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Auditory stimulation as enrichment for zoo-housed Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus )
Contributor(s):: Wells, D. L., Irwin, R. M.
This study explored the effect of auditory stimulation on the behaviour and welfare of four zoo-housed, female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). All animals were exposed, in an ABA design, to two conditions of auditory stimulation: a 'control' (no auditory stimulation), and an 'experimental'...
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Barren housing and negative handling decrease the exploratory approach in farmed mink
Contributor(s):: Bak, Anne Sandgrav, Malmkvist, Jens
We examined the influence of cage enrichment and different types of short-term experiences on the temperament of farmed mink. We used juvenile Palomino mink (n = 600, housed in pairs of one male and one female) in a two-factor design with cage environment (BAR: barren vs. ENR: cage enriched with...
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Bathing behavior of captive Orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica)
Contributor(s):: Murphy, Shannon M., Braun, Jerome V., Millam, James R.
Feather maintenance behaviors, particularly preening and bathing, are nearly universal in birds, though their expression and function vary across species. Based on the rain-bathing style of wild Amazon parrots, parrots were sprayed with water to simulate rainfall, and subsequent bathing...
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Becoming More Equine-Centered: A Curriculum to Enrich Experiential Learning Programs and the Equines They Employ
Contributor(s):: Wekenman, Jayna
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Behavior and Welfare of Domestic Cats Housed in Cages Larger than U.S. Norm
Contributor(s):: Stella, Judith L., Croney, Candace C., Buffington, C. Tony
The effect of providing additional floor space on cat behavior and welfare is not well documented. This study involved replication of an investigation of cats’ responses to enhanced cage and room environments using cages of 0.56 m2 with the same methodology but an increased space allowance of 1.1...
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Behavioral and histological features of zebrafish following sedation with eugenol or propofol
Contributor(s):: Gressler, Luciane Tourem, Xavier, Maria Luiza Gallina, Junior, Guerino Bandeira, Loebens, Luiza, Barboza, Victor Dos Santos, da Costa, Silvio Teixeira, Baldisserotto, Bernardo
The use of anesthesia during short or lengthy procedures is scientifically and ethically required when dealing with fish. In this setting, the present study investigated whether a 3 h exposure to eugenol (4 and 8 mg/L) or propofol (0.2 and 0.4 mg/L) at sedative levels, followed by a 1 h wash-out...
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Behavioral and spatial responses of captive coyotes to human activity
| Contributor(s):: Schultz, Jeffrey T., Young, Julie K.
Human interactions can alter an animal’s behavior and utilization of its surroundings, and how this impacts the welfare of some captive wild animals is of growing concern. Structural enrichment shelters offer weather protection, reprieve space from other animals or humans, or resting...
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Behavioral Implications of Enrichment for Golden Lion Tamarins: A Tool for Ex Situ Conservation
| Contributor(s):: Sanders, Kimberly, Fernandez, Eduardo J.
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Behavioral preference for different enrichment objects in a commercial sow herd
| Contributor(s):: Horback, Kristina M., Pierdon, Meghann K., Parsons, Thomas D.
Increased public concern about farm animal welfare is driving both legislative initiatives and market forces to change how sows are housed and managed. This study investigated the use and preference for enrichment items at a 5600 sows commercial sow farm in eastern USA. Gestating sows were housed...
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Behavioral responses of silverback gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) to videos
| Contributor(s):: Maloney, M. A., Leighty, K. A., Kuhar, C. W., Bettinger, T. L.
This study examined the impact of video presentations on the behavior of 4 silverback, western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). On each of 5 occasions, gorillas viewed 6 types of videos (blue screen, humans, an all-male or mixed-sex group engaged in low activity, and an all-male or...
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Behaviour and performance of pigs finished on deep bedding with wood shavings or rice husks in summer
| Contributor(s):: Hotzel, M. J., Lopes, E. J. C., Oliveira, P. A. V. de, Guidoni, A. L.
Concern that excessive temperatures arising from substrate fermentation could have a deleterious effect on voluntary feed intake and weight gain, especially during the hottest times of the year, might be a barrier to the widespread adoption of deep-bedding systems for pig production in Brazil....
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Behaviour and use of space in fattening rabbits as influenced by cage size and enrichment
| Contributor(s):: Buijs, Stephanie, Keeling, Linda J., Tuyttens, Frank A. M.
In the few previous studies on the effects of space allowance on fattening rabbit behaviour, space allowance was confounded with group size. This is the first study of fattening rabbit behaviour in which space allowance was varied whilst group size was stable (8 animals per pen), although this...
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Behaviour in female mink housed in enriched standard cages during winter
| Contributor(s):: Axelsson, H. M. K., Alden, E., Lidfors, L.
This study evaluated whether adding environmental enrichments to a standard housing system during winter could decrease stereotypic behaviours in female mink. The study was conducted on two private farms (F1 and F2) in southern Sweden. In total, 75 farmed mink on each farm were housed in...
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Behaviour of golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus ) kept in four different cage sizes
| Contributor(s):: Fischer, K., Gebhardt-Henrich, S. G., Steiger, A.
Cages for laboratory and pet hamsters are usually small. Using video recordings, the behaviour of sixty female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), housed individually in four different cage sizes, was compared in order to draw conclusions about their welfare. The cage sizes were 1,800 cm2,...
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Behavioural analysis of solitary versus socially housed snow leopards (Panthera uncia), with the provision of simulated social contact
| Contributor(s):: Macri, Alaina M., Patterson-Kane, Emily
Activity budgets of 18 captive snow leopards were analyzed in order to assess the behaviour of cats housed singly versus those housed socially. Six solitary snow leopards and 12 socially housed snow leopards were compared. Pacing and activity level were used as indicators of the potential welfare...
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Behavioural differences between weaner pigs with intact and docked tails
| Contributor(s):: Paoli, M. A., Lahrmann, H. P., Jensen, T., D'Eath, R. B.
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Behavioural effects of environmental enrichment for individually caged rabbits
| Contributor(s):: Lidfors, L.
The behavioural effects of providing 60 male New Zealand laboratory rabbits with one of four objects in their individual cages as environmental enrichment were investigated. The rabbits were assigned to one of 5 treatments by a random procedure; hay in a water bottle, grass-cubes, two gnawing...
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Benefits of intraspecific social exposure in adult Swiss military dogs
| Contributor(s):: Gfrerer, Nastassja, Taborsky, Michael, Würbel, Hanno
Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) are social animals and, therefore, social interactions with conspecifics are crucial for their welfare. However, in kennelled dogs, the ability to interact with conspecifics may be limited. Swiss military dogs, for instance, are kept individually without...
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Benefits of positive human interaction for socially housed chimpanzees
| Contributor(s):: Baker, K. C.
Human interaction as environmental enrichment for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and other primates is widely promoted and believed to be of value, but has been subject to little objective evaluation. This study assessed the effects of positive human interaction (eg relaxed treat feeding, playing,...
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Benefits of training/playing therapy in a group of captive lowland gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla )
| Contributor(s):: Carrasco, L., Colell, M., Calvo, M., Abello, M. T., Velasco, M., Posada, S.
Animal well-being and enrichment continue to gain importance in the maintenance of primates living in captivity. Positive reinforcement training (PRT) and/or playing interaction have been shown to be effective in improving the well-being of several species of primates. This research study...
