Exploration of Social Proximity and Behavior in Captive Malayan Tigers and Their Cubs
The survival of endangered felids is becoming increasingly dependent on the successful management and breeding of reserve populations in captivity. While most felid species are reported to be solitary in the wild, increasing evidence suggests that some big cats have greater social plasticity than is currently acknowledged. This social plasticity allows felids to be sometimes […]
Single- or Pair-Housed: Which Is Better for Captive Southern Tamanduas?
The captive environment can limit some important behavioral options for nonhuman animals, which often results in decreased welfare. The companion of a conspecific can be a source of complexity in captivity, but this aspect has received little attention for solitary species. This study investigated the effects of two different housing conditions on the behavior of […]
Differences in social behaviour between group-living and solitary African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio
Little is known about the extent to which solitary individuals differ in their social behaviour from group-living ones within the same species. Using the socially flexible African striped mouse, we tested through a series of dyadic encounters in a neutral arena whether group-living mice that later became solitary differed from their philopatric conspecifics. We compared […]
Behavioral Analysis of Tiger Night Housing Practices
The systematic evaluation of changes in animal management practices is critical to ensuring the best possible welfare. Here, we examined the behavioral impacts of intermittently housing our six adult female tigers, who have been housed socially for much of their lives, individually overnight to allow for specialized care required by their advancing age. We looked […]
Does mirror enrichment improve primate well-being?
Primates are highly social animals and appropriate enrichment is required to ensure their psychological well-being. Mirrors are sometimes used as social or sensory environmental enrichment. In this paper we investigate the suitability of mirrors as enrichment for captive primates, by reviewing the literature on mirror implementation in captive primate environments. Mirror-directed responses are mainly social […]