The use of technology to enhance zoological parks

Technology can be used in a zoological setting to improve visitor experience, increase research opportunities, and enhance animal welfare. Evaluating the quality of these technological innovations and their use by nonhuman and human counterparts is a critical part of extending the uses of technology to enhance animal welfare and visitor experience at zoological parks. Survey data from a small sample of institutions housing primates suggest that computers, television, radio, and sprinklers are the most prevalent types of technological enrichment currently used. Survey respondents were positive about the technology implemented, stating a desire to increase its use. Zoo Biol 30:487–497, 2011. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86919/1/20353_ftp.pd

How Abnormal Is the Behaviour of Captive, Zoo-Living Chimpanzees?

Background. Many captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) show a variety of serious behavioural abnormalities, some of which have been considered as possible signs of compromised mental health. The provision of environmental enrichments aimed at reducing the performance of abnormal behaviours is increasing the norm, with the housing of individuals in (semi-)natural social groups thought to be the most successful of these. Only a few quantitative studies of abnormal behaviour have been conducted, however, particularly for the captive population held in zoological collections. Consequently, a clear picture of the level of abnormal behaviour in zoo-living chimpanzees is lacking. Methods. We present preliminary findings from a detailed observational study of the behaviour of 40 socially-housed zoo-living chimpanzees from six collections in the United States of America and the United Kingdom. We determined the prevalence, diversity, frequency, and duration of abnormal behaviour from 1200 hours of continuous behavioural data collected by focal animal sampling. Results, conclusion, and significance. Our overall finding was that abnormal behaviour was present in all sampled individuals across six independent groups of zoo-living chimpanzees, despite the differences between these groups in size, composition, housing, etc. We found substantial variation between individuals in the frequency and duration of abnormal behaviour, but all individuals engaged in at least some abnormal behaviour and variation across individuals could not be explained by sex, age, rearing history or background (defined as prior housing conditions). Our data support a conclusion that, while most behaviour of zoo-living chimpanzees is ‘normal’ in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behaviour is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts. We suggest there is an urgent need to understand how the chimpanzee mind copes with captivity, an issue with both scientific and welfare implications

The 24/7 approach to promoting optimal welfare for captive wild animals

We have an ethical responsibility to provide captive animals with environments that allow them to experience good welfare. Husbandry activities are often scheduled for the convenience of care staff working within the constraints of the facility, rather than considering the biological and psychological requirements of the animals themselves. The animal welfare 24/7 across the lifespan concept provides a holistic framework to map features of the animal’s life cycle, taking into account their natural history, in relation to variations in the captive environment, across day and night, weekdays, weekends, and seasons. In order for animals to have the opportunity to thrive, we argue the need to consider their lifetime experience, integrated into the environments we provide, and with their perspective in mind. Here, we propose a welfare assessment tool based upon 14 criteria, to allow care staff to determine if their animals’ welfare needs are met. We conclude that animal habitat management will be enhanced with the use of integrated technologies that provide the animals with more opportunities to engineer their own environments, providing them with complexity, choice and control

Chimpanzee (Pan Troglodytes) Mothers' Response to Separation From Infants

Three chimpanzee infants were separated from their mothers. The behavior of the mothers was monitored before and after separation. Data were equally divided between pre- and post-separation observation periods. The mothers exhibited significantly reduced levels of play and significantly more time spent in proximity to an older offspring after they were permanently separated from their infants. No other recorded behaviors were significantly altered. The mothers exhibited individual differences immediately following the separation. The findings are consistent with other studies that noted the relatively mild maternal reactions to infant separation and the attenuating effect of familiar conspecifics in the post-separation environment

The Relationship Between Social Behavior and Genital Swelling in Captive Female Chimpanzees: Implications for Managing Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) Groups

This study was conducted as a portion of a project investigating relationships among reproductive cycling, aggression, and wounding in captive chimpanzees. Changes in behavior associated with the genital swelling of 11 adult female chimpanzees socially housed in four different groups were measured using 282 hours of data gathered within a 20-month period. The females' perineal swellings were rated daily using a five-point scale indicating level of tumescence. Behaviors recorded when the animals were detumescent were compared with behaviors when their sexual swellings were maximal. In addition to the subject's genital swelling rating, two factors, the male-to-female ratio in the groups and the presence or absence of a tumescent female other than the focal animal, were also included in the analysis. Multiple regression analysis revealed significant effects of each of the three factors. Significantly higher levels of sexual behavior and lower levels of submission were associated with the tumescent stage of cycling. Scores for affiliation, aggression, abnormal behavior, inactivity, locomoting, and being followed did not vary significantly with swelling phase. Group structure (male-to-female ratios) affected affiliation, locomoting, being followed, and aggression levels. Affiliation, submission, and locomoting were influenced by the presence of a tumescent female in the group. Proximity to other adult females increased during the tumescent stage of swelling, but proximity to adult males did not change. The group structure and whether or not a tumescent female was present affected various aspects of proximity to all age/sex classes of group members. Some findings from this study may be explained by the long-term stability of group membership in the colony studied, and implications for colony management are discussed. &nbsp