Aquatic encounters children/dolphins: What benefits for the kid ? What welfare for the animal?

Delfour Fabienne. Rencontres immersives enfants/dauphins : Quels bénéfices pour l’enfant ? Quel bien-être pour l’animal ?. In: Bulletin de l'Académie Vétérinaire de France tome 172 n°1, 2019. pp. 45-46

Social Behaviors Modulate Bottlenose Dolphins' (Tursiops truncatus) Breathing Rate

Breathing frequency is a non-invasive physiological measure that brings valuable information on the bottlenose dolphins’ internal state and behaviors. When combined with behavioral observations, it helps to better understand and interpret relevant behaviors. The present study aimed to investigate some basic characteristics of breathing rate in nine dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) (e.g., age and sex effects) and to describe the modulation of the animals’ breathing frequency influenced by their simultaneously displayed activity (solitary play, social play, socio-sexual and agonistic behaviors) with a focus on social play that is thought to be a potential welfare indicator. Our results showed that young dolphins’ breathing frequency was higher than older ones’ and this rate was significantly higher when the dolphins were engaged in social play, socio-sexual and agonistic behaviors than when they were not involved in any of these interactions (e.g., resting or other behaviors). These social behaviors might be useful parameters to attribute a stressful or excitement state to the animals and more studies are needed to validate them as dolphin welfare indicators. Moreover, as breathing frequency does not allow to differentiate positive and negative stress in these animals, other physiological parameters should be measured

Goal-oriented behavioural and environmental enrichment in aquarium species

Environmental enrichment is a common tool used in zoo and aquarium settings to provide mental and physical stimulation to animals under human care. This paper aims to present a primary approach to goal-oriented environmental and behavioural enrichment following a simplified version of the SPIDER method for a diverse range of aquarium-housed species. The aim of the proposed goal-oriented environmental-enrichment programme is to stimulate behavioural diversity by providing controlled stimuli. This programme is easy to implement and can be used by animal care staff; it encompasses an easy evaluation form for daily monitoring and seeks to increase species-specific behavioural diversity. It is suggested that environmental enrichment programmes should be designed for the benefit of animal welfare; understanding how they affect animals under human care is essential to take informed decisions about which behaviours or situations to stimulate. An environmental enrichment protocol was developed which considers the ethology and biology of the species under consideration prior to implementation. Specific goals (i.e., behaviours and/or actions) were assigned to particular stimuli (enrichment devices) and the efficacy of the enrichment devices were assessed by reporting on the reactions of the animals. Over time, this protocol has made it possible to define a validated catalogue of enrichment devices for which specific goals and expected reactions are consistent. The increased behavioural diversity achieved with this programme is providing aquatic species with the choice to display species-specific behaviours

Dolphin-WET—Development of a Welfare Evaluation Tool for Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care

Ensuring high standards of animal welfare is not only an ethical duty for zoos and aquariums, but it is also essential to achieve their conservation, education, and research goals. While for some species, animal welfare assessment frameworks are already in place, little has been done for marine animals under human care. Responding to this demand, the welfare committee of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals (EAAM) set up a group of experts on welfare science, cetacean biology, and zoo animal medicine across Europe. Their objective was to develop a comprehensive tool to evaluate the welfare of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), named Dolphin-WET. The tool encompasses 49 indicators that were either validated through peer review or management-based expertise. The first of its kind, the Dolphin-WET is a species-specific welfare assessment tool that provides a holistic approach to evaluating dolphin welfare. Inspired by Mellor’s Five Domains Model and the Welfare Quality®, its hierarchical structure allows for detailed assessments from overall welfare down to specific indicators. Through combining 37 animal-based and 12 resource-based indicators that are evaluated based on a two- or three-level scoring, the protocol offers a detailed evaluation of individual dolphins. This approach allows for regular internal monitoring and targeted welfare management, enabling caretakers to address specific welfare concerns effectively

Pet therapy : from theories to practices

Dans ce texte en forme de manifeste, nous proposons un argumentaire permettant d’établir sur de nouvelles bases les recherches scientifiques futures dans le domaine de l’animal dans le soin. Après avoir mis en avant et commenté les éléments les plus saillants des différentes interventions qui sont susceptibles de contribuer à ce changement, nous discutons du bien-fondé de l’utilisation de l’anthropologie et de l’éthologie constructiviste dans leur perspective située. Ce que nous proposons implique trois changements majeurs par rapport aux traditions de recherche dominantes jusqu’ici : une véritable prise en compte de l’animal en tant que sujet, la restitution de leur parole aux praticiens et le développement de méthodes d’observation et d’enquête attentives et créatives.In this small form of clear text, we propose an argument that could allow our view to develop scientific research less mutilating and more fruitful in the vast area of the animal care. Having highlighted and commented on the most prominent of the various oral and written presentations that are likely to contribute to this change, we discuss the merits of the use of anthropology and constructivist ethology in their situated perspective. What we propose involves three major changes from the previously dominant research traditions: a true recognition of the animal as a subject, the return of their voice to practitioners and the development of attentive and creative methods of observation and investigation

Comment étudier la communication entre dauphins captifs et soigneurs ?

