Cognitive Group Testing Promotes Affiliative Behaviors in Dolphins
Ex-situ research in aquariums and zoological settings not only support scientific advancement, they also provide opportunities for education, facilitating both mental and physical stimulation, consequently improving welfare. This study aimed to investigate the impact of cognitive testing on the well-being of a group of male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. The occurrence of affiliative, aggressive and potentially […]
A Critical review of animal-based welfare indicators for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in zoos: Identification and evidence of validity
Captive polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are well-documented as being prone to behavioural disorders and, as a result, their welfare is the cause of increasing concern. There is therefore a need for an evidence-based approach to the assessment of the welfare of this species and identification of valid welfare indicators is the first step towards achieving […]
An Audit of Behavioral Indicators of Poor Welfare in Kenneled Dogs in the United Kingdom
This survey-based study describes the prevalence and onset of behavioral indicators of poor welfare in dogs kenneled at United Kingdom rescue shelters. It describes key factors contributing to individual variation in behaviors. At 8 rescue shelters, staff trained in the care of nonhuman animals recorded daily whether dogs in their care displayed each of 15 […]
Don’t Fence Me In: Managing Psychological Well Being for Elite Performance Horses
This article posits that stereotypical behavior patterns and the overall psychological well being of today’s performance horse could be substantially enhanced with care that acknowledges the relationship between domesticated horses and their forerunners. Feral horses typically roam in stable, social groups over large grazing territories, spending 16-20 hr per day foraging on mid- to poor-quality […]
A Combination of Behavioral and Physiological Indicators for Assessing Pig Welfare on the Farm
The purpose of this research was to identify pig welfare indicators that could help in recognizing stressful practices on farm. The study evaluated behavioral and physiological indicators (cortisol and negative acute phase proteins) in 2 groups of 20 female pigs 4 months old after a 48-hr transport. The first group (A) was transported at the […]
Challenges of Zoo Animal Welfare
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There are big gaps in our knowledge, and thus approach, to zoo animal welfare: a case for evidence-based zoo animal management
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20288.abs There are gaps in knowledge that hinder our ability within zoos to provide good animal welfare. This does not mean that zoos cannot or do not provide good welfare, only that currently this goal is hindered. Three reasons for these gaps are identified as: (1) there is an emphasis on the identification and […]
Indicators of poor welfare
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The validity of physiological and behavioural measures of animal welfare
Describes the controversy over the merits of behavioral vs physiological indicators of animal welfare. The debate is illustrated with behavioral and physiological responses of pigs. Pigs respond to stress with an increase in adrenocortical activity; aggression; and abnormal behaviors such as bar biting, sham chewing, and head weaving, called stereotypies (STs). Causes and functions of […]
Changing concepts of farm animal welfare: bridging the gap between applied and basic research
I discuss some of the major conceptual and methodological problems that have arisen in our attempts to assess the relative levels of farm animal welfare in different housing systems. In some cases these problems arise because applied research has not kept pace with more fundamental research. First, the concepts of animal welfare used by researchers […]