Enrichment and animal age, not biological variables, predict positive welfare indicators in zoo-housed carnivores
The development of evidence-based zoo animal welfare science and the use of the ‘five domains’ have inspired zoos to increase animal welfare, particularly recognising positive welfare states. We tested whether natural biology (number of habitats, latitudinal range, sociality, body weight) or husbandry variables (mean age of group, group size and presence of extra enrichment) predict […]
The Link Between Personality, Subjective Well-being, and Welfare in Zoo-Housed Sulawesi Crested Macaques (Macaca nigra)
Assessing welfare is at the forefront of modern zoo practice, and there is increasing recognition of how certain personality types are at greater risk of poor welfare outcomes than others when exposed to stressors. We investigated the associations between behaviour, welfare, subjective well-being, and personality in two groups of Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra) (n = 13) […]
Manatees in Zoological Parks throughout the World: History, State, and Welfare
The order Sirenia comprises several species of manatees and one species of dugong. These popular marine mammals are relatively recent acquisitions to zoological parks throughout the world. As far as we know, there are less than 200 manatees, mostly American, a few African, and ever less Amazonian, currently in zoological parks. American manatees are predominantly […]
Evaluation of factors affecting the behaviour of Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) in captivity
The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi is one of the large category zoos of the country housing a number of endangered species of animals. The zoo is visited by a large number of visitors every year. The zoo provides a naturalistic environment and other facilities like feed, healthcare, etc. to the captive animals. However, […]
Enhancing welfare in a mixed exhibit: The impact of dispersed whole food on activity levels and feeding behaviours of Mexican military macaws and red-billed curassows
Presenting chopped food in a bowl is a traditional feeding technique in zoos worldwide. However, it may not provide sufficient stimulation for many species to satisfy their behavioural needs. Recent studies suggest that dispersing food within enclosures may be a better alternative, especially in mixed exhibits where food competition is a concern. In this study, […]
Activity budget and behaviour of giant otters Pteronura brasiliensis at Parken Zoo, Eskilstuna, Sweden
Modern zoos must ensure the welfare and conservation of their captive animals. For this, it is recommended to provide cognitive stimuli (‘enrichment’), good habitat management and adequate nutrition amongst other things. Assessment of animal welfare should include behavioural observation. One frequently used approach compares the activity budget of zoo animals with their wild conspecifics, carefully […]
Review: Towards an integrated concept of animal welfare
Animal welfare is an important field of study due to animal sentience, yet there is to date no consensus on the definition of animal welfare. There have been four key developments in the field of animal welfare science since its birth: the theoretical and empirical study of affective states, and hence our understanding thereof, has […]
Personality traits in captive Antillean manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus) in Brazil and perspectives for the release of individuals
Personality refers to an individual feature which is consistent over time and contexts and modulates how animals perceive and interact with the surrounding environment, influencing life history traits such as foraging, dispersion and reproduction. So far, very little is known about the Antillean manatee’s personality. Here we aimed to investigate personality traits of nine captive […]
Influence of social enrichment on transport stress in fish: a behavioural approach
Ornamental fishes are among the most commonly owned companion animals in the world, however, the transportation process during acquisition can result in fishes being exposed to biotic and abiotic conditions which compromise welfare. While many studies have considered methods of improving welfare for food fishes through physical and social enrichment, few have considered how to […]
Behavioural effects of noise on Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) in a walk-through enclosure
Anthropogenic noise has been related to stress in captive animals; despite this there have been few studies on animal welfare assessment in walk-through zoo enclosures. We aimed to investigate the behavioural effects of noise on a male-female pair of two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus), housed in a walk-through enclosure in a zoo in the UK. The […]