Behaviour-Based Husbandry-A Holistic Approach to the Management of Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors

Abstract

The field of zoo animal welfare science has developed significantly over recent years. However despite this progress in terms of scientific research, globally, zoo animals still face many welfare challenges. Recently, animal welfare frameworks such as the five domains or five needs have been developed and suggested to improve the welfare of zoo animals, but without practical guidance, such tools may remain abstract from the daily experience of zoo animals. Similarly specific practical strategies such as those for enrichment development exist, but their lack of holistic integration with other aspects of animal husbandry and behavioral medicine means that overall, good zoo animal welfare may still be lacking. This paper outlines some of the barriers to implementing improved zoo animal welfare in practice, and proposes a new strategy for the development of behavioral husbandry routines focused on the management and mitigation of abnormal repetitive behaviors. Focusing on enhancing zoo animal welfare by integrating aspects of ecology, ethology and clinical animal behavior into a practical and comprehensive approach to behavior-based husbandry.

Keywords: abnormal repetitive behavior; behavior; enrichment; stereotypy; welfare; zoo.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of an animal’s territory, adapted from [28,29] outlining that territories comprise specific resource-locations and travel paths between locations. H1: Primary refuge, H2: secondary refuge, H3: emergency concealment, B: bathing place, F: feeding place, U: urination/defecation place, M: demarcation place, D: drinking place, Y: food storage.

Figure 2

Schematic diagram of the overlaps of the four categories of behavior.

Figure 3

Schematic diagram of the links between repeated attempts to cope, behavioral frustration, psychopathology and Abnormal Repetitive Behaviour.

Figure 4

An algorithm for the holistic 4-stage prevention and management of behavioral pathology based on evidence drawn from animal ecology, welfare and clinical animal behavior. (1) Effective and appropriate training of zookeepers to support empathetic attitudes and appropriate species-specific behavioral knowledge. (2) Consideration of the animal, its evolved and species-specific behaviors, its welfare needs and the temporal and spatial provision of resources to it (what is provided, where is provided and when is it provided?). (3) The development of appropriate plans and documentation to facilitate monitoring and evaluation. (4) Detection and management of mental, behavioral or physical health problems.