Angus J. C. Thomson, Callum Bannister, Reece Marshall, Natasha McNeil, Donna Mear, Susie Lovick‐Earle, Mirela Cuculescu-Santana
{"title":"Interest in coloured objects and behavioural budgets of individual captive freshwater turtles","authors":"Angus J. C. Thomson, Callum Bannister, Reece Marshall, Natasha McNeil, Donna Mear, Susie Lovick‐Earle, Mirela Cuculescu-Santana","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I4.623","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I4.623","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"218-227"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47295371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As wild populations of amphibians and reptiles are threatened by habitat loss and emerging diseases, the importance of captive populations serving as survival assurance colonies and stock for reintroduction programmes increases. As does the need for adequate biosecurity procedures to reduce risks of pathogen spread within captive populations. This study documents the pathways of pathogens induced during some of the daily husbandry procedures performed by zookeepers, and how they can be mitigated. The study compares the effectiveness of two different biosecurity measures, individually and combined, at reducing pathogen transfer. Ten zookeepers performed daily husbandry routines on 10 simulated terrariums using no biosecurity measures, or using designated tools, disposable gloves, or a combination of the two. The effectiveness of these measures to avoid pathogen spread was investigated through the use of a UV tracer, allowing detection of contamination of subsequent enclosures. The study documented a significant difference between the degree of contamination in the four trials (P<0.0001), with the combination of gloves and dedicated tools providing the lowest degree of contamination (P<0.0001 compared to the control scenario). Although there was a tendency for gloves to reduce contamination, neither gloves nor dedicated tools alone significantly decreased contamination. The study clearly demonstrates the dramatic effect of simple biosecurity measures for reducing pathogen spread among animal enclosures and introduces a simple yet effective tool to the field of zoo management.
{"title":"Assessing the effects of biosecurity measures in terrarium management","authors":"M. Jensen, U. Jensen, M. Bertelsen","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I3.470","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I3.470","url":null,"abstract":"As wild populations of amphibians and reptiles are threatened by habitat loss and emerging diseases, the importance of captive populations serving as survival assurance colonies and stock for reintroduction programmes increases. As does the need for adequate biosecurity procedures to reduce risks of pathogen spread within captive populations. This study documents the pathways of pathogens induced during some of the daily husbandry procedures performed by zookeepers, and how they can be mitigated. The study compares the effectiveness of two different biosecurity measures, individually and combined, at reducing pathogen transfer. Ten zookeepers performed daily husbandry routines on 10 simulated terrariums using no biosecurity measures, or using designated tools, disposable gloves, or a combination of the two. The effectiveness of these measures to avoid pathogen spread was investigated through the use of a UV tracer, allowing detection of contamination of subsequent enclosures. The study documented a significant difference between the degree of contamination in the four trials (P<0.0001), with the combination of gloves and dedicated tools providing the lowest degree of contamination (P<0.0001 compared to the control scenario). Although there was a tendency for gloves to reduce contamination, neither gloves nor dedicated tools alone significantly decreased contamination. The study clearly demonstrates the dramatic effect of simple biosecurity measures for reducing pathogen spread among animal enclosures and introduces a simple yet effective tool to the field of zoo management.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"157-160"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44500353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Preference testing has long been used in ethology and animal welfare science to assess the preferences that animals have for different resources and stimuli. The study conducted herein assessed the choice-making ability of five leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis in a novel two-phase preference test. Phase 1 was a discrete choice test in a y-maze with two options: food in one arm, the other arm left empty, with positions fixed per tortoise, but randomised across tortoises. Multivariate ANOVA were performed on three dependent variables of time taken to make a choice in both phases. In Phase 1, four of the five tortoises clearly chose the food arm more than the empty arm. One tortoise chose the food arm and empty arm equally (50/50). Phase 2 involved opening an additional arm on the maze and offering each tortoise three choices: food (the same as Phase 1); human interaction (shell scratches and rubs using hands); or an empty arm. Positions were again fixed per tortoise but randomised across tortoises. In Phase 2, tortoise choices were more varied. Two tortoises chose human interaction more than the other two maze arms; another two chose the food maze arm most; and one did not seem to show a strong preference for any particular arm. These results suggested that some individuals of this species of tortoise may possibly prefer this form of human interaction (shell scratches and rubs) over other stimuli in certain conditions; however, further research is necessary to improve the confidence of the conclusions presented herein.
