IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Rivas, A.; Mart¡nez, F.; S nchez, I.; Aguilar, J.M.; Quevedo, M.A.; Bergara, J.; V zquez, E.; Cuadrado, M.; Vargas, A. | |
| Hand-rearing of Iberian lynx cubs | |
| 2009 Book Chapter | |
Hand-rearing of cubs is an emergency measure that makes it possible to successfully raise cubs whose mothers cannot take care of them and that consequently have low chances of survival. In the Iberian Lynx _Ex situ_ Conservation Programme, eight cubs have been successfully hand-reared since 2001. Hand-rearing is a delicate process that starts when the cub is taken and finishes when the individual is able to take care of itself, around the age of four months. During the hand-rearing process, the variables to control and techniques to use should be adapted to the age of the cub. Indeed, the first days of a cub's life are most critical in guaranteeing its survival. Upon arrival, cubs must adjust to the conditions of their new environment (ambient temperature should be kept at about 30 øC and moisture should be 50% in the first week of life) and get used to the milk replacer (brands containing the aminoacid taurine are recommended) and the feeding schedule (eight daily feedings, that is, one feeding every three hours in the first six days); cubs that did not receive colostrum from their mothers need to be given the necessary antibodies to strengthen their immune system (via oral administration of blood serum from a healthy adult, 2 ml/100 g every 12 hours for two days). According to the data obtained from hand-reared cubs in the _Ex situ_ Conservation Programme -all cubs had been abandoned by their mothers- a neonate Iberian lynx weighs about 175ñ18 g and has a body temperature of 34.9ñ0.7 øC. Between the first and the third day of life, the daily weight gain of hand-reared cubs is 17ñ3 g; between the 4th and 40th day of life, their mean daily growth rate is 35ñ6 g. Weaning should start around the fifth week of life and be completed around the age of 100 days. To ensure the behavior of hand-reared individuals matches the goals of the _Ex situ_ Conservation Programme, an appropriate socialization programme should begin on the cub's second week of life, in parallel to the feeding and care of the cubs. |
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