Enrichment with classical music enhances affiliative behaviours in bottlenose dolphin
Environmental enrichment is a crucial element for the promotion of welfare of animals kept under human care. While a large variety of environmental enrichments has been proposed and studied for terrestrial animals, including a growing area represented by acoustical enrichment such as music, the same is not true for marine mammals. The purpose of this […]
Bottlenose Dolphins Produce Underwater Bubbles Linked to Cognitive Task Engagement but Not Success
Captive mammals respond emotionally toward cognitive challenges, but research has precluded marine mammals. A potential indicator of emotion in toothed cetaceans is a large singular bubble (‘burst’) emitted from the blowhole, previously linked to surprise and excitement. Our study analysed bursts from a published study on dolphin cognitive enrichment. Bursts were only produced by task-engaged […]
Large brains in small tanks: intelligence and social complexity as an ethical issue for captive dolphins and whales
Dolphins and whales are highly complex, large-brained social mammals. To date, thousands are kept in concrete tanks in marine parks and aquariums around the world. In these environments, they endure lack of control, lack of stimulation, and loss of the ability to engage in activities necessary for them to thrive. The fact that they are […]
Implications of human-animal interactions on mother-calf interactions in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) dyad
Most research on human-animal interactions (HAls) in zoos focuses on the influence of unfamiliar humans (visitors) on the animals. Limited research focusses on the influence of familiar (keepers/trainers) HAI and there has been no research investigating the impact of familiar HAls on mother-offspring interactions. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has been bred and trained in […]
Optimal marine mammal welfare under human care: Current efforts and future directions
Marine mammals include cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, sea otters and polar bears, many of which are charismatic and popular species commonly kept under human care in zoos and aquaria. However, in comparison with their fully terrestrial counterparts their welfare has been less intensively studied, and their partial or full reliance on the aquatic environment leads to […]
Effects of Pool Size on Free-Choice Selections by Atlantic Bottlenosed Dolphins at One Zoo Facility
Dolphin pool design often derives from the concept that cetaceans are ocean based and ipso facto should live in open, deep, watery spaces. This emotionally appealing rationale is not data driven. Researchers report that in the wild, some populations of Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) reside in shallower areas (approximately 2 m deep) and move […]
Allonursing in captive belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)
Abstract This study describes allonursing (females nursing offspring that are not their own) in captive belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). In addition to the calf’s mother, two females that were not pregnant or nursing at the time of the calf’s birth spontaneously lactated and nursed the male calf intermittently throughout 34 months of his life at the […]
The textbook
A review of Cetacean Societies: Field Studies of Dolphins and Whales, edited by Janet Mann, Richard C. Connor, Peter L. Tyack, and Hal Whitehead. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2000, 433 pp., $80.00, hard bound; $35.00, paperback.
Nursing behaviors of beluga calves (Delphinapterus leucas) born in captivity
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:33.3.CO;2-3 The nursing behaviors of two beluga whale calves were observed for the first 55 days postpartum. For both calves, the total time spent nursing in a given period peaked around 7–10 days postpartum and then declined over time. One calf, however, was found to have an unusual decline in nursing at day 35 […]
Successful treatment of suspected erysipelas septicemia in a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430120510.abs A 20-year-old male beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) was diagnosed with suspected acute septicemic erysipelas. Physical examination was unremarkable and no skin lesions were evident. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities included mild anemia, a marked leukocytosis, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and moderate elevations of total protein, gamma globulins, blood urea nitrogen, […]