{"title":"Assessing choice ability and preferences of five Leopard Tortoises (Stigmochelys pardalis) for three stimuli through a novel two-phase preference test","authors":"M. Learmonth, Sally L. Sherwen, P. Hemsworth","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.540","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.540","url":null,"abstract":"Preference testing has long been used in ethology and animal welfare science to assess the preferences that animals have for different resources and stimuli. The study conducted herein assessed the choice-making ability of five leopard tortoises Stigmochelys pardalis in a novel two-phase preference test. Phase 1 was a discrete choice test in a y-maze with two options: food in one arm, the other arm left empty, with positions fixed per tortoise, but randomised across tortoises. Multivariate ANOVA were performed on three dependent variables of time taken to make a choice in both phases. In Phase 1, four of the five tortoises clearly chose the food arm more than the empty arm. One tortoise chose the food arm and empty arm equally (50/50). Phase 2 involved opening an additional arm on the maze and offering each tortoise three choices: food (the same as Phase 1); human interaction (shell scratches and rubs using hands); or an empty arm. Positions were again fixed per tortoise but randomised across tortoises. In Phase 2, tortoise choices were more varied. Two tortoises chose human interaction more than the other two maze arms; another two chose the food maze arm most; and one did not seem to show a strong preference for any particular arm. These results suggested that some individuals of this species of tortoise may possibly prefer this form of human interaction (shell scratches and rubs) over other stimuli in certain conditions; however, further research is necessary to improve the confidence of the conclusions presented herein.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"94-101"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43938653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Pastorino, J. Brereton, F. Drago, Eleonora Confalonieri, R. Preziosi
Big cats are both popular and well represented in zoological collections worldwide, and there is considerable interest in evidence-based studies to develop best practice husbandry guidelines. The majority of big cat species, including the leopard Panthera pardus are typically solitary in the wild, whereas in zoos they are sometimes maintained as pairs or larger groups. This study investigates the behaviour of six leopards housed as a trio, a pair, and singleton in the Parco Faunistico Valcorba, Italy. Behavioural data were collected using instantaneous focal sampling at one-minute intervals with continuous recording for events, and Electivity Index was used to assess the use of each enclosure zone by individual leopards. Poisson regressions were used to determine whether individual leopard, weather and decibel levels were predictors of behaviour change. Overall, the Poisson regressions were significant for all behaviours except allogrooming. Both affiliative and aggressive behaviours were observed most frequently in the recently mixed trio, and these were often initiated by the male. By contrast, the pair of leopards rarely interacted with one another. Irrespective of condition, leopards tended to overutilize a few key zones in their exhibits and did not use their enclosures evenly. However, there were differences in zone overlap: the pair housed leopards appeared to use different zones to one another, whilst the trio of leopards appeared to use similar zones. These data suggest that group housing may be a viable housing strategy for leopards, provided that the animals are given the opportunity to avoid each other should they choose to do so. However, personality and compatibility of leopards is likely to be a confounding factor that must be considered when developing group-housing husbandry strategies. Further studies with a focus on group housing of other felid species would be valuable to evidence-base their captive husbandry.
{"title":"Investigating the effect of social grouping on the behaviour of captive leopards","authors":"G. Pastorino, J. Brereton, F. Drago, Eleonora Confalonieri, R. Preziosi","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.548","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.548","url":null,"abstract":"Big cats are both popular and well represented in zoological collections worldwide, and there is considerable interest in evidence-based studies to develop best practice husbandry guidelines. The majority of big cat species, including the leopard Panthera pardus are typically solitary in the wild, whereas in zoos they are sometimes maintained as pairs or larger groups. This study investigates the behaviour of six leopards housed as a trio, a pair, and singleton in the Parco Faunistico Valcorba, Italy. Behavioural data were collected using instantaneous focal sampling at one-minute intervals with continuous recording for events, and Electivity Index was used to assess the use of each enclosure zone by individual leopards. Poisson regressions were used to determine whether individual leopard, weather and decibel levels were predictors of behaviour change. Overall, the Poisson regressions were significant for all behaviours except allogrooming. Both affiliative and aggressive behaviours were observed most frequently in the recently mixed trio, and these were often initiated by the male. By contrast, the pair of leopards rarely interacted with one another. Irrespective of condition, leopards tended to overutilize a few key zones in their exhibits and did not use their enclosures evenly. However, there were differences in zone overlap: the pair housed leopards appeared to use different zones to one another, whilst the trio of leopards appeared to use similar zones. These data suggest that group housing may be a viable housing strategy for leopards, provided that the animals are given the opportunity to avoid each other should they choose to do so. However, personality and compatibility of leopards is likely to be a confounding factor that must be considered when developing group-housing husbandry strategies. Further studies with a focus on group housing of other felid species would be valuable to evidence-base their captive husbandry.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"116-123"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47678783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
African wild dogs Lycaon pictus are a popularly exhibited zoo animal, frequently housed in groups to represent their natural packs in the wild. While such group housing is common, the effects of changes to that group are seldom directly investigated. This study examined the enclosure use of three African wild dog siblings located at the Woodland Park Zoo. The wild dogs were observed during a period of several weeks, during which one of the dogs was periodically removed from the group. Groupings of the wild dogs were examined during three conditions: (1) ALL 3, when all three dogs were on-exhibit, (2) MIXED, when one of the dogs was held off-exhibit, and (3) ALL 2, when only two animals remained in the enclosure and on-exhibit. Removal of one of the dogs from the on-exhibit portion of the enclosure (MIXED and ALL 2 conditions) significantly modified overall area usage and variability in enclosure use (as measured via Entropy, a single measure of area use variability) for the two remaining on-exhibit wild dogs. The results suggest that overall enclosure use, with attention to variability in enclosure areas used, can function as a relevant behavioural welfare measure for group-housed zoo animals, particularly when direct measures of behaviours are inconclusive.
