T H E T R A D E A N D TRANSPORT O P A N I M A L S 69

of 18 October and transported the animals to Amsterdam Zoo in a heated van.

CONCLUSION

In the northern hemisphere it is rather risky to transport this cold-sensitive species by ship outsidc the months ofJune, July and August. Ifthe method is attempted, it is absolutely necessary to tie up the animals in hanimocks in order to prevent

their being tossed about in bad weather. It is however preferable to transport manatees by air. Our experience has shown that they can safely remain out of water for some hours provided their skin is kept wet. Heat apoplexy was not noticed, but a too sudden cooling must be avoided.

Manuscript received 18 Jime 1973

The capture and transport of African animals

J. A. VAGNER Director, Zoolqqical Garden, 544 or D v u r Krdove , Czechoslovakia

Our intention at Dvur Kralove Zoo is to main- tain and breed rare species in groups or herds under optimum conditions. We hope to acclima- tise exotic animals to captive conditions, breed them successfully and gcnerally make the fullest scientific use of them alive and dead.

An integral part of this project is to obtain animals by organising our own catching expedi- tions rather than passing through a dealer, so as to choose only the healthiest animals of the right age and sex. We are thus able both to plan the transport ourselves and to provide skilled staff, factors which help to minimise losses.

CHOICE OF CAPTURE AREAS

Animals mentioned in Tables I, z and 3 were captured in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, Mozambique, South and South- West Africa. In the Uganda expeditions of 1967-70 we organised capture and transport ourselves, while in the other countries we co- operated with local professional hunting corpora- tions specialising in animal capture.

The choice of the most suitable capture areas was made after field investigations and discussions with the relevant game departments and state veterinary offices. In making our choice we took into consideration: I. General prevailing health conditions and the possibility in particular of epidemics. 2. Number of animals, type of habitat and the labour readily available.

P

3 . Sources of food, water, building materials and supplies. 4. Distances to the nearest railway or main roads.

C A P T U R E M E T H O D S

Captures were made in several ways: I . By lassoing from a Land-Rover. 2. By herding into enclosures from helicopter, plane or by local beaters. 3 . By tranquilliser dart gun. 4. By combining any of the above three techniques.

In open country animals were usually lassoed from jeeps while herding was more effective in dense bush or forest. Once the animals had been herded into the enclosures, tranquillising drugs were administered as quickly as possible. Particularly nervous species like Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus, Lesser kudu Tragelaphus imberbis and hartebeest Alcelaphus buselaphus were tranquillised for a few days until they had settled down. Various drugs were used: a long-acting drug - Chlorprotixen, or Fentanyl mixed with Azaperon, M gg, Acetylpromazin or Chlorpro- mazin.

CHOICE O F ANIMALS

Not every animal we captured was suitable for transport to Europe. Each specimen had first to pass by stages through a strict selection procedure. Young or strong individuals, without flaws or

T H E T R A D E A N D T R A N S P O R T OP A N I M A L S 70

SPECIES TOTAL LOADED LOSSES LOADED LOSSES TOTAL PLACED I N

LOADED BY SHIP - SHIP BY AIR - AIR LOSSES QUARANTINE

UGANDA EXPEDITION - 1969 Maneless zebra Equu~ quagga ssp Rothschild’s giraffe Giraffu camelopardalis rothschildi Eland Taurotragus oryx pattersonianus Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus langheldi

UGANDA EXPEDITION - 1970 Masai ostrich Struthio camelus massnicus Cheetah Acinonyx j . jubatus Maneless zebra Equus quagga ssp Rothschild’s giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis rothsrhildi Eland Taurotragus oryx paftersonianus Roan antelope Hippotragus equinus langkeldi

KENYA EXPEDITION - 1971 African elephant Loxodonta africana Grevy’s zebra Equtis grevyi Black rhinoceros Diccros bicornis michaeli Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer Hunter’s antelope Damaliscus hunteri

KENYA EXPEDITION - 1972 Grevy’s zebra Equus grevyi Reticulated giraffe Ciraffu camelopardalis reticulata Lesser kudu Tragelaphus imberlris australis Waterbuck Kobus c~llipsiprymnits

TOTAL

PERCENTAGE

2/22 2 / 1 2 011 0110 011 012 2/20

6/22 6/22 011 011 6/21

2/12 2/12 2/12

116 116 116

Table I. Mammals and birds collected during expeditions to Uganda and Kenya between 1969-1972.

