Supporting Zoo Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Welfare and Herd Dynamics with a More Complex and Expanded Habitat
Ensuring good health and welfare is an increasingly important consideration for conservation of endangered species, whether free-ranging or managed to varying degrees under human care. The welfare-based design of a new habitat for Asian elephants at the Oregon Zoo focused on meeting the elephants’ physical, physiological, psychological, and social needs 24 h a day and […]
Graded leadership by dominant animals in a herd of female beef cattle on pasture
The role of dominant individuals in leading groups of animals is not yet well understood. We investigated whether dominant beef cows, Bos taurus, have more influence on herd movement on pasture than more subordinate cows. A herd of 15 Gasconne cows was observed for a 3-week period between dawn and dusk. The positions of all […]
A note on the circadian rhythm and feeding behaviour of heep fitted with a light weight GPS collar
The circadian rhythm and feeding behaviour (bite rate) of 16 Scottish Blackface ewes of which eight were fitted with a lightweight (863 g) GPS collar were examined. The collar consisted of a leather harness and a 0.5 l aluminium box and represented 2.2% of the average body mass of the study ewes. No differences in […]
Implementation and comparison of home range estimators for grizzly bears in Alberta, Canada, based on GPS data
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Estimating daily walking distance of captive African elephants using an accelerometer
Two central concerns for elephant husbandry and management are whether zoological enclosures are appropriately sized and the degree to which naturalistic exercise and activity are observed in such enclosures. In order to address these issues, accurate data on the daily walking distance of elephants both in situ and ex situ are necessary. We used an […]
Foraging paths through vegetation patches for beef cattle in semi-natural pastures
Grazing semi-natural grasslands may enhance their wildlife faunal diversity and abundance by modifying the plant species composition through exploiting the dietary choices of the domestic livestock, yet diet preferences in these grasslands are often poorly understood. We therefore investigated diet selection of beef cattle in semi-natural pastures, grazed at moderate stocking (MS) or lenient stocking […]
The effects of GPS collars on African elephant (Loxodonta africana) behavior at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
The use of tracking devices (e.g., VHF radio collars, GPS collars, ear transmitters) enables researchers to assess activity budgets, species-specific movement patterns, effects of environmental enrichment, and exercise levels in zoo animals. The fundamental assumption in these studies of tagged animals is that attachable tracking devices have negligible effects on the animals’ behavior. The present […]
Exploration as a key component of natal dispersal: dispersers explore more than philopatric individuals in roe deer
Natal dispersal (i.e. movements between the natal range of an individual and its first breeding site) is a complex process which can have profound impacts on population dynamics. In most species, only a proportion of juveniles actually disperse, but few empirical data are available on the factors that drive the decision to disperse. To understand […]
Walking Behavior of Zoo Elephants: Associations between GPS-Measured Daily Walking Distances and Environmental Factors, Social Factors, and Welfare Indicators
Research with humans and other animals suggests that walking benefits physical health. Perhaps because these links have been demonstrated in other species, it has been suggested that walking is important to elephant welfare, and that zoo elephant exhibits should be designed to allow for more walking. Our study is the first to address this suggestion […]