Japanese Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine Vol. 22(2017) No. 1

　The Obihiro Zoo and the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine carry out collaborative research, making use of their locational characteristics. When a display animal dies and the cause of the death cannot be identified at the Obihiro Zoo, detailed diagnosis may be requested for, at the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. In a recent case, a fantail pigeon died at the Obihiro Zoo, and was diagnosed with Trichomonas gallinae infection by the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. In order to evaluate the actual situation of T. gallinae infection at the Obihiro Zoo and the measures to be taken, the rate of infection at the zoo was investigated in cooperation with the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. In addition to another fantail pigeon from the same cage, it was confirmed in three other types of birds. The birds that infection was confirmed in originated from wild animals rescued in Hokkaido. Presently, we are utilizing grant money from an external organization to investigate actual infection situations in wild birds and birds in captivity in Hokkaido. In areas richly endowed with nature like Hokkaido, the role that a zoo has is large. Research activities in cooperation with a university, may strongly contribute for a zoo to be recognized socially as a place for research of wild animals.

　 I show a research, education and conservation in asahiyama zoo. About veterinary of zoo animals: We prevent cutting of leg in the wolf by the skin transplant and frequent anesthesia, it improves animal’s quality of life. About animal physiology: semen collection in polar bear by catheter method. About research by animal keeper: Behavioral observation of chimpanzees and Helper feeding of mountain hawk. I want show efforts that veterinarians and keepers are doing in zoo.

　 Several activations and researches to conserve the Red-crowned Crane have been performed in Kushiro from before the zoo establishment. In recent years, the increase of the numbers of housing crane, the stored carcasses are also increasing. How should we do that in order to avoid the carcasses in garbage or manure in the freezer? Huge data of the crane following from the past is reflecting the transitions of their habitats and population, and can contribute to keeping in captive and conservation in the wild. Activities of education, exhibition and/or researches with the samples in cooperation with universities and the other organizations have been conducted, it is still insufficient. For the further use, management of the data and sample, rules, and appropriate storage facilities are required. On the other hand, about 70% of the cranes are housed by some sort of accidents, about 60% are housed in dead, and most of the rest are in the dying. Although an increase number to survive by improving the treatment technology, there is the limit. Also, the housing area also expanded with the spread of the cranes and the factors in each region is different. Therefore, it is necessary to seek ways to reduce the housing cranes to predict and/or prevent the accidents by the case analysis. Moreover, these circumstances are not well known. Thus, there is need for the public information and dissemination using various things such as carcasses, rescued individuals, specimens and data.

　 The research is one of the most important roles for zoo, however, the budget, staffs and instruments for research are not enough. So collaboration with other research institutes is effective. In this article, I introduce the distinction of research in Sapporo Maruyama Zoo and discuss about the research system of zoo. Sperm collection from endangered species is one of the research themes of our zoo. Collaborating with Hokkaido University, I succeeded in collecting the sperm of the snow leopard, polar bear and spotted hyena with urethral catheterization, which is a new method of sperm collection. I also tried artificial insemination in the Amur tiger applying the new method. This study is important for conservation of wildlife and will be progressed effectively with the cooperation of the university. Investigation of wild bats in Sapporo city is another research theme of our zoo. This research is conducted with the team of wildlife researchers, and ordinary people can join the research activities. This research contributes to not only revelation of the ecology of wild bats but also the environmental education for citizens of Sapporo. These researches related to the conservation and education proceeded with some collaborators are ideal styles of the research of zoo. It is thought that such characteristic research contributes to increasing the value of zoo.

　 We report a case of paragonimiasis in a captive mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) in a zoo in Kochi Prefecture, Japan. At autopsy, five adult flukes were detected from cysts formed in the lungs of the animal. The flukes were identified as Paragonimus miyazakii on the basis of morphological features of the adults and eggs in the feces. The ribosomal DNA sequence also corroborated this identification. The mandrill was possibly infected through the ingestion of the Japanese freshwater crab (Geothelphusa dehaani) wandering into the place of breeding exhibition. This is the first confirmed case of natural infection with P. miyazakii in non-human primates in Japan.