Female Nile Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus Amphibius) Space Use In A Naturalistic Exhibit

Emulating adaptive aspects of human tutors in simulation-based training (SBT) should be an effective training approach, as one-to-one tutoring generally leads to better outcomes. This research represents part of a larger effort investigating the effectiveness of automating feedback in search-and-rescue SBT using four strategies: (1) adaptive bottom-up, (2) adaptive top-down, (3) nonadaptive detailed, and (4) nonadaptive general. Results indicated: (1) performance for adaptive strategies did not differ at the end of training, but bottom-up feedback achieved higher performance levels faster; (2) performance for the bottom-up and nonadaptive detailed groups did not differ significantly. Findings have implications for feedback implementation in SBT. © 2012 Copyright Division 19 (Society for Military Psychology) of the American Psychological Association

Social Behaviors Within A Group Of Captive Female Hippopotamus Amphibius

Grouping is known to occur in many species of mammals, and the structure of groups can range along a continuum from basic aggregations to complex social systems. Any social patterns that may occur within the group must be determined in order to understand the adaptive nature of the group. Female Hippopotamus amphibius are known to aggregate in the wild, but their social behaviors are still not understood. Our objective was to determine if captive female hippos display social structure within an aggregation by examining their interactions, and if kinship, familiarity, and dominance influence these interactions. Behavioral data, using continuous focal animal sampling and scan sampling, were collected on a group of captive female hippos housed at Disney\u27s Animal Kingdom and were used to analyze their interactions, association patterns based on kinship and familiarity, and a dominance hierarchy. Our results support the hypothesis that hippos exhibit social patterns due to the attraction to particular individuals. There were more associations between kin than non-kin and also between individuals that were more familiar. Dominance patterns were also found among these hippos. These results may aid in the general understanding of hippopotamus behavior and provide a framework for future research. © Japan Ethological Society and Springer 2009

The social, economic, and environmental contributions of Pan African Sanctuary Alliance primate sanctuaries in Africa

Over the last few decades, primate sanctuaries have become more numerous, particularly in Africa. Sanctuaries play an obvious and vital role in the battle against the illegal trade in wildlife and provide opportunities for local people to learn about the importance of protecting habitat and laws governing wildlife trade. Given the multi-disciplinary role of sanctuaries, the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance provides mechanisms to exchange best practices and establishes links to other conservation partners. In April 2011, the managers of the 22 Pan African Sanctuary Alliance members were surveyed in order to collect detailed information on the conservation activities of each sanctuary. The majority of the 22 sanctuaries conducted both on- and off-site education activities, engaging more than 429,000 people in education activities per year. Sanctuaries reported that they provided employment for over 550 local community members across Africa, as well as resources for community education and infrastructure, with an economic impact over $3 million per year. Sanctuaries were also involved in activities that promote law enforcement and believed that the activities they supported have led to better protection of primate habitats. The results of the survey demonstrate that sanctuaries have moved towards supporting and implementing community development activities aimed at poverty reduction, while conducting conservation activities. While Pan African Sanctuary Alliance sanctuaries were initially established to provide care and housing for orphaned, confiscated and displaced primates, this paper demonstrates how sanctuaries have combined ex-situ with in-situ initiatives to support social, economic, and environmental progress in primate range countries in Africa