Environmental Influences on the Activity of Captive Apes

Forty-one zoological gardens in seven European countries were visited to investigate activity level in captive environments for great apes. Forty-three groups of gorillas and 68 groups of orangutans were observed. The seven factors quantified for each of the environments were size of the enclosure, usable surface area, frequency of feeding, number of animals, and number […]

Sources of stress in captivity

Animals housed in artificial habitats are confronted by a wide range of potentially provocative environmental challenges. In this article, we review many of the potential stressors that may adversely affect animals living in captivity. These include abiotic, environmental sources of stress such as artificial lighting, exposure to loud or aversive sound, arousing odors, and uncomfortable […]