WELFARE

From Keepers

I challenge you to add to this.

By:AWany simon jose jimmy,Uganda

Hello there -

KEY ISSUE OF ENRICHMENT

Environmental enrichment is the process of providing stimulating environments for captive animals in order for them to demonstrate their species-typical behavior, to allow them to exercise control or choice over their environment, and to enhance their well-being.

Enrichment includes the design of stimulating and naturalistic enclosures, the housing of appropriate social groups in captivity, and the introduction of objects, sounds, smells or other stimuli in the animal’s environment.

Environmental enrichment is just as critical to captive animal welfare as nutrition and veterinary medicine. At Uganda wildlife Education Centre , enrichment is an integral part of the daily care of the species in our collection.

Enrichment is provided in a variety of ways, such as:

Exhibit design

provides a variety of substrates, levels, and complexities.

Training

interaction with the keeper and proper training allows an animal to choose to participate. This is also useful in gaining the animal’s trust and allows the keeper close, visual observations of that animal.

And through enrichments activity were able to discover animals can detect who their care givers are, just like human babies and their mother, but for animals even if they have not seen you your scent is just a enough to make them well come you, especially chimpanzees.

Scents/sprinkling of dung

a keeper can introduce natural predator or prey scents or dug, in addition auditory taped sounds or vocalizations can simulate things that an animal may hear in the wild.

Food related

this is the most widely used form of enrichment. Keepers can present food in a variety of ways such as in a simple puzzle feeder, hidden throughout the enclosure, scattered about the enclosure, or buried in a substrate. To get the food, the animal must use natural foraging behaviors and/or mentally solve the puzzle, that to say an animals must really work hard for its food. Should not give gifts to them, when they don’t deserve it.

Novel objects: various items placed in an animal’s enclosure allow the animal to mimic behaviors exhibited in the wild or could challenge them. These items could include burlap bags, sheets, boomer balls,ropes,tyres,fruit hanging , chew toys, or a hammock. But different species need special considerations, and a lot of creativity on the side of the keeper and always remember that certain enrichment items may intimidate the animals and may end up making an animals not trusting you.

Often, novel objects will be combined with food related enrichment. For example, burlap bags may be filled with hay and treats and tied closed. The animal would then have to get into the bag and sort through the hay to get to the treats.

Research

Participation in a research projects offers mental stimulation to both the keeper and the animals he /she deals with .It is very important for keepers to note always the animals behavior and during enrichment .

Please feel fre to edit this article.

Come and visit Jimmy on his user page! Edited:Bats 08:33, 14 April 2006 (SAST)

BY FREDERICK LEHDUFE TUME, (Keeper Mvog-Betsi zoo), BP 2600,Messa,Yaounde,Cameroon 24.07.2006

SOURCE:My notes from: DURRELL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST.

WELFARE OF ZOO ANIMALS

1. Mind and Body

Until relatively recently it was believed that so long as the few basic necessities required to keep an animal alive were provided this was sufficient. It is now regarded essential that sufficient requirements are met to allow the individual to exhibit a natural repertoire of behaviours and activity patterns.

When discussing animal wellbeing it is very difficult to separate the physical from the psychological aspects. Mind-body dualism (Thomas and Lorden, 1989) is a term coined to express the reciprocal relationship between the two. If an animal’s physiological needs are unsatisfied it is extremely unlikely that the psychological ones can be and vice versa. The failure to meet the needs of an animal results in experience of stress, a condition with both physiological and psychological components. Some degree of stress is experienced in nature as a result of natural environmental stimuli and regarded as being beneficial. This has been termed eustress as opposed to distress which has a negative effect (Selye, 1974).

