Applied Animal Behaviour Science最新文献

{"title":"Temporal social network structures based on snout contact during group integration in pigs","authors":"Sunil Khatiwada ,&nbsp;Victoria E. Lee ,&nbsp;Simon P. Turner ,&nbsp;Irene Camerlink","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the formation of new social groups, temporal variations in behavioural associations between individuals can provide insight into the role of behaviours during group formation. While social behaviour during the establishment of new groups has been studied, there is a lack of knowledge on how non-agonistic social patterns change across time. The aim of this study was, therefore, to examine temporal variation in behavioural associations between individuals during the formation and maintenance of social relationships between conspecifics. This was studied in 15 mixed-sex groups of commercial pigs (n = 118 pigs; 8 pigs per group), which were regrouped at the start of the experiment (at weaning). They were studied between 4 and 11 weeks of age to capture variation in group stability. We focused exclusively on snout-directed behaviour given its role in conspecific recognition and affiliative interactions, whereby particularly snout-to-snout contact may contribute to the development of social relationships. Social network analysis (SNA) was used to investigate temporal associations. The results show that pigs made frequent snout contact (avg. 33 times / 15 min.) and that interactions were relatively more affiliative than aggressive (tenor range: 0.52 – 0.61), and were more affiliative in the high as compared to medium social stability phase (p = 0.02). As group integration progressed, the number of social partners involved in snout contact decreased, while the frequency of snout contact per individual increased. There was no evidence of non-random social preferences and no evidence of centralised associations (degree centralisation range: 0–0.3). Pigs showed more snout contact with non-littermates than littermates (i.e. a heterophilic association based on litter origin; assortativity range: −0.34 to −0.08) and between individuals with different early social experiences (assortativity range: −0.45 to −0.07) across all integration phases. Additionally, males initiated contact more frequently than females, whereas females occupied more central positions within the social network. These behavioural processes, which support the formation and maintenance of social relationships, show that non-agonistic behaviours such as snout contact have a prominent role in the social dynamics of pigs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106838"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145332145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Scent work is incorporated in almost everything I do”: Investigating dog trainers’ perceptions of scent-based activities for companion dogs","authors":"Jade Fountain ,&nbsp;Todd J. McWhorter ,&nbsp;Robert Hewings ,&nbsp;Susan J. Hazel","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scent-based activities are a popular activity to provide dogs an outlet centred on their natural abilities and dogs of any physical ability can participate. We aimed to investigate how professional dog trainers are using scent-based activities and explore perceptions around the impact of olfactory enrichment and exercises on behaviour in companion dogs. The online survey contained 29 questions across four sections, with a total of 566 responses analysed from trainers from around the world. The most commonly practiced scent-based training activity was scent work, training companion dogs to locate odours for a reward. Further, the most commonly used scent enrichment activity was sniff-based walks (sniffaris; 85 %), providing sensory garden spaces (46 %) or offering food via scatter feeding (92 %) or snuffle mats (87 %). Trainers have a belief that trained scent work tasks are good for dogs and that scent enrichment activities can be effective in reducing general fearfulness, anxiety, and addressing overexcitement. As evidence is currently limited in this area, future work should investigate which dog-centered scent-based activities may enhance their wellbeing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106837"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145332143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Male removal sparks aggression, infant kidnapping and death in captive geladas (Theropithecus gelada)","authors":"Luca Pedruzzi ,&nbsp;Martina Francesconi ,&nbsp;Alessia Cudini ,&nbsp;Paolo Oliveri ,&nbsp;Elisabetta Palagi ,&nbsp;Alban Lemasson","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106836","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106836","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In group-living species, social stability relies on individual relationships and group composition— crucial factors for captive animal management. Gelada monkeys (<em>Theropithecus gelada</em>) form core units of a dominant male and strongly bonded related females. Here, we analysed the consequences of removing males from a gelada group, as part of standard management procedures essential for maintaining genetic variability. Compared to the control group (n = 30 females), the test group (n = 33 females) showed a marked increase in aggression. One adult and older female engaged in repeated infant kidnappings involving four younger mothers, resulting in the deaths of two infants, which she continued to carry and groom post-mortem for days. These events began after male removal, suggesting a destabilizing effect of male absence on social dynamics. Our findings raise critical questions about the role of gelada males in regulating female competition. We emphasize the importance of considering social roles—not just demographic balance—when