(Nestor notabilis) Husbandry Manual - Kea Conservation Trust

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• Training can also be used as an enrichment tool to increase complexity.
4.3.4 Staff
• A minimum of two committed persons who are confident and competent in
basic kea training methods
• Staff must detail each training session’s objectives and results in a daily
diary (e.g. Crate training – Pluto stepping into crate with more confidence
today. Will look to extend time he spends in the crate over the next week).
NB. Those birds involved in breeding behaviour may not respond to training
between the months of June - January however training must resume once
reproductive activity has finished or if a bird within the pair is expressing
stereotypic behaviours
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Best Practice 4.3 – Training and Conditioning
4.3.2 Methods
As above with training regime extended to a daily training and inclusive of
behaviours for advocacy and education of the public (utilising birds that show
interest in “throwing “behaviours).
4.3.3 Staff
Kea respond well to change and novel items and as such should be provided with
some level of exploratory value in their training through introduction of new
personnel and training objectives introduced by staff. This should be aimed at
increasing stimulation rather than measurable outcomes (i.e. this may be linked to
some cognitive research work).
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4.4 Social Structure
4.4.1 Introduction
Social enrichment of species is considered to be crucial for maintenance of
normal species specific behaviours (Kreger et al., 1998). It is generally
acknowledged that group housing of any social species is necessary for
psychological health of individuals and as a form of enrichment is one of the most
complex and effective, assuming group structures are appropriate (Young, 2003).
Inappropriate group makeup and size can negatively impact on reproductive
success of some species. However research has concluded that the benefits of
social enrichment far outweighed the benefits of any other forms of enrichment,
hence its importance in captive management (Schapiro et al., 1996).
Kea as a social species must be held with other con-specifics (Pullar, 1996). They
are a highly mobile species, forming and dissolving flock groupings depending on
age of individuals and season (Jackson, 1960; Clarke, 1970). Although changing
social groupings seasonally is not logistically possible or necessarily in the best
interests of the birds in captivity, holding of kea in age and reproductive
Kea Conservation Trust Final 25/11/2010