The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of the tongue of the okapi, and to compare the results with other ruminants including browsers, intermediates and grazers. The material was collected post-mortem from two animals from a Zoological Garden. The structure of the okapi tongue, focusing of the shape of the tongue, lingual surface, its papillae and lingual glands, was examined using gross morphology, light and polarized microscopy, and by scanning electron microscopy. The okapi tongue was characterized by dark pigmentation on the lingual dorsum (except lingual torus) and on the whole ventral surface. Two types of filiform papillae were observed, with additional, even 6-8 projections at their base. The round fungiform papillae were present at a higher density, up to 16/cm2, on the ventro-lateral area of the lingual apex. Round and elongate vallate papillae were arranged in two parallel lines between the body and root of the tongue. Numerous taste buds were detected within the epithelium of their vallum, while fungiform papillae had sparse taste buds. A lack of foliate papillae was noted. Very small conical papillae, some lenticular in shape, were present on the lingual torus. Thick collagen type I fibers were dominant over collagen type III fibers in the connective tissue of the lingual papillae. The mucous acini units were dominant among lingual glands, indicating that the secretion of okapi lingual glands was mostly mucous. In many aspects, the tongue of okapi resembles the tongue of other ruminants. The specific lingual shape and lingual surface, together with the lingual glands, support the processing of plant food, such as young and soft leaves. Although okapi tongue is characterized by smaller conical papillae compared to other ruminants, its high number of vallate papillae is similar that found in other browsers, intermediate and grazers. Thus the number of gustatory papillae rather indicates that this feature is not related to the type of feeding.

• Klíčová slova
• Okapia johnstoni, adaptation, histochemistry, histology, lingual glands, morphology, oral cavity, scanning electron microscopy, selective browser, type I collagen fiber, type III collagen fiber,
• MeSH
• Artiodactyla anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• chuťové pohárky * ultrastruktura   anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• fyziologická adaptace MeSH
• jazyk * ultrastruktura   anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• mikroskopie elektronová rastrovací MeSH
• žirafy anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Animal movement behaviours are shaped by diverse factors, including resource availability and human impacts on the landscape. We generated home range estimates and daily movement rate estimates for 149 giraffe (Giraffa spp.) from all four species across Africa to evaluate the effects of environmental productivity and anthropogenic disturbance on space use. Using the continuous time movement modelling framework and a novel application of mixed effects meta-regression, we summarized overall giraffe space use and tested for the effects of resource availability and human impact on 95% autocorrelated kernel density estimate (AKDE) size and daily movement. The mean 95% AKDE was 359.9 km2 and the mean daily movement was 14.2 km, both with marginally significant differences across species. We found significant negative effects of resource availability, and significant positive effects of resource heterogeneity and protected area overlap on 95% AKDE size. There were significant negative effects of overall anthropogenic disturbance and positive effects of the heterogeneity of anthropogenic disturbance on daily movements and 95% AKDE size. Our results provide unique insights into the interactive effects of resource availability and anthropogenic development on the movements of a large-bodied browser and highlight the potential impacts of rapidly changing landscapes on animal space-use patterns.

• Klíčová slova
• continuous time movement modelling, daily movement, home range, mixed effects meta-regression, movements, productivity gradients,
• MeSH
• antropogenní vlivy MeSH
• ekosystém * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pohyb MeSH
• žirafy * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Afrika MeSH

Giraffe numbers grow exponentially when farmed, necessitating periodic culling. This study quantified the effect of sex and muscle on the physical quality characteristics of eight giraffe muscles. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was the only parameter to be affected by an interaction between sex and muscle (P < 0.001), although the interaction for the CIE L* values tended towards significance (P = 0.054). Cooking loss (male = 41.6 ± 0.35%; female = 40.7 ± 0.33%; P = 0.024) and CIE L* values (male = 38.8 ± 0.23; female = 37.3 ± 0.27; P = 0.039) were both affected by sex. Muscle had an effect on all physical parameters. The ultimate pH of all muscles was 5.5-5.9; the average WBSF of <43 N for all muscles indicates giraffe meat in this study is tender. This study shows that yield and physical characteristics of giraffe meat are favourable, and the results may be useful for the marketing of giraffe meat.