implementing animal transfers in managed populations. Understanding the behavioural consequences of group restructuring is essential to improve welfare outcomes and prevent maladaptive behaviours in socially complex species under human care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106836"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145332144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Putting the evidence into evidence-based husbandry: A scoping review of empirical approaches to improving captive reptile welfare","authors":"Sara L. Hanson ,&nbsp;Alexandra L. Whittaker ,&nbsp;Bridget Cooper-Rogers ,&nbsp;Gordon M. Burghardt ,&nbsp;Eduardo J. Fernandez","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106831","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106831","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Non-avian reptiles are commonly kept in captivity, including zoos, aquariums, farms, laboratories, classrooms, rehabilitation centres, and homes. With this wide range of captive conditions and potential diversity of species housed, it is crucial to ensure that these animals are housed appropriately. Lack of data from wild populations for many species limits the foundation of husbandry practice parameters. In the absence of field data, facilities should use data from related species as well as research in applied settings to inform decisions on captive animals. Together these constitute evidence-based husbandry. A systematic scoping review was performed to examine publications that evaluated modifications in the maintenance of captive reptiles with the aim to improve welfare. Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Zoological Record databases were searched for publications that implemented at least one modification applied to a reptile in a captive setting and where at least one welfare-based metric was used to assess the impact of the change. A total of 72 papers were identified, consisting of 75 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Data extracted from each paper included the setting type, taxon, modification type, welfare measures, and the overall outcomes. The most common taxonomic order studied were Squamata. Housing modifications were the most common type of intervention, with the majority adding or altering furnishings to the enclosure. Behavioural metrics were the most frequently used measure of impact. Overall, studies often concluded either neutral/ambiguous or positive effects of the modifications. With the high prevalence of neutral outcomes, more research is needed to further determine optimal husbandry and welfare strategies. Additionally, with only 72 identified papers there is greater need for more published research focused on evidence-based husbandry practices for captive reptile species, and greater focus on some taxa is urgently needed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on behavioral preferences, electrophysiological response, and the behavioral active compounds of the essential oils from three edible plants against Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)","authors":"Hongjing Zhou ,&nbsp;Shuai Yu ,&nbsp;Yangming Jiang ,&nbsp;Yanju Li ,&nbsp;Ziyi Wang ,&nbsp;Yonghong Bai ,&nbsp;Xiaomei Wu ,&nbsp;Meng Lan ,&nbsp;Huijun Hu ,&nbsp;Keahzn Han ,&nbsp;Jun Huang ,&nbsp;Yan Li","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant essential oils (EOs) significantly influence insect behavior, particularly in <em>Solenopsis invicta</em> (red imported fire ant, RIFA), one of the world’s most invasive pests. While chemical control methods are effective, they often cause environmental pollution, harm non-target species, and pose risks to human health. In this study, EOs were extracted from three edible plants with strong special smell (<em>Allium tuberosum</em> Rottb. Ex Spreng., <em>Houttuynia cordata</em> Thunb., and <em>Allium cepa</em> L.). RIFA behavioral active compounds in these EOs were investigated using a Y-tube olfactometer, gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) technology, electroantennography (EAG) technology, and field experiments. Notably, at 100 μg/mL, <em>H. cordata</em> EO showed strong repellency against small workers (71.25 %), large workers (67.50 %), and virgin queens (70.00 %). <em>A. cepa</em> EO exhibited a concentration-dependent dual effect on small worker ants, demonstrating an attraction rate of 77.50 % at 1000 μg/mL and a repellency rate of 72.50 % at 2 μg/mL. Furthermore, at all tested concentrations, <em>A. cepa</em> EO displayed significant attraction toward virgin queen ants, with attraction rates of 72.50 % and 63.75 % at 1000 μg/mL and 2 μg/mL, respectively. Using GC-EAD, multiple EAD-active compounds were identified in these EOs. Behavioral and EAG assays were conducted on seven EAD-active compounds, six of which—anethole, borneol acetate, tricosane, nonane, 2-undecanone, and estragole—were found to be behaviorally active against RIFA. Among these, 2-undecanone demonstrated the strongest repellent effect on all RIFA castes at 1000 μg/mL, with repellent rates of 80.00 %, 75.00 %, 85.00 %, and 87.50 %, respectively. All seven compounds elicited EAG responses, with 2-undecanone showing the highest relative EAG value (42.4318) in virgin queen ants. Field experiments demonstrated that five EAD-active compounds (anethole, estragole, nonane, 2-undecanone, and borneol acetate) induced significant repellent effects on worker ants<em>.