General Session 4 Abstracts
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VISUAL ENRICHMENT USING INTERNET VIDEO SHARING FOR JAPANESE MONKEYS Tadatoshi Ogura, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Nonhuman primates are popular animals kept in zoos and laboratories. In the wild, they live in a complex and dynamic environment and are exposed to a wide diversity of physical, sensory, and social stimuli. To enrich the visual, cognitive, and social world of captive nonhuman primates, video presentation is a commonly used technique in zoos and research facilities. The captive nonhuman primates, however, show habituation in a very short time to the videos, which are presented repeatedly and thus lose interest to it quickly. Some previous studies suggested that the contents and controllability of the movies affect the interest to them as well as the novelty of them. Preparing novel movies that attract the interest of captive primates continuously is however costly. In this study I tested the effect of the newly developed and low cost techniques to present videos such as YouTube videos and Skype calls. In the YouTube experiment, the captive Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) were exposed to the recently uploaded videos showing conspecifics, people, or animation. In the Skype experiment, the subjects in different places were connected via the Skype calls. These enrichment techniques attracted the interest of the subjects continuously. The frequency of abnormal behavior of the subjects decreased significantly during video presentation. These innovative techniques are effective enrichment for captive nonhuman primates. |
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN MANAGING ENRICHMENT FOR A LARGE OR DIVERSE COLLECTION Tanya Paul &Bree Boothe Oregon Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
While enrichment provides critical opportunities for animals to exhibit natural behaviors, there is some risk inherently associated with the introduction of foreign objects into the environment (natural or artificial). A well-designed enrichment program can be structured to minimize safety issues while still encouraging species-appropriate behaviors. This session discusses the success of the Oregon Zoo’s wildlife show enrichment program, and how to maintain high safety standards while utilizing a large number of people to assist with enriching a diverse collection. The show program encompasses several taxonomic groups, including birds, reptiles and mammals. A large number of staff, volunteers and interns assist with distribution of enrichment items for these animals. Many steps are taken to reduce the risk associated with these variables. Before enrichment can be given to any animal, each item must pass through Oregon Zoo’s rigorous approval process. Once items are approved, record keeping is done electronically using an Excel spreadsheet. Approved items are preset on the individual electronic daily records, set in drop-down menus. This provides an additional safety precaution, as only items that are approved for an individual may be recorded. Tracking items for herbivores, carnivores and snakes can be difficult, so re-usable enrichment items are color-coded in order to reduce cross-contamination. Finally, some items are initially only provisionally approved for use, due to safety concerns. Using a direct assessment form, these items are monitored and evaluated before final approval is given. These steps have resulted in a high-quality enrichment program while minimizing risk to the animals. |
SAVING TIME & RESOURCES: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE ZOO-WIDE ENRICHMENT DATABASE AT POINT DEFIANCE ZOO & AQUARIUM
Sara Mattison Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Since 1999, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium has implemented a comprehensive enrichment program designed to enhance the well-being of the entire animal collection. Like most enrichment programs, PDZA’s consisted of copious paperwork to track enrichment items through the approval process and to maintain enrichment inventory, implementation, and evaluation. This paper use was not in keeping with PDZA’s commitment to sustainability and was also fairly inefficient. Paperwork was often misplaced during the approval process and approved enrichment lists needed constant updating for each area and were cumbersome to use. This system also precluded a simple way to share enrichment ideas and information between animal areas outside of the monthly meetings. To address these issues, the Zoo transitioned the enrichment program to an entirely paper-free system utilizing an Access database that has vastly improved the efficiency of the program, reducing keeper time needed to provide daily enrichments and creating a much more organized, easier to use, and more environmentally friendly system. This process has also speeded the approval process and has eliminated the disappearance of submitted approval forms. This practice has contributed to the successful effort to cut overall paper usage at PDZA by 50% in the beginning of 2009. |