Why and how should we use environmental enrichment to tackle stereotypic behavior?
This paper summarises recent findings on the causation of stereotypic behaviours and other abnormal repetitive behaviours (ARBs) in captive animals: primarily motivational frustration and/or brain dysfunction, with possible contributory roles also being played by habit-formation and ‘coping’ effects. We then review the extent to which ARBs occur in zoos and similar, estimating that at least […]
Social organization andbehavioral patterns of the captive giraffe at the Bronx Zoo
The social organization of giraffe has only recently been discovered to have a multi-level structure, and the scientific community lacks the proper understanding of how problems facing giraffe, both in the wild and in captivity, will affect this social organization. In an effort to develop understanding regarding both social and behavioral patterns of captive giraffe, […]
Brief chapter summaries of ‘Stereotypic Animal Behaviour – Fundamentals and Applications for Welfare’ (2nd ed.)
Repetitive, abnormal behaviour patterns are performed by tens, perhaps hundreds, of millions of animals worldwide: animals that live on farms and in laboratory animal facilities, stables, kennels, zoos, even in our homes. Our introductory chapter reviews the extent of research into this ‘stereotypic behaviour’ – traditionally defined as ‘repetitive, unvarying, with no obvious goal or […]
Stress and social behaviors of maternally deprived captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Maternal deprivation can cause long-term behavioral changes in captive mammals. Studies regarding captive ungulates have also indicated behavioral shifts in the presence of the animal keeping staff; however, little is known about these effects in captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis). To examine this, we observed a population of reticulated giraffes composed of maternally raised and maternally […]
Failure of a Chemical Spray to Significantly Reduce Stereotypic Licking in a Captive Giraffe
The repetitive licking of nonfood substrates is a common stereotypic behavior in captive giraffes. In this study we attempted to reduce stereotypic licking in a Masai giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) by applying a bitter chemical (marketed as a taste deterrent to prevent the unwanted licking and chewing of substrates) to the areas of the fence […]