Missing:
Zoo Animal Welfare, stereotypy and environmental enrichment David Shepherdson Ph.D. Oregon Zoo
Definition of Enrichment A
dynamic process which structures and changes an animal’s environment in a way that provides behavioral choices to animals and draws out their speciesappropriate behaviors and abilities and enhances their welfare. AZA Behavior
Advisory Group (1999)
Guiding Concepts Mimic
Nature Ethological Needs Information Primacy Control/Behavioral Contingency
Goals of Enrichment Improved
Visitor experience Animal Management Tool Conservation Improved welfare –reduce chronic stress –reduce abnormal behavior –optimal state of wellbeing
Examples of Enrichment Physical
environment
Examples of Enrichment Physical
environment Feeding
Examples of Enrichment Physical
environment Feeding Sensory
Examples of Enrichment
Physical
environment Feeding Sensory Social environment
Examples of Enrichment
Physical
environment Feeding Sensory Social environment Cognitive
Hediger viewed training as a form of “occupational therapy.”
Stereotypy, a Problem for Zoo’s? Potential
indicator of Wellbeing Stress can result in reduced reproduction Reduces the effectiveness of exhibits Potentially reduced survival for animals re-introduced to the wild
Potential Causes of Stereotypy Frustrated
motivations to perform specific behaviors Paucity of behavioral opportunities Lack of sensory stimulation Stress Pathology
Does Enrichment Reduce Stereotypy? A Review of 25 Studies
Swaisgood, R. R., and Shepherdson, D. J. 2006. Environmental enrichment as a strategy for mitigating stereotypies in zoo animals: a literature review and a meta-analysis.: In Stereotypic animal behaviour: Fundamentals and implications to welfare., ed. G. Mason, and J. Rushen, 255-84. Wallingford UK: CABI. Swaisgood, R. R., and Shepherdson, D. J. 2005. Scientific approaches to enrichment and stereotypies in zoo animals: What's been done and where should we go. Zoo Biol. 24: 499-518.
Different types of enrichment
Fron: Swaisgood, R. R., and Shepherdson, D. J. 2006. Environmental enrichment as a strategy for mitigating stereotypies in zoo animals: a literature review and a meta-analysis.: In Stereotypic animal behaviour: Fundamentals and implications to welfare., ed. G. Mason, and J. Rushen, 255-84. Wallingford UK: CABI.
Does Enrichment Reduce Stpy?
From: Swaisgood, R. R., and Shepherdson, D. J. 2005. Scientific approaches to enrichment and stereotypies in zoo animals: What's been done and where should we go. Zoo Biol. 24: 499-518.
Summary of Findings Enrichment
reduces Stereotypy 50-60% But stereotypy not eliminated Feeding and non feeding equally effective No difference between species
Polar Bear Study Objectives Describe
Stereotypic Behavior in Zoo Polar Bears Identify the role of environmental, husbandry & temperament factors in the performance of stereotypic behavior Investigate the relationship between physiological measures of stress and stereotypic behavior
Stereotypic Behavior A locomotor pattern (swimming or pacing) that is repeated over and over again in the same location and is observed in 5 or more observations
20 Partner Zoos, 55 (24.31) Bears
Point Defiance, Tacoma San Francisco Los Angeles N. Carolina San Diego Zoo Cleveland Sea World Orlando Sea World San Diego Bronx Central Park, New York Buffalo
Seneca Park, Rochester Toledo Toronto St Louis Brookfield Oregon Zoo Philadelphia Como, St. Paul Winnipeg Lake Superior
San Diego
N. Carolina
Buffalo
Winnipeg
Como
Cleveland
Measures Behavior
– Behavior coded from video taped observation Physiology
– Bi-weekly fecal samples for one year Temperament
– Standardised Behavior test Environmental
Factors
– Direct observation, questionnaire & measurement
Standardized Behavior Test Principle Components Analysis used to define four temperament types: INTEREST
- interacting with novel objects SLOW APPROACH - latency to approach CAUTIOUS - cautious with objects SCENT - attention to scent
Results…
What do Zoo Polar Bears Do? 80.00%
%Time Visible
70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Stationary
Locomotion
Stereotypy
Mean stpy %Locomotion
Stereotypy by Zoo 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% 1 14 13 9 16 21 12 15 2 20 17 3 11 4 19 18 5 Zoo
8 10 6
Stereotypy by Bear
% Locomotor time
0.60
0.40
0.20
0.00 Alcor Berlin Coldiloc Junior Mizar Snow Yukon Arcturus Bob Glacier Klondike Neil Sweetheart Aurora Charlie Hope Lil'_One Pike Tundra
Stereotypy 7% (4/56) of bears did not exhibit any stereotypic behavior 32% of bears exhibited stereotypic behavior more than 20% of time observed (max 42.5%)
No Difference Between Male and Female Stereotypy 0.35
males 0.3
females
average frequency
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
% of time visible
% of locomotion
STEREOTYPY
Findings Zoo
polar bears do indeed spend a large proportion of their active day engaged in locomotor stereotypies There is no significant gender difference
Explaining The Variation in Stereotypy Beta
t
p
Gender
0.203
1.654
.106
Train (yes > no)
-0.290
-2.083
.044
Enrichment
-0.290
-2.202
.034
Interest
-0.273
-1.996
.053
Slow Approach
0.233
1.818
.077
Overall R2 = 0.428, df 5/39, F = 5.844, p < 0.001
proportion of locomote time spent in land stpy
Training
0.30
Beta = 0.290 t = -2.083 P = 0.044
0.20
0.10
0.00 no
yes
train
total number of enrichment items for day
Enrichment Beta = - 0.290 t = 2.202 P = .034
12.50
10.00
7.50
5.00
0.00
0.20
2.50
0.40
0.60
proportion of locomote time spent in land stpy
Male Stereotypy (n=24) Beta
t
p
# Females
-.433
-2.8
0.011
Wild/Captive
-.459
-2.9
0.08
(Wild>Captive)
Overall R2 = 0.507, df 2/21, F = 10.796, p = 0.001
Females in Social Group Beta = - 0.443 t = 2.8 P = 0.011
proportion of locomote time spent in stpy
Mean Stereotypy Levels for Males 0.50
0.40
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
# females in social group
2.0
Non-Significant Environmental Variables No
significant Correlations between DV’s and: – Pool Volume – Den Access – View From Exhibit – Exhibit Complexity – Temperature
Explaining the Variation in Corticoid Beta Exbt. Area (range
t
p
-0.284
-1.932
0.061
Train
-0.245
-1.715
0.095
Interest
-0.294
-1.923
0.062
2025 – 8000 sq. ft.)
Overall R2 = 0.327, df 5/39, F = 5.844, p < 0.002
Stereotypy & Corticoid Not significant
Males & Females r = .190, p = 0.186
mean windsorized corticoide
1250.00
1000.00
750.00
250.00
500.00
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
proportion of locomote time spent in stpy
Conclusions…
Overall Conclusions Zoo
Bears show high rates of stereotypy Improved husbandry (enrichment & training) is key to reducing stereotypic behavior Corticoid levels linked to exhibit area Temperament characteristics linked to both stereotypic behavior and corticoid levels
Recommendations Focus
on improving the effectiveness of husbandry – specifically enrichment and training Suggest that social grouping and social interaction should receive more attention Further experimentation on Husbandry Factors (this study was observational) Further study focused on specific variables (i.e. exbt. Size, Social group size & composition, wild vs. captive)
