The perception of felid welfare by zookeepers in North America and the implications for zoo managers
Abstract Zookeepers working with felids were asked to complete an online survey to examine their perceptions of animal welfare. A total of 121 zookeepers in an AZA-accredited zoo completed the survey. Results from this study suggest that institutional offerings of professional development programming in animal welfare have the greatest potential to influence zookeeper perceptions of […]
The effects of the addition of two environmental enrichments on the behavior and fecal cortisol levels of three small felids species (Caracal caracal, Leptailurus serval, Leopardus pardalis) in captivity
Scientific evidences support the fact that environmental enrichment, when effective, can affect the behavior of animals in captivity in a way suggestive of an improvement in their quality of life. In the internationally published literature about enrichment in captive conditions, some species, such as primates, appear to have received much more attention than others, such […]
The influence of welfare and bonds with animals on the job satisfaction of felid keepers in North America
The current study set out to examine the perceptions of felid welfare in zoos and elucidate the factors that influence an individual animal care professional’s acceptance and recognition of welfare. A total of 121 felid keepers employed in an Association of Zoos & Aquariums facility were included in analysis. Results demonstrate job satisfaction is directly […]
Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus) personality: A rating assessment with ex Situ Conservation Program sample
Research on felid personality has been conducted in a few species. Further research on new species could be highly informative in regard to the influence that adaptation to different ecological challenges has on felid personality. We evaluated the personality of 58 Iberian lynxes (Lynx pardinus) hosted at 3 different breeding centers for reintroduction. A total […]
Evaluation of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Response to a Change in Social and Handling Conditions in African Lions (Panthera leo bleyenberghi)
Monitoring the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis through determination of fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) levels is a non-invasive method useful for understanding how handling and social conditions may affect the physiological status of zoo animals. The present study used FCM analysis to evaluate whether the HPA axis activity of a lion pride was modified by a change […]
How does feeding regime affect behaviour and activity in captive African lions (Panthera leo)?
Lions (Panthera leo) are popular zoo animals and obligate carnivores. In the past, zoos focused on the nutritional aspect of feeding, whereas today they aim to encourage naturalistic feeding. AZA’s Lion Care Manual recommends a frequent feeding schedule, while other sources highlight the benefits of unpredictable, infrequent feeding schedules. Further, the husbandry guidelines for lions […]
Evaluation of management in North American zoos to enhance breeding success of the fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) ex situ population
The ex situ population of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) face many challenges to its sustainability such as mate incompatibility, low founder numbers and disease prevalence. The North American population was monitored for a three-year period during institutional transfers and breeding introductions. In total, 26 fishing cats, including 15 different breeding pairs were monitored during 20 […]
Movement Patterns and Food Habits of Four Sympatric Carnivore Species in Belize, Central America
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The influence of olfactory enrichment on the behaviour of captive black-footed cats, Felis nigripes
The value of olfactory enrichment for captive-housed animals is now well recognised. Large cats have been shown to benefit from the introduction of odours to their captive environment, but to date the effect of odour introduction on the behaviour of small cats remains unknown. This study investigated the behaviour of six zoo-housed black-footed cats, Felis […]
Restoration of reproductive potential after expiration or removal of melengestrol acetate contraceptive implants in Tigers (Panthera tigris)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20137.abs The need for contraception in the successful management of captive wild animals is becoming increasingly apparent. Because concerns exist regarding the reversibility of the contraceptive implant melengestrol acetate (MGA), reproductive data for 94 female Amur (Panthera tigris altaica) and Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) were analyzed using survival analyses to evaluate return to […]