130 - The Raw Truth: Feeding Zoo-Housed Carnivores

Abstract: Health and wellness of animals in our care is inexorably linked to their feeding experience (i.e., what and how food is offered). Usage of raw meat-based diets is longstanding and widespread in US zoos and aquaria, with a movement towards increased proportions of the diet from whole prey. Pet food industry has seen a steep rise in number and diversity of commercially available raw meat-based products for pets in recent decades, whereas the number of suppliers and products for zoo markets remain low. Budgetary constraints of zoos equate to lower quality ingredients than those in the premium pet food market. Zoo markets have not been immune to supply chain issues during the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, resulting in the challenges of higher cost and decreased supply. Advances to the well-being of our animals could be achieved by leveraging findings from pet food research to include value-added nutrients such as probiotics, natural antioxidants, and Omega-3 enriched oils. In cases where animal needs differ from nutrition provided by commercial products (e.g., medical cases, enhancing feeding experience), zoo nutritionists rely on in-house formulations to provide additional support. Often these cases require creative formulation leveraging items from the human-food market and other unconventional sources. Examples and practical applications of individualized formulations for zoo and aquaria will be discussed.