• Klíčová slova
• Colour, Cooking loss, Drip loss, Game meat, Tenderness, pH,
• MeSH
• kosterní svaly fyziologie   MeSH
• maso analýza   MeSH
• přežvýkavci MeSH
• vaření MeSH
• žirafy * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Suckling of a non-filial calf, or allosuckling, is an extreme case of allomaternal care in mammals. There have been many hypotheses postulated in an attempt to explain this behaviour; however, the supporting evidence differs, together with the conclusions drawn from the investigated variables. Previously, suckling bout rejection was analysed, and the milk theft and reciprocity hypotheses were both determined as the most appropriate explanation of allosuckling in giraffe. In this study, seven hypotheses were tested using different behavioural parameters, namely suckling bout frequency, suckling bout duration, and time spent suckling. It is well-documented that these parameters are associated with various aspects in ungulate biology; for example, suckling rejection typically reflects milk intake and parent-offspring conflict, whereas the suckling bout duration and frequency is associated with social behaviours (affiliation, bonding, social stress). In total, 22 nursing females and 47 suckling calves were observed, in four Czech zoos during a five-year period. The correlation of the observed parameters between the reciprocal female-calf dyads was found to be in line with the reciprocity hypothesis. In addition, non-filial calves tried to steal the milk from non-maternal females, supporting the milk theft hypothesis. Thus, the results support both the reciprocity and milk-theft hypotheses as the most plausible explanation of allosuckling in giraffe, and illustrates the importance of using suckling bout duration and frequency, and the time spent suckling, as behavioural parameters that may aid in explaining the extremity of maternal investment, such as allosuckling.

• MeSH
• kojená zvířata * MeSH
• laktace * MeSH
• mléko * MeSH
• stravovací zvyklosti * MeSH
• žirafy fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

A widespread opinion is that conservation efforts disproportionately benefit charismatic species. However, this doesn't mean that they are not threatened, and which species are "charismatic" remains unclear. Here, we identify the 10 most charismatic animals and show that they are at high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. We also find that the public ignores these animals' predicament and we suggest it could be due to the observed biased perception of their abundance, based more on their profusion in our culture than on their natural populations. We hypothesize that this biased perception impairs conservation efforts because people are unaware that the animals they cherish face imminent extinction and do not perceive their urgent need for conservation. By freely using the image of rare and threatened species in their product marketing, many companies may participate in creating this biased perception, with unintended detrimental effects on conservation efforts, which should be compensated by channeling part of the associated profits to conservation. According to our hypothesis, this biased perception would be likely to last as long as the massive cultural and commercial presence of charismatic species is not accompanied by adequate information campaigns about the imminent threats they face.

• MeSH
• Acinonyx MeSH
• extinkce biologická MeSH
• Gorilla gorilla MeSH
• lvi MeSH
• marketing etika   MeSH
• medvědovití MeSH
• ohrožené druhy trendy   MeSH
• Panthera MeSH
• sloni MeSH
• sociální percepce * MeSH
• tygři MeSH
• vlci MeSH
• zachování přírodních zdrojů metody   MeSH
• žirafy MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Recently, the reticulated giraffe (G. reticulata) was identified as a distinct species, which emphasized the need for intensive research in this interesting animal. To shed light on the meiotic process as a source of biodiversity, we analysed the frequency and distribution of meiotic recombination in 2 reticulated giraffe males. We used immunofluorescence detection of synaptonemal complex protein (SYCP3), meiotic double strand breaks (DSB, marked as RAD51 foci) in leptonema, and crossovers (COs, as MLH1 foci) in pachynema. The mean number of autosomal MLH1 foci per cell (27), which resulted from a single, distally located MLH1 focus observed on most chromosome arms, is one of the lowest among mammalian species analysed so far. The CO/DSB conversion ratio was 0.32. The pseudoautosomal region was localised in the Xq and Yp termini by FISH and showed an MLH1 focus in 83% of the pachytene cells. Chromatin structures corresponding to the nucleolus organiser regions were observed in the pachytene spermatocytes. The results are discussed in the context of known data on meiosis in Cetartiodactyla, depicting that the variation in CO frequency among species of this taxonomic group is mostly associated with their diploid chromosome number.