When keeping an endangered species in captivity, conditions must approximate the nature state in order to achieve a natural level of fitness of the animal in question. In order to do this, a good general understanding of the animal’s biology and natural history is vital. Captive conditions should mimic those experienced in nature to facilitate the exhibition of a healthy range of natural behaviours. By definition animals in captivity are restricted in their range and as a result their ability to select their environment. Provision for an animal’s needs is the responsibility of the carer and the facility in which it is kept. Physical considerations are important but the provision of behavioural needs has been argued for by Ewbank (1985). Certain actions may encourage the expression of behaviours however in some cases their absence may not be detrimental to the animal. In an experiment by Dawkins (1976) it was found that provision of litter trays to battery hens initiated dust bathing, but their absence, however, did not cause any increase in stress levels. Trays were regarded as being a “developer” stimulus which encouraged a behaviour to be expressed. It was also found that prior to egg laying the birds would exhibit nesting behaviour when provided with appropriate materials. The omission of such materials resulted in an increase in aggressive and stress related behaviours. The requirement of nesting material prior to egg laying should be regarded as a “behavioural need”. Behavioural needs of an animal are real and as such demand equal consideration to the physical ones. There are numerous variables which must be controlled to maintain the health of a specimen and ensure that its life is “happy” and productive.

2. Variables under Management Control. How to control stress in animals.

There are a number of variables within captive environments that can be manipulated by the animal staff. These are:

The Physical environment

Lighting: both quality and quantity are of paramount importance both for psychological (e.g. nocturnal, diurnal) and physiological (e.g. UV for vitamin D synthesis, heliothermic) needs. Photoperiod has an important impact on the major hormone-mediated systems of the body. (e.g. seasonal reproduction, reproductive condition).

Humidity: largely of physiological relevance variation to mimic seasonality (e.g. cue for aestivation).

Temperature: provision of adequate temperatures for even the largest of species during inclement or extreme seasons. Were possible a temperature gradient should be provided as this will give the animal choice (e.g. provision of shade and shelter).

Spatial confinement

Boundary type: i.e. moat, window, fence. Shape curved, square etc. Determines visual and vocal contact with conspecifics, other species and the public. The appropriate distance from the public and other specimens is possible. Suitability of the barrier for an animals safety e.g. glass for birds and water for apes may lead to injury or even death if not properly managed.

Dimensions: often regarded most important however quality is more so. Some species require large areas but to others this type of habitat is alien and inappropriate.

Furnishings: cage or enclosures must facilitate natural behaviour e.g. climbing, swimming, running etc. and make provision for refuge areas so that animals can evade both each other and the public. Where mixed species exhibits are established furnishings should provide natural type niche divisions and thus reduce competition for space and resources.

Substrate: This should be chosen with both health and maintenance in mind so that it is both good for the animal and not to difficult to keep clean e.g. hard stands for hoof stock to prevent hoof overgrowth and the use of carefully monitored deep littering.

Maintenance: cleaning routines etc. sterile environment unrealistic and not necessarily ideal. Temporal aspect of great importance with many species, the development of a daily routine to which the animals can become accustomed.

Feeding

Basic diet nutritional requirements must be assessed and where possible diet formulated based on the wild one.

Supplementary in cases where species are left to their own devices to acquire the bulk of their diet e.g. grazers (seasonal variation in grazing for hoofstock).

Non-nutritional aspects of presentation of foods in natural forms, bones and fur for carnivores to maintain tooth condition, items to gnaw for rodents and birds to prevent tooth/bill overgrowth.

Special dietary requirements: dictated by condition of individuals e.g. young, sick and old may need extra feeds and for presentation and composition to be different.

Feeding methods: both temporal and spatial aspects are vital to ensure individuals in groups receive appropriate rations.

Water: clean drinking water should always be available for any specimen.

Management

Interaction with animal staff: this is an important aspect of the management of any animal, both for the confidence of the animal and assessment of its condition by the keeper. If an animal is calm and relaxed in the presence of a keeper it will be easier to manage, observe, mix etc.. Social groups: contact with conspecific animals maintained in natural conditions are likely to be more active.

Seasonality: mating breeding cycles must be considered. Groups may have to be split or rearranged as a result of oestrous.

Pregnancy/egg laying and incubation: provision of nest boxes, cubbing dens or appropriate nesting areas is vital for reproductive success.

Birth/hatching: routines may have to change to reduce disturbance during this particularly sensitive time and for a period after.

Development and care of young: changes in management will be required whilst young are being reared both in the provision of food, water and the conspecific mixing of certain species. Hand rearing techniques must be appropriate and staff competent both for adequate rearing and future wellbeing of the individual if this course of action is taken.

Handling

General handling: a policy should be developed to control animal handling. Even in the case of apparently tame animals, it can cause stress and should be avoided unless necessary.

