NOTES ON BREEDING SATYR TRAGOPAN TRAGOPAN SATYRA AT SRI CHAMARAJENDRA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, MYSORE

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1 NOTES ON BREEDING SATYR TRAGOPAN TRAGOPAN SATYRA AT SRI CHAMARAJENDRA ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, MYSORE ABSTRACT Satyr tragopan Tragopan satyra has been classified as Near Threatened in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with its population trend decreasing significantly. Basic observations on a pair of Satyr tragopans housed at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, revealed that their behavioural needs were not met and there was no breeding recorded since their acquisition in Maintaining these pheasants in captivity provides us with an opportunity to establish husbandry guidelines for these species and also a chance to understand the behaviour of these less-explored species in a more detailed way. In an attempt to increase the well-being of these pheasants and simultaneously make an effort to breed them in captivity, various modifications in the enclosure and the feeding regimes were planned. This paper describes the adaptations made to the enclosure provided for these pheasants, details the changes made to the dietary regime, the type of nest supplied, and subsequently the breeding behaviour and development of chicks. Key-words: breeding; development of chicks; diet; husbandry; management; nest; Satyr tragopan. INTRODUCTION Satyr tragopan Tragopan satyra is one of the seventeen species of pheasants occurring in India, and status studies indicate that it is restricted to the Eastern Himalayas. As in most pheasants, Satyr tragopan exhibit a high degree of sexual dimorphism: the males being larger in size with crimson coloured plumage, deep red under parts, bare-blue facial skin and brown plumage on the lower back and rump; and the females being drab and having dull-coloured plumage with lance-shaped markings. Habitat studies suggest that this species is a high-altitude dweller living at altitudes ranging between 2000 and 4000 m and occupies moist oak (Quercus sp) and rhododendron (Ericaceae) forests, with dense undergrowths and bamboo (Bambuseae) clumps, mixed forest and scrub, and densely vegetated valleys. The species is listed as Near Threatened (IUCN, 2010). This paper describes the modifications made to the husbandry and management processes for Satyr tragopan at the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore Zoo) in India and also provides an account of successful breeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS Baseline observations Observations were carried out on a pair of Satyr tragopans housed at the Mysore Zoo procured during The birds were being housed in an outdoor enclosure measuring 7.3 m x 4.6 m x 4.3 m high, constructed using chain-link mesh and with a soil substrate. The enclosure lacked vegetation and shelter for the birds, and also did not offer any hide-outs. The mesh used in the construction of the enclosure had larger eye gaps, as a consequence of which the enclosure was infested with rodents, which would feed on the provisions for

2 the tragopans and would also defecate in the feeding trays. Pecking being directed at adjacently housed pheasants through the mesh partition was also observed. HUSBANDRY AND MANAGEMENT ADAPTATIONS Housing The first step towards improving the enclosure for the Satyr tragopans was the removal of wooden logs being used as perches inside the enclosure, which actually served as refuges for rodents. The rodent burrows inside the enclosure were sealed using concrete and all other potential entry points and openings in the mesh were covered and repaired to render the enclosure rodent free. Unprocessed coffee-tree branches were added to the enclosure as perches, in addition to which Casurina and Eucalyptus poles of appropriate diameter were fixed at various heights inside the enclosure to serve as roosting sites. Bamboo mats were fixed to the mesh partitions between the enclosures, to serve as a visual barrier and to prevent interactions with the adjacently housed pheasants. Assorted varieties of foliage were planted inside the enclosure, which included various species of stunted bamboo and other tall grasses that were intended to act as hide-outs and concealment zones for the birds in events of extreme public disturbance or mate aggression. Multiple wooden platforms were provided inside the enclosure, which was covered on all the sides using bamboo and dried hay was spread on these platforms, which were also intended to serve as hiding places. Pheasants being exclusively terrestrial birds need dry sandy areas to dust bath; a feather-maintenance activity that soaks up excess moisture and removes parasites that infest the feathers. The enclosure was covered halfway through using metal sheets to a height of 2.1 m to serve as shelter during rains and to prevent further dampness. Areas with dry and loose soil mixed with small amounts of ash were provided for the pheasants to dust bath. Tragopans are elevated nesters and nest sites should be provided at higher elevations of the enclosure. A tree stump measuring around 3 m high was positioned in the enclosure, away from the viewing area. To provide additional privacy, a bamboo mat was also hung from the roof of the enclosure that covered the nest. A bamboo basket was placed on the tree stump and some hay, leaves and twigs were put in it. An alternative nest, which was again a bamboo basket, was positioned at a different site inside the enclosure. The nest was covered from the top with a metal sheet to prevent rainwater from entering the nest. Diet Originally the Satyr tragopans were fed a carbohydrate-rich diet in all the seasons, including grains, bread and a small quantity of greens. The feeding regime was changed in order to offer the tragopans a protein-rich diet with good calcium supplementation prior to the breeding season. Table 1 provides the details of new diet formulated for the birds prior to the breeding season and also details of the maintenance diet offered during the non-breeding season.

