Physical enrichment research for captive fish: time to focus on the DETAILS
Growing research effort has shown that physical enrichment (PE) can improve fish welfare and research validity. However, the inclusion of PE does not always result in positive effects and conflicting findings have highlighted the many nuances involved. Effects are known to depend on species, and life stage tested, but effects may also vary with differences […]
Impact of environmental enrichment and social group size in the aggressiveness and foraging activity of Serrapinnus notomelas
Fish are widely used in scientific research, and many species are bred for ornamental purposes and human consumption. Despite the large number of fish kept in captivity, research on the welfare of these animals has only recently intensified. One commonly used method for improving fish welfare is environmental enrichment, and the issue of animal density […]
Aggressive and Affiliative Behavior in Green Monkeys With Differing Housing Complexity
Eleven green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were combined into three social groups (two heterosexual, one all-male) in enclosures with similar volume but different levels of environmental complexity (two or four compartments). Agonistic and affiliative interactions were recorded over a 21-week period. The two heterosexual groups had their environmental complexity reduced (number of compartments reduced by one-half […]
Effects of environmental enrichment on reproduction
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430130507.abs Although there have been few demonstrations of a direct empirical relationship between environmental enrichment and reproductive success in captive animals, indirect and anecdotal evidence indicates the importance of physical and temporal complexity for reproduction. We discuss three major mechanisms through which environmental enrichment that specifically increases the complexity of an animal’s surroundings may […]
Consequences of enhancing environmental complexity for laboratory rodents
Enhancing the complexity of the environments of captive animals is often referred to as environmental enrichment, and aims to have positive effects on the animals’ well-being. Such enrichments may have consequences both for so-called ‘normal’ behaviour and for the pathophysiology of the animals in question. The effects of a lack of environmental complexity, including social […]
Enriched rearing facilitates spatial exploration in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) neonates
Rearing with enriched environmental complexity has been shown to enhance spatial exploration and spatial learning, among other benefits. Most studies examining enriched rearing effects have used extended periods of exposure in mammals; little is known about enrichment effects on avian species. We provided objects designed to encourage spatial exploration to socially raised northern bobwhite neonates; […]