Técnicas etológicas para treino pré-soltura de papagaios-de-peito-roxo (Amazona vinacea), como instrumento de adaptação à vida livre em ambiente selvagem

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agroecossistemas, Florianópolis, 2013.O Papagaio-de-peito-roxo (Amazona vinacea) é endêmico da mata atlântica e atualmente ameaçado de extinção em decorrência, principalmente, de ações antrópicas. Uma das ferramentas para se conservar espécies ameaçadas é reintroduzi-las na natureza. No entanto, para que os indivíduos possuam maiores chances de se adaptar em ambiente selvagem, é importante adotar alguns critérios no período pré-soltura, dentre eles, a preparação comportamental. O presente estudo teve por objetivos melhorar a habilidade de voo e enfraquecer a associação de humanos à oferta de alimentos em Papagaios-de-peito-roxo candidatos à soltura em um projeto de reintrodução da espécie no Parque Nacional das Araucárias, Santa Catarina. Para atingir tais objetivos, foram utilizados dois grupos de A. vinacea (grupos 1 e 2) e dois treinamentos comportamentais, sendo o treinamento de voo aplicado nos grupos 1 e 2 e o treinamento de aversão à humanos associados a alimentos aplicado somente no grupo 2. Em adicional, foram apresentados os dados de aproximação do grupo 2 à áreas povoadas durante o primeiro ano pós-soltura. O grupo 1 (n=15) foi alojado no Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres de Florianópolis entre setembro de 2010 e janeiro de 2011. Por 90 dias, as aves foram treinadas a voar de uma extremidade à outra do recinto utilizando o reforço negativo como técnica de condicionamento operante. Para isso, um estímulo negativo (rede de captura) foi apresentado ao grupo e após 5 minutos de resposta de voo, o mesmo foi retirado. O grupo 2 (n=33), alojado na escola Sarapiquá de Florianópolis entre Julho e Setembro de 2012, recebeu o treinamento de voo por 49 dias, seguindo a mesma metodologia do grupo 1. Para avaliar possíveis diferenças na habilidade de voo individual, foi realizado um teste comportamental pré- e pós-treinamento (Teste de Habilidade de Voo) em ambos os grupos, onde para cada animal foi atribuído um escore que variou de 0 a 4. O escore 0 representou as aves que não levantavam voo do chão e não voavam; o escore 1, aquelas que não levantavam voo do chão, porém voavam em ritmo inconstante sem manter o mesmo nível de altura; o escore 2, os animais que levantavam voo do chão, voavam em ritmo constante mas não mantinham o mesmo nível de altura; o escore 3, as aves que levantavam voo do chão, voavam em ritmo constante e mantinham o mesmo nível de altura; e o escore 4, aquelas que levantavam voo do chão, mantinham o ritmo constante e o mesmo nível de altura epermaneciam fora do alcance humano. As variáveis dependentes (pré- e pós-treinamento) foram comparadas através do Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test (p Abstract : The Vinaceous Amazon Parrot (Amazona Vinacea) is endemic from the Atlantic forest and nowadays endangered because of human actions. One way to preserve this endangered species is to reintroduce them to nature. However, in order to individual have greater chances to adapt in a wild environment, it is important to adopt some criteria during the pre-release period, among them, the behavioral preparation. This study was conducted to improve flight ability and weaken the human association to food offer to Vinaceous Amazon Parrot, candidates to be released in a project of reintroduction of this species at Araucarias National Park, Santa Catarina. To reach all these goals, two groups of A. Vinacea (groups 1 and 2) and two behavioral trainings were used, the flight training being applied in groups 1 and 2 and the training of aversion to human association to food offer applied only in group 2. In addition, the approaching data of group 2 to populated area during the first year post-releasing was presented. Group 1 (n=15) was placed in the Wild Animals Screening Center of Florianopolis from September 2010 to January 2011. During 90 days, the birds were trained to fly from one side to the other in the room using the negative reinforcement as an operant conditioning technique. To do this, a negative stimulus (Capture net) was presented to the group and after 5 minutes of flight response, it was released. Group 2 (n=33), housed at Sarapiquá school in Florianopolis from July to September 2012, received flight training for 49 days, following the same methodology of group 1. In order to evaluate possible differences in the ability of individual flight, a behavioral test was performed pre-and post-training (Ability of flight test) in both groups, where each animal was assigned a score ranging from 0 to 4. The score 0 represented the birds which didn´t lift off the ground and did not fly; the score 1, those which didn´t lift off the ground, but flew in erratic pace not keeping the same height level; the score 2, the birds which lift off the ground, flew in constant pace, but didn´t keep the same height level; the score 3, the birds which lift off the ground, flew in constant pace and kept the same height level; and the score 4, those which lift off the ground, flew in constant pace and kept far from human reach. The dependable variables (pre and post-training) were compared using the Wilcoxon Matched Pairs test (p<0,05). In group 1, the post-training average (Md=4) was significantly higher than the pre-training average (Md=2). In group 2, there was not differencebetween pre and post-training averages. The scores minimum value for both groups were post-training (Min=1) higher. The training of aversion to human associated to food offer was applied to group 2 for 18 days, using the punishment as operant conditioning technique. A familiar human to the animal entered the room and offered a seed of Araucaria angustifolia or a mix of seeds to parrots to each animal. When the birds approached the human to touch the food, they were punished with a negative stimulus (the noise of an aluminum can with stones inside). A behavioral test (Food offer test) evaluated possible individual differences pre and post-training. The dependable variables (pre and post-training) were compared through Wilcoxon Matched Pairs test (p<0,05). The pre-training average (Md=1) was significantly minor than the post-training average (Md=2). The minimum score value was equivalent pre and post-training. Thirteen birds from group 1 and 30 from group 2 were released at Araucarias National Park (ANP), Santa Catarina, in January 2011 and September 2012, respectively. The initial monitoring was done from January to July 2011 (group 1) and then from September 2012 to September 2013 (groups 1 and 2) through radio-telemetric, observations, listening vocalization and community monitoring. From 30 released birds of group 2, 33% approached the populated area in September 2012. The number of approaches was reduced by 78% in the last month of data collection (September 2013). Environmental education actions including lectures, informal dialogues with local dwellers, delivery of educational materials, were implemented to communities in the region of ANP, the surrounding area and influence zone. The operant conditioning technique in both trainings was effective to reach in part the objectives of this study. The training of aversion to human associated to food offer together with the environmental education activities possibly prevented the capture of the species of group 2 by humans at ANP

Hematologic reference values of Vinaceous-breasted Amazon (Amazona vinacea)

ABSTRACT Avian hematologic reference intervals are useful tools to evaluate body homeostasis and diagnose diseases. However, there are few species-specific reference intervals published. The present study reports Vinaceous-breasted Amazon ( Amazona vinacea ) hematologic reference values obtained during the health status evaluation of release candidates as part of this species reintroduction efforts at the Araucárias National Park. Parameters reported are erythrogram (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, mean cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular hemoglobin), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW), white cells total and differential (heterophiles, lymphocytes, basophils, eosinophils and monocytes), thrombocytes and total plasma protein. For the first time results on RDW and thrombocytes were described and a larger sample size were provided for all parameters analyzed. Intervals demonstrated in the present study showed significant differences from those considered normal in other parrot species and consequently have contributed to bring valuable information to base actions for the conservation of this endangered species of great biological value