Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T06:58:22.207Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationship between behavioural diversity and faecal glucocorticoid metabolites: a case study with cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

LJ Miller ,
CB Pisacane  and
GA Vicino
LJ Miller*
Affiliation:
Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027, USA
CB Pisacane
Affiliation:
Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global, 15600 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA 92027, USA
GA Vicino
Affiliation:
Collections Husbandry Science, San Diego Zoo Global, PO Box 120551, San Diego, CA 92112, USA
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
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 ability to monitor the welfare of animal collections in zoological institutions is critical to the mission of these facilities. Historically, zoos have utilised negative indicators of welfare, such as stereotypic behaviour to examine and monitor collection animals. However, absence of stereotypic behaviour or negative indicators of welfare does not indicate that an animal is thriving. The goal of the current study was to continue efforts to validate behavioural diversity as an indicator of welfare using cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) as a model species. Behavioural and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite data were collected on 18 cheetah at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park over a period of three months to explore the relationship between behavioural diversity and adrenal hormones related to the stress response. Results suggest that behavioural diversity can be utilised as an indicator of animal welfare to monitor animal collections within zoological facilities. However, additional research with other species should be conducted to better understand behavioural diversity as a positive indicator of animal welfare. We hope this manuscript will increase discussion surrounding behavioural diversity as well as increase efforts to validate it as an indicator of welfare.

Keywords

Acinonyx jubatusadrenal activityanimal welfarebehavioural diversitycheetahfaecal glucocorticoid metabolites
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , August 2016 , pp. 325 - 329
Copyright
© 2016 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Altmann, J 1974 Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49: 227–266. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156853974X00534CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Augustus, P, Casavant, K, Troxel, N, Rieches, R and Bercovitch, F 2006 Reproductive life history of South African cheetahs (Acynonyx jubatus jubatus) at the San Diego Zoo Wild Animal Park, 1970–2005. Zoo Biology 25: 383–390. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20097CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 1991 Animal welfare: concepts and measurement. Journal of Animal Science 69: 4167–4175CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clubb, R and Mason, G 2003 Animal welfare: captivity effects on wide-ranging carnivores. Nature 425: 473–474. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/425473aCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DeJong, TM 1975 A comparison of three diversity indices based on their components of richness and evenness. Oikos 26: 222–227. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3543712CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duncan, IJ 1998 Behavior and behavioral needs. Poultry Science 77: 1766–1772. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ps/77.12.1766CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grandin, T 1980 Observations of cattle behavior applied to the design of cattle-handling facilities. Applied Animal Ethology 6: 19–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0304-3762(80)90091-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mason, GJ and Latham, NR 2004 Can't stop, won't stop: is stereotypy a reliable animal welfare indicator? Animal Welfare 13: 57–69Google Scholar
Miller, LJ 2012 Visitor reaction to pacing behavior: Influence on the perception of animal care and interest in supporting zoologi-cal institutions. Zoo Biology 31: 242–248. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20411CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller, LJ, Mellen, J, Greer, T and Kuczaj, SA 2011 The effects of education programmes on Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) behaviour. Animal Welfare 20: 159–172Google Scholar
Reade, LS and Waran, NK 1996 The modern zoo: How do people perceive zoo animals? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 47:109–118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(95)01014-9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shannon, CE and Weaver, W 1949 The Mathematical Theory of Communication. University of Illinois Press: Urbana, USAGoogle Scholar
Swaisgood, RR and Shepherdson, DJ 2005 Scientific approach-es to enrichment and stereotypies in zoo animals: what's been done and where should we go next? Zoo Biology 24: 499–518. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.20066CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Touma, C and Palme, R 2005 Measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in mammals and birds: the importance of validation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1046: 54–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1343.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walker, M, Diez-Leon, M and Mason, G 2014 Animal welfare science: recent publication trends and future research priorities. International Journal of Comparative Psychology 27: 80–100CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitham, JC and Wielebnowski, N 2013 New directions for zoo animal welfare science. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 147:247–260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2013.02.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yeates, JW and Main, DCJ 2008 Assessment of positive wel-fare: a review. The Veterinary Journal 175: 293–300. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.05.009CrossRefGoogle Scholar