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Environmental Enrichment Reduces the Performance of Stereotypic Circling Behaviour in Captive Common Seals (Puoca Vitulina)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

J A E Grindrod  and
J A Cleaver
J A E Grindrod*
Affiliation:
The Sea Life Centre, Hunstanton, Norfolk, PE36 5BH, UK MAFF Laboratory of Welfare and Behaviour, Department of Neurobiology, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB2 4AT, UK
J A Cleaver
Affiliation:
The Sea Life Centre, Hunstanton, Norfolk, PE36 5BH, UK 101 Paggitt St, Chatham, Kent ME4 6RE, UK
*
† Contact for correspondence and reprint requests
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Abstract

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The captive environment is often barren, predictable and under-stimulating so that the behavioural needs of animals in captivity may be thwarted. The welfare of animals may be compromised, which can result in the expression of abnormal behaviours. Stereotypic behaviours, such as the circling or pacing behaviour observed in captive pinnipeds, may become apparent. A simple, cheap and effective method of adding complexity to a captive environment is the use of environmental enrichment techniques. A number of enrichment devices were used in this study, focusing primarily on occupying more time in feeding/foraging behaviours of common seals, Phoca vitulina. The performance of stereotypic circling behaviour was significantly reduced during the enrichment period, suggesting it had improved the welfare of all the animals in this study.

Keywords

animal welfarecommon sealenvironmental enrichmentstereotypic behaviour
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , February 2001 , pp. 53 - 63
Copyright
© 2001 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Footnotes

*

Current address

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