Captive Documentation

Abstract.- This husbandry manual is prepared for all holders of brown teal in accordance with the Brown Teal Captive Management Plan. The information contained within this manual reflects current best practice for captive management of brown teal, and draws on the experience and expertise of participants in both the New Zealand brown teal and sub-antarctic teal captive programmes.

This manual facilitates the establishment of minimum standards for housing, health care, feeding and breeding management of brown teal, allowing the captive management programme to support the recovery of the species. The establishment of standards for recording information, and notifying and investigating deaths, will assist the Captive Management Co-ordinator to maintain an accurate studbook and provide the feedback necessary to assist the programme to meet its annual production targets. It will also allow the collection of veterinary information to provide both a better understanding of, and improvements in, brown teal health management.
With continuing improvements to current captive management techniques, the information contained in this husbandry manual will require updating and should be reviewed at least every five years.

Abstract – Captive management has the potential to make a significant net contribution to future Brown Teal recovery, in spite of initial concerns that a captive population would be a net consumer of birds and about the lack of pedigree records. Captive Brown Teal have been shown to have a long productive life, and productivity can also be enhanced by management techniques such as multiple clutching, artificial incubation and brooding, and cross-fostering, all of which have been used successfully.
The goal of the Brown Teal Captive Management Plan is to maintain, manage
and develop the Brown Teal captive breeding programme to retain known
genetic diversity, annually supply known quality birds for release in the
quantities and at the times required by the recovery programme, and to
contribute to Brown Teal advocacy. A number of objectives to be achieved
during the life of this plan are described. Within each objective a range of tasks
will need to be completed, and a time frame for their completion is proposed,
together with procedures for ensuring that the program is followed.

Abstract – Outlines the rationale behind the quarantine protocols for translocation of Brown Teal. The protocols are designed to mitigate the risk of disease transfer to wild Brown Teal populations and reintroduction sites. Brown Teal are a nationally endangered species so it is important to treat disease as a threat to the species, alongside other threats such as predation and habitat destruction. Transfers between captive breeding/holding facilities are seen as low risk, as the captive population is treated as a ‘whole population’.

Abstract – To help us with the efficient management of Brown Teal, please complete one of these annual report forms for each pair of Brown Teal held in captivity. For pairs who bred more than once in the last year, please report on the results of each clutch laid on the lines below clutch number.

Abstract – Outlines the protocols for translocation of wild brown teal egg

Abstract – Outlines a suggested timeline for next years release for all NZ Brown Teal captive breeders.