Catching/restraining: this should be undertaken by experienced staff or under supervision. Appropriate techniques and equipment should be used to minimise risk of injury to both staff and animals.

Transportation: this should be as quick as possible and container should be an appropriate size and contain food and water for long trips. If it is to be flown then the crate must comply with IATA Live Animal Regulations.

3. Assessment of Wellbeing.

Bayne (1989) recognised that although the assessment of wellbeing may include measures of reproductive success, general physical condition (body weight), physiological indices (cortisol ACTH levels) and general behaviour it is not easy. This is clearly apparent from the fact that reliable guidelines (clinical signs) for the recognition of distress in most captive animals are not available. Most research into signs of distress have been carried out on primates (Morton and Griffiths, 1985). A list of examples of responses to inadequate conditions published by CARE, the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Animal Research and Ethics, may include:

Behavioural responses

•Apparent inability of non-aged primates to move quickly without strain or difficulty when appropriately stimulated to do so. •Chronic self-mutilation or abnormal pattern of repetitive motor acts of the limbs or whole body which fit within the general accepted definition of stereotypic behaviour. •Persistent pattern of avoiding or ignoring novel stimuli within the immediate living space. •Failure to respond in species-typical fashion to social partners. •Repeated species-specific fear or avoidance behaviour in the absence of noxious stimulation.

Physical responses

•characteristics such as skin condition (flacky, scaly, rashes, smooth), coat (sparse, patchy, full), colour and consistency of urine and faces, appearance of eyes (swelling, crusts, clear, opaque etc.), gait pattern (shuffling, limping, stiff walk, normal) and rate of growth or aging. •Various physiological variables such as hormones typically measured in blood, urine and faeces. •Immune function.

Physical criteria may be applied to all species in captivity with relative ease, however, behavioural criteria are less simple. The more complex natural behaviour patterns of a species are, the more complicated and distinct any indicators of distress is likely to be. Knowledge of behavioural patterns display the shortcomings of the environment in which an individual is kept in. In the case of species simpler repertoire e.g. many reptiles, physiological cues may be more important. Thus, even in species whose basic physiological requirements have been understood and catered for, reproduction may still be poor and longevity shortened because of the lack of knowledge of their behavioural needs.

4. Stereotypic Behaviours.

The exhibition of “stereotypic” behaviour is one of the most common arguments used against confinement of animals and for the improvement of captive conditions. “Stereotypies are series of movements of the whole or part of the animal’s body which are repeated regularly and which serve no apparent function” Danzer and Mormede 1983. Pacing, head flicking, weaving, bar gnawing, crib biting, wind sucking, spot pecking and excessive grooming may all be stereotypic if exhibited at high frequencies.

It is generally accepted that the cause of stereotypy is an adverse or under stimulating environment. The actual role played stereotypy is more complex as its development. At its appearance a stereotypic behaviour can be directly associated with a cause, pacing being related to confinement etc. As the condition develops the behaviour may become abbreviated to an extent that its cause can no longer be identified pacing becoming head tossing for example. If the becomes a displacement activity and a habit which may continue long after the original cause has been rectified.

Severity of Stereotypy

The level of abnormality of the behaviour and its direction. The more normal the behaviour and the greater the link between form and cause the less serious the situation. Level of representation in an animals activity pattern. It has been suggested that more than 10% of waking activity is unaccepted Broom, 1983. Awareness of surroundings, if it can be distracted from its behaviour then the condition is less serious than it is not the case. If the behaviour is responsive or spontaneous Shepherdson, 1989. If the onset is linked temporally to a stimuli this is not so bad. If a decrease is behavioural repertoire accompanies the expression of stereotypy it indicates that the condition has degenerated. Stereotypies and other aberrant behaviours may be corrected in many cases by manipulating of the environment environmental enrichment.

The assessment of animal wellbeing is the primary responsibility of the keeper, who must therefore be familiar both with individual animals in his/her care to identify day to day changes and with the species in order to relate the behaviour in captivity with that exhibited in the wild. Much attention has been focused on mammals, particularly primates, because of their complex behavioural patterns. It is however accepted that more attention must be given to other species, especially ones that have proved particularly difficult to keep in captivity.

To be continued.