</em> This study highlights the potential of EOs as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical insecticides for RIFA control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106835"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145332378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human perception of goats’ vocal expression of emotions","authors":"Stefania Celozzi ,&nbsp;Emanuela Prato-Previde ,&nbsp;Monica Battini ,&nbsp;Stavros Ntalampiras ,&nbsp;Luca Andrea Ludovico ,&nbsp;Giorgio Presti ,&nbsp;Alberto Tamburini ,&nbsp;Silvana Mattiello","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106833","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106833","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the human ability to recognise emotions expressed by goats <em>(Capra hircus)</em> through their vocalizations, with the aim of improving animal welfare and the human-goat relationship. To this end, we conducted an online survey in which participants listened to goat vocalizations inferable to four emotional contexts (Pre-partum labour – PPL-; Mother-kid separation – MKS-; Mother-kid reunion – MKR+; Waiting for feed – WFF+) and described them using qualitative indicators. Participants (n = 290) correctly recognized the emotional valence of vocalizations (negative for PPL- and MKS-; positive for MKR+ and WFF+; Chi-square test: p &lt; 0.001 in all cases) and correctly assigned vocalizations above the chance level (&gt;25 %) for 3 out of 4 emotional contexts (Chi-square test: p &lt; 0.001 for PPL-, MKS- and WWF+), with a higher recognition rate for negative than for positive contexts, probably due to their greater differentiation in terms of acoustic parameters, also with regard to the level of arousal. The recognition of the emotional valence of the vocalizations was confirmed by the consistent way in which participants qualitatively described these sounds. The logistic regression analysis (stepwise backward multiple regression method, with an input and output significance of 0.2) allowed the identification of the most important factors that, in combination with the other factors, affect the human ability to assign goat vocalizations to each correct context of emission. In all the four contexts, experience with goats significantly entered the models (people with frequent direct contact with goats were more likely to assign bleats to the correct context of emission than people who were unfamiliar with these animals). This suggests the importance of stockpeople training in both farming and recreational settings. The study also suggests that people with higher levels of empathy can better recognise the emotional content of goat bleats, although further investigation is required to confirm this finding.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106833"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal stress from lameness in pregnant sows modifies the behavioural and physiological responses of their offspring","authors":"Marisol Parada Sarmiento ,&nbsp;Leandro Sabei ,&nbsp;Bruna Stanigher Barbosa ,&nbsp;Denis Sato ,&nbsp;Giorgio Vignola ,&nbsp;Adroaldo José Zanella","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lameness is a response to a painful condition involving tissue damage and inflammation, leading to stress and behavioural modifications. Lameness affects millions of pregnant sows globally and can potentially reprogram foetal development. This study assessed the behavioural and physiological outcomes of offspring from Not-Lame sows (NL) and Lame sows (L). During the last third of pregnancy, locomotion assessments were performed on 30 sows, which were scored from 0 (normal gait) to 5 (severely lame) and were grouped into NL (n = 15) and L sows (n = 15). At 28 days of age, three weaned piglets from each sow were selected on the basis of weight and sex. Over three days, agonistic behaviour resulting from the controlled mixing of animals was assessed by counting skin lesions on the piglets. Piglets were subjected to a combination of Open-Field and Novel-Object tests at 31 days of age. The next day piglet nociceptive thresholds were measured with an algometer. Salivary samples were collected at 70 days of age to measure the cortisol concentration before and after transport to determine their ability to cope with stress. Linear or generalized linear mixed models were used to determine differences (p &lt; 0.05). The results showed that NL piglets had a longer latency to the novel object than did L piglets. Piglets from NL sows presented a lower nociceptive threshold than did L piglets. The stress response to the transport challenge was greater in L piglets than that in NL piglets. Lameness during sow pregnancy can reprogram offspring behavioural, stress, and nociceptive responses, altering their coping strategies towards challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106834"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating reproductive biology of female mugger crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris) by using behaviour and endocrine measures","authors":"Brinky Desai,&nbsp;Tathagata Bhowmik,&nbsp;Aditya Wadekar,&nbsp;Urjit Bhatt,&nbsp;Ratna Ghosal","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reptiles are one of the most speciose groups of tetrapods, however, they are often neglected in conservation research. In this manuscript, we studied a focal population (20 females and 2 males) of captive mugger crocodiles to investigate their reproductive behavioural patterns and underlying endocrine correlates, a basic knowledge that was lacking in understanding the biology of the mugger crocodiles. Our study population exhibited three distinct phases of behavioural activities: a) mating phase, with only mating events; b) mixed phase with a few mating events and high occurrences of parental care; c) non-breeding phase, where reproductive activities were absent. Ethogram analysis demonstrated a fixed behavioural repertoire during mating (n = 165), including 13 behaviours exhibited by both males and females. Due to low sample size (n = 2), we excluded males from further statistics. Female-female aggression was prevalent in all three phases and did not vary significantly (P &gt; 0.05). To