Invited Talks
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EVOLUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT: A 20-YEAR REVIEW
Dr. Jill Mellen, Disney's Animal Kingdom Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
The role of enrichment in zoos and aquariums has grown substantially in the past 20 years and the purpose of this paper is to review and comment on key milestones over this period. The first conference on environmental enrichment was hosted in 1993 by the Oregon Zoo (then Metro Washington Park Zoo). Twenty years later as this meeting returns to Portland, what progress has been made by zoos and aquariums in the realm of enrichment? Certainly enrichment has transitioned from something that keepers did if they had extra time to now being an integral part of zoo and aquarium animal management. AZA accreditation has transitioned from a position that “zoos should have” to “zoos must have” an enrichment program. Over that past 20 years and particularly in the past 5 years, there is an increased focus on assessing the welfare of animals in zoos and aquariums (with enrichment being an important component). Scientific assessment of the welfare of zoo animals will continue to provide an objective basis for husbandry, exhibition and care of zoo animals and equip staff with solid evidence for enhancing welfare. Recently, an expanded view of “welfare” to encompass both negative indicators of welfare (e.g., pacing) as well positive indicators of welfare (e.g., investigation, play) is beginning to evolve. This broader focus on both positive and negative indicators of welfare indicators shows great promise in application to day-to-day management. |
THE VALUE OF ENRICHMENT TO REINTRODUCTION SUCCESS
Dr. Richard P. Reading, Denver Zoological Foundation Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Reintroduction attempts have faced low, albeit improving, success rates, especially for threatened and endangered species reintroduced from captivity to the wild. Success rates are particularly low for species living in complex social structures, require greater training during development, and exhibit higher levels of intelligence. Aside from mitigating the original cause of a species extirpation from an area, behavior factors arguably represent the most important aspect influencing an animal’s survival following reintroduction.Indeed, we previously recommended using behavioral indicators for determining relative reintroduction success, especially as practitioners develop and compare protocols or survivorship is difficult to gauge. Enrichment promises to improve reintroduction success by providing individuals with opportunities to develop and improve behavioral skills, such avoiding predation, foraging (especially for predators and primates), interacting in social groups, courtship and mating, habitat selection, and learning movement and migration routes. Enrichment also improves the physical condition of most individuals, which should also increase reintroduction success rates. We explore how behavioral enrichment has influenced reintroduction success rates in a variety of different species. |
WHAT IS ANIMAL WELFARE
(AND THE ROLE OF ENRICHMENT) Dr. Kathy Carlstead, Honolulu Zoo Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
This talk is about animal welfare with a sub-focus on where environmental enrichment fits in to the concept of welfare. The term animal welfare has an ethical component that is concerned with value judgments. Historically, there have been 3 main areas of concern for animals stemming from different values about what is important for animals to have a good life: Health and basic functioning, Feelings (or emotions or affective states), and Natural living. The science of animal welfare makes use of these different approaches to develop methods of welfare assessment. Enrichment may have benefits for all three areas of welfare concern, but studies employing measures of all three - health, affective states and natural behavior – are scarce. I will briefly discuss the Elephant Welfare Study being conducted at all AZA zoos in North America and how it combines all three welfare approaches. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT FOR RESEARCH ANIMALS: WHY
INVESTIGATORS SHOULD CARE Dr. Carrie Hanna, Oregon Health & Science University Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Our definitive goal of environmental enrichment is to reduce the stress experienced by captive held animals. Stress has been shown to elicit an altered effect on drug metabolism, reproduction, and mental health, all factors, which can vary the outcome of some research programs. Few researchers exercise their right to request enrichment for their animals, often assuming that it will have little affect on their study or is the responsibility of others. In truth, being proactive about environmental enrichment will not only benefit the animal’s health and enhance a research program, but it can be a beneficial tool in defending animal research to the general public. Recent studies have demonstrated that public perception of animal use in science is more positive once they know the animals are treated with compassion and respect. As scientists are being asked to step into the public eye to personally vouch for their work, demonstrating a vested interest in their animal’s well-being becomes critical to defending any research program and pacifying public concern. Further, a movement among researchers in France promotes rehabilitation of animals after completion of a project. Researchers are encouraged to perform experiments so that certain animals will be able to enter into a domestic training and placement process at the conclusion of the project instead of being euthanized. Promoting this mind-set among scientists addresses the moral disjunction experienced by many animal researchers and depletes the fuel for animal rights activists. Making environmental enrichment part of research programs can have a profound impact beyond animal welfare. |