“How not to judge a deer by its cover”: a personality assessment study on captive adult red deer males (Cervus elaphus)
Personality is not a uniquely human characteristic and it has been documented in a wide range of organisms, from mammals to birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates. However, personality is still poorly understood in Cervids. Therefore, our study aimed to fill this gap by i) investigating personality and ii) exploring its links to dominance hierarchy, assessed […]
Using behavioral observations and keeper questionnaires to assess social relationships among captive female African elephants
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20249.abs Free-ranging African elephants are highly social animals that live in a society where age, size, kinship, and disposition all contribute to social rank. Although captive elephant herds are small and largely comprises of unrelated females, dominance hierarchies are common. The goal of this study was to delineate how the behavior of captive female […]
Human-marmoset interactions in a city park
Urban wildlife, frequently, comes into contact with human city dwellers and these interactions can be viewed positively or negatively by people. In the city of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais, Brazil) many city parks have groups of black-tufted marmosets (Callithrix penicillata), which interact with park visitors. In this study we observed 205 separate groups of people […]
Personality in free-ranging Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) males: Subjective ratings and recorded behavior
The authors obtained behavioral observations and personality ratings for 27 free-ranging Hanuman langur males. Subjects were rated using a questionnaire based on the human Five-Factor Model (FFM). Behavioral observations were taken over 5 months using an ethogram that included 50 behaviors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of ratings revealed AgreeablenessR, ConfidenceR, and ExtraversionR components. Each personality […]
Management factors affecting stereotypies and body condition score in nonracing horses in Prince Edward Island
In North America, there are few representative data about the effects of management practices on equine welfare. In a randomized survey of 312 nonracing horses in Prince Edward Island (response rate 68.4%), owners completed a pretested questionnaire and a veterinarian examined each horse. Regression analyses identified factors affecting 2 welfare markers: body condition score (BCS) […]
Characteristics of Relinquishing and Adoptive Owners of Horses Associated With U.S. Nonprofit Equine Rescue Organizations
Nonprofit equine rescue organizations in the United States provide care for relinquished horses and may offer adoption programs. With an estimated 100,000 “unwanted” horses per year and few municipal shelters providing wholesale euthanasia, there is a need to minimize the number of unwanted horses and maximize their successful transition to new caregivers. This study’s objectives […]
Managing Feral Cats on a University’s Campuses: How Many Are There and Is Sterilization Having an Effect?
Worldwide domestic and feral cat (Felis catus) numbers have increased. Concerns regarding high populations of feral cats in urban areas include wildlife predation, public nuisance, and disease. This study aimed to estimate the size of the feral cat population on 5 campuses of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to determine whether sterilization has an […]