Species Specialities in a Zoo
There is various species specialities could be seen in a zoo for Bears, otters, mongoose and for endangered wild animals.
Bears and otters
Bears (These species are more prone for exhibition of stereotypic behavior and abnormal behavioral patterns like packing, weaving, head-swaying, repetitive self-sucking, stereotypic swimming and tongue flicking due to frustration, stress and boredom causing environmental features).
Otters (these are social animals like elephant and chimpanzee and appears to be more inquisite in nature when kept in the confined state).
Mongoose and others
Mongooses (Among the smaller sized wild mammals, it is the mongoose that appears to suffer from boredom and are the highly intelligent and intensely curious mongooses. Due to boredom, the mongooses often sit in the nest box or pace up and down, oblivious to all around them which is a classic case of motor stereotypism.
Non-human primates and carnivores which are more likely to investigate novel objects than other wild animal species.
It is to worthy to mention that the young mammals are always more manipulative and playful than the adults.
Herbivores appear to have inclination to probe or manipulate materials unlike the carnivores or the omnivores.
Endangered Wild Animal Species
Endangered wild animals are those whose numbers are at a critically low level and whose habitats are so drastically reduced or damaged that they are in imminent danger of extinction.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) maintains a Red Data Book providing a record of animals that are known to be in danger.
In India, it is the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 that provides four schedules categorizing the fauna of India based on their conservation status. Schedule I list out the rare and endangered wild animal species that are governed by significant legal status.
Zoo Animals and Foreign Bodies
In a zoo atmosphere, more care is being taken to avoid the throwing of any type of foreign body into the animal enclosure. This is because of the fact that many wild animal species especially the herbivores have indiscriminate type of feeding.
Hence, foreign body related problems or disorders are frequently encountered in many zoos through out the world. The hippos, llamas, deer, otter etc. are more vulnerable to this kind of problems in a zoo atmosphere.
Empty packs of cans of fruit juice or soft drinks with aluminium foils coated inside may be left over and thrown into the animal enclosures and they may cause the obstructive type of clinical problems to the multiple wild animal species kept under confinement in a zoo.
Periodical inspection of the zoo is highly necessary, in order to avoid such incidences. Further, ban for the carrying of polythene bags, plastic items etc. may be adapted in a captive animal atmosphere. Even tourists based problems are common among various wild animals found in the free ranging areas also.
