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Summary of Transcript:
This YouTube video is about the preventive medicine at Lincoln Park Zoo for the three new lion cubs. The cubs are given a wellness exam to assess their health, vaccinations, parasite control, and a microchip for future participation in the species’ survival plan. The cubs are manually restrained by Animal Care staff wearing gloves, and the examination is done in pairs to ensure it lasts under 10 minutes.
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Summary of Description:
The three lion cubs born to Zari recently received their 6-week veterinary Assessment; all three are male. The cubs, weighing roughly 2 pounds at birth, now weigh 15-18 pounds and received their first round of vaccinations. A team of 18 keepers, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians completed the examinations in under eight minutes while Zari participated in a training session nearby. The cubs have been monitored remotely since birth, and the preventive health exam was the first time staff had direct contact with them. As the cubs grow more independent, they will participate in positive reinforcement training sessions to participate in their healthcare. The cubs’ names have yet to be determined, and they will remain behind the scenes for the coming weeks as they continue to grow.
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Zari’s Three Lion Cubs Receive 6-Week Veterinary Assessment.
The three lion cubs born to Zari, a San Diego Zoo Safari Park lioness, recently received their 6-week veterinary Assessment. All three cubs are male, weighing 15-18 pounds, and received their first round of vaccinations.
As the cubs grow more independent, they can partake in positive reinforcement training sessions to participate in their healthcare. This training can include behaviors like voluntarily stepping on a scale, presenting a limb for vaccination or a tail for blood collection, or hopping on a platform for an ultrasound. A team of 18 keepers, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians completed the Assessment in under 8 minutes to ensure the cubs were not disturbed.
As they grow, the cubs will remain behind the scenes for the coming weeks. During this time, the veterinary staff will continue to monitor them remotely.
The Benefits of Positive Reinforcement Training for Animals
Positive reinforcement training has many benefits for animals. It helps them become more comfortable with veterinary procedures, and it can even reduce the time they need to spend in the veterinary clinic.
When trained using positive reinforcement, animals learn to associate the desired behavior with a reward. This reward could be a treat, a toy, or verbal praise. As the animal learns, the tips become less frequent until the desired behavior is completed without a reward.
Positive reinforcement training also helps to reduce stress and fear in animals. This is beneficial for both the animals and the people caring for them.
Conclusion
Zari’s three lion cubs recently received their 6-week veterinary Assessment; all three are male. A team of 18 keepers, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians completed the check-in in under 8 minutes to ensure the cubs were not disturbed. As they grow, the cubs will remain behind the scenes for the coming weeks. As the cubs grow more independent, they can partake in positive reinforcement training sessions to participate in their healthcare. This type of training has many benefits for animals, including reducing stress and fear and helping them to become more comfortable with veterinary procedures.
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Source Description
Zari’s three lion cubs received their 6-week veterinary Assessment – all three are male! Weighing roughly 2 pounds at birth, the cubs now weigh 15-18 pounds and received their first round of vaccinations.
To minimize potential disruption to the cubs or lioness Zari, a team of 18 keepers, veterinarians, and veterinary technicians carefully choreographed an approach. As a result, all three cubs received their examinations in under eight minutes while Zari participated in a training session in a separate space nearby.
Since the cubs’ birth, veterinary staff has been monitoring the cubs via remote cameras, and this preventive health exam was the first and likely only time staff will have directed contact with the cubs. As they grow more independent, the cubs will begin participating in positive reinforcement training sessions to participate in their healthcare. This training can include behaviors like voluntarily stepping on a scale, presenting a limb for vaccination, or a tail for blood collection – or, as we shared with Zari in an earlier post, hopping on a platform for an ultrasound.
The cubs – whose names have yet to be determined – will remain behind the scenes for the coming weeks as they grow.