Search the Article Database:

Search our library of articles, papers and other published materials. You can use keywords or boolean-style search:

Fancy Footwork: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Giraffe Herd Trains for Farrier Work and X-rays

Nearly eighty percent of all giraffe sedation procedures are related to foot care. Most of the knockdowns are done once the giraffes display clinical signs of lameness, hoof overgrowth, abscesses, or swelling. Statistics show that ten percent of giraffes put under anesthesia do not make it through the procedure. These alarming statistics demonstrate the necessity for institutions housing captive giraffes to develop ways to safely provide hoof care and maintenance with non-sedated giraffes. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) recently started

View Details + Download

Training giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) for front foot radiographs and hoof care

For a large herd of reticulated giraffes, a mainly operant-based training program was created for front foot radiographs and hoof trims in an effort to diagnose and better manage lameness. Behaviors were shaped in a restricted contact set-up, using a positive reinforcement procedure to teach a series of mastered cued behaviors. This training was used to obtain lateral and lateral oblique front foot radiographs for the entire herd. Radiographs were diagnostic for multiple possible causes of lameness including fractures and

View Details + Download