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Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh

Received: 24 October 2023     Accepted: 8 November 2023     Published: 29 November 2023
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Abstract

This study focused on the care of spotted deer (Axis axis) at the Bangladesh National Zoo, with an emphasis on their rearing and management practices. The research spanned a year, from January 15th to December 15th, 2018, and encompassed the observation of four distinct deer groups: adult males (Stags or bucks), adult females (Does), juveniles, and infants. Special attention was dedicated to the dietary habits of the deer, which comprised a diverse range of foods, including maize fodder, Jambu grass, Gourd Spinach (Kolmi grass), cabbages, cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins, grains, wheat bran, and soybean meal. This diet provided them with a daily intake of 13.63% crude protein (CP) and 14.38 MJ ME. The research yielded valuable insights into the characteristics of the deer population. Male deer, on average, weighed 2.97 kg at birth, whereas females weighed 2.73 kg. Adult males exhibited an average weight of approximately 78.08 kg, while adult females weighed around 60.97 kg. Upon weaning, males weighed 19.05 kg, and females weighed 18.49 kg. The deer were typically weaned at an average age of 5.19 months, with estrous cycles lasting approximately 17.40 days. The age at first fawning was recorded at 14.48 months, and the gestation period averaged 232.69 days. To ensure the health and reproductive success of the spotted deer, adherence to recommended feeding plans and effective management practices at the Bangladesh National Zoo was deemed imperative. These measures guaranteed the provision of appropriate nutrition and care, thereby enhancing the overall well-being, productivity, and reproductive outcomes of the deer population. This research has offered significant insights into the management of captive spotted deer. The findings also hold relevance for the broader domain of wildlife conservation. Through meticulous observation and documentation of various aspects of deer management, these findings can contribute to the effective support and conservation of the deer population within the zoo.

Published in American Journal of Zoology (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11
Page(s) 46-52
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Spotted Deer, Dietary Habits, Reproductive Characteristics, Wildlife Conservation

References
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[3] Khan, M. A. R. 1986. Wildlife in Bangladesh mangrove ecosystem. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc, 83: 32-40.
[4] Dey, T. K. 2007. Deer Population in the Bangladesh Sunderbans. Ad Communication, 1-83.
[5] Deodatus, F. D. and Ahmed Z. U. 2002. Directives for wildlife management planning of the Sundarbans Forest. Internal Notes IN., 63.
[6] Feeroz, M. M. 2001. Species diversity and population density of non-human primates in north-east and south-east of Bangladesh. Ecoprint 8 (1): 53-57.
[7] Hudson, R. J. 1999. Wildlife production: trends and issues. In: Diversified Livestock.
[8] Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. 2003. Situation and outlook for New Zealand agriculture and forestry-dear, New Zealand. http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/statistics and forecasts.
[9] Sookhareea, R., D. Taylor, G. McL. Dryden, R. Shorthose and T. Larsen. 1995. The effect of sex type and age on the fatty acid composition of intramuscular lipid of loin muscle of Javanrusa (Cervustimorensis) deer and its relation to palatability. Proc. 41st Ann. Internat. Congr. Meat Sci. Technol., 2: 46-47.
[10] Sanquist. 1999. Sundarban Biodiversity Conservation Project overview. Internal Notes, 79, 4.
[11] Moon, S. H., B. T. Jeon, S. M. Lee, K. H. Kim and R. J. Hudson. 2000. Seasonal comparison of voluntary intake and feeding behavior in Korean spotted deer (Cervus nippon). Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci, 13 (10): 1394-1398.
[12] Wilson, P. R. 1979. Nutrition and Reproduction of fanned deer. In: deer Refresher Course for Veterinarians. Proceedings No. 72, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 463-464.
[13] Adam, C. L. 1994. Feeding. In: Management and Disease of deer, 2nd Ed. (Ed. T. L. Alexander and D. Buxton). The Veterinary Deer Society. London, Great Britain, 44-54.
[14] Fennessy, P. F., G. H. Moore and I. D. Corson. 1981. Energy requirements of red deer. Proc. N. Z. Soc. Anim. Prod., 41: 167-173.
[15] Verme, L. J. and D. E. Ullrey. 1972. Feeding and nutrition of deer. In: Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of Ruminants. Volume 3- Practical Nutrition (Ed. D. C. Church). The OSU. Bookstores, In c., Corvallis, Oregon, 275-291.
[16] Mulley, R. C. and J. S. Flesch. 2001. Nutritional requirements for pregnant and lactation red and fallow deer. A Report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. R1RDC Publication No. 01/0095. Canberra, Australia.
[17] Ullrey, D. R., W. G. Youatt, H. E. Johnson, L. D. Fay and B. L. Bradley, 1967. Protein requirements of white-tailed deer fawns. J. Wildi. Mange, 3 (1): 679-685.
[18] Denham, L. J. 1984. The nutrition of fanned deer. In: Deer Refresher Course for Veterinarians. Proceedings No. 72. The University of Sydney, 662-691.
[19] French, C. E., L. C. Meewan, N. D. Magruder, H. H. Ingram and R. W. Swift. 1956. Nutrient requirements for growth and antler development in the white-tailed deer. J. Wild l. Manage, 20: 221.
[20] Mulley, R. C. 1984. Reproduction in fallow deer. In deer Refresher Course for Veterinarians. Proceedings No. 72, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 463-464.
[21] Kay, R. N. B. and B. W. Staines. 1981. The nutrition of the red deer. In: Nutr. Abstr. Rev. (B) 51: 601-622.
[22] Mulley, R. C., A. W. English and A. Kirby. 1990. The reproductive performance of farmed fallow deer in New South Wales. Australian Veterinary Journal, 67: 281-286.
[23] Ables. E. D. (Ed.) 1977. The Axis Deer in Texas, College Station, Texas.
[24] Sharman, G. A. M. 1978. Red deer farming. Ann Appl. Biol. 88: 347- 350.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    K. M. Baharul Islam Talukder, A., Rafiqul Islam, M., Faruk, A., Akhter, F. (2023). Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh. American Journal of Zoology, 6(3), 46-52. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11

