Manatees in Zoological Parks throughout the World: History, State, and Welfare
The order Sirenia comprises several species of manatees and one species of dugong. These popular marine mammals are relatively recent acquisitions to zoological parks throughout the world. As far as we know, there are less than 200 manatees, mostly American, a few African, and ever less Amazonian, currently in zoological parks. American manatees are predominantly […]
Preliminary Findings on How Different Management Systems and Social Interactions Influence Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)
White rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) are the most social and gregarious species of all rhinoceroses known worldwide. One of the most critical effects of elevated glucocorticoid concentrations, especially in threatened species, is its relation to chronic stress, which could potentially lead to immunosuppression and reduced reproductive activity. Our aim is to determine how different social environments […]
Potential applications of personality assessments to the management of non-human primates: a review of 10 years of study
Studies of primate personality have become increasingly common over the past three decades. Recently, studies have begun to focus on the health, welfare and conservation implications of personality, and the potential applications of incorporating quantitative personality assessments into animal management programmes. However, this literature is dispersed across a multitude of settings and scientific disciplines. We […]
Computer vision based individual fish identification using skin dot pattern
Precision fish farming is an emerging concept in aquaculture research and industry, which combines new technologies and data processing methods to enable data-based decision making in fish farming. The concept is based on the automated monitoring of fish, infrastructure, and the environment ideally by contactless methods. The identification of individual fish of the same species […]
Evaluation of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Response to a Change in Social and Handling Conditions in African Lions (Panthera leo bleyenberghi)
Monitoring the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis through determination of fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) levels is a non-invasive method useful for understanding how handling and social conditions may affect the physiological status of zoo animals. The present study used FCM analysis to evaluate whether the HPA axis activity of a lion pride was modified by a change […]
When a habitat becomes a home: Housing and husbandry of spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta at Disney’s Animal Kingdom®
When animals are moved between facilities, as is commonly done in zoos, it may take them time to acclimate to their new surroundings. One way that zoos can increase animals’ comfort in their new habitat is through training and enrichment programmes. In 2014, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® received two spotted hyenas Crocuta crocuta that had not […]
Wild boar behaviour during live-trap capture in a corral-style trap: implications for animal welfare
Wildlife traps are used in many countries without evaluation of their effect on animal welfare. Trap-capture of wild animals should minimise negative effects on animal welfare, irrespective of whether the animals are trapped for hunting, research, or management purposes. Live-trap capture of wild boar (Sus scrofa) followed by killing inside the trap by gunshot is […]
Widespread Behavioral Responses by Mammals and Fish to Zoo Visitors Highlight Differences between Individual Animals
The impact that humans have on zoo animals can vary based on the species of animal, exhibit design, and individual differences in behavioral responses. We independently analyzed data from 10 never-published studies that examined the impact of zoo visitors on zoo animal behavior. Of the 16 species studied, 90.9% of the mammal species and 60.0% […]
Increasing browse and social complexity can improve zoo elephant welfare
While recent work has assessed how environmental and managerial changes influence elephant welfare across multiple zoos, few studies have addressed the effects of management changes within a single institution. In this paper, we examine how management changes related to social structure and diet affect the behavior of a group of zoo elephants over a 23‐month […]
Implications of human-animal interactions on mother-calf interactions in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) dyad
Most research on human-animal interactions (HAls) in zoos focuses on the influence of unfamiliar humans (visitors) on the animals. Limited research focusses on the influence of familiar (keepers/trainers) HAI and there has been no research investigating the impact of familiar HAls on mother-offspring interactions. The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has been bred and trained in […]