{"title":"Enclosure Use as a Measure of Behavioral Welfare in Zoo-Housed African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus)","authors":"E. Fernandez, Emma Harvey","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.526","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.526","url":null,"abstract":"African wild dogs Lycaon pictus are a popularly exhibited zoo animal, frequently housed in groups to represent their natural packs in the wild. While such group housing is common, the effects of changes to that group are seldom directly investigated. This study examined the enclosure use of three African wild dog siblings located at the Woodland Park Zoo. The wild dogs were observed during a period of several weeks, during which one of the dogs was periodically removed from the group. Groupings of the wild dogs were examined during three conditions: (1) ALL 3, when all three dogs were on-exhibit, (2) MIXED, when one of the dogs was held off-exhibit, and (3) ALL 2, when only two animals remained in the enclosure and on-exhibit. Removal of one of the dogs from the on-exhibit portion of the enclosure (MIXED and ALL 2 conditions) significantly modified overall area usage and variability in enclosure use (as measured via Entropy, a single measure of area use variability) for the two remaining on-exhibit wild dogs. The results suggest that overall enclosure use, with attention to variability in enclosure areas used, can function as a relevant behavioural welfare measure for group-housed zoo animals, particularly when direct measures of behaviours are inconclusive.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"88-93"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44959345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shaun Wee, S. Loong, Nathaniel S. R. Ng, F. Cabana
Sustainable in-house cultures of bio-enriched live feeds for ornamental fish can enhance development, nutrition and welfare of the animal by improving immunity while further reducing economical costs to zoological institutions. Artemia is an easily harvestable feed with its nutritional profile highly dependent on its diet which is easily manipulated through bioencapsulation. This study evaluates the effects of two types of commonly used feeds for Artemia: spirulina and yeast, and how this affects the growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival rate, immunity and colour intensity of ornamental fish, compared to a commercial pellet (control) diet. A total of 198 mature, mixed sex serpae tetra Hyphessobrycon eques were subjected to the three different diet treatments conducted in duplicate. There was no significant difference in growth weight, FCR, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase between treatments. Protease index of activity was significantly lower in fish fed with Artemia bio-enriched with spirulina (71.48%) and highest in the control diet (95.48%). The colour intensity and redness of the fish also significantly increased when fed Artemia bio-enriched with spirulina versus Artemia bio-enriched with yeast or a control diet.
