Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T20:48:31.662Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

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

References

Amundin, M 1974 Occupational therapy for harbour porpoises. Aquatic Mammals 2: 6–10Google Scholar
Carlstead, K, Seidensticker, J and Baldwin, R 1991 Environmental enrichment for zoo bears. Zoo Biology 10: 3–16CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chamove, A S and Anderson, J R 1989 Examining environmental enrichment. In: Segal, E F (ed) Housing, Care and Psychological Well-being of Captive and Laboratory Primates pp 183–202. Noyes Publications: New Jersey, USAGoogle Scholar
Dobberstine, J and Shepherdson, D 1994 Food scattering enrichment for zoo bears: does it really work? The Shape of Enrichment 3: 9–10Google Scholar
Duncan, I J H and Poole, T B 1990 Promoting the welfare of farm and captive animals. In: Monaghan, P and Wood-Gush, D (eds) Managing the Behaviour of Animals pp 193–232. Chapman & Hall: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Friend, T 1989 Recognising behavioural needs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 151–158CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldblatt, A 1993 Behavioural needs of captive marine mammals. Aquatic Mammals 19: 149–157Google Scholar
Grindrod, J 1997 Environmental Enrichment in the Zoo: Improving the Welfare of Animals in Captivity. Unpublished BSc dissertation, University of Keele, Staffordshire, UKGoogle Scholar
Jones, T 1992 Environmental Enrichment Recipe Book for Twycross Zoo. (Internal Report, Twycross Zoo Education Department). Twycross Zoo: Atherstone, UKGoogle Scholar
Kastelein, R A and Wiepkema, P R 1988 The significance of training for the behaviour of Stellar Sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in human care. Aquatic Mammals 14: 39–41Google Scholar
Kastelein, R A and Wiepkema, P R 1989 A digging trough as occupational therapy for Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) in human care. Aquatic Mammals 15: 9–17Google Scholar
Kastelein, R A, Paase, M, Klinkhammer, P and Wiepkema, P R 1991 Food dispensers as occupational therapy for the Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at the Harderwijk marine mammal park. International Zoo Yearbook 14: 39–41Google Scholar
Kastelein, R A, Wiepkema, P R and Slegtenhorst, C 1989 The use of molluscs to occupy Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) in human care. Aquatic mammals 15: 6–8Google Scholar
Maki, S and Bloomsmith, M A 1989 Uprooted trees facilitate the psychological well-being of captive chimpanzees. Zoo Biology 8: 79–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Markowitz, H 1977 Environmental opportunities and healthcare for marine mammals. In: Markowitz, H and Stevens, V J (eds) The Behavior of Captive Wild Animals pp 483–487. Nelson-Hall: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Markowitz, H 1982 Behavioral Enrichment in the Zoo. Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
McFarland, D 1989 Problems of Animal Behaviour. Longman Scientific and Technical: Harlow, UKGoogle Scholar
Mellen, J D and Shepherdson, D J 1997 Environmental enrichment for felids: an integrated approach. International Zoo Yearbook 35: 191–197CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, D 1964 The responses of animals to a restricted environment. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London 13: 99–118Google Scholar
Murray, A J, Waran, N K and Young, R J 1998 Environmental enrichment for Australian mammals. Animal Welfare 7: 415–425CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Odberg, F O 1978 Abnormal behaviours - stereotypies, introduction to the round table. In: Proceedings of the First World Congress of Ethology Applied to Zootechnics, 23rd-27th October 1978, Madrid, Spain pp 475–480. Editorial Garsi: Madrid, SpainGoogle Scholar
Shepherdson, D 1988 Environmental enrichment in the zoo. In: Why Zoos? UFA W Courier No 24. Universities Federation for Animal Welfare: South Mimms, UKGoogle Scholar
Stevenson, M F 1983 The captive environment: its effects on exploratory and related behavioural responses in wild animals. In: Archer, J and Birke, L (eds) Exploration in Animals and Humans pp 176–197. Van Nostrand Reinhold (UK) Ltd: Wokingham, UKGoogle Scholar
Tenessen, T 1989 Coping with confinement - features of the environment that influence an animal's ability to adapt. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 22: 139–149CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tripp, J K 1985 Increasing activity in captive Orang utans: provision of manipulable and edible materials. Zoo Biology 4: 225–234CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wassel, K, McMann, N, Phillips, C, Demark, C and Kopf, D 1996 Enriching seals - those other marine mammals. The Shape of Enrichment 5: 7–9Google Scholar
Westergaard, G C and Fragaszy, D M 1985 Effects of manipulable objects on the activity of capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Zoo Biology 4: 317–327CrossRefGoogle Scholar