104



HUSBANDRY GUIDELINES FOR HAND-REARING

THE PINK-BACKED PELICAN Pelecanus rufescens


by Michelle Stevens



Introduction


The Pink-backed Pelican is widespread in the Afrotropics, including

south-west Arabia, and formerly bred on the Amirantes, Seychelles and

Madagascar (Hockey et al. 2005). They describe it as locally fairly common

with a global population estimated at 50,000-100,000 birds. However,

in South Africa it is classified as Vulnerable due to the small population

size and ongoing wetland degradation and loss. Zimmerman et al. (1996)

described it as widespread on lakes, rivers and seasonal flood waters, also

coastal estuaries and saltpans. Colonies are often small, widely scattered,

and may be some distance from water. It forages singly, catching fish with

an heron-like snapping action. Snow & Perrins (1998) stated that it breeds

over much of Africa south of the Sahara and on Red Sea coasts north to about

23°N (they also noted that in Egypt it is an increasingly common, regular

(summer?) visitor to southern parts of Lake Nasser). It nests colonially. Two

to four eggs are laid in a small, unlined, very dirty nest of sticks, high in

a tree, in a bush or even on the ground (Mackworth-Praed & Grant, 1957).


Longleat Safari Park


The group of pelicans at Longleat Safari Park consists of 15 Pink-backed

Pelicans and a male Spot-billed Pelican P. philippensis . The pelicans live

on a large lake, which has a small sheltered island, at the front of which

nesting platforms have been constructed (see photo p.113). At Longleat

the pelicans breed from June-September. This study covers the practical

husbandry of the Pink-backed Pelican and describes problems encountered

hand-rearing this species.


Aims and objectives


The aims and objectives of this study were to produce husbandry

guidelines on the hand-rearing of the Pink-backed Pelican, which can be

used by those keeping and breeding this species. Brouwer et al. (1994) stated

that there is a paucity of literature on hand-rearing techniques.


I set out to gather information from collections which keep and breed

this species, and use that information and the information I have acquired

at Longleat Safari Park, to compile an accurate set of husbandry guidelines.

I wanted the information to include details of the diet used to hand-rear the

chicks in other collections and the effect the diet had on their growth rate.

I also wanted to try to find out if other collections experience the same

problems as we do and their management programmes to deal with them.



