Robbins Charles T, Tollefson Troy N, Rode Karyn D, Erlenbach Joy A, Ardente Amanda J
School of the Environment and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
Mazuri® Exotic Animal Nutrition, Land O'Lakes Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Zoo Biol. 2022 Mar;41(2):166-175. doi: 10.1002/zoo.21658. Epub 2021 Nov 18.
Although polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and brown bears (U. arctos) have been exhibited in zoological gardens for centuries, little is known about their nutritional needs. Multiple recent studies on both wild and captive polar bears and brown bears have found that they voluntarily select dietary macronutrient proportions resulting in much lower dietary protein and higher fat or digestible carbohydrate concentrations than are currently fed in most zoos. These lower protein concentrations selected by both species maximized growth rates and efficiencies of energy utilization in brown bears and may play a role in reducing kidney, liver, and cardiovascular diseases in both species. Therefore, we propose the need for the development of new dietary regimens for both species in managed care that better reflect their macronutrient needs. We developed a new kibble that is higher in fat and lower in protein than typical diets that have been fed in managed care, has a fatty acid profile more consistent with wild bear diets, and has been readily consumed by both brown bears and polar bears. The kibble can be fed as the sole diet or as part of more complex diets with additional fruits, meats, or vegetables. Because many nutritional deficiencies and related diseases can take months or years to appear, we urge caution and continued long-term monitoring of bears and their diets to ensure their optimal health.
尽管北极熊（Ursus maritimus）和棕熊（U. arctos）在动物园中展出已有数百年历史，但人们对它们的营养需求知之甚少。最近对野生和圈养的北极熊及棕熊进行的多项研究发现，它们会自愿选择饮食中的宏量营养素比例，从而使饮食中的蛋白质含量远低于目前大多数动物园所投喂的水平，而脂肪或可消化碳水化合物的含量更高。这两个物种选择的较低蛋白质浓度使棕熊的生长速度和能量利用效率最大化，并且可能在降低这两个物种的肾脏、肝脏和心血管疾病方面发挥作用。因此，我们建议有必要为管理照料中的这两个物种制定新的饮食方案，以更好地反映它们的宏量营养素需求。我们开发了一种新的犬粮，其脂肪含量高于管理照料中投喂的典型饮食，蛋白质含量低于典型饮食，脂肪酸谱与野生熊的饮食更一致，并且棕熊和北极熊都很乐意食用。这种犬粮可以作为唯一的食物投喂，也可以作为更复杂饮食的一部分，搭配额外的水果、肉类或蔬菜。由于许多营养缺乏症和相关疾病可能需要数月或数年才会显现，我们敦促谨慎行事，并持续对熊及其饮食进行长期监测，以确保它们的健康达到最佳状态。
