Project
Carnivore Nutrition
Unit(s) of assessment: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology
School: School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Overview
Research primarily focuses on understanding the nutrition of captive domestic and exotic carnivore species, in particular the captive cheetah. Projects include an investigation into captive nutritional husbandry strategies, utilising behaviour, gut health, and welfare indicators. Collaboration with an international team of veterinary nutritionists and epidemiologists aims to determine dietary risk factors for gastrointestinal disease in captive cheetahs. An investigation into the microbiota of free-ranging cheetahs is being conducted to develop a reference range for comparative studies in captive animals. Work in situ cheetah conservation includes investigations of the efficacy of non-lethal predator control methods (i.e. livestock guarding dogs), and the attitudes of zoo visitors and members of the public towards cheetah conservation.
Collaboration
Publications
WHITEHOUSE-TEDD, K.M., CAVE, N.J., UGARTE, C.E., WALDRON, L.A., PRASAIN, J.K., ARABSHAHI, A., BARNES, S. and THOMAS, D.G., 2011. . Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 42 (4), pp. 658-670.
DEPAUW, S., HESTA, M., WHITEHOUSE-TEDD, K., VANHAECKE, L., VERBRUGGHE, A. and JANSSENS, G.P., 2011.. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition.
DEPAUW, S., HESTA, M., WHITEHOUSE-TEDD, K., STAGEGAARD, J., BUYSE, J. and JANSSENS, G.P., 2011. . Zoo Biology.
BELL, K.M., VAN ZYL, M., UGARTE, C.E. and HARTMAN, A., 2011. . Zoo Biology, 30 (2), pp. 199-204.
BELL, K.M., RUTHERFURD, S.M., COTTAM, Y.H. and HENDRIKS, W.H., 2011. . Zoo Biology, 30 (4), pp. 412-426.
BELL, K.M., RUTHERFURD, S.M. and HENDRIKS, W.H., 2010. . Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 94 (6), p. E329-E338.