Ellen S Dierenfeld

World Wildlife Fund | WWF · Freshwater & Food Sustainable Livestock Team

Appropriate diets for ex situ wildlife are essential for animal health and welfare and yet ex situ facilities are often constrained by feed ingredient availability when attempting to replicate natural diets. In obligate carnivores such as vultures, digestive strategies are likely to have evolved alongside feeding behaviors, which may differ between...

We measured fatty acids, minerals, and fat-soluble nutrients in liver tissues from greater prairie-chickens Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus as an ecological dietary surrogate for endangered Attwater’s prairie-chickens T. c. attwateri, and investigated differences associated with captive (non-released captive-raised n = 4), wild (n = 12), and combinatio...

Psittacidae is one of the most endangered families of birds in the world. Knowledge of their nutrition is important for understanding their survival and productivity in the wild, as well as for their adequate husbandry under human care. Hand‐rearing is a common practice for psittacines, however research on their nutrition is limited. We analysed th...

Matschie's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) is an endangered arboreal marsupial native to Papua New Guinea. Detailed field studies of its behavior and ecology are scarce due largely to its occupation of remote cloud forests and cryptic nature. Although this species has been in human care since the 1950s, much of its biology is still unknown. T...

The federally threatened eastern indigo snake (EIS; Drymarchon couperi) is an active ophiophagus snake native to the southeastern United States. The Orianne Society built the Orianne Center for Indigo Conservation (OCIC) to establish a captive breeding and head-start program in collaboration with other conservation-focused organizations. EIS are ho...

Temperature effect on digestive response is still unknown in most reptile species as is the case with the red-footed tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria). Hatchlings were fed with two diets, one high in fiber (14.16% crude fiber, 39.20% neutral detergent fiber dry matter basis, DMB) and one high in starch (27.71% DMB), housed at 30°C or 20°C, to evalu...

The International Workshop for Ex‐Situ Marine Teleost Nutrition and Health, hosted by Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment in conjunction with the Comparative Nutrition Society, brought together over fifty animal experts and scientists representing twenty institutions, to review current science and identify challenges of marine teleost nutriti...

This paper evaluated analytical methods used to generate time-series data from elephant tail hairs, which can be used to reflect changing exposure to environmental geochemistry. Elephant tail hairs were analysed by three methods sequentially, each providing data to inform subsequent analysis. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Microanalys...

The parakeet auklet (Aethia psittacula) is a piscivorous seabird with a natural diet of various invertebrate and teleost species, which is challenging to replicate in a managed collection. A high prevalence of early onset cataracts was observed in a managed collection of parakeet auklets at the North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, NC, USA), which was hypo...

Red pandas live in the temperate forest zone of the Himalayan ecosystem between 2200 and 5000 m. Their distribution is associated closely with temperate forests having bamboo thickets, which are the main diet of red pandas. However, red pandas have a carnivore-type digestive anatomy, specialized for digesting protein and fats (as is found in meat)...

Tortoise husbandry includes reports of excessive growth and carapace pyramiding, although triggers still remain to be fully elucidated. Juvenile red-footed tortoises (Chelonoidis carbonaria) were fed with two different diets, one high in fiber (HF; 14.2% crude fiber; 39.2% neutral detergent fiber, NDF; dry matter basis, DMB) and one high in starch...

Habitat loss and alteration are two of the biggest threats facing insular flying-foxes. Altered habitats are often re-vegetated with introduced or domestic plant species on which flying-foxes may forage. However, these alien food plants may not meet the nutritional requirements of flying-foxes. The critically endangered Christmas Island flying-fox...

Locally collected browses (n=17 spp.) consumed by Matschie’s tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus matschiei) in 6 North American zoological institutions were analyzed for comparison with native plants eaten by this species in Papua New Guinea to evaluate dietary suitability. Primary nutrients including crude protein and fat, fiber, starch, non-fiber carbohy...

Citation: Dierenfeld, E. S., K. Whitehouse-Tedd, V. Dermauw, L. R. Hanebury, and D. E. Biggins. 2021. Environmental and prey-based factors underpinning variability in prairie dogs eaten by black-footed ferrets. Ecosphere 12(1): Abstract. The endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripis) has been the focus of intensive captive breeding and reint...

Over 30 years of managing tree kangaroo health has been well documented in managed facilities for Matschie's (Dendrolagus matschiei), Goodfellow's (D. goodfellowi) and Lumholtz's (D. lumholtzi) tree kangaroos. Protocols for exams, diagnosis, treatment, and animal transfers have been written to facilitate good practices and procedures regarding tree...