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    ACS Style

    K. M. Baharul Islam Talukder, A.; Rafiqul Islam, M.; Faruk, A.; Akhter, F. Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh. Am. J. Zool. 2023, 6(3), 46-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11

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    AMA Style

    K. M. Baharul Islam Talukder A, Rafiqul Islam M, Faruk A, Akhter F. Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh. Am J Zool. 2023;6(3):46-52. doi: 10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11,
      author = {A. K. M. Baharul Islam Talukder and Md. Rafiqul Islam and Al Faruk and Fouzia Akhter},
      title = {Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh},
      journal = {American Journal of Zoology},
      volume = {6},
      number = {3},
      pages = {46-52},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajz.20230603.11},
      abstract = {This study focused on the care of spotted deer (Axis axis) at the Bangladesh National Zoo, with an emphasis on their rearing and management practices. The research spanned a year, from January 15th to December 15th, 2018, and encompassed the observation of four distinct deer groups: adult males (Stags or bucks), adult females (Does), juveniles, and infants. Special attention was dedicated to the dietary habits of the deer, which comprised a diverse range of foods, including maize fodder, Jambu grass, Gourd Spinach (Kolmi grass), cabbages, cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins, grains, wheat bran, and soybean meal. This diet provided them with a daily intake of 13.63% crude protein (CP) and 14.38 MJ ME. The research yielded valuable insights into the characteristics of the deer population. Male deer, on average, weighed 2.97 kg at birth, whereas females weighed 2.73 kg. Adult males exhibited an average weight of approximately 78.08 kg, while adult females weighed around 60.97 kg. Upon weaning, males weighed 19.05 kg, and females weighed 18.49 kg. The deer were typically weaned at an average age of 5.19 months, with estrous cycles lasting approximately 17.40 days. The age at first fawning was recorded at 14.48 months, and the gestation period averaged 232.69 days. To ensure the health and reproductive success of the spotted deer, adherence to recommended feeding plans and effective management practices at the Bangladesh National Zoo was deemed imperative. These measures guaranteed the provision of appropriate nutrition and care, thereby enhancing the overall well-being, productivity, and reproductive outcomes of the deer population. This research has offered significant insights into the management of captive spotted deer. The findings also hold relevance for the broader domain of wildlife conservation. Through meticulous observation and documentation of various aspects of deer management, these findings can contribute to the effective support and conservation of the deer population within the zoo.
    },
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Effective Management Strategies for Spotted Deer at the National Zoo in Bangladesh
    AU  - A. K. M. Baharul Islam Talukder
    AU  - Md. Rafiqul Islam
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    AU  - Fouzia Akhter
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11
    T2  - American Journal of Zoology
    JF  - American Journal of Zoology
    JO  - American Journal of Zoology
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    EP  - 52
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2994-7413
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajz.20230603.11
    AB  - This study focused on the care of spotted deer (Axis axis) at the Bangladesh National Zoo, with an emphasis on their rearing and management practices. The research spanned a year, from January 15th to December 15th, 2018, and encompassed the observation of four distinct deer groups: adult males (Stags or bucks), adult females (Does), juveniles, and infants. Special attention was dedicated to the dietary habits of the deer, which comprised a diverse range of foods, including maize fodder, Jambu grass, Gourd Spinach (Kolmi grass), cabbages, cucumbers, gourds, pumpkins, grains, wheat bran, and soybean meal. This diet provided them with a daily intake of 13.63% crude protein (CP) and 14.38 MJ ME. The research yielded valuable insights into the characteristics of the deer population. Male deer, on average, weighed 2.97 kg at birth, whereas females weighed 2.73 kg. Adult males exhibited an average weight of approximately 78.08 kg, while adult females weighed around 60.97 kg. Upon weaning, males weighed 19.05 kg, and females weighed 18.49 kg. The deer were typically weaned at an average age of 5.19 months, with estrous cycles lasting approximately 17.40 days. The age at first fawning was recorded at 14.48 months, and the gestation period averaged 232.69 days. To ensure the health and reproductive success of the spotted deer, adherence to recommended feeding plans and effective management practices at the Bangladesh National Zoo was deemed imperative. These measures guaranteed the provision of appropriate nutrition and care, thereby enhancing the overall well-being, productivity, and reproductive outcomes of the deer population. This research has offered significant insights into the management of captive spotted deer. The findings also hold relevance for the broader domain of wildlife conservation. Through meticulous observation and documentation of various aspects of deer management, these findings can contribute to the effective support and conservation of the deer population within the zoo.
    
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Livestock Services, Animal Nutrition and Animal Feeds Wing, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Dhaka, Bangladesh

  • Department of Animal Production and Management, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh

  • Murjanah Fish Establishment, Dammam, Saudi Arabia

  • Upazila Agricultural Extension, Ministry of Agriculture, Dhaka, Bangladesh

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