The Zone Overlap Index: A new measure of shared resource use in the zoo
It is important that the environment provided in the zoo is relevant to the species being housed and its suitability be easily assessed by personnel. As shared space and resources can overlap in a zoo’s enclosure a tool is required to measure the effects of such overlap between individual animals in a shared enclosure. This […]
In or out: Response slowing across housing conditions as a measure of affect in three Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Individuals experiencing negative affect have shown response slowing, a longer latency to respond in relation to baseline, when presented with aversive stimuli. We assessed response slowing in three male gorillas housed in a bachelor group as a function of daytime and nighttime housing arrangements.
Stall architecture influences horses’ behaviour and the prevalence and type of stereotypies
Despite the spatial and social restrictions it causes, single stall housing still prevails in sport and riding school horses, leading to the emergence of abnormal behaviours such as stereotypic or abnormal repetitive behaviours (SB/ARB). In the present study, we investigated the impact of the type (visual/tactile) and amount of social information that could be exchanged […]
Development of a welfare assessment protocol for dairy calves from birth through to weaning
The aim of this study was to develop a welfare assessment protocol using different indicators, for pre-weaned dairy calves, that is feasible and time efficient. To this end, the protocol had to combine animal-based indicators (measurements on physiology, general appearance and behaviour) providing the basis for welfare assessment, with resource-based indicators (measurements on management and […]
Comparison of the behaviour of European brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos) in six different parks, with particular attention to stereotypies
In order to assess the influence of environmental parameters on their behaviour, 16 European brown bears were observed in six different zoological parks. Activities were measured by scan sampling and their relationships to housing conditions were established by multifactorial correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. The largest enclosures were characterised by high scores of play, social […]
Comparison between 28 zoological parks: stereotypic and social behaviours of captive brown bears
In the present study we compared 33 enclosures in 28 parks, with a total of 66 bears. We chose direct observation of behaviour rather than surveys. Each enclosure was observed during one day; stereotypies and social relationships were qualitatively noted in types and amount. The connections of behaviour with bears characteristics and types of management […]
Laboratory birds: refinements in husbandry and procedures
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The effect of feeding enrichment toys on the behaviour of kennelled dogs (Canis familiaris)
In general, an animal’s inability to perform specific behaviours (for example, due to a lack of suitable stimuli or physical restraint) is often viewed as a cause of reduced welfare of animals kept in captivity. There is increasing evidence that the opportunity to display more species-specific appetitive behaviours is beneficial to captive animals. The present […]
The effect of penning versus picketing on stereotypic behavior of circus elephants
The behavior of nine female Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants who performed two shows each day with a circus that traveled to a new location (40 to 250 km from the previous day’s lot) daily or every two days was studied during the 1996 and 1998 seasons. When not performing or working, the elephants were picketed […]
A survey assessment of variables related to stereotypy in captive giraffe and okapi.
Stereotypic behavior has been investigated in a wide variety of animals, but little published information is available on this problem in captive exotic ungulates. A survey was used to gather information on the prevalence of stereotypic behavior in giraffe and okapi and to identify variables associated with these behaviors. Of the 71 institutions that received […]