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Nov 30, 2009, 12:30pm

Captive Trust :: America :: US - Pacific West :: baby red-flanked duiker at the Oregon Zoo

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Topic: baby red-flanked duiker at the Oregon Zoo (Read 84 times)

Levi
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baby red-flanked duiker at the Oregon Zoo
« Thread Started on Mar 5, 2004, 1:26pm »

PORTLAND, ORE. - From an Oregon Zoo press release
A red-flanked duiker, born January 30, is on exhibit with its mother at the Oregon Zoo. Duikers are one of the smallest members of the antelope family.

"The female calf is healthy and weighs about three pounds," according to zookeeper, Stanley Held. "The pool in the exhibit has been drained as a precaution as she begins to explore her surroundings," he added.

Zoo visitors may have difficulty spotting the calf for the first couple of weeks because mothers often hide their calves away in a brush pile and only collect them when it's time to nurse.

This behavior is the mother's way of protecting the baby from predators. Within three to five weeks, zoo visitors should be able to regularly see the calf.

While not endangered, the red-flanked duiker is conservation dependent, which means it has high enough population numbers to have a sustainable population, but it is threatened.

Jentink and zebra banded duikers are the only two duiker species currently listed as endangered, but all duiker species numbers are dropping dramatically due to the bushmeat trade crisis in Africa.

"People are hunting these animals relentlessly for meat to feed their families," said Chris Pfefferkorn, zoo curator and American Zoo and Aquarium Association's studbook keeper for red-flanked duiker.

Pfefferkron oversees the red-flanked duiker population management plan, which is designed to insure that zoo populations are maintained and also develop the zoo's conservation links to in-country programs in Africa.

Duikers are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, in wetlands, rainforests and heavy timber forest. Duikers are classified as frugivores.

In the wild they browse or graze on grass, leaves, shrubs and trees, but the main component of their diet consists of wild fruits and vegetables, such as yams, sweet potatoes and carrots.

They've also have been observed eating carrion and insects, so they have a protein need in their diet, which is different from most antelope.

At the zoo, they are fed a variety of vegetables and a milled grain, which has vitamins and minerals that they need. They are provided browse, as well as insects like mealworms and crickets for a little protein in their diets as well.

This baby will stay with its parents between six months to a year. Red-flanked duikers become sexually mature at around one year of age, so it will need to be removed from its parents before it becomes sexually mature to avoid inbreeding.

Where the animal goes will depend on the population management plan and the needs of the population at the time it's ready to move.

The zoo is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26 and is also accessible by MAX light rail line. The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily.

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http://www.katu.com/news/story.asp?ID=65049

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