• Klíčová slova
• Crossover, Giraffe, MLH1, Meiosis, Nucleolus organiser region, RAD51, Recombination, Synaptonemal complex,
• MeSH
• fluorescenční protilátková technika MeSH
• hybridizace in situ fluorescenční MeSH
• meióza genetika   MeSH
• MutL homolog 1 genetika   MeSH
• organizátor jadérka genetika   MeSH
• rekombinace genetická * MeSH
• rekombinasa Rad51 genetika   MeSH
• synaptonemální komplex genetika   MeSH
• žirafy genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• MutL homolog 1 MeSH
• rekombinasa Rad51 MeSH

Despite being regularly bred in zoos, giraffes remain a challenge, especially in terms of feeding. Assessment of factors influencing growth and weight changes during ontogeny, as well as analysis of weight fluctuations in adult individuals, may become a critical point in captive diet evaluation. Knowledge about weight is a crucial husbandry tool; however, such data are rarely acquired. Using a unique dataset from regularly weighed Rothschild giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) from Prague zoo, we determined the growth functions of male and female giraffes and calculated weight gains during giraffe ontogeny. The mean weights of adult males and females were 1307 ± 52 and 835 ± 45 kg, respectively confirming the large overall dimensions of G. c. rothschildi in comparison with other giraffe subspecies. As the giraffe is a polygynous species showing considerable sexual dimorphism, we expected male calves to have larger first weights and faster growth during the most intensive period of maternal care. Growth rates and daily weight gains were higher in males than in females during the whole postnatal period. Males grew faster and longer than females. However, differences in weight between males and females appeared as late as after 1 year of age. The weight of adult males and non-pregnant adult females fluctuated significantly across seasons, being the highest during the autumn and winter months, respectively which may reflect the different effects of sexual activity and feeding ratios in males and females. Zoo Biol. 35:423-431, 2016. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

• Klíčová slova
• Baringo giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi, growth function, ungulate, weight gain,
• MeSH
• chov zvířat normy   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• stravovací zvyklosti fyziologie   MeSH
• tělesná hmotnost fyziologie   MeSH
• žirafy růst a vývoj   fyziologie   MeSH
• zvířata v ZOO * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Wild giraffes live in extensive groups in the fission fusion system, maintaining long social distances and loose social bonds. Within these groups, resources are widely distributed, agonistic encounters are scarce and the dominance hierarchy was reported in males only, while never deeply analysed. In captivity, the possibility to maintain inter-individual distances is limited and part of the resources is not evenly distributed. Consequently, we suggest that agonistic encounters should be more frequent, leading to the establishment of the dominance hierarchy. Based on the differences in resource-holding potential, we suggested that the rank of an individual would be affected by age and sex. Based on hypotheses of prior ownership, we tested whether rank was positively affected by the time spent in a herd and whether it was stable in adult females, which were present long-term in the same herd. We originally monitored four herds of Rothschild giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildii) in Dvůr Králové zoo (n = 8), Liberec zoo (n = 6), and two herds in Prague zoo: Prague 1 (n = 8) and Prague 2 (n = 9). The Prague 1 and Prague 2 herds were then combined and the resulting fifth herd was observed over three consecutive years (2009, 2010, and 2011) (n = 14, 13, and 14, respectively). We revealed a significantly linear hierarchy in Dvůr Králové, Prague 2 and in the combined herd in Prague. Rank was significantly affected by age in all herds; older individuals dominated the younger ones. In females, rank was positively affected by the time spent in the herd and adult females in Prague maintained their rank during three consecutive years. This study represents the first analysis of the dominance hierarchy in the captive giraffe, and discusses the behavioural flexibility of the social structure in response to monopolisable resources in a captive environment.

• MeSH
• kompetitivní chování MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• sociální dominance * MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• žirafy fyziologie   psychologie   MeSH
• zvířata v ZOO fyziologie   psychologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH