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 […]
Environmental enrichment for zoo bears
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100103.abs The high incidence of stereotypic behaviors in zoo bears (van Keulen-Kromhout: International Zoo Yearbook 18:177–186, 1978) suggests that the environment of these animals lacks essential stimuli for guiding normal behavior. Three experiments investigated ways in which bear husbandry procedures can be altered to promote normal behavior. In experiments 1 and 2, honey-filled logs […]
Let sleeping rats lie: Does the timing of husbandry procedures affect laboratory rat behaviour, physiology and welfare?
Research has indicated that chronic stress can reduce sleep quality and quantity. Yet there has been little investigation into whether husbandry procedures carried out during an animal’s normal sleeping period affect subsequent sleep behaviour and welfare. We housed 48 rats in enriched cages containing four rats, in either a light phase treatment (LPT) (n=6 cages) […]
Disruptive effects of standard husbandry practice on laboratory rat social discrimination
Elements of husbandry procedures, such as handling, may disrupt rodent social behaviour. Such effects may be contingent upon the familiarity between individuals and upon the quality and quantity of the disruption. We investigated this issue using laboratory rats. We placed 36 rats into groups of three. At the point of group formation, and at 24 […]