The black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) is a critically endangered species facing multiple anthropogenic pressures in its natural home range across Africa. Black rhinoceros are difficult to maintain ex situ and subject to diseases that are linked with captive dietary factors. Hemochromatosis is of particular concern, as it is a common finding at ne...

Research on psittacine nutrition is limited, and nestling requirements are poorly understood. This study analysed fatty acid (FA) profiles of crop contents of free-living scarlet macaws (Ara macao, n = 18), red-and-green macaws (Ara chloropterus, n = 5), Cuban parrots (Amazona leucocephala bahamensis, n = 27), lilac-crowned Amazons (Amazona finschi...

Gastrointestinal (GI) health is important to the welfare of captive tigers, and diet is considered a likely influencing factor. A survey was performed to collect information on GI health indicators and diet of tigers housed in zoological facilities across the globe. Completed surveys were received for one tiger from each of 32 facilities. Three (9%...

The aim of this study was two-fold: (1) identify suitable bio-indicators to assess elemental status in elephants using captive elephant samples, and (2) understand how geochemistry influences mineral intake. Tail hair, toenail, faeces, plasma and urine were collected quarterly from 21 elephants at five UK zoos. All elephant food, soil from enclosur...

Twenty-six samples (n = 24 spp.) of foods eaten, including ferns, shrubs, vines, orchids, herbaceous plants, and tree leaves, were collected from the Yopno, Uruwa, and Som Conservation Area at approximately 1,800 m altitude on the Huon Peninsula, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Samples were weighed fresh in the field and transported to the Lae National Her...

The nutritional content of milk from free-living Asian elephants has not previously been reported, despite being vital for better management of captive populations. This study analyzed both milk composition and consumed plant species of Asian elephants managed in their natural environment in Myanmar. Longitudinal samples (n = 36) were obtained duri...

The unique geochemistry surrounding the Palabora Mining Company (PMC) land may act as a micronutrient hotspot, attracting elephants to the area. The PMC produces refined copper and extracts phosphates and other minerals. Understanding the spatial influence of geochemistry on the home range size of African elephants is important for elephant populat...

Free‐ranging Humboldt penguin (HP, Spheniscus humboldti) populations are under pressure from resource competition with industrial fisheries, habitat loss, and El Niño Southern Oscillation events. Foraging patterns for this top marine predator change during periods of aberrant oceanographic conditions and scarce fish stock numbers. These radical die...

Reintroduction of captive-bred individuals into the wild is an important conservation activity. However, environmental conditions can influence developmental programming, potentially causing metabolic disorders in adults. These effects are investigated here for the first time in an endangered species. Using body weight and feed intake data for Iber...

Reintroduction of captive-bred individuals into the wild is an important conservation activity. However, environmental conditions can influence developmental programming, potentially causing metabolic disorders in adults. These effects are investigated here for the first time in an endangered species. Using body weight and feed intake data for iber...

Amphibian nutrition has been highlighted as one of the disciplines requiring more investigation to support ex situ conservation programs. Specifically, anuran metabolism related to dietary nutrients is not yet investigated in detail. Thirty (n = 30) free‐range frogs from four families (Telmatobiidae, Hylidae, Leptodactylidae, Bufonidae) were collec...

Whole bodies of Xenopus laevis ( n = 19) were analysed for chemical composition and morphometrics. The nutrient profile (macronutrients, amino acids, fatty acids and minerals) was evaluated by sex; interactions among variables with body weights and lengths, and comparisons made with different species of marine and fresh water fish. Significant diff...

African elephants Loxodonta africana and Asian elephants Elephas maximus are not thriving in many captive settings and are threatened throughout their native ranges. Many zoos support in situ conservation projects and provide opportunities to conduct ex situ research in controlled settings with comparably approachable animals. Zoo elephant projects...

Background The increasing human population and global intensification of agriculture have had a major impact on the world’s natural ecosystems and caused devastating effects on populations of mega-herbivores such as the African savanna elephants, through habitat reduction and fragmentation and increased human–animal conflict. Animals with vast home...

Elephants are susceptible to a variety of gastrointestinal problems. Knowledge of elephant nutrition and gastrointestinal anatomy, physiology and pharmacology is essential for successful treatment, especially because diagnostic options are limited. The horse is considered the most appropriate model for extrapolation to the elephant. While similarit...

Digestion of food and metabolism of frogs are little studied at the moment, and such processes could be very particular in the case of amphibians, given their ectothermic and carnivorous nature which may lead them to use nutrients through specific biochemical pathways. In the present study, 24 adult Xenopus laevis (six replicates with two frogs per...

