Traumatic telson avulsion and attempted external stabilization in Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus)
Atlantic horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are prevalent in public aquarium touch pools. Despite their popularity, the literature concerning medical management under managed care is sparse. Noninfectious conditions include trauma to the exoskeleton and compound eyes; however, injury to the soft tissue connecting the telson and opisthosoma has not been previously reported. This report describes telson […]
Aquarium Visitors Catch Some Rays: Rays Are More Active in the Presence of More Visitors
Humans are a constant in the lives of captive animals, but the effects of human–animal interactions vary. Research on the welfare impacts of human–animal interactions focus predominantly on mammals, whereas fish have been overlooked. To address this lack of research, we assessed the impacts of aquarium visitors on the behaviors of ten members of four […]
Invisible Invertebrates: The Welfare of Invertebrates in Public Aquaria
Awareness of welfare issues within animal collections is increasing as information becomes more accessible for staff and the public. A knowledge gap remains when considering the welfare of invertebrates, particularly when housed in public aquaria. TripAdvisor comments were analyzed for 485 worldwide aquariums. The public focused on anthropogenic features or charismatic organisms within collections. Invertebrate […]
Integrating Individual Animal and Population Welfare in Zoos and Aquariums
Over the last 50 years, animal welfare science has advanced dramatically, especially in zoos and aquariums. A shifting focus from population-level welfare parameters such as reproductive success and longevity (macroscopic, big-picture concepts) to the subjective experience of individual animals (microscopic, focused concepts) has led to more effective animal welfare assessments and improvements in animal welfare. […]
Southern Sea Otter Rehabilitation: Lessons and Impacts from the Monterey Bay Aquarium
As biodiversity continues to decline across the globe, conservation of wildlife species and the ecosystems they inhabit is more important than ever. When species dwindle, ecosystems that depend on them are also impacted, often leading to a decrease in the life-giving services healthy ecosystems provide to humans, wildlife, and the global environment. Methods of wildlife […]
Recognising emotional expressions in captive bottlenose dolphins: Can lay observers agree using qualitative behavioural assessment?
This study applies qualitative behavioural assessment (QBA) to bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. Ten observers recruited through convenience sampling, who were unfamiliar with bottlenose dolphins and managed care of cetaceans, were instructed to use a Free Choice Profiling methodology to assess 20 video clips showing captive dolphins in a range of environmental and contextual settings. QBA […]
Can Aquatic Invertebrates within Public Aquaria Fit the Five Domain Welfare Model?
Welfare within zoos and aquariums has come under increasing scrutiny due to the change in public opinion of animals in captivity. It is vital that as an industry mechanisms and frameworks are in place to determine welfare of animals within our care. Due to potential bias in current welfare models toward terrestrial vertebrates, it is […]
Aquarium Tank Design Is Integral to the Elimination of Mantle Abrasion in the Captive Curled Octopus (Eledone cirrhosa): A Case Study at Macduff Marine Aquarium
Macduff Marine Aquarium is a native species aquarium situated on the Moray Firth coastline and houses the curled octopus, Eledone cirrhosa, for public display. Historically, the designated octopus display tank has been in-keeping with the overall theme of the aquarium, consisting of artificially created rock work mimicking the local rocky coastline, within an angular glass […]
Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter: Assessing the impact of a visit to a zoo or aquarium
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Animal Welfare Forum: The Welfare of Zoo Animals
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