How Sanctuary Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Use Space after Being Introduced to a Large Outdoor Habitat
Wild chimpanzees live in large, mixed-sex groups that display a fission–fusion social organization. To provide a social environment more like that of wild chimpanzees, Chimp Haven integrated smaller groups of 3–4 individuals into one large group of 18 individuals. This large group was introduced to a 20,234.28 m2 forested habitat and associated indoor areas. This […]
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in US zoos, sanctuaries, and research facilities: A survey-based comparison of species-typical behaviors
A survey was sent to zoos, research facilities, and sanctuaries which housed chimpanzees. Data collected included information about 1122 chimpanzees’ age, sex, social group-size, rearing history, and enclosure. Respondents were also asked to indicate if certain behaviors had been observed in each chimpanzee over the prior two years. Species- typical behaviors (STBs) were queried, including […]
Effects of Complex Feeding Enrichment on the Behavior of Captive Malayan Sun Bears (Helarctos malayanus)
All zoos grapple with challenges of keeping captive animals engaged in natural behaviors, especially for bears which prove to be among the more challenging species to keep stimulated. In captivity, a common indicator of poor welfare is the presence of stereotypic behaviors. This study tests whether providing complex feeding enrichment devices decreases the duration of […]
Human-Animal Relationships: The Use of Species-Typical Food Calls and Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Names: Welfare-Oriented Tools to Manage Sanctuary Chimpanzees
In captivity, positive human-animal interactions are often part of daily management procedures, which can enhance the welfare of animals and help caregivers with routine husbandry tasks. For example, the provisioning of food (produce or enrichment) can be an effective tool to reward animals for positive behavior. Another option is to use species-typical behavior to request […]
The effect of randomly altering the time and location of feeding on the behaviour of captive coyotes (Canis latrans)
Captive carnivores appear highly susceptible to the negative effects of predictable feeding routines. Current research and reviews suggest feeding unpredictably may increase species typical behaviour, but positive results have been limited to a few species. Our objectives were to determine whether randomly altering the time and location of feeding increased species typical behaviour, or affected […]
Environmental enrichment for mammals in captivity focusing primarily on primates
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