{"title":"Artemia as a sustainably cultured live feed for ornamental fish in zoological institutions with immunostimulant properties when bioencapsulated with spirulina (Arthrospria platensis).","authors":"Shaun Wee, S. Loong, Nathaniel S. R. Ng, F. Cabana","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.546","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I2.546","url":null,"abstract":"Sustainable in-house cultures of bio-enriched live feeds for ornamental fish can enhance development, nutrition and welfare of the animal by improving immunity while further reducing economical costs to zoological institutions. Artemia is an easily harvestable feed with its nutritional profile highly dependent on its diet which is easily manipulated through bioencapsulation. This study evaluates the effects of two types of commonly used feeds for Artemia: spirulina and yeast, and how this affects the growth, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival rate, immunity and colour intensity of ornamental fish, compared to a commercial pellet (control) diet. A total of 198 mature, mixed sex serpae tetra Hyphessobrycon eques were subjected to the three different diet treatments conducted in duplicate. There was no significant difference in growth weight, FCR, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase and alkaline phosphatase between treatments. Protease index of activity was significantly lower in fish fed with Artemia bio-enriched with spirulina (71.48%) and highest in the control diet (95.48%). The colour intensity and redness of the fish also significantly increased when fed Artemia bio-enriched with spirulina versus Artemia bio-enriched with yeast or a control diet.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"110-115"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43946817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R. Newman, S. Mckeown, Thomas Quirke, R. O'riordan
The captive environment can significantly impact animal behaviour. Relocating a captive group to a more biologically relevant enclosure can positively impact behaviour and welfare. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a new enclosure on the behaviour of a captive group of lion-tailed macaques Macaca silenus located in Fota Wildlife Park. The macaques were moved in late January/early February 2015 to an enclosure that is larger and more complex but is in closer proximity to visitors. Baseline data were collected from February to October 2014, prior to the move. Data in the new enclosure were collected for the 2 months following the move, prior to additional changes occurring in the group. One year since the relocation, data were collected again, in February and March 2016. The results showed that in the months following the move to the new enclosure the macaques spent more time out of sight and less time engaged in self-directed behaviours. Visitor number had an impact on behaviour of the macaques, but there was no significant difference between the two enclosures in terms of visitor effect. Further monitoring will continue to determine the effect of the new enclosure on behaviour.
{"title":"The effect of a new enclosure on the behaviour of a large captive group of lion-tailed macaques Macaca silenus","authors":"R. Newman, S. Mckeown, Thomas Quirke, R. O'riordan","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.397","url":null,"abstract":"The captive environment can significantly impact animal behaviour. Relocating a captive group to a more biologically relevant enclosure can positively impact behaviour and welfare. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a new enclosure on the behaviour of a captive group of lion-tailed macaques Macaca silenus located in Fota Wildlife Park. The macaques were moved in late January/early February 2015 to an enclosure that is larger and more complex but is in closer proximity to visitors. Baseline data were collected from February to October 2014, prior to the move. Data in the new enclosure were collected for the 2 months following the move, prior to additional changes occurring in the group. One year since the relocation, data were collected again, in February and March 2016. The results showed that in the months following the move to the new enclosure the macaques spent more time out of sight and less time engaged in self-directed behaviours. Visitor number had an impact on behaviour of the macaques, but there was no significant difference between the two enclosures in terms of visitor effect. Further monitoring will continue to determine the effect of the new enclosure on behaviour.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"20-25"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42003127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jesse G. Leinwand, Jill Moyse, Lydia M. Hopper, Maureen Leahy, S. R. Ross
The past several decades have seen significant progress in zoo exhibit design, with naturalistic spaces replacing many of the traditional concrete enclosures. Furthermore, research studying the impact of such exhibit design in terms of animal welfare and zoo visitor experience has increased. While this has been especially true for studies of zoo-housed great apes, the effect of the floor type that apes reside on—whether concrete or a softer/organic substrate—has received relatively little attention. To better understand zoos’ motivations for, and experiences with, different flooring substrates, a survey was administered to all 89 zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that house great apes. Here, the results of the survey are presented and interpreted in the context of the knowledge gained from the four biofloor exhibits housing chimpanzees and gorillas at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, USA. Of the 62 zoos that responded, 45 reported having indoor exhibit spaces in which visitors could view great apes, but only 13 had exhibits that provide a biofloor as the exhibit substrate. Zoos indicated that animal welfare was a key motivator for installing biofloors, while facility constraints were most often cited as the primary impediment to having a biofloor. Pest control and cleaning protocols only varied slightly across institutions and floor types, with many zoos following similar maintenance procedures. Overall, survey responses and experiences at Lincoln Park Zoo suggest biofloors promote positive welfare without compromising husbandry efforts and are a worthwhile investment.
