Formal Presentations Wednesday Abstracts

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​From Toys to Tactics: Evolving Enrichment at the Dallas Zoo

Christine Montgomery

Dallas Zoo

Full Abstract

Imagine two scenarios: Scenario A: A maned wolf keeper places a whole prey item on a log and then shifts the wolf into the habitat. The prey is consumed instantly. The keeper also places a boomer ball in the habitat, but after eating her prey, the maned wolf lounges in her den all day, ignoring the boomer ball. What did the maned wolf experience today? Scenario B: The maned wolf keeper digs a small hole, fills it with soiled guinea pig shavings, and shifts the wolf into the habitat. The wolf digs up the shavings and checks the hole throughout the day but finds the hole empty. The next day, repeats the process, adds more shavings, prey items, and uses a sound box to play distinctive guinea pig sounds. When shifted, the wolf perks up her ears, raises her nose, and remembers the hole. She digs eagerly and is rewarded with a meal. As the noises persist, she digs deeper uncovering another meal! Throughout the day, she repeatedly checks the hole for more surprises. What did the maned wolf experience today?
This presentation explores the evolution of the Dallas Zoo’s Enriched Experiences Program, from inception to implementation. It outlines techniques and exercises used to shift the focus from item-based to behavior-based enrichment. The program incorporates onboarding, behavior-centric focus groups, and a unique record-keeping system tracking real-time progress. This system evaluates program’s health by assessing behavioral outcomes through data-driven record keeping.

​Zen and the Art of
​Pallas Cat Training:
Free Contact Training an Asocial Pallas Cat using Positive and Negative Reinforcement Strategies

Kelli Carroll

Lake Superior Zoo

Full Abstract

This paper explores the use of negative and positive reinforcement strategies in training a Pallas cat with a
strong fear/aggression response toward keepers in an effort to better welfare. Barbara Heidenreich's method of distance as a negative reinforcer was the primary strategy to build a trust bank between cat and keeper, with the primary goal to limit the cat's distress when keepers entered the enclosure. The secondary goal was eventual positive reinforcement through regular tong feeding. This method was incredibly successful and has allowed for scale training, which was something never thought possible with this individual. This has proven that keepers and animals alike can benefit from changing their mindset about an individual, and labeling an animal simply as one that "hates people" can be damaging in the long run to their welfare.

​Introducing two François’ Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) groups at San Antonio Zoo

Katelyn Rode
Heather Smith

San Antonio Zoo

Full Abstract

Since the spring of 2022, San Antonio Zoo has had three François’ Langurs (Trachypithecus francoisi): a
male "Chay" and two females "Ravalina" and "Lang." Based on the Species Survival Plan’s (SSP) recommendations, three females ("JingJing,” “MeiMei,” and “Athena”) moved to San Antonio Zoo in early 2024. Introductions between the two established groups began on 19 March 2024. It was predicted that the females would have a more difficult time integrating among themselves, so they were all introduced together first. They began chasing each other and eventually had to be separated after multiple prolonged physical altercations. For the next month, animal care staff incorporated various howdy-ing techniques, fission-fusion groupings, and multiple small-scale introductions in order to achieve a full unification of the two groups. On 17 April, the full group was introduced again together. Although minor displacement was observed, all of the langurs were seen grooming, hugging, and positively vocalizing with each other. Since then, the group has been fully merged, resulting in the first successful integration of two established langur groups.

​A sticky situation:
Nest building to diminish aggression in Roseate spoonbill males one stick at a time.

Mrs. Jaime Vaccaro

ZooTampa
at Lowry Park

Full Abstract

Strategies for mitigating displacement and aggression amongst cohabitating, male birds, within a zoological
setting, have often involved techniques including separation, grounding and physical removal from the habitat. These strategies can be effective but are limiting and frequently lead to the behavior being repeated elsewhere. When ZooTampa’s Roseate Spoonbill males began to demonstrate prolonged aggression, staff challenged themselves to look at the situation in its’ entirety and find new perspectives and methods that addressed both the bird's primary behavioral needs and reduced the focus on displacement. By changing diet presentation in delivery method and location, increasing nesting resource availability, and prioritizing social spatial awareness, we were able to produce a more productive habitat. Resource fulfillment for nest building was instrumental in starting change in our males behavior. Building on success from this strategy, staff were able to engage the birds in ways we were not successful with before and truly start creating a foundation of trust, one stick at a time. Through committed consistency, our team redirected aggression through intentional behavior management, improving the welfare of not only the spoonbills, but all the birds within the mixed species habitat.

​4 Weeks...It's Just Enough Time!

Johanna Sholar

Lincoln Park Zoo

Full Abstract

Quarantine is a routine and important part of an animal’s health journey in the modern zoo. This period of physical separation includes physical examination, diagnostic testing, and social transition as animals acclimate to a new institution. Traditionally, quarantine of new animals was a minimum of 30 days, during which a baseline of health status was to be established. However, evolution of this historic concept now utilizes risk-based analysis to assess the entire transition from prior medical history through the actual quarantine period. At Lincoln Park Zoo, this period includes not only a comprehensive health evaluation but also animal welfare assessment, enrichment program, and operant conditioning. Often, this period may include an anesthetic examination.
In the past 3 years, 43 animals were housed in the zoo hospital quarantine spaces. Of these, 95% voluntarily participated in training. Behaviors spanned targeting, weighing, tactile desensitization, crating, manual restraint desensitization, and voluntary injection. The majority (91%) of these individuals participated successfully and voluntarily to allow their anesthetized examinations.
Training tools utilized within the quarantine period include habitat arrangement, enrichment, and a balance between consistency and variability. All training is goal based with priority given to behaviors pertaining to the exit examination. Establishing the training program in quarantine provides for greater cooperative success, substantial decreases in stress, and additional mental stimulation while in the necessarily less than naturalistic environment. Our track record supports that the goal of operant conditioning should not be overlooked just due to a time crunch!

​BMF Recipient
Healing traumatised bears:
a case study

Ms Sarah van Herpt

Animals Asia

Full Abstract

At Animals Asia, we rescue bears from the bear bile trade. These bears have been kept in terrible conditions – dark, small cages, poor nutrition, poor hygiene, and repeated anaesthesia for bile extraction. They come to us both physically and mentally traumatised, and begin their journey to rehabilitation.
This case study will discuss Dawn, a female Asiatic black bear at one of our Vietnam sanctuaries. After arriving from a notorious bile farming hotspot, it was clear to us her greatest trauma was psychological. Dawn showed signs of learned helplessness, curling into a ball in the corner of her quarantine cage whenever she heard metallic noises, as well as intense stereotypic behaviour.
We embarked on a journey of recovery through holistic care, with both our behavioural and veterinary teams joining forces to see her through this. Using an objective ‘problem solving aberrant behaviour’ form we identified the behaviours of concern, hypothesised the causes and consequences to Dawn, came up with what we wanted to see and how we would aim to get her there.
Dawn’s management included a wide variety of techniques, aimed at different facets of the behaviour we were seeing. This included such things as; background noise to decrease the chance of startling her, systematic desensitisation and counter conditioning with our weigh and transport cages, behavioural medication, rapport building and more.
Dawn’s journey is one of triumph over adversity, and the range of management techniques successfully used to rehabilitate her can be used with other traumatised species.