Exploration of potential triggers for self-directed behaviours and regurgitation and reingestion in zoo-housed chimpanzees
The unique challenges faced by animals living in zoos can lead to the production of anxiety-related behaviours. In this study we aimed to understand what specific factors may cause chimpanzees to display these behaviours. In non-human primates, displacement behaviours, such as self-scratching and yawning, are considered markers of anxiety and stress, and Regurgitation and Reingestion […]
Behavioral Evidence For The Cutaneous Expression Of Emotion In A Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
Self-directed behaviors (SDBs) are behavioral indicators of stress, but have received relatively little experimental scrutiny. The present study reports the distribution of SDBs in a 14-year-old male chimpanzee in relation to performance on a matching-to-sample task of varying difficulty. The rate of rubbing behaviors (self-touching with the hand without any raking motion of the fingernails) […]
The effects of novel floorings on dustbathing, pecking and scratching behaviour of caged hens
From the year 2012, conventional battery cages for laying hens will be banned under the European Union Council Directive 1999/74/EC. Enriched cages, which include a perch, a nest area, and a pecking and scratching area will not be banned, and have certain advantages over other systems of egg production. Previous studies have shown that even […]
Behavioral responses to the zoo environment by white handed gibbons
Although there is a growing literature on the effects of zoo environments on nonhuman primate behavior, comparatively little research has been published on the behavioral responses of gibbons and siamangs (family: Hylobatidae) to zoo visitors. Here, we present the findings from our study on the effects of noise, visitor group size, and the presence of […]
Scratching under positive and negative arousal in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Scratching has been widely used as an indicator of anxiety in many primate species. However, a handful of studies have shown no change in scratching under anxiety-provoking circumstances. In addition, the existing literature has investigated scratching only in relation to negative arousal (i.e., anxiety), even though anxiety and excitement (positive arousal) share important physiological and […]