The expertise of some zoologists

[Mr.X]

Geez...give me a break. How can a zoologist get this wrong for so long?

I've seen polar bear at the Arctic. The Inuit certainly know within minutes.

I would imagine routine blood tests and vet checks would determine gender in seconds.


Zoo solves mystery of celibate polar bears - CNN.com


X

 

[drbill]

Hey X, I'm a trained biologist and I have trouble determining the gender of some humans. Of course I don't see them in their birthday suits like the zoo staff did with the polar bears. Happy Thanksgiving to ya!

 

[Coll]

Doing "routine" blood tests and vet exams with polar bears is very difficult and putting them under general anesthesia is something most zoos avoid because it is dangerous and these animals are priceless to the zoos. Sorry, had to add my 2 PSI as an animal trainer! No one works in free contact with polar bears, it's all protected contact (through a fence or gate) and in order to do medical behaviors the polar bears have to be highly trained which is another obstacle. Most zoos are just starting to turn their facilities into training facilities so it is likely these polar bears have no training background.

 

[Mr.X]

LOL Bill and thanks for the info. on anesthesia & trends Coll.

Having been a zoology student at UC Davis at one juncture, and seeing the large animal specialists work on large critters...it seems that US zoo vet. services (in California) have their act together with gender identification. I can understand it being a difficult choice to make if one has an uncooperative animal, but the cost for keeping a non-breeding pair is pretty darn high too. I also understand why it's protected contact with these guys. On the ice we always had rifles and once a large male was stalking us for food. They are magnificent and clever.

Cheers,

X

 

[drbill]

What I can't understand is why the animal wouldn't have been checked for gender early in its life and records kept. Does seem rather silly to have put two females together if successful mating was the goal!

 

[vladimir]

I guess Proposition 8 failed in Hokkaido.

 

[archman]

What Coll said. Doing most sorts of (non behavioral) "basic science" with large live animals is a huge pain in the butt. It's often expensive, logistically taxing, skill-intensive, and risky to both the animal and the keepers.

 

[cdreamer]

Not surprising, considering where we are talking about. Maybe they should
put some of that whale "research" money to better use.

 

[archman]

Not surprising, considering where we are talking about. Maybe they should
put some of that whale "research" money to better use.

I would be more inclined towards a reverse opinion. Japanese zoos tend to equal if not surpass European and U.S. ones.

 

[Mr.X]

I would be more inclined towards a reverse opinion. Japanese zoos tend to equal if not surpass European and U.S. ones.

Not this one. I would think that having brought in the cubs three years ago that they would have conducted some baselines - blood work and a anatomical head-to-toe for a small bear. Waiting that many years without truly knowing seems a bit odd and wasteful of time and energy. Honestly, how long can they let a "reproducing" pair go before being called truly incompetent?


X