3 FREQUENCY DIET BREEDING SEASON Fed once per day MAINTENANCE DIET Fed once per day Water available ad libitum Supplements HAND-REARING Fed twice a day Broiler Starter Mash (Hi-gain) and fish meal (4 kg 100 kg 1 of mash): 100 g greens mixed with boiled egg: 80 g mixed grains (wheat, cereals, etc): 80 g layer finisher pellets: 100 g greens: 80 g mixed grains: 80 g Vitamin Supplement Powder Cuttlebone sprinkled over food ground grains (wheat, corn, other grains) Broiler Starter Mash greens and boiled egg vitamin and calcium supplements Table.1: Feeding regime for Satyr tragopan Tragopan satyra at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden, Mysore, India. The breeding-season diet was introduced to the adult pair 8 weeks prior to the beginning of laying and was continued for weeks. The maintenance diet was offered during the non-laying season. BREEDING AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHICKS Following the modifications to the enclosure and subsequent changes in the feeding regimes, significant behavioural changes were observed in the Satyr tragopan pair. The use of bamboo mats along the mesh partitions served to decrease interactions between adjacently housed pheasants and also provided a visual barrier to ensure a disturbance-free isolated environment for the birds. The removal of wooden logs that were earlier used as perches and roosting sites, repairing the mesh and repeated trapping of rats led to a significant reduction of rats inside the enclosures. The newly planted foliage was used as hide-outs by the pheasants under conditions of extreme public disturbance and the perches were used as roosting sites at dusk. The wooden platforms that were installed were not used by the Satyr tragopans; instead they used the elevated nest sites that were placed inside the enclosure. Although neither courtship nor mating was observed, the female started laying on the elevated nest in the last week of March. The first few eggs were collected and incubated in an incubator, as insurance in case of unanticipated events. The female laid two eggs at a interval of 4 days and then the third egg was laid after a gap of 10 days. Subsequent layings were between 3 and 6 days apart. During the whole process of harvesting the eggs, which was usually carried out when the female left the nest for feeding, two dummy eggs were placed in the nest as replacements to ensure that the female returns to nest to continue further laying. Altogether, seven eggs were harvested from the enclosure and then removal of the eggs was stopped leaving the dummy eggs in the nest. However, when the nest was inspected after 20 days, it was found that the female had laid two more eggs; which were left in the nest for the female to incubate.

4 An unexpected problem occurred in the humidity regulator of the incubator mid-way through the incubation process. Owing to the lack of a spare incubator, the eggs were incubated by a foster parent: a broody Silkie hen Gallus domesticus. Table 2 presents the details of laying and hatching of the Satyr tragopan eggs. Hand-rearing of chicks The eggs that were collected from the enclosure were independently set for incubation, as a result of which asynchronous hatching was observed. However, candling revealed that two of the eggs collected for incubation were infertile and were discarded. Of the five fertile eggs collected for artificial incubation, four eggs hatched successfully, and the remaining was an unsuccessful hatching; with the chick dying during the process of hatching. Of the eggs that were left in the enclosure to be incubated by the parent, one egg turned out to be infertile and other was again an unsuccessful hatching. Altogether, four chicks hatched successfully and were hand reared, of which one chick died on the day 10 as a consequence of yolk-sac retention. All chicks were reared in special rearing cages using artificial heating and automatic drink dispensers with a non-slippery and absorbent flooring. During their initial days they were reared in groups of two to three chicks of different species, for at least 5 6 weeks. Figure 1 provides comparative growth curves for the three Satyr tragopan chicks that hatched and were hand-reared successfully. When the chicks were 6 weeks old, they were transferred to larger indoor pens with multiple perching grounds and with artificial heating, and kept there until they were old enough to be shifted to the outdoor enclosures. Figure 1: Growth patterns of chicks SL.NO. LAYING DATE (ALL 2009) NATURE OF INCUBATION NATURE OF THE EGG HATCHING DATE (2009) INCUBATION PERIOD (days) 1 31 Mar Incubator infertile 2 5 Apr Incubator and Silkie hen fertile 5 May 30

