standardization of records keeping in indian zoos - Central Zoo ...

may be easier to read but the ink will also diffuse somewhat, making the marks less
distinct.
The following strategies should increase the life of a tattoo:
1. Either choose a relatively hairless tattoo site or closely shave or clip the hair.
2. Thoroughly clean the site with alcohol to remove all oil and wax.
3. Let the alcohol dry completely before applying the ink.
4. Use green ink. Green ink contrasts with the background on most ears and has
proven to be the most readable over time. (It is tempting to use white ink on the black
inner ears of ungulates such as blackbuck, Antilope cervicapra, but this has not
proven effective.)
5. Apply ink before and after applying the tattoo instruments. Once the tattoo
punctures have been made, thoroughly rub in the ink for at least 1 minute.
6. Hold the animal securely while applying the tattoo t prevent scratching the animal
and blurring the tattoo.
7. Be certain that the opposite side of the pliers is padded to ensure adequate
penetration of the needles.
Thompson and Armour (1954) identified individual cottontail rabbits, and Keith et al.
(1968) identified snow shoe hares by tattooed numbers in the ears. Polar Bears were
tattooed on the upper lip and groin area by Lentfer (1968). Downing and Mc.Ginnes
(1969) tattooed white tailed deer fawns on the ends of the ear with green dye.
4.4 COLLARS AND WRIST BANDS
Collars have been used to mark both wild and domestic animals. A wide variety of
designs have been developed (Twigg 1975; Stonehouse 1978; Day, Schemnitz, and
Taber 1980). Common techniques include color coding the collars, painting them, or
attaching numbers to them.
The greatest advantage of collars is the ease with which they can be read.
They are also inexpensive and humane. On the other hand, collars are often not
permanent (on long lived animals), and they are very conspicuous. It is notable that
snug collar made of dog-collar chain coded with sections of aluminium and copper
tubing, have been used without incident to mark hanuman langurs, Semnopithecus (=
Presbytis) entellus, at the San Diego Wild Animal Park (R. Massena, pers. Comm.).
Collars of any type should be monitored regularly to ensure that they do not wear or
cut into the skin. In Loris, colored plastic bird leg bands may be fixed around the
wrists. It is well visible from some distance. The band around the wrist should be so
fixed that it is not too tight so as to prevent the accumulation of dirt under it leading to
skin problems.
4.5 PIT (PASSIVE INTEGRATED TRANSPONDER) TAGS
Pit tags provide permanent identification. Each tag consists of an
electromagnetic coil and custom designed microchip that emits an analog signal when
excited by an electromagnetic energy from a scanning wand. The transponder chip is
uniquely programmed with an alpha or a numeric code and > 34 billion combinations
are available ( Nietfeld et al. 1994). Once inserted under a mammal‟s skin with a large
bore syringe, a PIT tag can be “read” by a scanner. PIT Tags are expensive, however
relative to most other marking methods and they require a specific scanner matched to
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