A novel protocol for hand-rearing of the toco toucan Ramphastos toco using a non-commercial diet based on native ingredients

Abstract

The toco toucan Ramphastos toco was considered extinct in the Tucuman Yungas (central region of Argentina) until 2011, when it was recorded again; however, the species remains threatened. The Parque de la Biodiversidad (Formerly Cordoba Zoo) is an institution committed to conservation and has a specific project for toucan conservation, which includes the breeding and eventual release of captive-reared toucans in the forests of Tucuman. This article describes a novel protocol for artificial incubation and rearing of the chicks until their release age. Eggs were incubated at 37°C and 45% humidity, rotating them four times a day. Forty-eight hours before the expected hatching, humidity was increased to 60% and rotation was stopped. Embryo development occurred as naturally expected, and five out of six eggs successfully hatched. During the first three days of life, the chicks were kept under the same conditions as those during the incubation period. Thereafter, the temperature decreased by 1°C per day, , reaching 31°C by the eighth day of life. The chicks exhibited a proper and vigorous response to external stimuli, comparable to that of their wild-reared counterparts. Five toucan chicks were successfully hand-reared to 60 days of age using the proposed formula and rearing protocol, before being transferred to an alternative facility for eventual soft-release into the wild.