |
O |
OBR |
IN |
|
No Pace, n = 67 |
49 % |
9 % |
16 % |
26 % |
|
Pace, n = 35 |
38 % |
14 % |
14 % |
34 % |
General comments on Habitat pacing:
- Two facilities report no pace for 0.1 when they are with their cubs, both currently with cubs. (One had a seasonal loop in the pool, and the other an occasional land pace.)
- 7 facilities report decreased pacing or pacing stopped when given day/night access to holding and habitat / only 2 cases are documented.
- 2 facilities reports pace decreases as weather changes, cools / 1 reports little pacing on heavy snow days
- 1 facility reports 0.1 stopped an occasional swim pace when moved to a new habitat.
- 1 facility reports 0.1 stopped pace when given daily access to a habitat planted out w/grasses and small trees.
Additional Considerations to include by facility and/or male/female:
Weight fluctuations Activity levels Breeding, Y/N
Fecal consistency Pool usage by bears Captive or wild origin
Feeding schedules Individual Dispositions Regional climate ranges
COAT SUMMARY
|
|
Male, n=46 |
|
None |
32 |
|
Yes |
11 |
|
Thin |
3 |
|
|
Female, n=60 |
|
None |
30 |
|
Yes |
24 |
|
Thin |
6 |
|
|
Total, n=106 |
|
None |
62 |
|
Yes |
36 |
|
Thin |
9 |
|
Night Housing/Pacing |
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By Facility, n=43 |
|
Free Choice |
21 |
|
Outside only |
5 |
|
Out by rotation |
4 |
|
Indoors only |
13 |
|
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Total, n=105 |
|
No Pace |
67 |
|
Infrequent |
4 |
|
Seasonal |
13 |
|
Year-long |
22 |
|
|
Male, n=45 |
|
No Pace |
23 |
|
Infrequent |
3 |
|
Seasonal |
6 |
|
Year-long |
13 |
|
|
Female, n=60 |
|
No Pace |
44 |
|
Infrequent |
0 |
|
Seasonal |
7 |
|
Year-long |
9 |
Pacing and Night Housing Summary
