No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movements

A Review of No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapir

No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movements

A Review of No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement by Joseph P. Shapir

The Days and Nights of Zoo Elephants: Using Epidemiology to Better Understand Stereotypic Behavior of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in North American Zoos.

Stereotypic behavior is an important indicator of compromised welfare. Zoo elephants are documented to perform stereotypic behavior, but the factors that contribute to performance have not been systematically assessed. We collected behavioral data on 89 elephants (47 African [Loxodonta africana], 42 Asian [Elephas maximus]) at 39 North American zoos during the summer and winter. Elephants were videoed for a median of 12 daytime hours per season. A subset of 32 elephants (19 African, 13 Asian) was also observed live for a median of 10.5 nighttime hours. Percentages of visible behavior scans were calculated from five minute instantaneous samples. Stereotypic behavior was the second most commonly performed behavior (after feeding), making up 15.5% of observations during the daytime and 24.8% at nighttime. Negative binomial regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were used to determine which social, housing, management, life history, and demographic variables were associated with daytime and nighttime stereotypic behavior rates. Species was a significant risk factor in both models, with Asian elephants at greater risk (daytime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 4.087; nighttime: p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 8.015). For both species, spending time housed separately (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.009), and having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 1.175), increased the risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy during the day, while spending more time with juvenile elephants (p<0.001, Risk Ratio = 0.985), and engaging with zoo staff reduced this risk (p = 0.018, Risk Ratio = 0.988). At night, spending more time in environments with both indoor and outdoor areas (p = 0.013, Risk Ratio = 0.987) and in larger social groups (p = 0.039, Risk Ratio = 0.752) corresponded with reduced risk of performing higher rates of stereotypy, while having experienced inter-zoo transfers (p = 0.033, Risk Ratio = 1.115) increased this risk. Overall, our results indicate that factors related to the social environment are most influential in predicting elephant stereotypic behavior rates

Nighttime model describing variables associated with stereotypic behavior rate risk (N = 32, QIC = -2358).

<p>Nighttime model describing variables associated with stereotypic behavior rate risk (N = 32, QIC = -2358).</p

Independent variables tested for association with stereotypic behavior rates.

<p>Independent variables tested for association with stereotypic behavior rates.</p

Risk increase for stereotypic behavior rate by Percent Time Managed for African and Asian elephants: Percent Time Housed Separately, Percent Time with Juveniles, and Transfers are all held constant at the average levels (22.3%, 13.0%, and 3.3 respectively).

<p>Values on the X-axis reflect the range of Percent Time Managed scores seen within our sample population.</p

Risk increase for stereotypic behavior rate by Percent Time with Juveniles for African and Asian elephants: Percent Time Housed Separately, Percent Time Managed, and Transfers are all held constant at the average levels (22.3%, 54.1%, and 3.3 respectively).

<p>Values on the X-axis reflect the range of Percent Time with Juveniles scores seen within our sample population.</p

Comparison of significant independent variables between the sub-population in our study (N = 89 daytime, N = 32 nighttime) and the adult North American zoo elephant population (N = 217).

<p>Comparison of significant independent variables between the sub-population in our study (N = 89 daytime, N = 32 nighttime) and the adult North American zoo elephant population (N = 217).</p

Independent variables tested for association with daytime stereotypic behavior rates and statistics associated with the univariate negative binomial regression models.

<p>Independent variables tested for association with daytime stereotypic behavior rates and statistics associated with the univariate negative binomial regression models.</p

Median daytime active behavioral observation percentages and interquartile ranges.

<p>Asterisks represent significant sex differences (p<0.05). For the full population, males and females, the median values for Other and Social Contact were zero.</p