{"title":"The Use of biofloors in great ape zoo exhibits","authors":"Jesse G. Leinwand, Jill Moyse, Lydia M. Hopper, Maureen Leahy, S. R. Ross","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.544","url":null,"abstract":"The past several decades have seen significant progress in zoo exhibit design, with naturalistic spaces replacing many of the traditional concrete enclosures. Furthermore, research studying the impact of such exhibit design in terms of animal welfare and zoo visitor experience has increased. While this has been especially true for studies of zoo-housed great apes, the effect of the floor type that apes reside on—whether concrete or a softer/organic substrate—has received relatively little attention. To better understand zoos’ motivations for, and experiences with, different flooring substrates, a survey was administered to all 89 zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that house great apes. Here, the results of the survey are presented and interpreted in the context of the knowledge gained from the four biofloor exhibits housing chimpanzees and gorillas at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, USA. Of the 62 zoos that responded, 45 reported having indoor exhibit spaces in which visitors could view great apes, but only 13 had exhibits that provide a biofloor as the exhibit substrate. Zoos indicated that animal welfare was a key motivator for installing biofloors, while facility constraints were most often cited as the primary impediment to having a biofloor. Pest control and cleaning protocols only varied slightly across institutions and floor types, with many zoos following similar maintenance procedures. Overall, survey responses and experiences at Lincoln Park Zoo suggest biofloors promote positive welfare without compromising husbandry efforts and are a worthwhile investment.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"41-48"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42862161","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
With so many species being threatened with extinction, captive breeding programmes are becoming an important aspect of ex-situ conservation. Captive populations are important for species conservation and for reintroduction back into the wild. Some of the most important wild behaviours to maintain in captive animals are those associated with sexual reproduction, such as courtship and mating. Amphibian reproductive behaviour is associated with call patterns, with studies demonstrating that male advertisement calls elicit positive behavioural responses from females. This study evaluated the response of captive golden mantella frogs Mantella aurantiaca to playback calls from different wild and captive populations (one generation in captivity and more than five generations in captivity). During the experiment, three different calls were used as treatments: one from wild populations, and two from captive populations. Generalised linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of the playback treatments on the behaviour of captive frogs: replicates and enclosures were used as random factors. The model showed that vocalisations from wild individuals led to an increase in movement and social behaviours while calls from captive frogs did not. This was especially true of frogs bred for more than five generations in captivity. This could have negative consequences on the reproduction of captive frogs if released to the wild.
{"title":"Do captive golden mantella frogs recognise wild conspecifics calls? Responses to the playback of captive and wild calls","authors":"L. Passos, G. Garcia, R. Young","doi":"10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.476","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.19227/JZAR.V9I1.476","url":null,"abstract":"With so many species being threatened with extinction, captive breeding programmes are becoming an important aspect of ex-situ conservation. Captive populations are important for species conservation and for reintroduction back into the wild. Some of the most important wild behaviours to maintain in captive animals are those associated with sexual reproduction, such as courtship and mating. Amphibian reproductive behaviour is associated with call patterns, with studies demonstrating that male advertisement calls elicit positive behavioural responses from females. This study evaluated the response of captive golden mantella frogs Mantella aurantiaca to playback calls from different wild and captive populations (one generation in captivity and more than five generations in captivity). During the experiment, three different calls were used as treatments: one from wild populations, and two from captive populations. Generalised linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of the playback treatments on the behaviour of captive frogs: replicates and enclosures were used as random factors. The model showed that vocalisations from wild individuals led to an increase in movement and social behaviours while calls from captive frogs did not. This was especially true of frogs bred for more than five generations in captivity. This could have negative consequences on the reproduction of captive frogs if released to the wild.","PeriodicalId":56160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research","volume":"9 1","pages":"49-54"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2021-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44988006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Johan Baechli, L. Bellis, María Constanza García Capocasa, J. M. Busso
Captive conditions differ widely from an animal’s natural environment and risk making them prone to reduced behavioural flexibility and sometimes impaired reproduction. The Patagonian mara Dolichotis patagonum, a near threatened species, is a large rodent endemic to Argentina with a singular social organisation that combines monogamy with communal breeding. The aim of this study was to learn more about the activity budget and behavioural synchrony between mates of zoo-housed D. patagonum and thus contribute to research and conservation programmes at modern zoos worldwide. The study implicated 28 animals housed at Cordoba Zoo (Argentina) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Behaviour was recorded once a week every hour from 0800–1800 for a 28-day period and the total offspring at the end of the spring-summer season were counted. The recorded activity budget was: resting (43%), feeding (25%) and alert (13%), the remaining categories accounting for less than 10%. Resting, feeding and alert were the only categories associated with hourly changes. There was 48% behavioural synchrony between mates (both sexes engaging in the same behaviour at the same time) and a total of 23 offspring were counted, corresponding to one litter each reproducing female. The similarity between the behavioural response of these zoo-housed individuals and available data on the behaviour of D. patagonum in the wild indicates that zoo-housed D. patagonum behavioural activities can be considered positive responses, providing useful information for the future development of reintroduction programmes.
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