The influence of feeding opportunities of six zoohoused Giraffa camelopardalis rothschild: The influence of feeding opportunities
Previous studies on captive giraffes have shown that an increase in foraging opportunities leads to reduced abnormal behaviour. This study evaluates the nocturnal behaviours of six captive giraffes, housed in Aalborg Zoo (N: 57.04°, E: 9.90°). The herd consists of one male giraffe (age 8), one male calf (age 1 ½), two femelle giraffe (age […]
Is item hiding a good enrichment strategy to reduce stereotypic behaviors and increase social interactions in captive female spectacled bears?
Enrichment strategies are widely used to create stimuli to improve welfare of captive animals. A common strategy is to offer food items that provide physical, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli, by hiding these items or spreading them throughout the enclosure. Although both strategies are recommended as efficient in reducing stereotypic behaviors, few studies compare their effectiveness […]
The Effect of Visitors on Zoo Reptile Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Visitors to zoos can have positive, neutral, or negative relationships with zoo animals. This makes human–animal interactions (HAIs) an essential component of welfare and an important consideration in species selection for zoo exhibits and in enclosure designs. We measured the effect of visitors on reptiles by comparing open and closed periods during the lockdowns in […]
The Effect of Visitors on Zoo Reptile Behaviour during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Visitors to zoos can have positive, neutral, or negative relationships with zoo animals. This makes human–animal interactions (HAIs) an essential component of welfare and an important consideration in species selection for zoo exhibits and in enclosure designs. We measured the effect of visitors on reptiles by comparing open and closed periods during the lockdowns in […]
Conducting Behavioural Research in the Zoo: A Guide to Ten Important Methods, Concepts and Theories
Behavioural research in zoos is commonplace and is used in the diagnosis and treatment of potential husbandry and management challenges. Robust methods that allow valid data collection and analysis constitute an evidence-based approach to animal care. Understanding behaviour is essential to improving animal management, and behavioural research is therefore popular, with a wide choice of […]
Monitoring the behavior and habitat use of animals to enhance welfare using the ZooMonitor app
Regular monitoring of the behavior, habitat use, and appearance of animals can provide valuable insight into their welfare. These ongoing data can help identify meaningful trends that can be acted upon to enhance welfare, and potentially reveal individual preferences and patterns that can facilitate care tailored to the individual. To provide a low cost, flexible, […]
Research and Teaching of Dairy Cattle Well Being: Finding Synergy Between Ethology and Epidemiology
Epidemiology is a tool used to identify and quantify risk factors that contribute to the state of health or disease. In addition, the maintenance of health and recognition of nonhuman animal welfare are both key principles of health management. Animal welfare and ethology provide important contributions to our ability to understand and improve health. As […]
Farm animal welfare in the U.S.A.: Farming practices, research, education, regulation, and assurance programs
What impact has the Brambell Report, and the growth of the field of applied ethology, had on the United States of America? There has been increasing public awareness of farm animal welfare issues and a concomitant increase in animal welfare research and teaching activities. This has occurred more slowly in the U.S.A. than in Europe, […]
Behavior research in zoos: Past, present, and future
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430110502.abs This paper reviews the historical emphases in zoo behavioral research and the contribution of these studies to animal management and to advancement in the behavioral sciences. Some examples are provided from research conducted at the National Zoological Park and elsewhere. The potential for doing behavior studies of excellence in zoos and aquariums has […]
The state of ethological approaches to the assessment of animal suffering and welfare
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