The importance of enrichment for advancing amphibian welfare and conservation goals
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2014 |
Authors: |
CJ Michaels, JR Downie, R %J Amphibian Reptile Conservation Campbell-Palmer |
Keywords: |
amphibians, behavior, conservation, enrichment, environmental enrichment, fish, reptiles |
Abstract:
Enrichment, broadly the provision of stimuli to improve the welfare of captive animals,
is known to be important in husbandry practice and in the success of ex situ conservation and
reintroduction programs. Practical evidence of the importance of enrichment exists for a number of
taxa, yet amphibians are poorly represented. There is no reason to assume a priori that amphibians
would not benefit from enrichment and, given their increasing prominence in captive programs,
their requirements in captivity beyond basic husbandry should be the focus of more intense
study. We review the existing body of research on enrichment for amphibians, as well as that
for fish and reptiles, which may be regarded as behaviorally and neurologically broadly similar
to amphibians. We also briefly discuss mechanisms by which enrichment might affect amphibian
fitness and, therefore, reintroduction success. Our review supports the contention that there may be
important consequences of enrichment for both captive welfare and ex situ conservation success
in amphibians and that amphibian enrichment effects may be highly variable taxonomically. In the
face of increasing numbers of captive amphibian species and the importance of ex situ populations
in ensuring their species level persistence, enrichment for amphibians may be an increasingly
important research area.