Hi everyone! I am new here and was hoping someone could assist me with an assignment I am working on for an exhibit design. I am taking a zoo technology program affiliated with CAZA and I am stuck on 2 things for the current assignment on planning a beaver enclosure. If anyone would be willing to help me I would be very grateful! Cheers, Claire
What have you got so far, Claire? Hopefully somebody can provide some helpful suggestions for you. Welcome, by the way!
Thank you! I have most of what I need as far as fencing/height, pond depth, lbs per day of food & diet requirements, what to use to deter digging & protecting trees in the enclose (including how to pull down branches or put vertical branches in for chewing), but what I can't find is ideal substrate or where one could acquire beavers for a Canadian zoo.
Have you looked at the Captive Management Guidelines for Eurasian Beavers published by RZSS? This addresses substrate. Maybe that will be useful? With regards to acquisition, I have no pointers at all, I’m sorry.
Welcome. How is a zoo technology program, what does it consist, what kind of assignments are given? I intend to go to the zoo animal tech of Santa Fe community college in Florida so I sort of want some insight. Edit: how about acquiring unreleasable beavers from a Canadian or U.S. rehab center?
Thank you beccasunbear. I have read the guidelines but there was examples of enclosures and discussion about how to prevent digging up of the substrate but not specifics on the exact type of substrates used. The photos used look like grass. I shall keep searching, and appreciate the insight however. PossumRoach, thank you also for your help. The course I am taking is Canadian, it is affiliated with our accreditation association CAZA. The courses range from biology for zookeepers to professional practices, definately diverse. It's all correspondence, I am unsure if they accept students outside of Canada, but here is the link if you want to check it out: Zoo & Aquarium Technology Program Calgary | ABES
I was sure I had seen soil referenced; elsewhere I have seen deep peat as one option and shallow peat over clay as another option.
Substrate varies depending on the location, size of exhibit, local soils, whether indoors or out,existing trees or not, etc. There is no one recommendation that fits all. For beavers it is not a major factor. So if trees are to grow there, it must suit them. Easy clean-up for the keepers should be considered as well. But these are not , for example, prairie dogs where substrate must be specified that can support their burrows.
