The effectiveness of environmental enrichment on reducing stereotypic behaviour in two captive vicugna (Vicugna vicugna)
The effectiveness of environmental enrichment on reducing stereotypic behaviour in two captive vicugna (Vicugna vicugna)
Environmental enrichment by increasing foraging behaviour and providing food item choice are widely practised and generally accepted as effective methods for reducing stereotypic behaviour in captive animals. In this study, the effectiveness of increasing foraging patch choice and food item choice on reducing motor stereotypy in two captive vicugna were examined. For the purposes of the study, first, browse was added to the vicugna's enclosure as an additional forage item and, second, the vicugna's normal feed was divided: half being provided in the indoor quarters and half in the outdoor yard. The results revealed that providing browse as an additional forage item increased the observed stereotypic behaviour; however, dividing the vicugna's feed, and therefore increasing forage patch choice, decreased stereotypy. This study was limited because of the small sample size and because the area in which the vicugna were performing stereotypic behaviour was partially visually obscured. However, this study has implications for animal welfare because it highlights the need to evaluate the suitability of foraging enrichment items, and suggests that more research into accommodating the adaptive foraging behaviour of this species in captivity may be necessary.
animal welfare, endangered, foraging, stereotypy, vicugna, zoo animals
59-62
Parker, M.
f35e48ca-14b4-4c90-b172-f24c84861250
Goodwin, D.
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Redhead, E.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df
Mitchell, H.
657b31ce-27dd-43ca-95b3-ce899f1c1c8f
February 2006
Parker, M.
f35e48ca-14b4-4c90-b172-f24c84861250
Goodwin, D.
44ea5b5f-3933-4171-83b6-8d48928e27ca
Redhead, E.
d2342759-2c77-45ef-ac0f-9f70aa5db0df
Mitchell, H.
657b31ce-27dd-43ca-95b3-ce899f1c1c8f
Parker, M., Goodwin, D., Redhead, E. and Mitchell, H.
(2006)
The effectiveness of environmental enrichment on reducing stereotypic behaviour in two captive vicugna (Vicugna vicugna).
Animal Welfare, 15 (1), .
Abstract
Environmental enrichment by increasing foraging behaviour and providing food item choice are widely practised and generally accepted as effective methods for reducing stereotypic behaviour in captive animals. In this study, the effectiveness of increasing foraging patch choice and food item choice on reducing motor stereotypy in two captive vicugna were examined. For the purposes of the study, first, browse was added to the vicugna's enclosure as an additional forage item and, second, the vicugna's normal feed was divided: half being provided in the indoor quarters and half in the outdoor yard. The results revealed that providing browse as an additional forage item increased the observed stereotypic behaviour; however, dividing the vicugna's feed, and therefore increasing forage patch choice, decreased stereotypy. This study was limited because of the small sample size and because the area in which the vicugna were performing stereotypic behaviour was partially visually obscured. However, this study has implications for animal welfare because it highlights the need to evaluate the suitability of foraging enrichment items, and suggests that more research into accommodating the adaptive foraging behaviour of this species in captivity may be necessary.
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Published date: February 2006
Keywords:
animal welfare, endangered, foraging, stereotypy, vicugna, zoo animals
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 42159
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/42159
ISSN: 0962-7286
PURE UUID: 98a80343-bf91-407f-9516-74705788b85f
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Date deposited: 26 Mar 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:18
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Author:
M. Parker
Author:
D. Goodwin
Author:
H. Mitchell
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