Cette communication présente la manière dont nous avons abordé la communication interspécifique dans le cas d‟une étude toujours en cours sur les systèmes de communication formés par des soigneurs et leurs dauphins au Parc Astérix de Paris. La première partie aborde les principales difficultés théoriques et méthodologiques qui se sont posées à nous pour la description de ce système de communication hétérogène. La seconde partie présente le cadre théorique mobilisé, les choix méthodologiques et les résultats attendus (les analyses sont toujours en cours). La troisième partie pose la question de l‟intercompréhension sous la forme d‟une compréhension sociale qui n‟exclut pas le malentendu

Object manipulation and play behavior in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care

Cetaceans are well-known to display various play activities: numerous scientific papers have documented this phenomenon in wild populations and for delphinids under human care. The present study describes analyses of bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) interactions with man-made objects introduced to their habitat as part of an environmental enrichment program. At Parc Asterix Delphinarium (France), 9 bottlenose dolphins were presented with 21 different objects. During 17 hours and using object-focal follows, we studied the dolphins’ behaviors directed toward the objects, according to the objects physical properties (i.e. complexity and buoyancy). We also documented the body parts the animals used to manipulate the objects. The results show that young dolphins displayed more playful actions towards the introduced objects than their older conspecifics. In general, subjects preferred the objects classified as simple and floating, they displayed a larger variety of behaviours, they spent more time and were more creative with them than with other types of objects. Finally, there was significantly more contact and “manipulation” with the dolphin head area than with the fins, fluke or other body parts. By analyzing the dolphins’ behaviors and actions they directed towards the introduced objects, the present study discusses meanings dolphins might give to their surroundings and the relevance of play behavior to their welfare

Marine Mammals Enact Individual Worlds

Scientific literature describes the various ways that we perceive animals and their contribution to our humanization. Our understanding of “animality” is changing, corresponding to an ever-increasing general knowledge of animals. Scientific studies provide objective descriptions of the complexity of animal worlds. The present article discusses recent findings on socio-spatiality, social cognition, and self-recognition in various marine mammal species, as well as the relevance and coherence of theories used to explain them. In a constructivist ethological approach, animals are not considered to be mere living organisms or objects, but rather, subjects. All animals use their senses to create relationships with their physical and social environments. Through their perceptions and actions, they give meaning to their surroundings; they enact individual and specific worlds, known as umwelts.The human-animal relationship is an inter subjectivity. Examples from studies of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) can be used to hypothesize the existence of a context-dependent situated self. Finally, animal welfare/well-being and the effectiveness of environmental enrichment programs can be re-evaluated in the context of this theoretical framework. In sum, no objective world exists; rather, we propose the existence of multiple context-dependent cognitive and subjective umwelts. The present article is the first to consider marine mammals with this perspective

Object manipulation and play behavior in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care

Cetaceans are well-known to display various play activities: numerous scientific papers have documented this phenomenon in wild populations and for delphinids under human care. The present study describes analyses of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) interactions with man-made objects introduced to their habitat as part of an environmental enrichment program. At Parc Asterix Delphinarium (France), 9 bottlenose dolphins were presented with 21 different objects. During 17 hours and using object-focal follows, we studied the dolphins’ behaviors directed toward the objects, according to the objects physical properties (i.e. complexity and buoyancy). We also documented the body parts the animals used to manipulate the objects. The results show that young dolphins displayed more playful actions towards the introduced objects than their older conspecifics. In general, subjects preferred the objects classified as simple and floating, they displayed a larger variety of behaviours, they spent more time and were more creative with them than with other types of objects. Finally, there was significantly more contact and “manipulation” with the dolphin head area than with the fins, fluke or other body parts. By analyzing the dolphins’ behaviors and actions they directed towards the introduced objects, the present study discusses meanings dolphins might give to their surroundings and the relevance of play behavior to their welfare