STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIOUR IN ZOO ANIMALS

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Stereotypic Movements in Zoo Animals

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/applied-ethology/behaviourproblems/zooanim.html

 

Abnormal behaviour such as a stereotypic movement is very much a concern when it

occurs in relation to animals held in captivity. From a behavioural standpoint,

the behavioural and spatial requirements of nondomestic animals in captivity

greatly depends on the species. For example, the behavioural requirements of

many species appear relatively simple when compared with the requirements of a

highly specialized carnivorous species such a large cat. It is often in

predators or primates that one observes abnormal behaviours such as stereotypic

movements that are uncommon or otherwise different than normally occurring by

the species in its natural environment.

 

How do you identify a stereotypic movement?

 

First it may be useful for the zookeeper or the veterinarian to identify the

abnormal behaviour (the stereotypic movement) as one that occurs by the

nondomestic animal in the captive and not in the species' natural habitat. For

example, pacing at the fence of an enclosure is a behaviour that has not been

observed in the natural habitat due to the lack of enforced boundaries in their

wild environment. A stereotypic movement can be further categorized as either

one that has no obvious function and is a movement repeated regularly or as a

repeated movement that is an exaggerated form of a purposeful behaviour. An

example of the first type of stereotypic behaviour is the figure eight or

circular pacing often observed by captive bears. Compulsive scent marking

reportedly observed in marten species, although initially part of the animal's

normal repertoire, can be identified as example of the latter type of

stereotypic movement.

 

Two basic forms of stereotypic movements found in the zoo environment are pacing

and stationary. Pacing occurs when the animal moves repeatedly back and forth in

a straight line or perhaps moves in a circular or figure eight pattern in its

enclosure. The straight line pacing is most often observed at the boundary of an

enclosure. The most common stationary movements are repeated nonlocomotive acts

such as rocking, head tossing or weaving.

 

What is the cause of the stereotypic movements?

 

One likely cause of these abnormal behaviours is the lack of appropriate normal

stimuli which contributes to boredom and the lack of exercise (inactivity). It

has been suggested that stereotypic movements may also develop as escape

attempts that cannot be carried out completely because of the inadequate space

in their environment. As well, the proximity to other animals and to the public

may play roles in the initiation of a stereotypic movement. One example of how a

stereotypic movement may evolve is a scenario of the predatory animal waiting

for the zookeeper to deliver its meal. At feeding time the animal is usually

waiting at a specific location in its enclosure. While the animal is awaiting

its meal, the animal may turn around in restlessness and follow a fixed path

back to its original lookout. This sequence of events initiates a stereotypical

movement that may occur at feeding time and may eventually occur whenever the

animal is hungry. This in an example of how an insignificant behaviour such as

waiting for a meal (predatory animals for the most part do not wait for a meal

to be delivered to them in the wild) can transform itself into a stereotypic

behaviour.

 

How can the frequency of stereotypic behaviours be reduced?

 

When it is presumed that a stereotypic behaviour developed due to a lack of

novel stimuli then it should be investigated whether the present enclosure or

housing condition is naturalistic so that it closely resembles the habitat the

animal would occupy in the wild. When this is determined, appropriate steps to

introduce the animal to a more complex environment should be carried out which

may alleviate or decrease the stereotypic movement. Another approach to reduce

the stereotypic movement while increasing sensory stimulation to the animal is

through behavioural engineering. This technique utilizes mechanical devices that

provide food as a reward in response to behaviours that have been selected for

through positive reinforcement. One successful attempt using behavioural

engineering to reduce the frequency of pacing in jaguars was to condition the

animals to rear up and strike a paddle with their forepaw. This behaviour was

initiated when the jaguars heard food entering an automatic feeder mounted in

their enclosure. This treatment ultimately increased the jaguars alertness and

significantly decreased the stereotypic pacing. A third approach to providing

novel stimuli in the enclosure is to install automatic dispensers that release

food randomly throughout the day. For example, the introduction of flying

meatballs in a carnivore enclosure provides an artificial prey which stimulates

the predatory behaviour of an animal such as the serval cat which leaps to catch

its prey. As well, fish released into a polar bear pool can reduce the

stereotypic behaviour observed in captive polar bears (for example begging,

rocking motions) by increasing the activity of the animal. In summary, the

causes of stereotypic movements associated with nondomestic animals kept in zoos

are very complex as briefly illustrated by this text. Steps can be taken to

design habitats and devices the meet both the behavioural and spatial

requirements of the captive animal which may help to alleviate or reduce the

frequency of the stereotypic movements observed.

 

References

 

Stevenson, M.F. The captive environment: its effect on exploratory and related

behavioural responses in wild animals. In Exploration in animals and man. (J.

Archer and L. Birke, eds.) Van Nostrand Rheinhold, UK, 1983; pp. 176-197.

 

Meyer-Holzapfel, M. Abnormal behaviour in zoo animals. In Abnormal behaviour in

animals. (M.W. Fox ed.) W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA, 1968; pp. 476-502.

 

Hediger, H. Wild animals in captivity. Dover publications, New York, NY, 1964;

pp.71-77.

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Shubhroto,

 

In your past mail also u wrote about Course for Zoo keepers. I would like to do

such course which will help my work in my forthcoming Wildife Rescue &

Rehabilitation center near Bombay. Can person like me who r in animal welfare

(since past 7 yrs.) can attend such training? or where it can be obtained?

 

Regards,

Nilesh

PAWS - India

 

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 Ghosh wrote :

>Dear Mr Petersen,

> Thank you for your message and it is nice to know thatthe

message was of help. I'd invite you to check out the Indian Zoo Inquiry project

report at www.zoocheck.com/programs/zoocheck/Indianreport1.pdf which I conducted

with the support of Zoocheck Canada and Compassionate Crusaders Trust. I

understand your dilemma on zoos, but after conducting this project, I would

personally say improvements in the short term are more than welcome. I would

urge you to visit the website of the Oxford University Animal Behaviour Research

Group at http://users.ox.ac.uk/~abrg/ggroup.html. Dr Georgia Mason and Ros Clubb

have been at the forefront of exposing stereotypic behaviour in zoos, much to

the chagrin of many zoo directors who have reacted with knee jerk hostility.

> Regarding your other message on the exotic wild animal trade, the Alan Green

book is one of the best researched ones available on the topic funded by one of

the best journalism institutes in the world, The Center For Public Integrity

based in Washington. If you need assistance in tackling the exotic animal trade,

maybe you could contact Will Travers of the Born Free Foundation who heads the

Species Survival Network(www.ssn.org/). Trust this helps. I'd be happy to assist

you in case you require any further information on either issue. Good luck in

your work.

> Best wishes and kind regards,

>

> Yours sincerely,

>