Environmental Enrichment Reduces Maladaptive Risk-Taking Behavior in Salmon Reared for Conservation
Hatcheries often produce bold fish that are maladapted to survive in the wild, as absence of predators and selection for fast growth tend to favour risk-taking behaviors. Not surprisingly, losses of hatchery fish through predation can be high immediately after release and this may account for the failure of many ex-situ fish conservation programmes. For […]
A SCORING SYSTEM TO IMPROVE DECISION MAKING AND OUTCOMES IN THE ADAPTATION OF RECENTLY CAPTURED WHITE RHINOCEROSES (CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM) TO CAPTIVITY
Ninety-four subadult and adult white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) were captured between February and October, 2009-11, in Kruger National Park and placed in holding bomas prior to translocation to other locations within South Africa. A simple three-category system was developed based on appetite, fecal consistency/volume, and behavior to assess adaptation to bomas. Individual animal and group […]