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SLU:s publikationsdatabas (SLUpub) (stage, solr2:8983)

Sammanfattning

Conservation biologists have long faced the challeng-ing task of large-carnivore conservation. The huntinghabits and specific ecology of these species make theirconservation difficult and Wolverines Gulo gulo are noexception. Wolverines are close to extinction as aresult of human persecution and habitat loss. TheEuropean Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)introduced the European Endangered Species Pro-gramme (EEP) for the Wolverine in 1994 but onlyirregular breeding has been achieved. The aim of thisstudy was to identify factors that could be connectedto breeding success in Wolverines in human care witha particular focus on the characteristics of enclosures,species biology, characteristics of the institutions andthe influences of human–animal interactions. Based onthese factors, we produced and distributed an onlinesurvey to almost all holders of Wolverines included inthe EEP. Overall, no main factor or group of factorsinvestigated in this study seemed to be the clear defin-ing feature that would explain the differences in breed-ing success between institutions participating in theWolverine EEP. However, a negative effect of smallenclosures on breeding success was indicated by theresults. Furthermore, zoos with non-successful breed-ing tended to separate keepers and Wolverines duringroutine enclosure maintenance compared to zoos thatreported successful breeding. Both these factors areinteresting and need further investigation.

Nyckelord

breeding; enclosure size; human–animal interactions; reproduction; wolverine

Publicerad i

International Zoo Yearbook
2020, volym: 54, nummer: 1, sidor: 86-101

SLU författare

UKÄ forskningsämne

Husdjursvetenskap

Publikationens identifierare

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/izy.12269

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/142950