THE T R A D E A N D T R A N S P O R T OF A N I M A L S 71

SPECnS

~~~ ~~~~

TOTAL LOADED LOSSES LOADED LOSSES ‘TOTAL PLACED IN

LOADBD BY SHIP -SHIP BY AIR -AIR LOSSES QUARANTINE ~~

Anubis baboon Papio anubis Southern niaridrill Matadrillus sphinx tnadarogastrr Grey-cheeked mangabey Cercoccbus albigena Vcrvet monkey Cercopithecus aefhiops pygerythrus De Brazza’s monkey Cercopithecus neglectus White-nosed gueiion Cercopithecw nictitans Black-and-white colobus Colobus guereza Chimpanzee Pan t . troslodyfes Cheetah Acinonyx jubntus Hartmaiin’s mountain zebra Equus zebra harfmannae Chapman’s zebra Equus quagga chapmani Selous’ zebra Equiir quagga seluusii White rhinoceros Ceratotheriurn s. simurti Masai giraffe Gir& camelopardah tippelskirchi Greater kudu Tragdaphus strepsicr~os Eland T a u r o t r a p oryx pattersonianus Mountain reedbuck Rcdunca fulvorirfrila Vaal rhebok Pelen caprealus Sable antelope Hippotragus nigrr Gemsbok O r y x g. gazella Blesbok Dunznliscus d o r m plrillipsi Red hartebeest ~ l c e l a p h i i s btiseluphus selbornei White-railed gnu Cunnochaeter gnou White-bearded gtiu Ctwnorhaeier taurinus nlbojrr bafus White springbok Antidorcas rnarsupialis var. Black springbok Antidorcas marsupialis var.

TOTAL

PERCENTAGE

Table 2.

West Africa between 1967-72. Mammals collected during expeditions to Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon and South

72 TIIE T R A D E A N D T R A N S P O R T o r A N I M A L S

visible disabilities, were chosen at the time of capture. The chases involving lassoing must be very short and, if the animal shows signs of exhaustion, abandoned immediately. Once it was caught and put into a transport box, it was observed closely. Should it show signs of difficult breathing or shivering it was set free and watched until it had calmed down and disap- peared.

A further selection was carried out in camp when the animals were getting used to new foods and the presence ofpeople. Animals which seemed unable to adapt themselves or which did not appear perfectly healthy were set free where they had been caught. The next stage involved introducing the animal to its travelling crate and allowing it to grow used to it. The animals remained in camp for at least a month before completing the next leg of the journey.

T R A N S P O R T

A Boeing 707 cargo jet was chartered for some journeys, flying via Nairobi non-stop to Prague. For large animals unsuited to air transport,

several sea voyages were organised from Mombassa to Hamburg. In Hamburg the animals were reloaded onto barges and transported up the Elbe to Czechoslovakia.

W e transported all animals by truck to embarkation points. The drivers were instructed about speed, braking and starting and one of the experts travelled in the first and last trucks. The convoy stopped every two hours in order to check the animals. During transport the feeding and cleaning schedules which prevailed at the camp were strictly adhered to. The same keepers were used throughout the journey and great care was taken not to make sudden noises or inove- mcnts.

T R A N S P O R T BOXES W e used various kinds of box according to the species and form of transport. For transport by sea, three types of wooden box were used: (a) narrow boxes in which an animal could not turn; (b) boxes for single animals which allowed room to turn; and (c) larger boxes for groups of small animals or for a with young.

SPECIES

TOTAL LOADED LOSSES LOADED LOSSES TOTAL PLACED I N

LOADED BY SHIP - SHIP BY AIR - AIR LOSSES QUARANTINE

~ ~~~~~~~

Masai ostrich Struthio catnelirs tnassaicus White pelican Pelecanirs onocrotalrrs Fish eagle Haliaeetus vocifer Egyptian vulture Neophroti percriopterrrs Bateleur eagle Terafhopius ecarrdatirs Grey parrot Psitlacuc erithacus Ked-headed lovebird Agapornic pullario Fischer’s lovebird Apporrtis j i cckr i Yellow-collared lovebird Agaportiis persoriafa Crowned crane Balearico paoonirra regulorum