A pilot study was performed to investigate the impact of dietary vitamin D on circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) metabolite concentrations in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps). The study with diets containing 0, 0.2 (low), or 0.4 (moderate) International Units vitamin D3 per gram of dry matter and fed to adults at 2 locations. Serum 25[OH]D...

Little is currently known in regard to the specific nutritional requirements of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Similarities and differences with the domestic cat (Felis catus), lion (Panthera leo), and wolf (Canis lupus) are explored to infer information on the captive cheetah. Knowledge of the cheetah's free-ranging dietary intake is considered as a...

The characteristics of food ingested by a primate affect its assimilation of energy by modulating food passage rate. In general, digestive time increases in folivorous primates and decreases in frugivorous primates when they are fed higher fiber diets but this relationship is understudied in exudativorous primates. We compared the food passage rate...

Colouration has been considered a cue for mating success in many species; ornaments in males often are related to carotenoid mobilization towards feathers and/or skin and can signal general health and nutrition status. However, there are several factors that can also link with status, such as physiological blood parameters and body condition, but t...

Matrix of associations between blood metabolites, body condition and colouration of the combined Agalychnis spp. data from Costa Rica. (PDF)

Dorsal (D) and ventral (V) colour in three populations of Agalychnis sp. Z: Atlantic population, SI: Pacific population, a and b: coordinates of the chromaticity diagram, L: lightness, c: chroma, h: hue. (PDF)

The giant anteater (Mymercophaga tridactyla) is a highly specialized insectivore for which nutrient requirements are not clearly established, making diet formulation challenging for this species. Multiple clinical reports suggest anteaters have an obligate dietary taurine (TAU) requirement. Sulphur amino acid (SAA) metabolism in adult anteaters was...

This study was conducted to assess the effects of replacing maize bran with sun dried sisal wastes as a source of energy in concentrate diets on feed intake and growth performance of growing beef cattle. A total of 32 weaned Boran calves (16 females and 16 males) with the age of six to eight months were used in the experiment. Four females and four...

Three diets fed to 12 pair-housed sugar gliders, Petaurus breviceps, were evaluated through 5-day intake and digestion trials following 10-day transitions. Diets 1 and 2 comprised liquid formula mixes with added vegetables and fruit, and Diet 3 comprised extruded pellets and a liquid formula. Diets eaten contained 16 —19% crude protein, 3%–15% crud...

Clinical issues associated with keeping giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) in captivity may be linked with colon health and digestive function. Chronic loose stools are one such problem often suspected to be related to dietary intake. The objective of this study was to determine the acceptability, digestibility and faecal composition in a po...

Gum is a widely available carbohydrate, composed mainly of non-digestible structural carbohydrates. No mammalian enzymes can digest gum, therefore a mammal ingesting gum must rely on microbial fermentation in order to access the energy it possesses. Gums are known as relatively nutrient poor. Despite this, some mammals have evolved to exploit this...

Clinical pathology and nutritional parameters are useful in evaluating and monitoring threatened and endangered wildlife populations, but reference ranges for most snake species are lacking. From 2001 to 2005, health assessments were performed on 58 eastern indigo snakes (EIS) (Drymarchon couperi) captured in the wild in southeastern Georgia, Unite...

Adequate levels of dietary vitamin C are necessary for capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrocharis) because they cannot synthesize the vitamin endogenously. Beginning in 2013, hair and weight loss, as well as general dermatitis, were observed in all individual capybaras (n = 4) in a mixed exhibit at Seoul Zoo. Seven additional vegetables, leafy greens, and...

Objectives: To describe the strategy employed by exudativorous primates during seasonal shifts in food abundance using the Javan slow loris as a model. Males and females may cope differently as well as exploit fallback foods in different proportions. Materials and methods: Observing 15 free ranging Javan slow lorises over a year, we quantified t...

Nutritional differences due to variety, source, and effects of heat processing on cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata) were assessed. The precision-fed cecectomized rooster assay was used to determine amino acid digestibility and TME of cowpeas. Mozambican cowpea (nhemba) treatments included either raw or roasted, whereas those (black-eyed beans) sourced fr...

In 2014, Safari West and the Safari West Wildlife Foundation (Santa Rosa, CA) hosted “The Inaugural AZVT (Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians) Focus Group: The Art and Science of Hand-Rearing”, a symposium that was attended by 80 zoo professionals from around the globe. With the initial focus on carnivores and hoofstock, twenty international...

