Beast Buddies – Do Animals Have Friends?
That issue of preferred associates comes close to the human notion of friendship, and it can prove just as important in understanding animal goings-on as it does in people watching. Baboons, bats, and dozens of other animals have been studied from this perspective. Biologists may start by asking whether individuals prefer to hang out with […]
Tongue twisters: Feeding enrichment to reduce oral stereotypy in giraffe
Stereotypic behavior has been well-studied and documented in a variety of animals including primates, carnivores, and domesticated ungulates. However,very little information is known about stereotypic behavior of captive exotic ungulates. Giraffe have been found to perform a wide range of stereotypic behaviors. According to a survey of zoological institutions, oral stereotypies, specifically the licking of […]
Social attachment in giraffe: Response to social separation
Attachment relationships between animals are often studied by separating a pair of individuals and recording their subsequent behavior. Studies of non-human primates have shown that separation results in changes that are indicative of both psychological and physiological stress. Similar results have been found in several non-primate species with differing social structures. This study examined the […]