9 5

3

I

I

2

6

24

24

20

67

4

3

I

I

2

6

24

24

20

67

I I

2 2

I

9

3

I

I

2

6

23

22

20

I 66

TOTAL I 5 7 5 I 52 4 4 I S 3 PERCENTAGE 100% 3.18% 96.82% 2 W % 2 .55% 97.45%

Table 3, Birds collected during expeditions to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania between 1967-72.

T H E TRADE A N D TRANSPORT OF ANIMALS 73

As on board ship there is a constant draught, the planks of the box must fit closely for at least two-thirds of its height. There must be an opening for feeding and cleaning and the interior walls must be smooth. Boxes for larger animals must have strong flooring with openings to allow urine to flow away.

For air transport, two lightweight boxes were used: narrow boxes and large boxes for groups. These boxes must have ample ventilation and the air-conditioning of the aircraft adapted accordingly.

C O N C L U S I O N

Of utmost importance is the strict selection of animals at the varying stages while they are still in Africa. In practice, our specialist staff, including a veterinarian, were in close contact with our animals from the moment of capture until their arrival in Prague, Close co-operation with local game departments and state veterinary offices was very important.

W e captured 377 aninlals altogether, of which five died during capture, tcn in transit from bush

to camp and 16 in the camp enclosure. Five of the 16 were killed by a marauding lion. Thirty- four of the animals were set free, 35 were left behind in Africa and five died in transit from camp to point of departure.

Altogether we shipped 71 5 animals, including those obtained by other means. Of these, 336 (47%) were shipped by sea and 379 (53%) by air. During the voyages we lost 15 (2.1%) and eight (1.17~) in flight.

P R O D U C T S M E N T I O N E D I N T H E T E X T

Acetylpromazin: pre-anaesthetic and general tran- quillizer produced by Boots Pure Drug Co., Ltd., Nottingham, Great Britain. Azaperon: neuroleptic produced by Jansen I’harmaceu- tica, Beerse, Belgium. Chlorpromazin: tranquillizer produced by SPOFA, Prague, Czechoslovakia. Chlorprotixen: tranquillizer produced by LECIVIA, Dolni Mecholupy 130, Czechoslovakia. Fentmyl: iiarcotic analgesic produced by Jansen Pharmaceutica, Beerse, Belgium. M 99: analgesic produced by Reckitt 6( Sons, Hull, Great Britain.

Manuscript received 3 0 March 1973

Acclimatisation of African antelope in Dvur Kralove Zoo L. J. D O B R O R U K A Hcnd, Zoological Deprtrncnt , Zoological Garden, 544 01 Dvirr Kralove, Czechoslovakia

‘The transition of a wild animal from freedom to captivity is like a transplantation experiment, grafting part of the living organism on to the body of another animal’ (4) . The comparison is apt. Despite exactly similar conditions and food, some members of an imported herd, like a transplanted organ, are quite unable to acclima- tise to their new surroundings.

Between 1969 and 1972, Dvur Kralove Zoo imported large herds of certain African ungulates (5) to form the nuclei of breeding groups. On arrival the animals were put into quarantine for two or three months, where after the first month of strict seclusion they were allowed iirto small enclosures, still within the quarantine block,

The accliniatisation procedure presents two problems which need not necessarily be directly connected. One is purely physiological, e.g. adaption to new, sometimes unnatural food; the second concerns psychological adaption. It is the latter which I propose to discuss in this paper, from the animal’s first adjustments to quarantine conditions to the frnal reestablishment of normal behaviour patterns in a public exhibition area.

The following species transported in 1971-1792 were studied in detail: 6.16 Reticulated giraffe Girafa camclopardalis reticulatn; 3.7 Greater kudu Tragelaphus s. strepsiceros; 3.12 Lesser kudu T. imberbis australis; 3-6 White-tailed gnu Coririochactesgnou; 3.13 genisbok Oryxg. gazella;