University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, 1078 Budapest, Hungary,
University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, 1078 Budapest, Hungary.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2022 Jun;53(2):448-454. doi: 10.1638/2021-0007.
Following a case of mandibular fracture in a giraffe () at the Budapest Zoo, a survey was conducted across European zoological institutions with the support of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums Giraffe Ex situ Programme (EAZA Giraffe EEP) to help identify the incidence, potential causes, and management of such injuries. Two hundred sixteen zoos keeping giraffes were invited to participate in the survey. Eighty-six responses were received, 14 of which (16.3%) reported jaw fractures with various causes in their giraffes. Of these responses, hay racks, where the muzzle of the giraffe could fit between the grid of feeding contraptions, were associated with mandibular fractures in seven cases (50.0%). Most giraffes were managed surgically (10/14; 71.4%), two were managed medically (14.3%), one was euthanized because of the severity of the injury (7.1%), and one was only diagnosed with a mandibular fracture postmortem. One giraffe died owing to postanesthetic complications; all other individuals had a full recovery. Most mandible fractures occurred in relatively young giraffes (between 5 wk and 8 yr with an average of 3.4 yr). Based on these findings, facilities with giraffe should evaluate their hay feeders for mandible entrapment risk, especially if they house young individuals.
在布达佩斯动物园的一只长颈鹿发生下颌骨骨折后，在欧洲动物园协会（EAZA）长颈鹿圈养计划（EAZA Giraffe EEP）的支持下，对欧洲的动物园进行了一项调查，以帮助确定此类损伤的发生率、潜在原因和管理方法。有 216 家饲养长颈鹿的动物园被邀请参与这项调查。共收到 86 份回复，其中 14 份（16.3%）报告了其长颈鹿出现的各种下颌骨骨折病例。在这些回复中，有 7 例（50.0%）下颌骨骨折与食槽架有关，长颈鹿的口鼻部可以卡在喂食装置的格栅之间。大多数长颈鹿接受了手术治疗（10/14；71.4%），2 只接受了药物治疗（14.3%），1 只因伤势严重而被安乐死（7.1%），1 只仅在死后诊断出下颌骨骨折。有 1 只长颈鹿因麻醉后并发症死亡；所有其他个体都完全康复。大多数下颌骨骨折发生在相对年轻的长颈鹿（5 周龄至 8 岁，平均 3.4 岁）。基于这些发现，饲养长颈鹿的机构应评估其干草饲料器是否存在下颌骨被困的风险，特别是如果它们饲养的是幼体。