Drymarchon couperi (Eastern Indigo Snake) has a threatened conservation status and restricted range in the southeastern US. Evidence suggests it mainly consumes other reptile species. Dietary nutrient analysis is a component of habitat/resource quality and species health assessments, and the results provide guidelines for optimal captive-feeding pr...

Pangolins are considered difficult to maintain in zoos, often attributed to problems in feeding management. Taipei Zoo's designation as a wildlife rescue center for Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) has resulted in long term feeding experience with development of diets that support recovery, maintenance, and reproduction, as well as experiment...

Feline degenerative joint disease causes pain and disability and therefore represents a welfare concern for captive animals. Alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical therapies are gaining popularity and this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an egg-shell membrane therapy in captive cheetahs and leopards. Seven animals were treated with Stea...

Several species in captivity develop nutritional diseases including vitamin A deficiency; cases of this disease have been documented in amphibians, which may be linked to an insectivorous diet lacking in vitamin A or carotenoids. Adults and young of Dyscophus guineti were fed three diets over 9 weeks to evaluate effects on carotenoids and vitamin A...

The American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus palliatus) is currently listed as a species of high concern by the United States Shorebird Conservation Plan. Because nutritional status directly impacts overall health and reproduction of individuals and populations, adequate management of a wildlife population requires intimate knowledge of a speci...

The successful management of captive animals requires attention to multiple interconnected factors. One critical aspect of the daily life of a captive animal is the recommended and/or provisioned diet. This study focuses on the diets of zoo-housed gorillas. A national survey of diets among zoo-housed gorillas was conducted to examine diets being of...

The foraging behavior of two groups of free-ranging primates, ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus), residing on St. Catherines Island Wildlife Center, Georgia was observed seasonally at quarterly intervals for one year. Each group (N=13, N=9, respectively) had unlimited access to native flora and fauna in addit...

Circulating concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, minerals, fatty acids, and lipids were quantified in five captive greater one-horned rhinoceroses (Rhinoceros unicornis) throughout two time periods, during which two diets were offered. Animals were fed mixed-grass hay and concentrate pellets while managed in barns for winter housing...

Small-scale urban dairy farms (n = 16) in and around Jimma, Ethiopia with cross-bred (Bos indicus × Bos taurus) cows were enrolled in a double-blinded intervention study to investigate the effect of a trace element supplementation programme on trace element status and milk concentrations as well as performance [body condition score (BCS), milk yiel...

Avian diet selection is hypothesized to be sensitive to seasonal changes in breeding status, but few tests exist for frugivorous tropical birds. Frugivorous birds provide an interesting test case because fruits are relatively deficient in minerals critical for reproduction. Here, we quantify annual patterns of fruit availability and diet for two fr...

To investigate the effects of the supplementation of Methionine Hydroxy Analog (MHA) and dietary antioxidants on milk production, forty (40) open does were mated, grazed on natural pastures and supplemented with a groundnut cake and rice bran-based concentrate until kidding. After kidding, 12 of the lactating females were penned individually and we...

Copper deficiency is a commonly diagnosed problem in cattle around the globe. In Jimma, Ethiopia, 8 zebu (Bos indicus) and 8 zebu x Holstein Friesian cross (Bos taurus x Bos indicus) heifers were used in an 11-wk study to investigate breed type differences and effects of Cu deficiency on concentrations of trace elements in plasma and edible tissues...

The amount of trace elements present in edible bovine tissues is of importance for both animal health and human nutrition. This study presents data on trace element concentrations in semitendinosus and cardiac muscles, livers and kidneys of 60 zebu (Bos indicus) bulls, sampled at Jimma, Ethiopia. From 28 of these bulls, blood samples were also obta...

Osteoarthritis is a problem that threatens the reproductive capabilities of captive populations of endangered cranes. In our pilot study, we used 5 cranes with a history of unilateral, chronic tarsal pathology in a cross-over design to gauge the effects of the primary ingredient (NEM®, ESM Technologies LLC, Carthage, MO) of the nutraceutical Steadf...

Sally A. Nofs, Dierenfeld E., and Backus R (2013). Effect of Increasing Methionine Supplementation on Dietary Requirement for Taurine in a Model Insectivore, the Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla). Amino Acids. 45:606 (published abstract).

Hand-rearing is a common practice for the propagation of captive psittacines, however, research on their nutrition is limited and the requirements of growing chicks are not well understood. The nutrition of 15 commercially available parrot hand-feeding formulas was compared with the average content of the crops of free living Scarlet Macaw (Ara mac...