investigate endocrine correlates, scats (n = 138) were collected to measure (averaged across phases, Mean±SE, ng/g dry faeces) fecal progesterone (fPm=2421.4 ± 316.5), oestrogen (fEm=406.9 ± 34.8), and testosterone (fTm=2386.6 ± 245.4) metabolite levels in females. Hormone-behaviour associations in females showed that fEm and fTm levels did not vary significantly (P &gt; 0.05) across phases, but fPm levels were significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) during mixed phase when compared to mating and non-breeding phases. Though our research had a few limitations (low sample size of males and included a single reproductive season only), it is the first to investigate reproductive behaviour and physiology of the female muggers. This work also successfully validated fecal measurements of three reproductive hormone metabolites, progesterone, testosterone and oestrogen for the mugger crocodile species. Overall, the current study presents fundamental work on the reproductive biology, including both behaviour and endocrine correlates, of vulnerable muggers, which will contribute towards improving <em>ex-situ</em> as well as <em>in-situ</em> conservation and management strategies for the species.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106832"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unflappable: Wing flapping of aviary-housed laying hens following spatial restriction","authors":"Valentina Bongiorno ,&nbsp;Tessa Grebey ,&nbsp;Janice Swanson ,&nbsp;Tina Widowski ,&nbsp;Janice Siegford","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106830","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106830","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Commercial housing systems are becoming more complex to accommodate positive hen behaviors, including wing flapping (WF). Hens need substantial three-dimensional space to flap their wings, and system configurations can influence this behavior. This study examined the timing and frequency of WF among 4 laying hen strains (2 white-feathered and 2 brown-feathered; 576 hens/strain) housed in a commercial-style multi-tiered aviary. Hens were separated by strain into 16 tiered aviary units within 4 rooms (4 units/room, 1 unit/strain/room). Each unit contained a litter-covered floor and a 3-tiered enclosure containing feed, water, perches, and nests. Doors on the bottom tier opened and closed, determining when hens could access litter. Hens were confined within tiered enclosures from 01:00–11:35 daily, providing ∼8.5 h of litter access before lights turned off at 20:00. Ceiling-mounted cameras in each unit captured hens’ behavior on litter. Observers watched 1 day of video footage when hens were 28 weeks old and recorded every stationary WF event. For analysis, time of day (11:35–20:00) was broken into six 85-min blocks of time (A, B, C, D, E, F). A generalized linear mixed model was used to compare counts of WF among the 4 strains. Main effects were the strain and time; random effects were room and unit location within the room. A Spearman rank correlation test was applied to evaluate the relationship between WF counts and density of the birds on the litter. Overall, brown-feathered hens flapped their wings more than white-feathered hens (P &lt; 0.05). More WF events were counted in the morning (time A) compared to evening (time F) (P &lt; 0.05), suggesting hens’ daily confinement within wire enclosures may have increased their motivation to wing flap once they had room to do so. Overall, WF instances were negatively correlated with birds’ density on the litter (r = -0.205; P &lt; 0.001), and a similar pattern was observed within each strain and in F. No correlation was found between WF counts and hens’ density on the litter when hens first gained access to the litter each day (time A). In conclusion, white and brown strains showed different amounts of WF, and time of day and number of hens on the litter influenced how much WF occurred. However, further research is needed to address the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as age, motivation, litter stocking density, standard management practices like feed distribution, and daily activity patterns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106830"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145262579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction with enrichment objects depends on color and increases after feeding in some elasmobranchs but not others","authors":"A.B. Smith ,&nbsp;J. Landesman ,&nbsp;L. Williamson ,&nbsp;P.Y. Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Environmental enrichment is important for the long-term wellbeing of captive organisms and is an understudied topic in aquatic taxa, particularly ectothermic organisms such as elasmobranchs. This study examines how individual elasmobranchs use environmental enrichment objects before and after feeding. The species included were <em>Heterodontus francisci</em> (horn shark)<em>, Cephaloscyllium ventriosum</em> (swell shark), <em>Triakis semifasciata</em> (leopard sharks) and <em>Caliraja inornata</em> (California skate). Results indicate that interaction peaks post-feeding with animals interacting with objects that have a different color relative to the surrounding environment. Interaction frequency is highest after feeding following an initial lag phase, particularly for <em>T. semifasciata</em>. These data suggest that environmental enrichment should take into account the optical range of elasmobranchs as well as timing of when enrichment objects are introduced to increase enrichment efficacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8222,"journal":{"name":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 106829"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145216503","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}