Assessing Giraffe Welfare During Seasonal Habitat Changes in Northern US Zoos
Although there has been an increase in research studying the impact of housing on zoo animal welfare, there is still a lack of literature regarding the impact of seasonal housing differences on animal welfare. In northern American zoos, animals native to warmer climates inhabit an outdoor habitat during the summer and an indoor habitat during […]
Home is where the home range is: Identifying territoriality and exhibit preferences in an ex-situ group of all-male Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus)
Here, the presence or absence of territoriality was evaluated in an all-male Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) group living in an ex-situ environment. Location data for each crocodile within the exhibit were collected three times per day over a two-year period, including two warm seasons and two cold seasons. A geographic information system (GIS) was used […]
Mourning-Like Behaviour in a Malayan Sun Bear
The behavioural response of animals to death, also called mourning-like behaviours, is an area of science which is underrepresented in the literature. Grief is the internalized psychological processing of a loss, whilst mourning is the external expression. In a survey by McGrath et al. (Anim Welf 22, 2013), “90% of the general public surveyed believed […]
Effects of food-based enrichment on enclosure use and behavioral patterns in captive mammalian predators: a case study from an Austrian wildlife park
Combining naturalistic enclosure design and animal welfare with visitor interests and education can be challenging for zoos and wildlife parks. To accomplish both purposes, different types of enrichment (food-based or non-food-based items, such as environmental, sensory, cognitive, social) can be used. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of food-based and […]
Identifying potential measures of stress and disturbance during a captive to wild African elephant reintegration
There is increasing evidence of compromised welfare for elephants managed in captivity. Should such facilities eventually close, more elephants will need to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the wild. The goal of such reintegration would be to restore any physical or psychological aspects of the elephant that may have been compromised in captivity, followed by […]
Ethical evolutions: navigating the future of animal behaviour and welfare research
In June 2022, a group of Animal Behaviour and Welfare researchers from around the world organized a workshop (https://www.asab.org/conferences-events/2022/6/20/ethics-of-animal-behaviour-and-welfare-research-for-the-21st-century-and-beyond) designed to prompt discussion about the future of ethics in animal behaviour and welfare research. This workshop was motivated primarily by lively discussions (predominantly on social media) surrounding articles published in animal behaviour and veterinary journals, […]
The quest to develop automated systems for monitoring animal behavior
Automated behavior analysis (ABA) strategies are being researched at a rapid rate to detect an array of behaviors across a range of species. There is growing optimism that soon ethologists will not have to manually decode hours (and hours) of animal behavior videos, but that instead computers will process them for us. However, before we […]
Noise interfere on feeding behaviour but not on food preference of saffron finches (Sicalis flaveola)
Noise pollution exerts negative well-being effects on animals, especially for captive individuals. A decrease in feeding, reproduction, attention, and an increase in stress are examples of negative effects of noise pollution on animals. Noise pollution can also negatively impact animals’ lives by decreasing the efficiency of food choice: attention decrease can cause animals choose the […]
The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Monitoring Animal Identification, Health, and Behaviour
With many advancements, technologies are now capable of recording non-human animals’ location, heart rate, and movement, often using a device that is physically attached to the monitored animals. However, to our knowledge, there is currently no technology that is able to do this unobtrusively and non-invasively. Here, we review the history of technology for use […]
Is item hiding a good enrichment strategy to reduce stereotypic behaviors and increase social interactions in captive female spectacled bears?
Enrichment strategies are widely used to create stimuli to improve welfare of captive animals. A common strategy is to offer food items that provide physical, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli, by hiding these items or spreading them throughout the enclosure. Although both strategies are recommended as efficient in reducing stereotypic behaviors, few studies compare their effectiveness […]