Doing better for understudied species: Evaluation and improvement of a species-general animal welfare assessment tool for zoos
Accredited zoos and aquariums are required to have a welfare assessment process in place for the animals in their care. However, welfare assessment theoretical frameworks and methodologies vary widely. Previous studies have shown that taxonomic biases in research are found broadly within the field of animal behavior and specifically within applied animal welfare science, which […]
The fate and movements of aquarium-released giant trevally Caranx ignobilis inferred from acoustic telemetry
Abstract Movements of four adult giant trevally Caranx ignobilis were tracked using passive acoustic telemetry after being released from uShaka Sea World Aquarium in Durban, South Africa, where they had been kept on display for a period of 8 years. All four individuals were detected on a large network of deployed acoustic receivers for a […]
Synergy between behavioural research on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) conducted in zoological and wild settings
Behavioural observations of captive beluga whales have complemented and extended much of what has been learnt about this species in the wild. Aquarium-based research has provided finer-scale specificity for many topics, including the seasonal breeding pattern that is characteristic of this species, as well as socio-sexual behaviour that appears to be an important part of […]
Status of animal welfare research in zoos and aquariums: Where are we, where to next?
Research into the conditions that promote good animal welfare is essential to equip zoos and aquariums with the knowledge to create environments in which animals thrive. In order to collate the empirical information that is available regarding animal welfare in zoos and aquariums with regard to topics, methods and species, a systematic literature review was […]
Death at the Zoo: The Media, Science, and Reality
Media characterizations of zoo and aquarium animal deaths were randomly monitored on the internet for a 20-month period (September 2003–May 2005). Based on 148 samples collected, it was possible to classify articles into one of four categories, which were operationally defined: 1) dispassionate observers; 2) accusers; 3) sympathizers; and 4) balancers. In addition, with the […]
Collaborative Enrichment
Maximizing the contribution of science in zoos and aquariums: organizational models and perceptions
A survey of research in North American zoos and aquariums
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1998)17:33.3.CO;2-9 To assess the current status of research in zoos and aquariums, a 36-item survey, which replicated and expanded upon an earlier survey [Finlay and Maple, 1986], was sent to 173 American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) institutions. A response rate of 71% was achieved after a second mailing. The results show that the […]
Publication trends in zoo biology: A brief analysis of the first 15 years
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:13.3.CO;2-3 Zoo Biology has completed 15 years as a professional journal dedicated to exsitu wildlife research. To assess the journal’s representation of zoo and aquarium research, we examined some aspects of its publication record, based on analyses of 395 research articles. The taxonomic representation of Zoo Biology is heavily skewed toward research articles on […]
Zoo and aquarium animal management and conservation: Current trends and future challenges
The turn of the century appears to be a good time to examine the role of zoos and aquariums, both in the past and present, and to predict what role these organizations will play in animal management and conservation in the future. In this review three main trends are considered: (1) the loss of wildlife […]