Feeding of certain species of wildlife in Osijek zoo

Abstract

Zoološki vrtovi su u prošlosti uglavnom bili privatne zbirke bogatih pojedinaca, u kojima se nije pridavala velika pažnja zdravlju i brizi o životinjama. Razvojem svijesti o životinjama, mijenjala se i uloga zooloških vrtova. Počinje se sve više i više brinuti o hranidbi i dobrobiti životinja. Osječki zoološki vrt osnovan je 1955. godine, prostire se na 11 ha i površinski je najveći zoološki vrt u Hrvatskoj. Ukupno se u njemu nalazi oko 650 jedinki različitih životinja. Posjećuje ga stotinjak tisuća ljudi godišnje. Pregledom jelovnika životinja u osječkom zoološkom vrtu i usporedbom s hranidbom njihovih divljih rođaka, zaključeno je kako je hranidba u zoološkim vrtovima bogatija i prilagođenija potrebama različitih kategorija životinja, što izravno utječe na zdravlje, bolji i kvalitetniji, te duži život životinja.Zoological gardens in the past were mainly private collections of wealthy individuals, in which they did not paid great attention to the health and care of animals. With increasing awareness about the animals the role of zoological gardens unchanged as well. They start to take more and more care about nutrition and well-fare of animals. Zoological garden in Osijek was founded in 1955. its territory takes over 11 ha and it is the largest zoological garden in Croatia. In total, it contains about 650 animals of different species and it is visited by hundreds of thousands of people per year. Reviewing the menus of animals in zoological garden in Osijek and comparing them with dietary habits of their wild kin, it was concluded that a diet in zoological gardens is richer and more adapted to the needs of different categories of animals, what shows significant impact on health, better quality and longer life of animals