The influence of rearing on personality ratings of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Personality traits of 43 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at five zoos in the United Kingdom were assessed. Chimpanzees were categorised into one of three rearing conditions: mother-groupreared (MGR), reared with others but separated from mother (RO), and reared alone for a period of time during infancy (RA). This study was interested in the effects of […]
Managing the Socialization of an Adult Male Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) With a History of Social Deprivation
Most non-human primates exhibit aggression during changes in social group composition. In zoological parks, group membership changes are necessary for optimal population management, but can elicit problematic aggression. Furthermore, some primates with a long history of social deprivation are hyperaggressive when introduced to conspecifics. In this study of one male gorilla with a 30-year history […]
Effects of early experience on group behaviour in fish
Animals that undergo a habitat shift face a number of challenges as they move between habitats; for example, they may encounter new predator species and may be vulnerable as they adapt to their new surroundings. An ability to adapt quickly to the new environment is likely to influence post-transition survival, and an understanding of the […]
Early social experience influences the development of stereotypic behaviour in captive-born striped mice Rhabdomys
The early life experience of captive animals, in combination with their genetic inheritance, can predispose or promote the development of stereotypic behaviour in later life. To investigate the early social effects of weaning age and the presence/absence of the father on the development of stereotypic behaviour in adulthood, we retrospectively analysed data from our captive […]
Influence of rearing conditions of pullets on space use and performance of hens placed in aviaries at the beginning of the laying period
little work has been done on the adaptation of hens to this system according to their previous rearing conditions, despite the specific adaptation skills it requires of them. The adaptation to laying aviaries of hens previously reared in different conditions was assessed here through their use of vertical levels, numbers and distances of flights and […]
Enhancement of attachment and cognitive development of young nursery-reared chimpanzees in responsive versus standard care
Forty-six nursery-reared chimpanzee infants (22 females and 24 males) receiving either standard care (n = 29) or responsive care (n = 17) at the Great Ape Nursery at Yerkes participated in this study. Standard care (ST) consisted primarily of peer-rearing, with humans providing essential health-related care. Responsive care (RC) consisted of an additional 4 hr […]
Early life experiences: activity levels and abnormal behaviours in resocialised chimpanzees
Chimpanzees (pan troglodytes) that are kept in captivity come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and a proportion of them have been subjected to maternal separation and social deprivation during development. The long-term effects of such practices have received little investigation. This study investigates whether the removal of infants from their mothers and/or other chimpanzees […]
The effects of rearing conditions on grooming and play behaviour in captive chimpanzees
The effects of maternal and peer separation during infancy and juvenescence on adolescent and adult chimpanzee behaviour were studied. The aim was to provide an insight into the social development of the species and to investigate human influence on this process. Forty-three adolescent and adult chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), from a variety of backgrounds, were studied […]
Early experience with the farm environment and effects on later behaviour in silver Vulpes Abstract vulpes and blue foxes Alopex lagopus
Seventy-one silver fox and 141 blue fox cubs were exposed to constant visual contact with the farm environment from the age of 2 to 8 weeks. The exposure consisted in opening a door in the nest box facing the feed gang-way. Control cubs (33 silver and 77 blue foxes) were reared in similar but closed […]
Role of early experience in the development of preference for low-quality food in sheep
Domestic ruminant selectivity induces floristic changes in pasturelands, risking sustainability and limiting the subsequent availability of susceptible plant species. Development of preferences for species of lower nutritional quality may help to overcome those problems. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that early experience of sheep with a low-quality food (LQF) in a nutritional enriched […]