獵豹保育站

獵豹保護(hù)站不僅僅是獵豹的家園。 斑馬、紅河豬、西塔通加和阿比西尼亞地犀鳥(niǎo)也都居住在這里——還有世界上一些最受威脅的物種，包括達(dá)馬瞪羚和彎角羚羊。 獵豹保護(hù)站的幾只動(dòng)物在混合物種展覽中共享空間，讓動(dòng)物有機(jī)會(huì)像在原生棲息地一樣互動(dòng)。

動(dòng)物園和史密森尼保護(hù)生物學(xué)研究所的科學(xué)家一直在獵豹保護(hù)站研究許多物種的行為、繁殖和健康。在 SCBI，生物學(xué)家收集獵豹種群的行為和激素?cái)?shù)據(jù)，以?xún)?yōu)化繁殖成功率。動(dòng)物園的生殖生理學(xué)家開(kāi)創(chuàng)了彎刀角羚羊的人工授精技術(shù)，以確保有價(jià)值但行為不相容的配對(duì)之間的繁殖。與獵豹和羚羊一樣，鬃狼和大馬瞪羚也參與了動(dòng)物園和水族館協(xié)會(huì)的物種生存計(jì)劃。 SCBI 的工作人員正在努力了解這些物種的生殖行為和生理學(xué)、父母行為、嬰兒行為和發(fā)育、營(yíng)養(yǎng)、健康和疾病。

動(dòng)物園的加蓬生物多樣性計(jì)劃一直處于將保護(hù)需求與發(fā)展優(yōu)先事項(xiàng)相結(jié)合以維持加蓬生物多樣性和培訓(xùn)下一代保護(hù)從業(yè)者的前線。加蓬西南部的岡巴保護(hù)區(qū)生物多樣性豐富，包括許多棲息地類(lèi)型和令人關(guān)注的物種，包括大猩猩、森林大象和海龜。

獵豹保護(hù)站的飼養(yǎng)員為動(dòng)物提供豐富的環(huán)境——圍欄、社交、物品、聲音、氣味和其他刺激——以增強(qiáng)它們的幸福感，并為它們提供展示其物種典型行為的出口。展覽的設(shè)計(jì)經(jīng)過(guò)精心策劃，旨在為動(dòng)物園的動(dòng)物提供刺激身心的玩具、活動(dòng)和環(huán)境。每種濃縮物都經(jīng)過(guò)量身定制，讓動(dòng)物有機(jī)會(huì)以新穎和令人興奮的方式利用其自然行為。與任何濃縮活動(dòng)一樣，動(dòng)物可以選擇參加或不參加。

為了鼓勵(lì)動(dòng)物像在野外一樣覓食，飼養(yǎng)員將食物散布在整個(gè)展覽中或?qū)⑵浞胖迷谠鹤永锏母鞣N拼圖喂食器中。它們?cè)诓煌攸c(diǎn)接受大量喂食，以保持全天活動(dòng)。對(duì)于大馬瞪羚和彎角羚羊等動(dòng)物，飼養(yǎng)員會(huì)將食葉餅干放入線軸喂食器中。動(dòng)物必須旋轉(zhuǎn)、轉(zhuǎn)動(dòng)或以其他方式操縱喂食器才能使食物掉出來(lái)。

獵豹保護(hù)站的幾只動(dòng)物在混合物種展覽中共享空間，讓動(dòng)物有機(jī)會(huì)像在原生棲息地一樣互動(dòng)。但即使是不共享同一展品的動(dòng)物——例如獵豹和斑馬——也可以相互交流和社交。斑馬經(jīng)常沿著分隔這兩個(gè)物種的圍欄的柵欄疾馳，獵豹會(huì)并排奔跑。這種互動(dòng)鼓勵(lì)自然行為——一切都來(lái)自安全距離。

除了豐富環(huán)境外，許多動(dòng)物還參加培訓(xùn)課程。這種豐富的社交活動(dòng)為動(dòng)物提供了鍛煉和精神刺激，同時(shí)加強(qiáng)了動(dòng)物與其飼養(yǎng)員之間的關(guān)系。獵豹賈斯汀和巴卡里接受了參與抽血的培訓(xùn)，這使動(dòng)物護(hù)理人員能夠監(jiān)測(cè)他們的健康狀況。

