we call it black gold really because you can learn so many information from an
can learn so many information from an
can learn so many information from an individual animal just based on its poop
individual animal just based on its poop
individual animal just based on its poop sample my keepers are collecting the
sample my keepers are collecting the
sample my keepers are collecting the feces on a regular basis to three times
feces on a regular basis to three times
feces on a regular basis to three times a week we can then put that that poop in
a week we can then put that that poop in
a week we can then put that that poop in a coffee cup we send it to the hospital
a coffee cup we send it to the hospital
a coffee cup we send it to the hospital and then within a week to two weeks they
and then within a week to two weeks they
and then within a week to two weeks they can do an analysis looking at different
can do an analysis looking at different
can do an analysis looking at different hormones we can actually determine when
hormones we can actually determine when
hormones we can actually determine when a female is pregnant so these are
a female is pregnant so these are
a female is pregnant so these are immediate health questions typically
immediate health questions typically
immediate health questions typically they’re more things like is my female
they’re more things like is my female
they’re more things like is my female having normal reproductive cycles is she
having normal reproductive cycles is she
having normal reproductive cycles is she capable of getting pregnant and
capable of getting pregnant and
capable of getting pregnant and producing an offspring twenty plus years
producing an offspring twenty plus years
producing an offspring twenty plus years ago the only way that we could look at
ago the only way that we could look at
ago the only way that we could look at these kinds of hormone levels was to
these kinds of hormone levels was to
these kinds of hormone levels was to collect urine or blood which can be
collect urine or blood which can be
collect urine or blood which can be invasive which means that you may have
invasive which means that you may have
invasive which means that you may have to immobilize an animal and do a
to immobilize an animal and do a
to immobilize an animal and do a procedure that has some risk you know
procedure that has some risk you know
procedure that has some risk you know depending on what the animals eat the
depending on what the animals eat the
depending on what the animals eat the the poop sample smell you know better or
the poop sample smell you know better or
the poop sample smell you know better or worse herbivore samples tend to smell
worse herbivore samples tend to smell
worse herbivore samples tend to smell grassy like what the animals are eating
grassy like what the animals are eating
grassy like what the animals are eating carnivore samples tend to smell not so
carnivore samples tend to smell not so
carnivore samples tend to smell not so good big cat samples tend to probably
good big cat samples tend to probably
good big cat samples tend to probably smell some of the worst but we also deal
smell some of the worst but we also deal
smell some of the worst but we also deal with samples when they’re frozen which
with samples when they’re frozen which
with samples when they’re frozen which really cuts back on the smell we don’t
really cuts back on the smell we don’t
really cuts back on the smell we don’t look at them they’re warm so you know
look at them they’re warm so you know
look at them they’re warm so you know something you get used to but it’s
something you get used to but it’s
something you get used to but it’s really not as bad as people might think
really not as bad as people might think
really not as bad as people might think we have some animals that live a
we have some animals that live a
we have some animals that live a solitary lifestyle we have some animals
solitary lifestyle we have some animals
solitary lifestyle we have some animals that live in a social group so in our
that live in a social group so in our
that live in a social group so in our setting here at the zoo if we need to
setting here at the zoo if we need to
setting here at the zoo if we need to collect the feces from an individual
collect the feces from an individual
collect the feces from an individual it’s very difficult for us to
it’s very difficult for us to
it’s very difficult for us to differentiate the different feces that
differentiate the different feces that
differentiate the different feces that we’ll find in the yard so we have to
we’ll find in the yard so we have to
we’ll find in the yard so we have to have ways to be able to identify which
have ways to be able to identify which
have ways to be able to identify which animal produced which pile of feces and
animal produced which pile of feces and
animal produced which pile of feces and the way that we do that is that we a
the way that we do that is that we a
the way that we do that is that we a very simple technique we can either use
very simple technique we can either use
very simple technique we can either use colored beads that we put into the diet
colored beads that we put into the diet
colored beads that we put into the diet or glitter and it’s not harmful to the
or glitter and it’s not harmful to the
or glitter and it’s not harmful to the animals and then as it passes through
animals and then as it passes through
animals and then as it passes through then we would expect to see that
then we would expect to see that
then we would expect to see that different colored litter and we can
different colored litter and we can
different colored litter and we can identify exactly which animal received
identify exactly which animal received
identify exactly which animal received that diet ultimate goal is to have the
that diet ultimate goal is to have the
that diet ultimate goal is to have the be self-sustaining so being able to
be self-sustaining so being able to
be self-sustaining so being able to reproduce individuals when they need to
reproduce individuals when they need to
reproduce individuals when they need to reproduce and have a population in zoos
reproduce and have a population in zoos
reproduce and have a population in zoos that continues to thrive and is healthy
that continues to thrive and is healthy
that continues to thrive and is healthy this frog now you might be disgusted at
this frog now you might be disgusted at
this frog now you might be disgusted at me doing this but it has a very noxious
me doing this but it has a very noxious
me doing this but it has a very noxious skin secretion
”
Be First to Comment