Bird Welfare in Zoos and Aquariums: General Insights across Industries
Animal welfare is a priority across accredited zoological institutions; however, historically, research has been prioritized for mammals. Bird-focused studies accounted for less than 10% of welfare research in zoos and aquariums over the last ten years. Due to the lack of scientific publications on bird welfare, zoo scientists and animal practitioners can look to other […]
Effects of rubberized flooring on Asian elephant behavior in captivity
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20119.abs Six Asian elephants at the Oregon Zoo were observed to determine the effects of a poured rubber flooring substrate on captive Asian elephant behavior. Room utilization also was evaluated in seven rooms used for indoor housing, including Front and Back observation areas. Data were collected in three phases. Phase I (Baseline Phase) examined […]
The effect of fine granular sand on pododermatitis in captive greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus)
Pododermatitis is a worldwide health and animal welfare problem in captive flamingos (Phoenicopteridae). Since sub-optimal substrate or flooring has been described as a factor in the development of pododermatitis in poultry and raptors, it is also suspected to play a role in flamingo foot health. Small groups of flamingos were separated from the main group […]
Validating the Use of Qualitative Behavioral Assessment as a Measure of the Welfare of Sheep During Transport
We tested the application of qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) as a welfare assessment tool. Sheep were exposed to road transport treatments, and behavioral expressions were compared between experimental treatments and validated by correlation with physiological measures. We compared journeys differing in ventilation (closed vs. open-sided trailer), flooring (grip vs. nongrip flooring), and driving styles (stop?start […]
Dairy goats prefer to use different flooring types to perform different behaviours
Flooring is an important component of indoor housing systems for livestock as it can impact animal hygiene and welfare. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the lying and elimination preferences of goats, as well as their relative udder cleanliness, when presented with four different flooring types. At 8 months of age, 32 […]