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Article for Polska Federacja Ornitologiczna 
About Turacos
A good standard of accomodation
 
A good accommodation is important to ensure the health, reproduction and visitors interest for a new species. Zoos have planned standards of accommodation to garantie it for every animals kept in captivity in “species-specific” mode. 
The follow contents are based on the official EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) protocol for Turaco species and describe many details for a good aviary.
In captivity these softbill birds are generally kept in pairs, also Great blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata) that is the most gregarious species in nature. Turacos are often held in single species aviaries or mixed with different avian species but more recently also in larger immersive tropical aviaries and walkthrough exhibits. Walkthrough and mixed exhibits are good for visitors, learning and naturalistic reconstructions, but for breeding is generally better the single exhibit than large mixed aviary. They are kept with African mammals species like duikers, dik-dik, colobus monkeys,  aardvark, rock hyraxes and birds like barbets, hornbills, ibis or cranes. Aggressions and difficults can occur in intraspecific relationships so would be better kept turacos in single species. In nature competition between species is common. For example Green Turaco (Tauraco persa), which occurs locally up to 2 250 m, completely replaces Bannerman’s Turaco  (Tauraco bannermani) at lower elevations, suggesting that interspecific competition may contribute to the restricted distribution of T. bannermani in upper montane forests (see McKay and Coulthard 1996, Forboseh et al. 2003).
A good high of aviary and cleaning are primary elements for an adequate accommodation. Like fences meshes (maximum 2,5 x 2,5 cm) are recommended for a good ventilation and to prevent escapes, so under floor wiring is also help to avoid any potential rodent problems. You can use plexiglass windows to create point of view for visitors.
While outside exhibit should be naturalistic with bark, grass, gravel and sand terrain, so you can use concrete floor for inside exhibit and walls of house for an “easy cleaning” .
Naturally planted aviary is a good environment, more nesting options, feeding stations and more stimulation for the arboreal habits of turacos, so “re-branching” would be recommended every years.
The turaco can withstand as low as 10°C comfortably, but access to heated areas is recommended. Activity levels will drop dramatically if birds are cold. The same is for temperatures high over 36°C so it becomes important to ensure shade and bathing areas.
For one pair of birds the minimum size requirement is 6m x 2m x 2.5 metres high but is ever very difficult to determinate the exact dimension for a good exhibit. 

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Turacos are one of most representative birds of African continent. 
Like macaws or toucans for Southamerica, hornbills for Asia, a lot of zoos keep Turaco species in their collections like ambassadors of African forests, with their crests and colourfull wings they become an icone of their biome and a good example in learning-parts. 
There are a lot of species demonstrated in European Zoos , but only three are monitored in a studybook (ESB), ,Violet turaco (Musophaga violacea), Red-crested turaco (Tauraco erythrolophus) and Fischer's turaco (Tauraco fischeri). Like these species are fairly common so other like Great blue turaco (Corythaeola cristata) or Western plantain-eater (Crinifer piscator) are difficult to see in European collections.

A good example of natural habitat for turacos are the mountains of Cameroon. According with Phytogeographical studies this region is divided for altitude in three different biomes. 
1) Sub-montane forest. Closed evergreen forest between 800 and 2,000 m in altitude. The onlyi ndigenous conifer of Cameroon, Podocarpus milanjianus, occurs near the upper limits. Tree ferns are conspicious in the moist valleys.
2) Montane forest occurs mainly above 1,800 m and consists of evergreen forest in which shrubs and small trees predominate. At the upper limit it gives way to “Ericaceous thicket”. Much of this forest has been cleared for agriculture and grazing.
3) The Afro-subalpine zone occurs above about 2,800 m and is confined to Mt. Cameroon and Mt. Oku. The vegetation is grassland with shrubs or small trees of the genera Vernonia, Senecio, Alchemilla and Pentaschistis. 


(Based on works by Dr. R. Letouzey)

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Green turaco (Tauraco persa) at Parco Faunistico Valcorba (Italy) pictures by Marco Penello

The Heidelberg Zoo has a good tradition for holding of rare birds species . When I’ve seen it there was the turaco White-bellied go-away bird (Criniferoides leucogaster/Corythaixoides leucogaster) kept in mixed exhibit with Bearded barbet (Lybius dubius). They were in a medium size aviary with many “climbing options”. The fences were meshes and there weren’t another turaco species in exhibit.
Another completely different way to keep turacos is the old African Pavillion of Zoo Zuerich. This installation hosted Eastern Black rhinoceros, Pygmy hippopotamus, Shoebill and many species of African birds. Now this has been completely renoved and there is the new Australian Pavillion. In the indoor exhibit of rhinoceros and pygmy hippos there was even Violet Turaco (Musophaga violacea) in an walkthrough passage in “free-contact” with visitors. Turaco was kept with further bird species but not with other turacos. The indoor-passage rebuilt the habitat of African Rainforests.
There is a good knowledge of care for many species kept in captivity but you can ever observe and discover new ways for care. In zoos you can often see mixed combinations between species that have never kept together, even many solutions for housing and accomodation, so a correct feeding and new technics for reproduce “hard-breeding” species. The world of zoos is evolving so to a modern concept and a lot of species are under observation to reconstruption of ever more natural behaviours. Health of species and a population management can ensure a good conservation programm in captivity.

Article for Polska Federacja Ornitologiczna 
by Stefano Capomagi
 
You can find it in polish on the number 9
of the magazine "Ptaki hobby"
 
21762189_1400781403353322_73248892907913
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