Behavioural Study of Captive Sloth Bears Using Environmental Enrichment Tools

Behavioural Profiles of Brown and Sloth Bears in Captivity

Three brown bear (Ursusarctosarctos) individuals and two sloth bear (Melursusursinusinornatus) individuals were observed in captivity to produce behavioural profiles for each individual. Data collected through behavioural observations were used to produce activity budgets, and to identify space usage and certain aspects of social behavior. Behaviour monitoring allowed the researchers to evaluat...

Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Bears

The high incidence of Stereotypie behaviors in zoo bears (van Keulen-Kromhout: International Zoo Yearbook 18:177-186, 1978) suggests that the environment of these animals lacks essential stimuli for guiding normal behavior. Three experiments investigated ways in which bear husbandry procedures can be altered to promote normal behavior. In experiments 1 and 2, honey-filled logs were given to a s...

Habituation towards environmental enrichment in captive bears and its effect on stereotypic behaviours

Controllability in environmental enrichment for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

This study considers the use of nonsocial environmental enrichment by captive chimpanzees at the Primate Foundation of Arizona. The goal was to determine whether a relationship existed between controllability of enrichment items by captive chimpanzees and frequency of use. The study measured controllability, the ability of nonhuman animals to alter aspects of their environment by the potential ...

Environmental enrichment induces behavioural disturbances in neuropeptide Y knockout mice

Environmental enrichment (EE) refers to the provision of a complex and stimulating housing condition which improves well-being, behaviour and brain function of laboratory animals. The mechanisms behind these beneficial effects of EE are only partially understood. In the current report, we describe a link between EE and neuropeptide Y (NPY), based on findings from NPY knockout (KO) mice exposed ...