The behavior of circus tigers during transport
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2003 |
Authors: |
C. Nevill |
Publication/Journal: |
Applied Animal Behaviour Science |
Keywords: |
pacing, tigers, transport |
ISBN: |
01681591 |
Abstract:
The behavior of two tigers (Panthera tigris) individually caged and transported once for 4.25 h and the behavior of four tigers that were transported twice for 4.2 and 4.5 h while caged as a group was analyzed. The tigers were videotaped during transport and the amount of time spent pacing, lying, and standing and walking was determined. Environmental conditions encountered during the trips, as well as tiger body temperature, were recorded at 5 min intervals during transport. Tigers that had access to an exercise pen and performed previous to transport spent most of their transport session lying down. Only toward the end of the trip did they exhibit pacing behavior. In contrast, those tigers that had not performed within a half day before transport and had no access to an exercise pen exhibited more frequent pacing behavior throughout transport. While slight rises in body temperature did coincide with some instances of pacing, increases in body temperature by one degree or more were most likely attributable to exertion during performances before transport.