Utilizing vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of non-human mammals
This review discusses how welfare scientists can examine vocalizations to gain insight into the affective states of individual animals. In recent years, researchers working in professionally managed settings have recognized the value of monitoring the types, rates, and acoustic structures of calls, which may reflect various aspects of welfare. Fortunately, recent technological advances in the […]
Territorial vocalization patterns of captive Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica) in the middle of winter at high latitude
Wild lions, especially the males, spend much of their time performing various territorial advertising behaviors, the most obvious of which are loud vocalizations that can be heard several kilometers away. This study investigated whether a captive pride of three Asiatic lions at Fota Wildlife Park in Ireland exhibited typical patterns of territorial vocalizations and associated […]
Discrimination of Acoustic Stimuli and Maintenance of Graded Alarm Call Structure in Captive Meerkats
Animals living in human care for several generations face the risk of losing natural behaviors, which can lead to reduced animal welfare. The goal of this study is to demonstrate that meerkats (Suricata suricatta) living in zoos can assess potential danger and respond naturally based on acoustic signals only. This includes that the graded information […]
Localize Animal Sound Events Reliably (LASER): A New Software for Sound Localization in Zoos
Locating a vocalizing animal can be useful in many fields of bioacoustics and behavioral research, and is often done in the wild, covering large areas. In zoos, however, the application of this method becomes particularly difficult, because, on the one hand, the animals are in a relatively small area and, on the other hand, reverberant […]
Name that tune: call discrimination and individual recognition in Magellanic penguins
Individual recognition via vocalizations is key to reproductive success in many species. We explored individual recognition and call discrimination in Magellanic penguins, Spheniscus magellanicus, through several playback experiments. By using two call types in multiple social contexts, we demonstrate, for the first time in a Spheniscus species, that adults and chicks can discriminate between conspecific […]
Assessment of positive emotions in animals to improve their welfare
It is now widely accepted that good welfare is not simply the absence of negative experiences, but rather is primarily the presence of positive experiences such as pleasure. However scientific investigation of positive emotions has long been neglected. This paper addresses two main issues: first, it reviews the current state of scientific knowledge that supports […]
Eye white may indicate emotional state on a frustration-contentedness axis in dairy cows
Research on welfare indicators has focused primarily on indicators of poor welfare, but there is also a need for indicators that can cover the range from good to poor welfare. The aim of this experiment was to compare behaviour elements in dairy cows shown in response to a frustrating situation as well as elements shown […]
Effects of reproductive and social context on vocal communication in captive female African elephants (Loxodonta africana)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20063.abs Female African elephants advertise changes in reproductive condition to males through a variety of modalities, including an increase in low-frequency vocalizations, presumed to travel long distances. Although males respond to these vocalizations, it has been suggested that their proximate function may be to signal to nearby females rather than to distant males. Because […]
Vocal behaviour in cattle: the animal’s commentary on its biological processes and welfare
The vocalizations of cattle provide conspecifics with meaningful information about the caller. If we can learn how to interpret this information correctly, it could be used to improve management and welfare assessment. Vocalization may be viewed as a subjective commentary, by an individual, on its own internal state. The vocal behaviour of cattle is potentially […]
Vocal duetting by a mated pair of coral-billed ground-cuckoos (Carpococcyx renauldi) at the Metro Toronto Zoo
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:23.3.CO;2-S During a behavioral study, I recorded vocal duetting by a mated pair of Coral-billed Ground-cuckoos (Carpococcyx renauldi) at the Metro Toronto Zoo. The birds produced three different call types that were combined into four distinct simultaneous and antiphonal duetted sequences. Duetting bouts (n = 12) were always initiated by the male and lasted […]