Chapter 16: Zoo and Exotic Animal Production and Management
1. An exotic animal is an animal that is not native to the area where it is raised
and may be rarely found in its natural habitat. Exotic animals are now being
2. Similarities of exotic and domestic animals include related families, the need
3. Exotic animals are used for food and by-products, entertainment, pets,
4. Llamas are mammals that originated in South America and are used for their
meat and hair and as pack animals. Many are now becoming alternative pets,
meaning they are being used in a way that they were not meant to be bred for.
Llama meat is low in fat and has a desirable taste. Few llamas are eaten in the
United States. Breeding llamas can sell from several hundred dollars to
is very soft and provides insulation and warmth for winter clothing and other
products. Alpacas are very profitable animals. They range in weight from
100 to 175 pounds. They have similar life spans to those of llamas. Breeding
stock alpacas are very costly due to the profits that the hair quality can bring
to production. Females may sell for $20,000-$30,000 and a male breeding
and cattle. In fact, elk are raised very similarly to cows. Elk are considered
the livestock of the future.
Deer are raised for their meat, which is called venison. They are also raised
for breeding stock, scents for hunting, and their antlers. Deer are ruminants
that graze on pasture. They require specialized fencing due to their ability to
are very adaptable to a variety of habitats. Ostrich production has decreased
in size as the popularity of ostrich farming in the last several years caused an
over abundance of ostrich and the needs in the industry have decreased.
Ostrich still remain a marketable business.
Alligators are large reptiles that are raised for their meat, skin, and by-
5. Zoos serve several purposes such as entertainment, educational resources,
research, and conservation.
6. Some animals are donated or given to zoos by people who can’t properly care
for them or who are not licensed to house them. Animals that are retired from
7. Cost of exotic animals and their availability
Equipment
Housing and Fencing
Nutrition and Food Supplies
Veterinary Medical Care
Staff and Labor
Marketing and Advertising
Utilities: Lighting, Electric, Water, Telephone, etc.
Permits and Licenses
Insurance and Liability
8. Housing Needs of Exotics
Indoor, Outdoor, or a Combination?
Temperature Needs?
Housed Alone or in Groups?
Amount of Space per Animal?
Housing Materials?
Fencing Materials?
Restraint Equipment?
9. Profitability is how much money the animal will make and marketability is
how well the animal will sell.
Clinical Situation