Agonistic interactions and social behaviors in the Saharan Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas neglecta): Using social network analysis to evaluate relationships and social structure in captive male groups
Social interactions, including agonistic behavior, are very important for the management and welfare of individuals forming groups in captivity. One of the main concerns for the stability and durability of adult male groups is a noticeable level of intraspecific aggression. This study comprises a Social Network Analysis to illustrate social structure in different groups of […]
Social Reward Behaviour in Two Groups of European Grey Wolves (Canis lupus lupus)—A Case Study
Prosociality occurs in many species and is likely to be a crucial factor for the survival of group-living animals. Social feedback is an important mechanism for the coordination of group decisions. Since group-living animals with specific personality axes, i.e., boldness, are known to provide certain benefits for their group, bold actions might receive more prosocial […]
Age and Social History Impact Social Interactions between Bull Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) at Denver Zoo
Wild bull Asian elephants spend time in all-male groups. Therefore, managers of ex situ populations increasingly house bulls together. We examined the social interactions of five bull Asian elephants at Denver Zoo, using instantaneous sampling to compare social interactions across adolescent and mature bulls, and bulls with a social history prior to the integration of […]
Exploring the behaviors and social preferences of a large, multigenerational herd of zoo-housed southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)
Abstract The zoo-housed southern white rhinoceros (SWR) population is of special concern due to their lack of consistent breeding success. An enhanced understanding of SWR social preferences could better inform management planning by promoting natural social relationships, which can positively affect their well-being. The large, multigeneration herd housed at the North Carolina Zoo provides an […]
More Than Just Kibbles: Keeper Familiarity and Food Can Affect Bonobo Behavior
The welfare of captive animals relies on numerous factors. Keepers can affect animals’ welfare and this could especially apply to emotionally and cognitively complex species, such as great apes. We collected video data over three months on 17 bonobos (La Vallée des Singes, France) and extracted five behaviours (play, aggression, anxiety, gestures, sociosexual interactions) —during […]
Enrichment with classical music enhances affiliative behaviours in bottlenose dolphin
Environmental enrichment is a crucial element for the promotion of welfare of animals kept under human care. While a large variety of environmental enrichments has been proposed and studied for terrestrial animals, including a growing area represented by acoustical enrichment such as music, the same is not true for marine mammals. The purpose of this […]
Psychological and social well‐being of bony fishes in zoos and aquariums
Research on the behavior of animals in zoos has been conducted for decades and observations have provided information that has improved the psychological and social well-being of animals. However, research on fishes in zoos and aquariums seems to be lacking. Here we assess the current state of research on fishes in zoos and aquariums by […]
Social behaviour in zoo bachelor groups: a case study of related South American fur seals
Appropriate management of social groups is one of the greatest challenges that face zoos and aquaria worldwide. To facilitate breeding programmes, particularly in polygynous species, there is a need to house surplus males in bachelor groups, yet for pinnipeds, the social impact of this management strategy is unknown. The aim of this research was to […]
Social Behaviour in Zoo Bachelor Groups: A Case Study of Related South American Fur Seals
Appropriate management of social groups is one of the greatest challenges that face zoos and aquaria worldwide. To facilitate breeding programmes, particularly in polygynous species, there is a need to house surplus males in bachelor groups, yet for pinnipeds, the social impact of this management strategy is unknown. The aim of this research was to […]
The effects of alpha male removal on the social behavior of a group of olive baboons (Papio anubis)
In captivity, the managers of primate populations have removed individuals from their groups for medical and social reasons, but there has been little documentation regarding the consequences of this extraction on the sociality of the remaining individuals. This study provides information about the social effect of the alpha male removal in a group of olive […]