5 3 16 Apr Incubator and Silkie hen fertile 14 May Apr Incubator and Silkie hen fertile 20 May Apr Incubator and Silkie hen fertile 23 May May Incubator and Silkie hen fertile 1 Jun May Incubator and Silkie hen infertile 8 19 May* Natural fertile 16 Jun May* Natural infertile Table.2: Details of egg laying and hatching chicks for a pair of Satyr tragopan Tragopan satyra breeding at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore: * laying date presumed based on mean hatching date of previously incubated eggs; mean incubation period = 29 days; Silkie hen Gallus domesticus. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Bird species, like plants and other animals are facing an unprecedented decline. About 11% of bird species are threatened with extinction. Captive-bred stocks of wild animals could fulfil several functions in biological conservation: as substitutes for wild populations in basic research in population biology and sociobiology; as substitutes for wild populations in the development of care and management techniques; as demographic and genetic reservoirs from which infusions of ``new blood'' may be obtained, or new populations founded; as the last resort for species which have no immediate opportunity for survival in nature. With the ongoing rate of habitat loss and fragmentation, captive populations in zoos can potentially act as reserve and model populations for reintroduction and research purposes. Behavioural research programs in zoos can serve both functional purposes for the animals, as well as gain important information about species often difficult to study in nature. The potential benefits of behavioural studies in the area of conservation breeding have also been highlighted by several authors. Studies on captive populations of wild animals can help us understand their phenotypic variability in modified environments and how they develop mechanisms to cope with disruptions to their natural environments and vice versa. Therefore, behavioural studies in zoos in addition to being a tool to study the possible responses of individuals to altered living conditions can also provide insights on managing threatened populations. The knowledge about the ecology of many pheasant species is poor(fuller and Garson 2000, McGowan and Garson 1995), which is also true with the Satyr tragopan. The knowledge about the biology of the species gained through housing these pheasants in captivity can be of immense help in the conservation of the species in-situ. In the last two decades, various studies have attempted to apply knowledge of animal behaviour in species conservation. The potential benefits of applying behavioural principles in conservation have been emphasized by many authors. Paucity of information on the behavioural biology have often been major

6 impediments in deciding perspectives for species conservation. Behavioural problems are also key issues in many captive propagation programs. Many aspects of behaviour such as foraging and reproductive behaviours are relevant in conservation context as these traits directly influence population dynamics. The study of animal behaviour is mainly concerned with individual variations in behaviour. A group of individuals constitute a population and therefore information on the life-history traits of individuals is fundamental to understanding population stability. Knowledge about the behaviour and life-history traits can therefore serve as baseline data in the formulation of conservation plans for managing threatened wild populations. This work has conservation implications for captive breeding and management of this species of concern and on a general level aims to provide perspectives for ex-situ conservation of pheasants. REFERENCES Deng, W.-H., Zheng, G.-M, Zhang, Z.-W., Garson, P. J. & McGowan, P. J. K. (2005): Providing artificial nest platforms for Cabot s tragopan Tragopan caboti (Aves: Galliformes): a useful conservation tool? Oryx 39: IUCN (2010): IUCN red list of threatened species. Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. McGowan, P. J. K. (1994): Pheasants and partridges. In Handbook of the birds of the world. 2. New World vultures to guineafowl: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Sargatal, J. (Eds). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Fuller RA, Garson PJ Pheasants: status survey and conservation action plan : IUCN. McGowan PJ, Garson PJ Pheasants: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, : Pheasants: IUCN.