Special Issue Survey of Cetaceans in Captive Care

7. Food and Fish House 367establish a preparation and feeding procedure andprovide the staff with adequate training.Cetaceans should be fed individually with previouslycleaned hands, and the staff in charge offeeding will learn to recognize any alterationsfrom the normal state of health and behaviour inorder to adjust food intake, consulting a veterinarianwhen necessary. The quantity and type of foodconsumed by each animal should be recordedafter each feeding session (Crissey, 1998; survey).Food can be used as a reward, but it should neverbe withheld as a punishment.When the animals are fed outside in cool orcold conditions, no extra cooling is needed. Whenthey are fed inside, or outside at a temperature of18º to 20º C, the fish is kept in cooled containers.If they are fed outside in warm to hot conditions,it is important to keep the fish iced and covered inpool-side coolers to avoid microbial build-up andcontact with pests (Crissey, 1998; survey). Meltedice and fish juices will be drained from the bucketsperiodically (survey). Ice can be placed separatelyin a plastic bag, or the fish can be placed ina covered, insulated container.If members of the public are allowed to feed theanimals, it only should be done under staff supervision.The quantity of fish given to individualanimals will be recorded to adjust the subsequentrations. Only fish provided by the institution canbe allowed (Klinowska & Brown 1986). Closecontact between dolphins and people facilitates thetransfer of microorganisms that have pathogenicpotential. It is recommended that strict hygienicrules be observed by members of the public whocontact dolphins directly. They should wash theirhands prior to handling the fish, and not placeanything in an animal’s mouth that they would notplace in their own (Geraci & Ridgway, 1991).Fish HouseFreezer and RefrigeratorThe survey respondents recommended that therebe two access points to a freezer—one from theoutside, wide enough for direct loading from atruck using a forklift or from an electric cart, andthe other from the preparation room. Bunk freezersare not recommended, even for small facilities,as they do not allow a proper turnover of the boxesor packs and are difficult to access. Bags of IQFcan be stored on shelves or in special containers(survey).The surface and volume of a freezer required bya facility can be calculated in the following ways:• The duration of the supply according to theamount of food eaten by the animals in oneday/week/month• The number of boxes/packs this total represents,including waste, and the amount ofspace (surface and volume) required for them,stacked at a maximum height of 1.8 m to easemanipulation (The supplier can help with theevaluation.)• Additional 0.6 m open space around the perimeterof the freezer and above the stacks to allowgood air circulation, and a central path betweenstacks of at least 0.9 mLarge, stainless steel, professional kitchen-typerefrigerators can be placed inside the preparationroom, or a walk-in refrigerator can be placedbetween the freezer and the preparation room.Walk-in refrigerators, shelves, and fittings will bemade of materials that are easy to clean, disinfect,and maintain (e.g., stainless steel) (survey).Refrigerators and freezers will have a temperaturedisplay panel located near the front door, andthe temperature will be checked and recorded daily.They should be equipped with an alarm system tosignal temperature increase. In case of power failureor system breakdown, an emergency generatoris necessary to maintain the required temperatureuntil the stock is transferred to another freezer oruntil repair is completed.In the unfortunate case of a dolphin’s death, thecarcass should not, under any circumstances, bekept in the food supply freezer. A special freezerlocated in the necropsy room will be kept solelyfor this purpose or the carcass should be dealt withby the veterinarian.Preparation RoomThe preparation room is the place where fish arethawed and processed. In most institutions, trainershandle the food preparation. They spend severalhours daily in the fish house, processing thefood, and thereafter, sanitising the space. Changesof level and stairs make the trainer’s task of carryingfood to the animals several times a day verydifficult. Therefore, the locations of the fish houseand freezer are of great importance. The surveyrecommended that they be located at the samelevel as the dolphin pool and as close to it as possible,preferably not be under the stage or pooldeck. Trainers should not have to carry the foodover different levels nor carry excessive weightover unreasonable distances.Stainless steel sinks and tables are recommendedover concrete or enamel because theyare easy to clean and disinfect and are resistantto punctures and cuts. Concrete is resistant, butit requires thorough scrubbing since its surfaceis not smooth. Concrete can be used for floorsif the finish is very smooth and receives a waterprooftreatment or a high resistance epoxy finish.Industrial ceramic or aggregate tiles can be used,