Case study: Modifying repetitive behavior in a polar bear (Ursus maritimus)
Stereotypic pacing in zoo-housed carnivores has been intensively researched for decades, revealing that it is a subtly complex behavior with a highly variable etiology. While pacing can be an indicator of poor welfare, it can also be anticipatory in nature, or even have a completely different motivating operation. In this case study, the pacing of […]
About pace: How variations in method and definition affect quantification of pacing in bears?
Repetitive pacing behavior is exhibited by many species in zoos and is particularly prevalent in carnivores with large home ranges, such as bears. Pacing can be a behavioral indicator of poor welfare, however, understanding this behavior can be challenging. As many bears that pace are singly housed, efforts to systematically examine and ameliorate pacing may […]
Impacts of environmental and human disturbances on behaviour of captive kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
We studied the behaviour of 15 captive brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), and the effects of disturbance on their behaviour. They were all held in nocturnal display facilities, known in New Zealand as Kiwi Houses and referred to here as enclosures 1–4. Our detailed study first compiled a baseline assessment of normal behaviours of captive kiwi […]
Impacts of natural history and exhibit factors on carnivore welfare
To improve the welfare of nonhuman animals under professional care, zoological institutions are continuously utilizing new methods to identify factors that lead to optimal welfare. Comparative methods have historically been used in the field of evolutionary biology but are increasingly being applied in the field of animal welfare. In the current study, data were obtained […]
Do Social Factors Related to Allostatic Load Affect Stereotypy Susceptibility? Management Implications for Captive Social Animals
Stereotypies are frequently associated with sub-optimal captive environments and are used as welfare indicators. However, susceptibility to stereotypy can vary across individuals of the same group. As such, identifying which individuals are more susceptible to this behaviour may be helpful in managing this issue. We have investigated which sex-age class of semi-captive capuchin monkeys (Sapajus […]
Issues of choice and control in the behaviour of a pair of captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Stereotyped behaviour occurs in a wide variety of captive animals including ursids. The provision of animal control over aspects of their environment by providing choices is a critical element for improving welfare. The behaviour of two sibling polar bears at a metropolitan zoo was examined to investigate the effect of providing access to their indoor, […]
Environmental effects on the behavior of zoo-housed lions and tigers, with a case study of the effects of a visual barrier on pacing
Tigers and lions in the wild are nocturnal nonhuman animals who may hunt and mate opportunistically during daylight hours. In captivity, they spend most time on exhibit sleeping or pacing. To better understand their activity budget, this study examined the daily behavior patterns of 2 Sumatran tigers and 3 African lions in different housings. The […]
Frustrated Appetitive Foraging Behavior, Stereotypic Pacing, and Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels in Snow Leopards (Uncia uncia) in the Zurich Zoo
This study hypothesized that permanently frustrated, appetitive-foraging behavior caused the stereotypic pacing regularly observed in captive carnivores. Using 2 adult female snow leopards (Uncia uncia), solitarily housed in the Zurich Zoo, the study tested this hypothesis experimentally with a novel feeding method: electronically controlled, time-regulated feeding boxes. The expected result of employing this active foraging […]
Stereotypic behavior of circus tigers: Effects of performance
Little is knownabout the effects of performances on the behavior of animals used for entertainment in circuses. The objective of the study was to determine how one or three performances per day influenced the frequency of stereotypic behavior performed by circus tigers (n = 4) in their home cage, shortly before and after performances and […]
The behavior of circus tigers during transport
The behavior of two tigers (Panthera tigris) individually caged and transported once for 4.25 h and the behavior of four tigers that were transported twice for 4.2 and 4.5 h while caged as a group was analyzed. The tigers were videotaped during transport and the amount of time spent pacing, lying, and standing and walking […]