洗手間位于游客中心和熊貓廣場(chǎng)。

美洲野牛展覽位于熊貓廣場(chǎng)對(duì)面。

亞洲徑毗鄰獵豹保育站。 游客可以在此觀察大熊貓、小熊貓、亞洲小爪水獺、漁貓、云豹和懶熊。 每天下午 1 點(diǎn) 15 分左右 飼養(yǎng)員向懶熊扔新的食物和營(yíng)養(yǎng)品（取決于天氣）。

Cheetah Conservation Station

The Cheetah Conservation Station is home to more than just cheetahs. Zebras, red river hogs, sitatunga?and Abyssinian ground hornbills all reside here as well — along with some of the most threatened species in the world, including Dama gazelles and scimitar-horned oryx. Several animals at the Cheetah Conservation Station share space in mixed-species exhibits, providing the animals an opportunity to interact just as they would in their native habitats.

Scientists at the Zoo and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute have been studying the behavior, breeding?and health of many species at the Cheetah Conservation Station. At SCBI, biologists collect behavior and hormone data on cheetah populations to optimize breeding success. The Zoo’s reproductive physiologists pioneered artificial insemination techniques for the scimitar-horned oryx to ensure reproduction between valuable?but behaviorally incompatible pairs. Like cheetahs and oryx, maned wolves and Dama gazelles participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan. Staff at SCBI are working to understand reproductive behavior and physiology, parental behavior, infant behavior and development, nutrition, health and disease of these species.

The Zoo’s Gabon Biodiversity Program has been on the front lines of integrating conservation needs with development priorities to sustain biodiversity in Gabon and training the next generation of conservation practitioners. The?Gamba Complex of Protected Areas in southwestern Gabon is rich in biodiversity, encompassing many habitat types and species of concern, including gorillas, forest elephants?and sea turtles.

Cheetah Conservation Station keepers provide the animals with?enrichment—enclosures, socialization, objects, sounds, smells and other stimuli—to enhance their well-being and give them an outlet to demonstrate their species-typical behaviors. An exhibit’s design is carefully and deliberately planned to provide physically and mentally stimulating toys, activities, and environments for the Zoo’s animals. Each enrichment is tailored to give an animal the opportunity to use its natural behaviors in novel and exciting ways. As with any enrichment activity, an animal can either choose to participate or not.

To encourage the animals to forage as they would in the wild, keepers scatter food throughout the exhibit or place it in various puzzle feeders in the yards. They receive numerous feedings in various locations to keep them moving throughout the day. For animals such as?Dama?gazelles and scimitar-horned?oryx, keepers will place leaf-eater biscuits inside bobbin feeders. The animals must spin, turn?and otherwise manipulate the feeder to make the treat fall out.

Several animals at the Cheetah Conservation Station share space in mixed-species exhibits, providing the animals an opportunity to interact just as they would in their native habitats. But even the animals that don’t share the same exhibit—such as the cheetahs and the zebras—can interact and socialize with each other. A zebra often gallops along the fence that separates the two species’ enclosures, and the cheetahs will run alongside. The interaction encourages natural behaviors—all from a safe distance.

In addition to environmental enrichment, many animals participate in training sessions. This social enrichment provides an animal with exercise and mental stimulation while reinforcing the relationship between an animal and his/her keeper. Cheetahs Justin?and?Bakari?were trained to participate in blood draws, which enabled animal care staff to monitor their health.

Restrooms?are located at the Visitor Center and Panda Plaza.

The?American Bison?exhibit is located across from Panda Plaza.

Asia Trail?is located adjacent to Cheetah Conservation Station. Visitors can observe giant pandas, red pandas, Asian small-clawed otters, fishing cats, clouded leopards?and sloth bears at this location. Each day around 1:15 p.m. keepers toss novel foods and enrichment items to the sloth bears (weather dependent).